University of Maryland
Consolidated USMH & UMCP Policies and Procedures Manual
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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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