Graduate Degree Requirements

Op3.19-1 Graduate Program Requirements

To earn a graduate certificate, a candidate must:
  1. Complete the minimum number of credit hours required for the graduate program. Keep in mind that courses taken for undergraduate credit may not be used for a graduate certificate.
  2. Attain a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all graduate work utilized in the program that includes Missouri State University and transfer courses.
  3. Meet all additional program-specific certificate requirements; and
  4. Complete all requirements within an eight-year period (exclusive of time spent in the U.S. Armed Forces).
To complete a master’s or specialist degree, a candidate must:
  1. Complete the minimum number of credit hours required for the graduate program. Keep in mind that courses taken for undergraduate credit may not be used for a master’s or specialist degree.
  2. Complete at least one-half of the minimum semester hours in courses numbered 700 or higher, which signifies that the courses have no associated undergraduate parallel. Graduate courses provide a graduate-level experience and differ from undergraduate courses in the expectations/requirements.
  3. Fulfill no more than 49% of the required semester hours by combining senior permission (up to 12 hours), courses taken prior to admission to the program (up to 30%), transfer (up to 30%), and assessment of prior learning.
  4. Attain a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all graduate work utilized in the degree program.
  5. Satisfy a research requirement, such as a thesis (reflected by enrollment in a course numbered 799), seminar/degree paper, capstone project or internship. 
    1. A maximum of 6 hours of thesis or internship credit can be applied to the degree.
    2. Theses must be supervised by an advisory committee consisting of at least three persons who hold MSU graduate faculty status. The chair must hold graduate research faculty status
  6. Complete a culminating assessment of student learning, such as a comprehensive examination or professional presentation. 
  7. Meet all additional program-specific degree requirements; and
  8. Complete all requirements within an eight-year period (exclusive of time spent in the U.S. Armed Forces).

To earn a doctoral degree, a candidate must:

  1. All students must complete the stated courses and minimum number of required credit hours for the program. Keep in mind that courses taken for undergraduate credit may not be used for a doctoral degree.
  2. Complete at least one-half of the minimum semester hours in courses numbered 700 or higher, which signifies that the courses have no associated undergraduate parallel.
  3. Fulfill no more than 49% of the required semester hours may be by combining senior permission (up to 12 hours), courses taken prior to admission to the program (up to 30%), transfer (up to 30%), and assessment of prior learning;
  4. Attain a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all graduate work utilized in the degree program.
  5. Complete a doctoral research project, capstone, or a doctoral thesis.
    1. A doctoral research project must be overseen by a committee that consists of at least three (3) members. The Director must be a faculty member from the discipline (usually the Academic Unit) and hold Graduate status (may be Research or Professional), and the other members must have expertise in the area of project focus.
    2. A doctoral thesis must be overseen by a committee that consists of four (4) members. The Chair (Director) of the doctoral thesis committee must hold Graduate Research Faculty Status. Two members of the committee must hold Graduate faculty status (may be Research or Professional). The fourth committee member must come from outside the academic unit and have expertise in the area of research focus.
  1. Presentation of the research results (thesis or project) at a forum approved by the academic unit.
  2. Complete a culminating assessment of student learning, such as a comprehensive examination or professional presentation;
  3. Meet all additional program-specific degree requirements.
  4. Complete all degree requirements within an eight-year period (excluding time spent in the United States Armed Forces).

Op3.19-3 Advisement

Graduate students are assigned an advisor at the time of admission. In some cases, the graduate advisor may be changed once a student is fully matriculated into the program. The role of the graduate advisor is to:

  • Assist the student in the selection of course work for his/her graduate program;
  • Evaluate transfer credits as acceptable for meeting requirements;
  • Recommend acceptance or rejection of all graduate course work toward the program of study as shown in the student's degree audit; and
  • Advise and assist the student in completion of all Missouri State University and departmental requirements for degree.

It is extremely important that students have early contact with their advisor and gain advisor approval before registering for classes. The advisor is a key person in helping individuals plan their graduate program, ensuring that classes fit the program, planning an appropriate class sequence, and providing other input that ensures a student is successful in their graduate program. All degree-seeking students must have the advisor complete an electronic release prior to registering.

Op3.19-6 Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Exam

All graduate degrees are required to conduct a culminating assessment of student learning. Some graduate programs do this in the context of a capstone course, and others require that students pass a comprehensive examination in order to be awarded a degree. Comprehensive examinations vary in format and structure, as well as the times they are administered. In order to facilitate successful performance on their comprehensive examination, graduate programs must:

  1. provide adequate information regarding format and content of the examination and the time(s) it will be offered in order to promote optimal preparation;
  2. validate evaluation or scoring procedures;
  3. provide detailed feedback if the examination is not initially passed, including specific examples of unacceptable performance and offer additional support and in an effort to assist the student in meeting expected levels of performance;
  4. give at least one opportunity to re-attempt the examination if not initially passed within a reasonable timeline and specify the maximum number of repeat attempts allowed before recommending dismissal.

The department must forward results of the comprehensive examination to the Graduate College no later than the last day of class in a semester. These results will be entered into the University system (Banner) and will be reflected in the student’s degree audit.

Program Dismissal Due to Failed Comprehensive Examination

If a student does not pass the program’s comprehensive examination after all re-attempts have been exhausted:

  1. The student will be notified in writing that s/he is being dismissed from the program at the end of the current semester due to a failure to pass the comprehensive examination. Notification of dismissal should occur as soon as possible. Either the faculty or the student may request a meeting to discuss the dismissal decision and notification.
  2. The student may appeal his/her dismissal to the Dean of the College within five (5) business days of receiving notification of such dismissal.
  3. The student may appeal a decision to uphold the dismissal by the Dean of the College to the Dean of the Graduate College and the Office of the Provost within five (5) business days of receiving notification of the Dean of the College’s decision.
  4. A decision to uphold the dismissal by the Dean of the Graduate College and the Office of the Provost may be appealed to the President of the University within five (5) business days of receiving notification of the Dean of the Graduate College/Office of the Provost’s decision. The decision of the President is final.

Op3.19-7 Graduate Transfer Credit

On a case-by-case basis, Missouri State may accept graduate credit earned at other regionally accredited institutions or well-established international institutions. Acceptance of transfer credits on a graduate program occurs through recommendation of the student's advisor and approval of the Graduate College. Transfer hours may count for up to 30% of the required hours for a degree. This policy applies whether the credit is being applied to an original graduate degree or to a second degree earned simultaneously or subsequently. As with all credits applied toward a graduate degree, transfer credits must have been earned within the eight-year time limit for a degree program. Grades on transfer courses accepted in the degree program are included in the overall graduate grade point average. 

Collaborative Agreements 

The limitation on transfer credit may be superseded when the university develops a collaborative agreement with another institution for delivery of an academic program. In cases where Missouri State University shares program responsibility with another institution, both institutions may teach courses that might be applied to a degree program.  

Op3.19-9 Grade Requirements for Graduate Degree

For course grades earned during the Fall 2023 semester or any subsequent semester, no course with a grade of D+ or below may be applied toward a graduate degree or graduate certificate.

For course grades earned prior to the Fall 2023 semester, no course with a grade "C-" or below may be applied toward a graduate degree or graduate certificate.

Furthermore, a graduate student becomes ineligible to continue in the current graduate program if more than 9 semester hours of "C+" or lower are earned in graduate courses taken in the degree program, or if the student does not meet any additional specific degree retention requirements imposed by a department or program.

 

Op3.19-10 Graduation

The deadline for the Application for Graduation is the first week of the semester in which the student plans to graduate. A student is advised, however, to apply in advance of the semester that they intend to graduate.

  1. Complete the online Graduate Application to Graduate located through My Missouri State.
  2. Students should work closely with the advisor to ensure that all of the degree requirements are met.
  3. Students who have completed all course work and are only working on their research component may sign up for GEN 798 (Active in Research). This zero credit course offered at a reduced fee ($75) allows the following:
    • access to the library, including online services such as interlibrary loans, MOBIUS, and restricted access databases;
    • opportunity to purchase a parking permit; and
    • access to computer services and campus email.

GEN 798 is graded as "P" (pass) or "N" (if the student discontinues participation and is dropped from the course).