Academic Degree Requirements

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Program of Study

The academic requirements for each degree program are established by the organizational unit issuing the degree, as approved by the colleges, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate, the Board of Trustees, and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. In addition, the student should be aware of policies which pertain to each of the following, as required by the Graduate School and/or the department: transfer of credit, grade point average requirements, residence requirements, thesis/dissertation requirements, language requirements, and comprehensive examinations. These requirements will differ, depending on the degree one is pursuing. To see the specific requirements for each degree program, go to the Graduate Catalog.

As appropriate, each degree-seeking student will be required to constitute two committees: the advisory committee, for advice and guidance on course requirements, and the thesis/dissertation committee, which will oversee the writing of the thesis or dissertation. The forms necessary to constitute these committees are available in Graduate School and International Education Forms.

Students whose research will require approval by the Institutional Review Board (for research with human subjects), the Animal Care and Use Committee (for research with animals), the Biosafety Committee (for research with recombinant DNA), the Radiation Safety Committee, or the Toxic Substance Committee, will be required to receive approval from these committees before beginning their research. If such approval has not been received, the student will not be granted a degree. For more information about these committees, please see the website of the Office of Research Compliance.

Students are subject to the policies pertaining to Academic Honesty and to Research Misconduct. Also, click here for Faculty Handbook and refer to the section on Academic Responsibilities of Faculty.

Students who feel that their rights have been violated may pursue a grievance. See the Graduate Catalog.

Time to Complete a Degree

All requirements for a master’s degree, graduate certificate, and graduate microcertificate must be completed within six consecutive calendar years from the first semester of enrollment in that program.

All requirements for an educational specialist (Ed.S.) degree must be completed within six consecutive calendar years from the first semester of enrollment in that program.

All requirements for a doctoral degree must be completed within seven consecutive calendar years from the date of admission to the program.

Change of Major/Declare a Major/Pursue an Additional Degree

The graduate student may only request to pursue a 2nd degree once s/he has been fully admitted to an initial degree program. The graduate student should contact the Graduate School to initiate this process.

• Pursue a master’s degree while pursuing a doctoral degree, coursework may be applied toward both degrees, but thesis and dissertation hours will both be required as appropriate.
• Change from a master’s degree to a different master’s degree: All course work may be applied toward new degree with approval of the program faculty.
• Change from a doctoral degree to a master’s degree: All course work may be applied toward new degree with approval of the program faculty.
• Pursue a master’s degree while pursuing a different master’s degree: Can apply a maximum of 6 hours of credit to both degrees. If pursuing a thesis option, must submit a separate thesis for each degree.
• Pursue more than one doctoral degree: Separate dissertations must be submitted for each degree. Registration in a minimum of 18 hours dissertation hours required for each degree.