Please also check Graduate School requirements for master’s degrees in the Graduate Catalog.

The department offers two options for the M.S. degree: thesis and non-thesis. Students should consult their advisor about these options and determine their track by the end of their first year, but may subsequently change options.

Under the M.S. with thesis option, the student must:

• satisfy a course requirement (24 credits of course work plus six credits of thesis research)

• write a master’s thesis and pass the oral master’s thesis examination

Under the non-thesis option, the student must:

• satisfy a course requirement (30 credits of course work)

• write and submit an approved scholarly paper

In addition, for both options, once enrolled, all students must register for courses and pay associated tuition and fees each semester, not including summer and winter sessions, until the degree is awarded.