Summary of Master's Procedures

All Master’s Students

  1. Application materials and required fees received 

  2. Application materials reviewed by graduate program 

  3. Graduate program forwards recommendation regarding applicant's admissibility to the Dean of the Graduate School 

  4. The Dean of the Graduate School reviews the recommendation and the student is notified of the action taken on the request for admission 

  5. Outstanding transcripts, if any, showing any or all post-secondary coursework attempted and degree(s) conferred since application should be submitted by student to the Graduate School, prior to matriculation 

  6. Student arrives, reports to the graduate program, is assigned a graduate advisor and develops a roster of courses and credits with the advisor 

  7. Student subject to continuous registration policy until graduation 

  8. Student signs and submits Patent Agreement 

  9. Program encouraged by Graduate School to require student to develop a Plan of Graduate Work, in consultation with and with the approval of his/her graduate advisor and DGP. If submitted via GARS to the Graduate School, Graduate Records staff will review the Plan of Graduate Work and advise the program of any changes that would need to be made before the Request for a Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination or Request for Option B Graduation Checkout can be approved by the Graduate School 

  10. Student passes language examination, if required 

  11. Student passes written examination, if required 

  12. Student submits Diploma Order Request form by end of third week of the semester or summer session of anticipated graduation 

  13. A GPA of at least 3.00 for the degree requirements as well as on overall graduate course work at NC State is required for graduation 

  14. All degree requirements must be completed within six calendar years, beginning with the date the student takes courses carrying graduate credit applicable to the degree program, unless a more restrictive time limit has been established by the program or academic college/school. 

Students in Thesis Programs

  1. Graduate advisory committee of three or more Graduate Faculty members is appointed by the DGP. 

  2. A preliminary copy of the thesis is submitted to the chair of the student's advisory committee 

  3. When all requirements except completion of the course work in the final semester are satisfied and after the thesis is complete except for such revisions as may be necessary as a result of the exam, the DGP submits to the Graduate School the Request for a Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination 

  4. If Graduate School requirements are met, the Request for a Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination is approved by the Graduate School within 10 working days of receipt of the request, and the permit, Admission to the Final Master's Oral Examination, is issued 

  5. At least two weeks prior to the final oral examination, the chair of the student's advisory committee submits the thesis, if required, to the other members of the advisory committee for review 

  6. Final examination is scheduled and conducted 

  7. The Admission to the Final Master's Oral Examination form is completed by the committee members, including date and result, and submitted to the Graduate School by the DGP. The Graduate School should receive the report within five working days of the examination 

  8. Student submits three copies of the thesis, signed by each member of his/her advisory committee, to the Graduate School 

  9. The deadline for submitting the thesis to the Graduate School in order for the student to graduate in a given semester or summer session appears in the Graduate School Calendar 

  10. The thesis is reviewed by the Graduate School to ensure that the format conforms to the specifications prescribed in the Thesis and Dissertation Guide. 

Students in Master’s of Discipline Non-Thesis Programs

  1. Graduate advisory committee of three or more Graduate Faculty members is appointed by the DGP 

  2. When all requirements except completion of the course work in the final semester are satisfied, DGP submits to the Graduate School the Request for a Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination 

  3. If Graduate School requirements are met, a Request for a Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination is approved by the Graduate School within 10 working days of receipt of the request and the permit, Admission to the Final Master's Oral Examination, is issued 

  4. Final examination is scheduled and conducted 

  5. Final examination report, including date and result of the examination, submitted to the Graduate School by the DGP. The Graduate School should receive the report within five working days of the examination 

  6. The deadline date for unconditionally passing the final examination in order for the student to graduate in a given semester or summer session appears in the Graduate School Calendar. 

Students in Option B Programs

DGP submits requests for graduation checkout to the Graduate Dean no later than six weeks after the first day of the semester (seven working days after the first day of the summer session) in which the student is taking the last course in his or her program and anticipates graduation.