A. Criteria for Master’s Programs
Because of the variety in master’s degrees’ objectives, it is difficult to set criteria that are appropriate for all programs. The following are criteria that should guide judgment with recognition of standards of the discipline and objectives of the particular master’s program.
- A master’s program should encompass a well-defined and recognized area of advanced study based on an established body of knowledge.
- A master’s program should consist of a coherent pattern of courses, which, at the unit’s discretion, may be capped by a comprehensive examination, a thesis or project report, or a creative project. The unit has the option of requiring a final evaluation and determining its form if required.
- The relation of the master’s program to other graduate programs in the unit, particularly to doctoral degree programs, should be clearly defined. There should also be a defined and complementary relation to other master’s programs on the campus; unnecessary duplication should be avoided.
- A core faculty of demonstrated experience and achievement in teaching and research in the field should be available and committed to conducting the master’s program.
- Typically, the core faculty should be members of the Graduate Faculty. Evidence of scholarly productivity through publication or of creative achievement through performances and exhibits should be presented.
- The core faculty should be sufficient in number to teach the graduate courses and supervise the research connected with a thesis or project if required.
- The demand for graduates of the program should be addressed in the proposal, but the demand should not be the primary criterion for measuring the need for a master’s program.
- There should be evidence of a potential clientele of qualified students for the master’s program.
- There should be evidence that the proposing unit has the resources, available or committed, to mount a master’s program without diluting existing programs. The resources should be sufficient to support the necessary facilities, e.g., library, computer, laboratory, and so forth.
- A proposal for a new or substantially revised program should compare the proposed requirements with those of similar programs at peer institutions.
- The proposed master’s program must meet the minimum requirements for master’s programs for admission, credit, residence, and so forth, as stated in this handbook.
B. Requirements for Master’s Programs
A master’s degree program must require at least 32 hours. Usually, a professional master’s program requires more than 32 hours of credit. The proportion of course work to thesis research credit is determined by the department.
Every master’s program must include at least 12 hours of 500-level courses, and at least 8 of these 12 hours must be in the major field. A department may determine the number of hours of thesis (599) that may count toward the 500-level requirement.