Detailed Overview of M.A. and M.Ed. Milestones and Policies

Course and credit requirements are described in this section. Students are, of course, permitted to take additional courses or credits beyond those required.

All graduate-level courses offered by the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development in a particular semester are listed on the University of Minnesota's OneStop website.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunity to enroll in courses relevant to their master's degree study across the university.

All course selections and planning should be done in consultation with your advisor. Students should consult with their advisors before choosing a pass/fail grading option (designated "S/N" for satisfactory / not satisfactory) for courses that allow either letter grades or S/N grades.

To register for classes, access the University’s registration system through the university’s One Stop page and following an online tutorial. Some students also use the university’s Schedule Builder tool to plan their weekly schedules. 

Courses / Credits for Your Degree Program

For details on course requirements, consult the Program Planning Sheet for your degree and your program track. Your advisor can direct you to the correct Program Planning Sheet.

M.A. Programs

The Master of Arts programs in Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD) are found in five program areas (Comparative and International Development Education, Education Policy and Leadership, Evaluation Studies, Higher Education, and Human Resource Development). Programs are individualized according to student background, academic interests, prior educational experience, and professional goals. Students have two options for completing the degree: Plan A (with master’s thesis) or Plan B (without thesis, additional course compared to the Plan A, and a literature review final paper). Students should consult with their advisor on the plan appropriate to them and notify the Coordinator of Graduate Studies only if selecting a Plan A route.

The OLPD M.A. programs include the following course work areas: program core, electives, related fields, and research methodology. In addition, all students register for Plan A thesis credits or for Plan B coursework credits. A final oral defense of the thesis is required for the Plan A option, while the Plan B option requires a satisfactory review by the three committee members. The total number of credits needed to complete the master’s degree is 30 or more semester credits.  credits for a M.A. must be from courses in other departments or OLPD program areas. Specifics on curricular requirements and credit hours can be found in Program Planning Guides.

M.Ed. Programs

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs in Adult Education, Leadership in Education, and Human Resource Development can be individualized according to student background, academic interests, prior educational experience, and professional goals. M.Ed. Programs are classified as  “Plan C” (coursework only) Master’s programs, meaning that any capstone activities will take place within the framework of regular courses. The total number of credits needed to complete the master’s degree is 30 or more semester credits. Within the general framework for M.Ed. requirements, the degree program is developed by the student and his or her advisor and is subject to approval by the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate School. Program Planning Guides can assist with providing information on curricular requirements and coursework examples.

Additional Credit Options

Students must register for some course or credit every Fall Semester and every Spring Semester. If students have taken all classes, and do not wish to pursue further academic work or independent studies, there are three main options for students. Full details on all the special registration categories below can be found online. These credits are not meant to be long-term place holders.

While these course options will not apply towards a degree, they will maintain a student’s active status in the program.

OLPD 8333: Masters Status

M.A. students on the Plan A track who have successfully completed all required coursework, all thesis credits and all other steps to the Master's other than the Plan A paper. To register, a student must apply for this special registration status. The application form and instructions are available online. OLPD 8333 is for M.A./Plan A students who must certify full-time status to be in compliance with requirements of the University or external agencies (such as employment as a graduate assistant, loan deferment, visa requirements, etc.). Regular tuition rates apply.

This course may not be taken with any other courses in a given semester. A new application must be submitted for every semester a student intends to take OLPD 8333. The application deadline is prior to the registration period.

GRAD 999: Graduate School Active Status

M.A. students who have completed all coursework and (if applicable) thesis credit requirements may use GRAD 999 to maintain their active student status. To register, a student must submit a departmental petition to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, which must be approved before registration can take place. Requests to take GRAD 999 must be submitted in advance of the registration period of any semester. A master's student may use this registration option only once during the degree program. 

This zero-credit, zero-tuition registration option is intended for students who need to maintain their active student status. Students cannot use GRAD 999 to meet any other requirements of the University or external agencies. For example, students who must maintain full-time status to hold an assistantship, defer loans or receive financial aid cannot use GRAD 999 to meet related eligibility requirements.

International students must consult with the Office of International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) prior to taking GRAD 999, as there may be consequences related to visa status. International students may need to complete certain forms for ISSS prior to enrolling in GRAD 999, in order to maintain their visa status.

Including Transfer Credits in Your Degree Program

With the approval of the advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the College of Education and Human Development, students may apply some coursework from another graduate degree program to the master's program. Such coursework may be, for example, from a master’s program completed at the University of Minnesota or other recognized graduate institution.

Students should discuss with their advisors the possible use of these credits in their programs.

Credits are transferred by listing the courses on the Program Planning Sheet. Credits not accepted as part of a student's Graduate Planning and Audit System (GPAS) form cannot be transferred to the University of Minnesota graduate transcript.

Department Policy on Transfer Credits

Transfer of credits require advisor approval in relation to the master's student’s program plan. Students who wish to transfer previous graduate coursework to the departmental core or program core requirements may do so only with approval of the advisor and by formal petition to the appropriate program coordinator.

Master's students may be allowed to transfer up to 9 credits of previous graduate work into their master's program. The credits earned must:

1. meet criteria presented in the Graduate Education Catalog,

2. closely match the planned program emphasis, and

3. be approved by the advisor.

Graduate Education Policy on Transfer Credits

Some of the general Graduate School rules that apply to transfer of credits are listed below. For further requirements and information, students should check the Graduate Education Catalog.

• Graduate-level courses taken before the award of the baccalaureate degree typically cannot be transferred.

• Graduate-level courses appearing on an undergraduate transcript cannot be transferred into a graduate program.

• Graduate-level courses taken through the College of Continuing and Professional Studies or the Masters of Liberal Studies program at the University of Minnesota are not accepted for transfer.

• The Graduate School allows a maximum of 9 semester credits taken as a non-degree graduate student. Such credits count as transfer credits. Refer to the Graduate Education Catalog for details and consult with your advisor (and, if necessary, your Program Coordinator or the Coordinator of Graduate Studies) before making assumptions about transfer credits.

• Official transcripts of the transfer coursework (from institutions other than the University of Minnesota) must be submitted to the Graduate School Office of Admission if they were not submitted previously, during the admissions process.

Transferring Courses from a Quarter System

To convert quarter-based credits to a semester-based program, multiply the number of quarter credits by .67 to obtain semester credit equivalencies.

Transferring in OLPD Coursework Taken Under Prior Designators

Prior to Spring 2012, OLPD courses were listed under five course designators (ADED, BIE, EDPA, HRD, and WHRE). Prior to Summer 2016, certain OLPD courses were listed under the PSTL course designator. Students transferring in courses under these designators need to list them using their original designators and course numbers.

Including a Minor in Your Degree Program

M.A. students are eligible to complete a minor program of study to complement the major program for the master's degree. Most OLPD M.Ed. programs do allow students to take a minor, but a few do not. (Check with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, if interested.) The minor program may be housed in OLPD or in another department. Taking a minor is optional. Students interested in pursuing a minor are strongly encouraged to discuss the possibility with their faculty advisor. Some minors are more complementary to a given major program than others.

A current listing of all graduate minors (program related and free standing) can be found within the Graduate School’s website. Minor programs housed within OLPD include:

• Integrative Leadership

• International Education (through Comparative International Development Education)

• Program Evaluation (through Evaluation Studies)

• Sociocultural Studies in Education

Every minor has its own Director of Graduate Studies (DGS of the minor). The DGS of the minor program must approve all curricular matters. Requirements for eligibility and admission to individual minors vary widely. Students are advised to study the minor program's website and contact the DGS of their desired minor program to determine what is required for admission and completion to the minor.   

Declaring a Minor

After you have been admitted to a minor program, you must declare to the Graduate School that you are in that minor. A minor is officially declared by a) registering it via the appropriate online form available on the One Stop website and b) obtaining the approval of the minor program's Director of Graduate Studies via the Graduate Planning and Audit System (GPAS; see below).

The minor must be declared prior to submitting the GPAS form for the major program. When the minor appears on the student's Graduate School record, a second GPAS form for the minor will appear in the on your screen. The student should submit the GPAS form for the minor program at the same time the GPAS form for the major program is submitted.

M.A. Students: Advisor in the Minor Program

M.A. students who enroll in a minor will be assigned an advisor in that minor. The major advisor cannot also serve as your minor advisor. The minor advisor must be assigned as an outside graduate committee member (see Appendix). If the minor advisor is removed and not replaced with another minor advisor, the minor will be removed from the student's record, even if the student has completed all the required coursework.

Allocating Courses to the Major and Minor Programs

A specific course can only satisfy a major requirement or a minor requirement, not both. A student cannot count the same credits for core requirements for the major and for the minor.

Dropping a Minor

Consult the OLPD Coordinator of Graduate Studies for instructions.

M.A. Students: Reaffirming Your Plan Type (Plan A or Plan B)

As part of their degree program, all admitted M.A. students in Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD) have the option to pursue the degree via the Plan A or Plan B curricular option. The current curricular differences in these options vary by program and can be seen on the program planning sheets on the OLPD website. In order to best utilize the online Graduate Planning and Audit System (GPAS), students need to have declared whether they are pursing the M.A. degree through Plan A or a Plan B, before submitting the GPAS form. Failure to declare the proper Plan Type prior to submitting the GPAS form can lead to significant delays in processing your GPAS form.

Students should consult with their faculty advisor prior to deciding whether they will pursue the degree under the Plan A or Plan B type.

Students are registered to complete Plan B papers by default, and should contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies by email if they wish to pursue a Plan A paper.

All M.Ed. students pursue the degree on Plan C (that is, coursework only). M.Ed. students cannot switch Plan types.

Submitting the Graduate Planning and Audit System Form (GPAS)

The Graduate Planning and Audit System (GPAS) form is a required online form that must be submitted to the Graduate School. This form is accessible online via the MyU Student Portal. When completed, the GPAS lists all the courses that constitute the student's own, individual course of study for the M.A. or M.Ed., that is, all the courses that will count toward the student's master's degree.

For M.A. students, the GPAS form should be filed no later than when the student has completed 15 credits, not counting transfer credits. Failure to do so may result in a registration hold  

until this step is completed. 

For M.Ed. students, the GPAS form is typically filed toward the end of their coursework.

Steps for Submitting a GPAS Form

Students need to follow the steps listed here to submit the GPAS form for the primary program. Those who have a minor need to submit a GPAS form for the minor as well (see below).

1. Fill out the Program Planning Sheet for the master's in your program area with your advisor's guidance. Do not initiate the submission process until your advisor has approved your full course plan, including transfer credits.

2. Obtain your advisor's signature on the Program Planning Sheet. If you have more than one advisor, the primary advisor needs to sign.

3. Access the GPAS system. This is currently done by following the steps below:

   1. On the University's website, sign into the MyU portal.

   2. Select the "Academics" tab.

   3. Select the "Degree Progress" sub-tab.

   4. Click the "Grad Planning & Audit System" link located near the bottom of the page.

You are now in the GPAS system.

• Be sure your graduate program is the one listed. If the graduate program that appears is incorrect, press the tab labeled "Change" next to the program name and select the proper program.

• Confirm your program is accurate and click “submit.” Please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies with any questions before submitting.

You are now done with your part of the GPAS. Exit the system.

All graduate-level courses that you have taken at the University in the past, are currently taking, or are currently registered for will automatically load into your GPAS form.

All future courses and transfer courses that you listed and all course substitutions to which you and your advisor have agreed can be entered into the GPAS system manually by the Coordinator of Graduate Studies (CGS) with a signed Program Planning Sheet.

Sometimes the GPAS system auto populates courses in areas that do not align with your Program Planning Sheet. Should this happen, students can move courses themselves or contact the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, who can manually change courses with a signed Program Planning Sheet.

Once the GPAS is submitted, the CGS determines that all degree requirements are met and the program is approved at the Department level and then forwarded to the Graduate School's office of Graduate Student Services and Progress. Once your GPAS has been approved at by the Graduate School, it will be reflected in the student’s final record.

Steps for Submitting a GPAS Form for a Minor Program

Courses in your minor must be included on the Program Planning Sheet for your major program. When submitting a GPAS form online, a separate page will appear for minors. Please complete and submit this form with agreed-upon courses.

Updating the GPAS Form

Sometimes a student needs to revise a GPAS form that has already been submitted. The student and advisor may agree that certain courses listed on the form should be changed, or there may be changes in the courses offered. All changes need to be discussed with and approved by the advisor.

Email all GPAS changes to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, copying your advisor. Clearly specify which courses need to be removed and/or added. It is often best to submit a revised Program Planning Sheet with all changes clearly noted.

Completing Steps to Graduation

Once your GPAS form is completed and your committee is established (if applicable), you will be eligible to request your final documents via the Graduate Program Degree Completion Steps page. The page contains important information including the online Graduate Application for Degree form, and Reviewers’ Report forms (for Plan A and B papers). Students should work with their advisor to determine a graduation month that includes time for any revisions of Plan A or Plan B papers. Filing for graduation must occur before or (at the latest) on the first day of the month a student would like to graduate.

M.A. students in the Plan A track complete a Plan A master's thesis; those in the Plan B track complete a Plan B master's paper. All students should consult their advisors to determine when work should begin on the master's project and what the overall timeline should be for completing them.

M.Ed. students are in a coursework-only track (Plan C) and do not write a final paper/examination that is graded by a committee.

Establish the Final Examination Committee

This step needs to be completed soon after submitting the GPAS form and at least one month before submitting the Plan A master's thesis or Plan B master's paper for evaluation. An M.A. student establishes an examination committee by identifying faculty members for the committee and submitting their names to the Graduate School via the required form.

Identifying Members of the Examination Committee

The student must work closely with the advisor to identify individuals who may be a good fit for the committee and the student's research interests. Once the student and advisor have agreed on a set of potential committee members and the role that each will play on the committee, the student should contact each one with a request to serve on the committee.

The process of identifying committee members must be informed by the rules as to who can be on a committee and who can serve in each role within the committee. Please work with your advisor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies to ensure your committee meets all Graduate School requirements for service.

An examination committee must meet the following criteria:

• There must be three members on the committee.

• The advisor serves as the committee chair.

•  At least two members must have faculty-role status in a major program in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development. These individuals are considered to be your "internal" or "inside" members. The advisor is always an “inside” member of the committee.

• At least one member must have faculty-role status in a graduate major or a graduate minor program outside the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development. This individual is considered to be your "external or "outside" member. Please note that many OLPD faculty have appointments in other departments, so can serve as “inside” or “outside” members of a committee. Please check with your advisor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies on faculty status for committees.

• If you have declared a minor, your minor advisor must serve as the outside member on your committee. If for any reason the minor advisor is dropped from the committee and not replaced with another individual with faculty-role status in that minor, the minor will be dropped from your record.

Occasionally, there are special circumstances involved in establishing an Examination Committee. Here are the rules for some special cases:

One of the members of the committee no longer has faculty-role status:

If the individual was on the committee prior to the expiration of faculty-role status, that individual, if willing, can still serve on the committee. Note that if an individual who no longer has faculty-role status they cannot by switched to a different position on the committee (as, for example, from inside to outside member).

One of the members of the committee has left the University (by retiring, taking a position elsewhere, etc.):

The student should consult with the advisor to determine whether it would be best interest to keep that person on the committee or replace that member with a different faculty member. If both agree that the original member should remain on the committee, the student should request committee membership to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. 

Steps in Establishing the Final Examination Committee

Once the student and advisor have agreed on the committee membership and all committee members have agreed to serve the committee, the student needs to petition online for the membership be established. The online form can only be initiated by the student, via the student's University login account.

Once submitted, the committee request is electronically routed to the following for approval:

• the primary advisor

• the Director of Graduate Studies (or the Coordinator of Graduate Studies, as designee)

• the Dean's Office of the College of Education and Human Development.

Once all these parties have approved the committee, the members of the committee and their roles will be officially recorded by the Graduate School.

If the advisor, DGS, or Dean’s Office rejects the committee membership request for any reason, the student will be notified and will need to resubmit the committee request with required corrections. 

Steps in Changing the Final Examination Committee

If the committee member being replaced is not the advisor, the student, with the advisor's approval, completes a new online request, as above, to replace the member.

If the committee member being replaced is the advisor, the student needs to complete a Change of Advisor form first and return it to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies. Only the Department can re-assign a student’s advisor within the graduate student record system. Once a new advisor is confirmed in the system, the student fills out a new online request form.

Obtaining Human Subjects Approval of the Proposed Research from the Institutional Review Board

Any research that involves human subjects on or off campus must be approved by the University's Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to data collection. The student cannot initiate the research before obtaining University approval to conduct the research.

Information and forms are available online or through the IRB Office. Questions concerning exemptions or other aspects of human subjects research review should be addressed to the IRB. The IRB's website provides detailed information about the processes and the conditions associated with each level of review. Plan B papers that do not involve human subject (i.e., literature reviews) do not require IRB approval).

Plan A Thesis

The Plan A master’s thesis in OLPD is a demonstration of the student’s ability to conduct independent field research using approved scholarly methods of investigation. General guidelines for the master's thesis are given in the Graduate Education Catalog. Plan A students should review these in detail. Specific guidelines for individual thesis work are determined by the student and M.A. advisor.

When the thesis is completed, all committee members must certify that the thesis is acceptable and ready for defense through an online “Reviewers’ Report.” The final examination for the Plan A master’s degree is an oral examination. The oral defense is a closed examination, attended only by the student and the examining committee. Additional details concerning Plan A thesis requirements, examination, and submission of the approved thesis to the Graduate School can be found in the Graduate Education Catalog.

It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the final examination with the committee members on a suitable date, reserve a room through the Department office, and launch the Reviewers’ Report. It is also the student’s responsibility to provide all committee members with a completed thesis at least two weeks prior to scheduled examination.

Typically, students are asked to give a formal presentation of the thesis before questioning begins. If the thesis is a research inquiry, the presentation might include the purpose, framework, data analysis, major findings, conclusions and implications for practice, policy, and research. The presentation is typically 15-20 minutes and can be enhanced by handouts or overheads that outline the presentation and address key findings or conclusions. 

After the presentation, the faculty pose questions to the student pertaining to any aspect of the paper. The final examination covers the major field and the minor or related fields and may include any work fundamental to these areas. After questioning is completed, the student is excused, and committee members independently vote by ballot to pass or fail the student’s defense of the paper. In order to pass, two of the three committee members must vote to “pass.” Complete voting details can be found on the Graduate School’s exam site.

Plan B Paper

Students electing the Plan B Paper option must complete a scholarly literature review on a topic agreed upon by the student and advisor. Students may include empirical research in Plan B papers, but must consult with their advisor and IRB before undertaking any human subjects research. The nature of the Plan B paper varies across the OLPD programs; students should check with advisors about acceptable frameworks for their papers. The Plan B paper must reflect a minimum of 120 hours of scholarly work (three full-time weeks). General guidelines for the Plan B paper are given in the Graduate Education Catalog; Plan B students should review these in detail.

The advisor will determine when the Plan B paper is ready to present to the committee. Writing is likely to take several iterations. All members of the committee evaluate the Plan B paper as either a “Pass” or “Fail.” There is no final oral examination for Plan B Papers. Reviewers record evaluations on an electronically generated form launched at a date the student selects when completing their graduation documentation.

M.A. students: Once the final thesis/paper is successfully completed, and any required revisions have been made and approved by the advisor and/or committee. Students who complete a Plan A paper must complete all graduation steps and submit their final thesis to the Graduate School. Students completing a Plan B paper must complete all graduation steps, but need not submit their final paper.

M.Ed. students: M.Ed. students must complete all coursework and graduation requirements.

Graduation

Graduate degrees are awarded monthly. All Graduate School requirements must be completed by the last working day of the intended month of graduation.

To graduate at the end of any given month students must:

• Submit their Graduate School Application for Degree form online by the first day of the intended month of graduation, and

• Complete all other requirements by the last day of the month of graduation.

Graduating before the end of the term may affect eligibility for student loans, housing, and so on. Check with Graduate Student Support and Progress (gssp@umn.edu) if you have questions on eligibility.

The diploma will be mailed three to four months after graduation.

Commencement

Commencement is a ceremony and celebration of students' accomplishments. The commencement ceremony for the College of Education and Human Development is held once a year, in the late spring. It is the only commencement ceremony held for CEHD advanced degree candidates. Students may participate in Commencement if they will officially graduate in the same calendar year as the ceremony. Any questions about whether student participation in Commencement is appropriate should be directed to the student’s advisor and Coordinator of Graduate Studies.

The faculty and staff of OLPD look forward to celebrating with you at commencement and your final graduation!