Graduate education is the pursuit of knowledge at an advanced level. Graduate education is distinct and different from undergraduate education both in kind and degree. It demands of students greater intellectual maturity and autonomy, a sense of deeper responsibility for their own learning, more intense study, and the mastery of different and more complex skills. An earned graduate degree is a distinction. Award of the degree symbolizes both the student’s accomplishment and the university’s endorsement. A student may judge his or her own achievement, but the university must decide what it will or will not endorse. Specifically, graduate education imposes certain obligations, and a student receiving a master’s degree must have demonstrated the following:

1.      an in-depth knowledge of significant theories, issues and findings, and mastery of appropriate skills within a specific discipline;

2.      the ability to apply such knowledge and skills;

3.      the ability to read, interpret, and evaluate research literature and to relate results to selected areas of interest;

4.      the ability to analyze problems and to critique attempted solutions, especially within the student’s own discipline;

5.      the ability to integrate knowledge from a variety of disciplines;

6.      the ability to design and implement a research, scholarly, or creative project; and

7.      the ability to communicate scholarly thought to professional colleagues through writing and discussion.

Master’s Degree Student Status

There are two categories of Master’s degree-seeking students.

Master’s degree-seeking students are those students admitted to a master’s degree program.

Master’s degree candidates are those degree-seeking students who have applied for and been admitted to candidacy.

Student Study Plan

Student study plans are developed with advisors before the end of the first trimester of enrollment. The advisor will explain the degree program and, with the student, develop a study plan that will lead to degree completion of the selected major. The student study plan will detail the degree requirements for the major selected in effect at the time of admission as a degree-seeking student. It will specify the amount of transfer credit, proficiency credit, and credit for experiential learning applied toward the degree requirements; the total credit-hour require­ment for the degree; required and elective courses; and the maximum number of credit-hours and/or courses that can be taken off-campus and applied toward the degree.

Students are encouraged to contact faculty members in specific discipline areas in which they have interests for additional academic advisement.

The study plan must be reviewed and updated whenever a student:

1.      applies for acceptance of transfer credit earned from another institution after enrollment at Governors State University;

2.      wishes to substitute course work specified on the plan;

3.      changes majors; or

4.      is readmitted.

Students choosing to take a course not specified in their study plan may find that such credit may not apply toward the degree requirements.

Master’s Degree Programs Offered

Major (College)

Accounting (Business and Public Administration)

Addictions Studies (Health Professions)

Analytical Chemistry (Arts and Sciences)

Art (Arts and Sciences)

Business Administration (Business and Public Administration)

Communication Disorders (Health Professions)

Communications and Training (Arts and Sciences)

Communication Studies
Media Communications
Human Performance and Training

Computer Science (Arts and Sciences)

Counseling (Education)

Community Counseling

Marriage and Family

School Counseling

Early Childhood Education (Education)

Education (Education)

     Computer Education

     Curriculum and Instruction

     Language Arts

     Mathematics Education

     Science Education

Educational Administration (Education)

     Administrative Endorsement (General)

Chief School Business Official

     Higher Education Administration

English (Arts and Sciences)

Environmental Biology (Arts and Sciences)

Health Administration (Health Professions)

Independent Film and Digital Imaging (Arts and Sciences)

Management Information Systems (Business and Public Administration)

Multicategorical Special Education (Education)

Nursing (Health Professions)

Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nursing Administration

Occupational Therapy (Health Professions)

Political and Justice Studies (Arts and Sciences)

Psychology (Education)

Clinical
Theortical

Public Administration (Business and Public Administration)

Reading (Education)

Social Work (Health Professions)

Student Responsibility                                 

Students are responsible for knowledge of, and adherence to, all university requirements and regulations.

Students are also responsible for knowing the degree requirements for their major and enrolling in courses that meet those degree requirements and regulations.

Students are strongly encouraged to seek information and assistance from appropriate staff should they have any questions regarding requirements or regulations.

Master’s Degree Candidacy

A master’s degree-seeking student is granted master’s degree candidacy status when the student:

1.       has an approved graduate study plan;

2.       is in academic good standing;

3.       completes the candidacy requirements specified by the major; and

4.       receives approval of an application for admission to candidacy. 

General Requirements

The following general requirements for the master’s degree are minimum standards established by the university. Colleges and individual majors may determine additional, more specific requirements that will be incorporated into an approved student study plan.

To graduate with a master’s degree, a master’s degree student must meet the following minimum university degree requirements:

1. Complete the number of credit-hours specified by program requirements (minimum 32) by taking graduate-level courses of which at least two credit- hours are designated as a master’s final project.
2. Complete a minimum of 12 graded credit-hour graduate-only courses (numbered 800-999).
3. Complete all course work for the degree require­ments with a grade of “C” or better.
4. Be in academic good standing with a minimum 3.0 cumulative G.P.A.
5. Be admitted to master’s degree candidacy at least one trimester before the trimester in which the degree is to be awarded.
6. Complete a master’s final project which can include a thesis, project, practicum/internship, or in some other way demonstrate an integration of graduate work that is accepted by a committee of three approved faculty.
7. Complete all course work for the degree, except the final project, within four years of admission to candidacy. The final project must be completed within five years of admission to candidacy.
8. Complete no more than 50 percent of the credit-hours counted toward degree requirements from the same faculty member, including credit-hours related to the master’s final project.
9. Apply to degree requirements no more than eight graduate credit-hours awarded for experiential learning through the established procedures.
10. Apply to degree requirements no more than six graduate credit-hours earned as a master's level non-degree seeking student.
11. Satisfy the residency requirement.
12. Remove all grades of incomplete (I or E) by the graduation processing date.
13. Complete the collegial and university procedures that cover implementation of the above requirements.

In addition to the requirements stated above, a master’s degree student must:

1.      Apply to degree requirements no more than six credit-hours earned in independent studies.

2.      Demonstrate that all degree requirements have been met as stipulated in the approved study plan.

3.      Meet all financial obligations to the university.

Master’s Final Project

A master’s degree candidate prepares a thesis or project, does a practicum/internship, or in some other way demonstrates an integration of work that is accepted by a committee of three approved faculty.

The master’s final project may differ in each major; however, a student is required to do one or more of the following:

1.      The Master’s Thesis-The master’s thesis presents evidence of a thorough review and understanding of the literature germane to the subject; the ability to do independent research; and the preparation of a manuscript which conforms to generally recognized standards of scientific and scholarly writing in the discipline.

2.      The Master’s Project-The master’s project is a sustained work that intellectually supports the degree program but which may not be, in its entirety, a written document or an internship (for example, a creative project in the fine arts). It provides evidence of the ability and effort to carry out a major applica­tion of theory or advanced methods relative to the master’s level work in the profession or discipline.

3.      The Graduate Practicum/Internship-The graduate practicum/internship provides an opportunity for the student to evaluate the relevance of theoretical and academic perspectives in the professional field.

4.      Additional Study-One or more graduate-only (numbered 800-999) courses may be designated as a master’s final project alternative.

5.      Comprehensive Examination-A comprehensive examination in combination with one or more of the above alternatives may be designated as a master’s final project alternative.

Transfer Credit for Master’s Degree Students

The following requirements apply to courses being transferred from colleges and universities accredited by regional accrediting agencies. The College of Business and Public Administration and some individual degree programs have more restrictive limits on the amount of transfer credit accepted and the time period within which transfer credit must have been earned to be applied toward degree requirements.

Transfer of Prior Credits. Credit earned in courses taken before enrollment as a degree-seeking student at Governors State University or earned as an undeclared student at Governors State University will be accepted in accordance with the following rules. Transfer credits that are accepted toward degree requirements will be entered in the student study plan.

1.      The number of transfer hours accepted shall not exceed 25 percent of the total hours required in the major.

2.      Only credits earned with a grade of “B” or better or “P” (pass) will be considered for transfer credit.

3.      Transfer credits earned ten or more years before the student’s admission to a degree program at Gover­nors State University will not be accepted toward the degree requirements unless approved by the appropriate academic dean.

4.      No more than six credit-hours earned as a master’s level non-degree seeking student at Governors State University may be applied toward master's degree requirements.

5.      No more than nine credit-hours earned as graduate credit beyond the bachelor’s degree requirements, earned as an undergraduate degree-seeking student at Governors State University may be applied toward master’s degree requirements.

6.      Transfer credits are applied toward specific degree requirements on a course-by-course basis by the academic advisor.

Transfer credit should be reviewed before admission to Governors State University to avoid duplication of course work. The review of transfer credit must be completed no later than the end of the first trimester of enrollment as a degree-seeking student.

Transfer Credits Earned After Admission. Credits earned in courses taken at another institution after admission to a degree program will only be accepted if permission to apply such credit toward degree require­ments was obtained from the student’s academic advisor and the dean before taking course work at the other institution. Only courses with grades of “B” or better will be applied toward degree requirements.

Academic Standing

Graduate students who maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 are in good standing.

Residency Requirements

All master’s degree-seeking students are required to earn a minimum of 24 credit-hours of course work from Governors State University before the award of the master’s degree.

Requirements for a Second Master’s Degree

A student who has earned a master’s degree at Governors State University or another institution may earn a second master’s degree at the university, provided that all specified requirements for both degrees are fully met. A student who wishes to earn a second master’s degree must:

1.      apply and be admitted to the second master’s degree program;

2.      meet university, college, and/or major degree requirements for the subsequent degree;

3.      complete all requirements of the subsequent degree program as stipulated in the student study plan;

4.      meet the requirements of the university’s residency policy for the subsequent degree by taking a minimum of 24 hours at Governors State University. Hours applied toward the first degree may not be included in hours required to meet residency requirements for a second degree; and

5.      credits earned and applied toward any degree previously earned may not be applied toward a second or additional degree. Students pursuing two or more degrees simultaneously may not apply the same credit to more than one degree.

Application for Graduation

Students should arrange to meet with their assigned academic advisors to review the student study plan and verify expected completion of degree requirements. They should apply for graduation by the published deadline for the term in which they plan to have all requirements met. Students should complete both an Application for Graduation form and a Student Progress Report form, available on the web or in the Registrar’s Office. Upon completion of these forms, students should have no more than 16 credit-hours outstanding toward degree requirements, either as incomplete work or as current enrollment at the time of application. The application is approved by the advisor, Division/Department chair, and dean. Approval by the Registrar’s Office results in degree certification and awarding of the diploma. A $45 graduation application fee covers costs of diplomas, caps and gowns, and commencement.

Commencement

Commencement is held twice a year in January or February and in June. Participation is optional. Students who have graduated in August or December of the previous year may participate in the January/February commencement, while who have graduated in April of the current year may participate in the June commencement. Participation in commencement is limited to students who have been certified by the registrar as having completed all requirements for the degree. 

Diplomas

Diplomas are awarded only upon verification of completion of all degree requirements and satisfaction of all financial obligations to the university. Diplomas are inscribed with the type of degree, major, date, and the student name on record at the time the degree was confirmed.

Audit Registration

A student who is interested in a particular course(s) but does not wish to take it for credit may audit the course(s). All attendance and work is voluntary. A student may register to audit a course during the registration period upon paying the required fee and obtaining the instructor’s approval. Audit registrations do not appear on the academic transcript. A change from audit to credit registration or from credit to audit registration must be made during the registration period. See the schedule of classes for complete information on auditing a class.

Veterans and other eligible persons cannot be certified for audited courses per 38 CFR 21.4252(i) of the code of federal regulations.

Change in Major

Degree-seeking students who wish to change their major and/or concentration must complete the appropriate forms available on the web or in the Registrar’s Office. Students who change their course of study are subject to any special admission and degree requirements in effect for the new major and/or sequence at the time of the change.