MASTER OF SCIENCE AND MASTER OF
ARTS
All Master of Science and Master of Arts degree programs are planned with the
objective of making possible a reasonable, comprehensive mastery of the subject
matter in a chosen field. In most cases, the Master of Science and Master of
Arts programs provide training and experience in research in order to
familiarize the student with the methods, ideals and goals of independent
investigation. In these cases, representative of most Master of Science and
Master of Arts degree programs, a thesis is required. A small number of Master
of Science and Master of Arts programs do not require a thesis.
Requirements
Time Limit
Requirements for ALL Master's degrees must be completed within six (6) calendar years. For further information about the time limit for degrees, please see Administrative Handbook Section 3.4.
MASTER'S DEGREE IN A DESIGNATED
FIELD
A number of departments and programs offer Master's degrees in designated
fields. These are professional degrees and do not require a thesis.
Requirements
The Option B Master's degree
requires that students adhere to the general guidelines for a Master of Arts or
Master of Science degree with the following exceptions:
Credit Hour Requirements for Master's
Degrees
A minimum of 30 semester credit hours is required for all Master's degrees;
however, many programs require more than thirty. Also, many students, in order
to gain the breadth desired in their programs or to make up deficits in their
undergraduate degrees, will actually take more credit hours than the minimum
required by their programs.
Transfer of graduate credits earned at
other universities
A course that was completed at another
college or university may be considered for transfer to a Master's program
provided that the course is classified as a graduate course; it was completed
while the student was in a graduate or post-baccalaureate classification; the
grade in the course is "B" (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better; the
college or university is accredited by one of the following six U.S. regional
accrediting agencies: the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association
of Colleges and Schools, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools,
the Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools, or the Western Association of
Colleges and Schools.
Transfer of graduate credits earned
while enrolled in an undergraduate program at NC State University
A course that was completed while the
student was enrolled as an undergraduate at NC State University may be
considered for transfer to a Master's program, provided that it is at the
400-level or higher, that the grade is "B" (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) or
better, that it was not counted to fulfill undergraduate requirements, and that
it is recommended by the Director of Graduate Programs at the time of the
student's enrollment in the Graduate School. Students admitted to the
Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's program may use up to 12 hours of graduate
credit to satisfy requirements for both the bachelor's and the Master's degrees.
No graduate credit will be allowed for a course completed in an undergraduate
classification at another institution.
Transfer of graduate credits earned
while enrolled in a previous graduate degree program at NC State University
A graduate course that was completed
while the student was enrolled in a previous graduate program at NC State
University may be considered for transfer to a Master's program, provided that
it is at the 500-level or higher and that the grade is "B" (3.00 on a
4.00 scale) or better.
Transfer of Post-Baccalaureate Studies
(PBS) graduate credits earned at NC State University
A graduate course that was completed
while the student was enrolled in PBS status at NC State University may be
considered for transfer to a Master's program provided that it is at the
500-level or higher and that the grade is "B" (3.00 on a 4.00 scale)
or better. All PBS credits that are used to satisfy requirements of a specific Master's
degree must be earned before the student is admitted to that
degree program.
GRADUATE ADVISOR AND GRADUATE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
All students in graduate programs must
have a graduate advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty in the student's
major program and is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School upon
recommendation of the DGP. In the case of doctoral programs and Master's programs requiring theses and/or final oral examinations, the graduate advisor
serves as chair or co-chair of the committee.
The primary function of the
committee is to advise the student in all aspects of the educational program and
to monitor and evaluate that student's progress toward the degree. The committee
should provide an intellectually stimulating foundation for the student's
professional and scholarly development and should be sensitive to any
difficulties in the student's progress, research performance or methodology
requiring attention. The committee certifies whether the student has met NC
State's standards for a graduate degree. Advising and guiding the student on how
best to qualify for the requirements of a degree is a key part of this
responsibility.
In all Master's programs except those
designated "Option B," the committee will consist of at least three NC
State Graduate Faculty members, one of whom is designated as chair and one of
whom represents the minor if one has been declared. Those Master's programs
designated "Option B" require that the student choose only a major
advisor or co-advisors but no committee.
The Graduate School does not require
that all Master's students submit a POW. However, Master's students are encouraged to complete a POW in consultation with their advisor as
soon as possible after the completion of one half of their course work. The
Graduate School reserves the right to request a POW under some circumstances. In
this capacity, the POW serves as a contract between the student and his or her
graduate program, reducing the possibility of any later misunderstanding as to
fulfilling degree requirements.
Whether submitted optionally or as part
of the degree requirement, the POW should include both a list of the course work
to be undertaken (in all programs) and the thesis or dissertation topic (except
in non-thesis programs); be developed by the student and his/her advisory
committee; be approved by the committee and the DGP or Department Head prior to
submission to the Graduate School for final approval; be submitted (optional)
prior to completion of one-half the total Master's program, or (mandatory) upon
completion of 12 hours of a doctoral program.
Requirements for Master of Arts and
Master of Science students
A reading knowledge of one modern
foreign language (Germanic, Romance or Slavic) is required by some programs for
the Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees. Other programs may designate
that the language requirement be filled from among those languages in which the
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures conducts testing. Students
should contact the major program for specific language requirements.
Master's degrees in designated fields
There is no language requirement in the
professional Master's degree programs (Master's degrees in designated fields)
with the exception of the Master's of International Studies, which requires
knowledge of one foreign language at a level of conversational proficiency.
The Graduate School does not require a
minor, though individual programs may require one. If a program does not require
a minor, the graduate student has the option of choosing one, except in an
Option B Master's program. The minor work will usually be from a single
discipline or field that in the judgment of the advisory committee provides
relevant support to the major field. However, the committee has the alternative
of developing an interdisciplinary minor if it best serves the needs of the
student. When a student does select a minor, the advisory committee must include
a representative of the minor field. The minor credits on the Plan of Graduate
Work must be approved by the graduate advisory committee member representing the
minor, and, in some cases, the DGP from the minor program.
Students may co-major at the Master's level in programs with identical degrees, although the degrees do not
necessarily have to have identical requirements, e.g., two master of science
programs, one with a thesis requirement and one without. Students must obtain
the approval of both graduate programs as well as appropriate representation on
the advisory committee, and must meet all requirements of both programs.
Students who co-major are not required to declare a minor. Co-majors must meet
all requirements for majors in both programs. One degree is awarded and the
co-major is noted on the transcript.
Candidates for the Master of Arts or
Master of Science degrees in programs requiring a thesis must undertake an
original investigation into a subject, which has been approved by the student's
advisory committee and DGP, and prepare a thesis. Information on form and
organization of the thesis, in addition to other regulations, is presented in
the University's on-line Thesis
and Dissertation Guide.
MASTER’S COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
Written Examination
Written examinations covering the subject matter of the major and the minor may be required. Information concerning written examination schedules should be obtained from the student's program.
Oral Examination
Candidates for Master's degrees, except
those in Option B programs, must pass a comprehensive oral examination to
demonstrate to the advisory committee that he/she possesses a reasonable mastery
of the subject matter of the major and minor fields and that this knowledge can
be used with promptness and accuracy. This exam takes the form of a traditional
defense of the thesis in those programs requiring theses. In programs that
require a thesis, the thesis must be submitted in complete form, except for such
revisions which may be necessary as a result of the final oral exam, to all
members of the advisory committee at least two (2) weeks prior to the exam.
Failure of a student to pass the oral examination
terminates the student's graduate work at NC State unless the graduate advisory
committee unanimously requests that the Graduate School permit a re-examination.
Only one re-examination will be given.
All requirements for the Master's degree must be completed within six calendar years, beginning with the date the student commences courses carrying graduate credit applicable to the degree program, unless a more restrictive time limit has been established by the academic college/school or program. The term limit remains at six (6) years even if a student was on approved leave of absence during the six-year period.