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III-7.00(A) UMCP DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT 1 AUGUST 1991
A. Policy
General requirements for undergraduate and graduate degree
programs at UMCP are outlined below. Requirements for
graduation at UMCP vary according to the character of work
in the different colleges, schools, departments, and other
academic units. It is the responsibility of the colleges,
schools, departments, and other academic units to establish
and publish clearly defined degree requirements. These
requirements must be approved by the President. The
responsibility for knowing and meeting all degree
requirements for graduation in a particular curriculum rests
with the student. Specific degree requirements are listed in
the Undergraduate Catalog and University of Maryland at
College Park Graduate School Catalog with the description of
each program.
B. Undergraduate Degree Requirements
1. Residency Requirement-Final Thirty Hour Rule
a. All candidates for undergraduate degrees from UMCP
must take their final thirty credits at UMCP.
Included in these thirty semester hours will be a
minimum of fifteen semester hours in courses
numbered 300 or above, including at least twelve
semester hours in the major field.
b. A student who at the time of graduation will have
completed thirty hours in residence at UMCP may,
under unusual circumstances, be permitted to take
a maximum of six of the final thirty credits of
record at another institution. In such cases,
written permission must be obtained in advance
from the dean of the academic unit from which the
student expects to receive the degree. Exceptions
beyond six credits will be made only under highly
unusual circumstances, and such requests must be
made through the Dean's Office to the Office of
the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
2. Enrollment in Majors
A student must be enrolled in the major program from
which he or she plans to graduate when registering for
the final fifteen hours of the baccalaureate program.
The requirement applies to the third year of the
combined pre-professional degree programs.
3. Credit Requirements
No baccalaureate degree will be awarded in instances
where fewer than 120 credits have been earned. Many
undergraduate curricula at UMCP require more than 120
credits. It is the responsibility of the student to
become familiar with the requirements of particular
curricula.
* To earn a baccalaureate degree at UMCP a minimum of
thirty credits must be taken in residence.
4. Grade Point Average
A minimum 2.00 grade point average is required for
graduation in all curricula. A higher average may be
required by the individual department, college, school,
or program.
C. Second Degrees and Second Majors
1. Second Degree Taken Sequentially
A student who has completed requirements for, and who
has received one baccalaureate degree and who wishes to
earn a second baccalaureate degree from UMCP must
satisfactorily complete the requirements of the second
degree and enough additional credits so that the total
including all applicable credits earned at UMCP, or
elsewhere is at least 150 credits. In no case will a
second baccalaureate degree be awarded to a student who
has not completed thirty credits in residence at UMCP.
Approval of the second degree will not be granted when
there is extensive overlap between the two programs.
2. Second Degree Taken Simultaneously
A student who wishes to receive simultaneously two
baccalaureate degrees from UMCP must satisfactorily
complete a minimum of 150 credits (180 credits if one
of the degrees is in Special Education). The regularly
prescribed requirements of both degree programs must be
completed. As early as possible, and in any case, no
later than one full semester before the expected date
of graduation, the student must file with the
departments or programs involved, as well as with the
appropriate deans, formal programs showing the programs
to be offered to meet the major, supporting area,
college, and general education program requirements. If
two colleges are involved in the double degree program,
the student must designate which college is responsible
for the maintenance of records. Approval of the second
degree will not be granted when there is extensive
overlap between two programs.
3. Second Major
A student who wishes to complete a second major
concurrently with a primary major of record must obtain
written permission in advance from the appropriate
deans. As early as possible, but in no case later than
one full semester before the expected date of
graduation, the student must file with the department
or programs involved and with the appropriate deans,
formal programs showing the courses to be offered to
meet requirements in each of the majors and supporting
areas as well as the college and general education
program requirements. Approval will not be granted if
there is extensive overlap between the two programs.
Courses taken for one major may be counted as part of
the degree requirements of the other and toward general
education requirements as appropriate. If two colleges
are involved in the double major program, the student
must designate which college is responsible for the
maintenance of records.
D.Graduate School Degree Requirements
1. Requirements Applicable to All Master's Degrees
a. Programs
The entire course of study undertaken for any
master's degree must constitute a unified,
coherent program which is approved by the
student's advisor and graduate director, and which
meets Graduate School requirements.
A minimum of thirty semester hours in courses
acceptable for credit towards a graduate degree is
required (some degree programs require more than
thirty credits) ; in certain cases, six of the
thirty semester hours must be thesis research
credits. The graduate program must include at
least twelve hours of course work at the 600 level
or higher. If the student is inadequately
prepared for the required graduate courses,
additional courses may be required, which may not
be considered as part of the student's graduate
program. With the exception of pre-approved
Combined Bachelor's/Master's programs, credits to
be applied to a student's graduate program for a
master's degree cannot have been used to satisfy
any other previously earned degree.
b. Grade Point Average
A student seeking a master's degree at UMCP must
maintain an average grade of "B" (3.0) in all
courses taken for graduate credit.
c. Time Limitation
All requirements for the master's degree must be
completed within a five year period. This time
limit applies to any transfer work form other
institutions to be included in the student's
program.
d. Additional Requirements
In addition to the above requirements, special
departmental or collegiate requirements may be
imposed, especially for degrees which are offered
only in one department, college, or division.
2. Graduate School Requirements for the Degree of Master
of Arts and Master of Science
a. Thesis Option
Course Requirements- A minimum of thirty semester
hours including six hours of thesis research
credit is required. A minimum of twelve of the
twenty four hours earned in graduate courses must
be in the major subject; and a minimum of twelve
credits must be selected from courses numbered 600
or above.
Thesis Requirements- A thesis must be submitted
for the Master of Arts and Master of Science
degrees except for those programs in which a non-
thesis option has been approved by the dean in
conformity with the policy of the Graduate
Council.
Oral Examination- A final oral examination on the
thesis shall be held when the student has
completed the thesis to the satisfaction of the
student's advisor, provided all other requirements
for the degree have been completed, and a 3.00
grade point average has been earned.
b. Non-Thesis Option
The quality of work is expected is identical to
the thesis program. The general requirements for
those in a non-thesis program are a minimum of
thirty semester credit hours in courses approved
for graduate credit, with a minimum of a grade of
"B" in all course work. In addition, there must be
a minimum of eighteen credit hours in courses
numbered 600 or above, the submission of one or
more scholarly papers, and the completion of a
comprehensive final examination, a portion of
which must be written.
3. Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education
a. A minimum of thirty semester hours in
coursework with a grade average of "B".
Grades for courses not a part of the program
but taken in graduate status will be computed
in the average;
b. A minimum of fifteen hours in courses
numbered 600-800 with the remainder at least
in the 400 series;
c. A comprehensive written examination taken at
the end of coursework;
d. EDMS 645;
e. EDMS 646 or MUED 690 and one seminar paper,
or two seminar papers.
4. Graduate School Requirements Applicable to all Doctoral
Degrees
a. Credit Requirements
The Graduate School requires that every student
seeking the doctoral degree register for a minimum
of twelve research credits, but the number of
research and other credit hours required in the
program varies with the degree and program in
question.
b. Admission to Candidacy
Preliminary examinations, or such other
substantial tests as the department may elect, are
frequently prerequisite for admission to
candidacy.
A student must be admitted to candidacy for the
doctorate within five years after admission to the
doctoral program and at least one academic year
before the date on which the degree will be
confirmed.
c. Time Limitation
The student must complete the entire program for
the degree, including the dissertation and final
examination, during a four year period after
admission to candidacy. Extensions of time are
granted only under the most unusual circumstances.
If students fail to complete all requirements
within the time allotted, they must submit another
application for admission to the Graduate School
and, if readmitted, another application for
Advancement to Candidacy, after satisfying the
usual program prerequisites prior to Advancement
to Candidacy.
d. Dissertation
A dissertation or its equivalent is required of
all candidates for a doctoral degree. The topic of
the dissertation must be approved by the
department or program committee.
During the preparation of the dissertation, all
candidates for any doctoral degree must register
for the prescribed number of semester hours of
Doctoral Dissertation Research (899) at University
of Maryland.
5. Graduate School Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctor of Philosophy is granted only upon
sufficient evidence of high attainment in scholarship
and the ability to engage in independent research. It
is not awarded for the completion of course and seminar
requirements no matter how successfully completed. In
addition, a number of departments have a foreign
language requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy
Degree. There is no Graduate School requirement
stipulating a specific number of course credits in
either a major or minor subject. It is the policy of
the Graduate School to encourage the development of
individual programs for each student who seeks the
Ph.D.
Dissertation
The ability to do independent research must be
demonstrated by an original dissertation on a topic
approved by the department or program.
6. Graduate School Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Education
The requirements for the Doctor of Education (Ed.D)
degree are for the most part the same as those for the
Doctor of Philosophy degree in the College of
Education. The Ed.D. requires a minimum of six
semester hours of dissertation credit.
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