Program Requirements
Requirements for specific graduate degrees are listed in the appropriate sections of the Academic Catalog and in departmental handbooks. All departments should distribute a handbook or statement to their graduate students listing the requirements for the graduate degree programs to which they are admitted.
Registration Requirements
In order to receive a graduate degree, a student must be admitted to the degree program and enrolled in the program for at least one term after admission, which could be spring, summer, or fall. To be counted toward the graduate degree, hours must be at the 400-level or greater and approved for graduate credit.
Curriculum Changes
Students who wish to change their degree program must request a curriculum change.
Students who are completing or abandoning their current degree program and wish to join a new graduate program must apply for a curriculum change and be approved for admission by the new program and the Graduate College.
Students who wish to concurrently pursue multiple degrees within their graduate department may request to add a secondary curriculum to their student record. This includes doctoral students requesting to be awarded a master’s degree while pursuing their doctoral degree program. This may also include students requesting to be awarded a certificate while pursuing their primary degree program.
Students who wish to concurrently pursue multiple degrees from multiple departments must obtain approval from both departments as both programs will remain active within their curriculum record.
Some programs may allow students to apply for a curriculum change using the petition process, while other programs may require a full graduate application with all required materials, including an application fee. Students should contact their newly proposed program of study for instructions. However, all secondary curriculum requests should be submitted using the petition process.
Students should note that tuition assessment and tuition and fee benefits are tied to the program in which they are enrolled. An approved change in curriculum during the term that occurs after tuition has been assessed and payments credited may result in recalculation of tuition assessments that result in the student incurring additional expenses. Students on fellowships should consult their program regarding potential impacts on their eligibility to continue to hold their fellowship if approved for a curriculum change.
International students with F-1 or J-1 visas who change curriculum from one program to another are required to obtain new immigration documents from International Student and Scholar Services.
Residence Credit
A certain amount of credit hours for each degree received from this campus must be taken as residence credit. Residence credit includes:
- graduate credit earned through an on-campus course at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,
- graduate credit earned through an Urbana-Champaign off-campus course or program,
- graduate credit transferred from the University of Illinois at Chicago or from the University of Illinois at Springfield,
- graduate credit earned through the BTAA Traveling Scholar Program, and
- credit earned in the College of Medicine that is approved for application to the student’s graduate program for students in the Medical Scholars Program.
Students should also be aware of the transfer policies related to this type of credit used toward a degree.
Proficiency Examinations
Departments may allow students to satisfy specific requirements through proficiency examinations; however, in such cases, credit cannot apply toward the required hours for the graduate degree. Students should check with their department for additional information.
Research Credit and 599
A student cannot deposit a thesis without record of registration in thesis research credit (599). Graduate students should register for research credit during semesters when they are working on the thesis.
Departments may set criteria that determine at what point in the program students may begin registering for 599 credits. Registration in 599 must always be done with the approval of the student’s adviser.
Faculty will assign a “S” or “U” grade at the end of each semester to indicate satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress. S/U grades do not impact GPA, but if there is a history of unsatisfactory progress on thesis research, the student may be placed on academic warning status through the department recommended academic warning process.
Students who have registered for thesis research credit and who later decide to complete the non-thesis option of the degree may graduate with graded 599 credit. It may be appropriate to convert some of the thesis research credit into project hours. It will be up to the department to determine if any of the thesis research credit may apply towards non-thesis degree requirements.
Second Degree in a Similar Area
An individual should not receive another degree for work that is substantially similar to the work used to complete a previous degree. Therefore, the Graduate College will generally not allow the awarding of a second graduate degree in an area in which a graduate degree at an equivalent level (master’s or doctoral) has already been earned. This rule applies to cases where the previous degree is from this university or from another institution. Requests for exceptions may be allowed in cases where it is clear that the student’s degree programs differ significantly. These decisions are made during the process of admission to the Graduate College or when a change of curriculum is requested.
Graduate Majors
A graduate major is an official program of study designation for the academic record.
Graduate Minors
A graduate minor is an approved program in a secondary area of study that relates to but is outside of a student’s chosen major and may be included on an academic transcript. Students majoring in an area of study may not pursue a minor in the same area.
Each program has its own procedures for applying to and completing the minor, and students should contact the department in which the minor is housed for details. Students who wish to add or drop a graduate minor from their academic record must submit the appropriate form to make the change to their academic program. An academic program change alters the requirements needed for graduation. Therefore, such changes should be made carefully and in consultation with the graduate program. It is at the discretion of the major degree department to determine which, if any, of the courses used to fulfill the minor will also be used to fulfill the requirements for the graduate major degree.
Minors will not be added retroactively to a student record after the major degree is conferred. Even though a minor may be included in a student’s academic record, it will not show on a transcript until the degree has been conferred. A student’s approved enrollment period will not be extended for the purpose of completing a minor.
If a student has requested to receive a minor and then wishes to change to a new program before receiving a degree, the new program must note through the Graduate College petition process if any of the courses used to fulfill the minor will also be used to fulfill the new major graduate degree requirements.
Graduate Concentrations
A graduate concentration constitutes a coherent program of study which gives a student more breadth or depth in their major. Approved concentrations are included on academic transcripts. Major-based concentrations are only open to a student majoring in the offering department. Floating concentrations are open to students in a select group of majors. A few majors require a concentration. Prior to pursuing a graduate concentration, it is important for students to verify that the graduate concentration they wish to pursue is available to their major degree program.
Because a concentration is intended to be within the major area of study, the hours required to fulfill the concentration should likewise apply toward completion of the degree. That is not to say, however, that completion of a concentration within a degree couldn’t require more hours than the degree itself, in that the student is earning an additional credential.
Students who wish to add or drop a graduate concentration from their academic record must submit a petition to request the change to their academic program. A change in concentration is a program change and will alter the requirements needed for graduation. Therefore, such changes should be made carefully and in consultation with the graduate program. Approvals are required from both the major department and the unit overseeing the concentration.
Concentrations will not be added retroactively to a student record after the major degree is conferred. A student’s approved enrollment period will not be extended for the purpose of completing a concentration.
If a student is enrolled in a concentration and then wishes to change to a new program before receiving the degree, the new program must note on the request whether it will accept the concentration in its degree program and note which of the courses used to fulfill the concentration will also be used to fulfill the new major graduate degree. If the new program does not accept the concentration or the new program does not offer the concentration, the concentration will be removed from the student’s record when the request to change program is processed.
Joint Degree Programs
A joint degree program is a campus-approved program in which a student concurrently pursues two specifically identified degrees that are conferred simultaneously. For graduate students, this is a combination of a graduate degree with one of the following: another graduate degree, an undergraduate degree, or a professional degree. The total time for the two degrees can be decreased by a predetermined maximum through the acceptance of required courses in one program as electives in the other, if so approved.
A student interested in pursuing joint degrees should consult both departments. A student in a joint degree program must be admitted to each degree program and be enrolled in each program for at least one term after admission, which could be spring, summer, or fall (see Chapter 4.1 Graduate Degree Requirements for information about changing programs), and must complete the minimum requirements for each degree. Doctoral students pursuing joint degrees may be enrolled in either program when they take their preliminary exams or defend their dissertation.
Joint bachelor’s /master’s programs. Approved joint programs include programs that combine a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in the same field. Like other joint degree programs, both the bachelor’s and the master’s degrees are generally awarded at the end of the program. Because of this, these students are admitted to the Graduate College before they have earned a bachelor’s degree.
Dual Degree Programs
A dual degree program is defined as one in which a student pursues two post-baccalaureate degrees simultaneously. In dual degree programs, students must complete all requirements for each degree, without overlap. With the approval of both departments, students would have the opportunity to integrate their studies rather than completing the degrees in series. A student pursuing two post-baccalaureate degrees simultaneously must be admitted into each degree program and enrolled in each program for at least one term after admission (see Chapter 4.1 Graduate Degree Requirements for information about changing programs), in order to obtain both degrees. Dual degree students earning a doctoral degree may be enrolled in either program when they defend their dissertation.
Annual Academic Progress Reviews
Graduate units must conduct annual academic progress reviews for all graduate students enrolled in degree-seeking programs at least once every academic year. A written copy of the review must be given to the student and be placed in the student’s academic file.
Ideally, academic progress reviews should include the following elements:
- a student self-report and assessment of academic progress,
- a review prepared by the adviser and at least one other faculty member to focus on an assessment of degree progress and student strengths and weaknesses. A copy of this written review is given to the student, and
- an opportunity for the student to discuss this review in person.