Master of Science
The master’s degree demonstrates advanced ability, usually in both course work and research. The master’s student must complete the following:
- choose an advisor & file a Recommended Advisor form (M2-GSO)
- file a Degree Schedule form (M4)
- complete one of three option plans: Note that plans B, C, and D are not offered by all programs.
- complete an oral examination
- finish the degree within the prescribed time limit
- submit an approved document in plans A & B
- Forms are available on-line at http://www.gradschool.mtu.edu/policies/trackingforms.html
plan A—thesis and course work
plan B—report and course work*
plan C—course work with oral exam
plan D—course work only
In addition to the Graduate School requirements, which are described below, individual programs may have higher standards. Students are expected to know their program’s requirements.
Master’s Path Program—See additional details about program requirements here.
Grades—All grades must be B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better in the major subject area. The department chair can approve no more than 6 credits of BC (2.5) or C (2.0) in a cognate department. The student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better in all courses taken as a graduate student in order to remain in good standing.
Campus Residency Requirement—There are no university-wide, on-campus residency requirements. Some degree programs have specific requirements. A minimum of two-thirds of the required non-research course-work credits required for the degree must be taken through Michigan Tech. Research credits used to satisfy degree requirements must be taken through Michigan Tech and must be supervised by a member of Michigan Tech graduate faculty.
Time Limit—All work required for the master of science degree must be completed within five calendar years of the first enrollment in the degree program.
Advisor
Initially the advisor may be the Director of the Graduate Program, but as soon as possible, and no later than the end of the second term in residence, a permanent advisor should be chosen. This Michigan Tech graduate faculty member advises the student on course selection and choice of research topic and supervises the research experience. The advisor is an important factor in the graduate student’s timely and successful completion of the program of study. Students in all plans must have an advisor.
Degree Schedule
The Degree Schedule form (M4) is used to list all the courses that are to be applied to the degree requirements, including those yet to be taken. The completed M4 should be submitted in the term prior to the defense term. It must be approved before the defense is scheduled.
The courses listed on the M4 must meet certain requirements, described in each option below, and they must be approved by the advisor and the department chair. Courses taken while an undergraduate at Michigan Tech may be used for graduate degree credits if the Senior Rule form (available on-line) has been appropriately filed. Courses taken while a post-grad may be used on the Degree Schedule with program approval.
Changes in the Degree Schedule—Any changes must be approved. The advisor must communicate approval of changes to the degreee schedule to the Graduate School.
Options
For plans A or B, the scope of the research topic for the thesis or independent project should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in twelve months or three semesters following the completion of course work by regularly scheduling graduate research credits. The thesis or report must be prepared in a style appropriate to the discipline. Following the defense the corrected Plan A thesis, as approved by the committee, along with an original signature page (advisor and department chair signatures) is submitted to the Graduate School office as a .pdf file on CD for printing and binding. A single paper copy of the corrected and approved Plan B report including an original signature page is submitted to the Graduate School. The J. Robert Van Pelt Library archives all master’s reports and theses. Plan C coursework papers are not submitted to the Graduate School and are not retained by the Van Pelt Library.
Plan A: Thesis Option—This plan requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The minimum requirements are as follows:
| Course work (minimum) | 20 credits |
| Thesis research | 6–10 credits |
| Total (minimum) | 30 credits |
| Distribution of course work credit | |
| 5000–6000 series (minimum) | 12 credits |
| 3000–4000 level (maximum) | 12 credits |
Plan B: Report Option (Not offered by all programs)—This plan requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in course work other than the project.
| Course work | 24 credits |
| Report | 2–6 credits |
| Total (minimum) | 30 credits |
| Distribution of course work credit | |
| 5000–6000 series (minimum) | 12 credits |
| 3000–4000 level (maximum) | 12 credits |
Coursework Master's (Not offered by all programs)—This plan requires the minimum 30 credits be earned through course work.
Two Options within the Coursework Master's are available. Both options require the student to have an advisor. Only one of the two options may be offered by a single degree program:
- Plan C requires a comprehensive oral examination.
- Plan D does not require a comprehensive oral examination. Research credits taken by students in Plan D may NOT be counted as coursework credits.
| Distribution of course work credit | ||
| 5000–6000 series (minimum) | 18 credits | |
| 3000–4000 level (maximum) | 12 credits | |
Oral Examination
Examination by and approval of a faculty committee is required for awarding a master’s degree. This committee will examine the general professional knowledge, course work, and (in plans A and B) the written documents of each master’s candidate. The defense is scheduled and the committee nominated via the Scheduling of Final Oral Examination form (M5), which must be in the Graduate School office two weeks prior to the defense date.
Examination Committee—The examination committee will be appointed by the dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the department chair. The committee will consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty. At least one of these will be from outside the student's administrative home department. The primary advisor, or a co-advisor who serves as chair of the committee, must be from the student's administrative home department.
Thesis or Report
Distribute copies to the Examining Committee at least two weeks prior to the examination date.
Defense—Must be scheduled and the committee nominated via the Scheduling of Final Oral Examination form (M5). The committee’s written evaluation must be filed on the Report on Oral Examination form (M6). The student must be enrolled to defend.
Timeline to Degree
First reconcile this suggested chronology with your program’s requirements. The sequence may not be the same as written here. When you consult your advisor for your degree schedule, take this timeline to the meeting so you and your advisor are in agreement on your plans.
| Date | Done | Task |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolling for the first time—Get into course work under the direction of the Director of your Graduate Program. | ||
| Make sure the Graduate School has official final transcripts showing proof of your previous degrees (if they are not from Michigan Tech). | ||
| Fill out Patent, Research, and Proprietary Rights form. | ||
| Get a Social Security Number if you will be getting a GRA or GTA, or otherwise working. | ||
| Start looking for a faculty advisor for research projects; she/he should be chosen by the end of the second term in residence—your program will have its own way of handling this. File your M2-GSO form with the Graduate School. | ||
| If your research involves animal subjects, human subjects, or recombinant DNA, you must obtain approval from the appropriate administrative review committee(s). Applications for approval(s) may be found on the Research web site. If you need further assistance, please contact the Research Compliance Administrator by phone 906-487-3403. | ||
| Inform the Office of Student Records and Registration and Graduate School of any changes in your status, address, expected graduation date, etc. | ||
| During the semester prior to your defense (or earlier), complete the M4, Degree Schedule* in consultation with your advisor—if there are problems, you have a term in which to correct them. Because it is approved by your advisor/Graduate Program Director and your department chair, any changes must also have the advisor's approval. If credit transfers are necessary, use the Transfer Credits form. | ||
| At least two weeks prior to your defense, complete M5, Schedule of Oral Examination, in consultation with your whole committee. This names your three-member examining committee and schedules your oral examination. (Check program policy on choosing your committee.) | ||
| At least two weeks prior to your defense, distribute copies of the thesis/report to the examining committee. | ||
| Oral Examination—Faculty and students will be invited to attend your presentation. It is wise to attend a few of these early in your tenure at Tech. Some programs also require a couple of preliminary seminars during your research. The examination for the course work option varies with the programs allowing this option. Take your M6, Report on Oral Examination, to the exam for signatures. Your advisor/program may retain your M6 for up to two weeks following the defense while you make corrections; research grades are not changed until the M6 is in the Graduate School. | ||
Submission of final document — For Plan A Thesis and Plan B Report, make corrections as indicated by your committee. Get the signature page signed. For a Plan A Thesis, bring a CD with your approved document in .PDF format to the Graduate School. For a Plan B Report, bring one paper copy to the Graduate School, in a sturdy binder suitable for archiving in the Library. (Your advisor/program may want more copies.) All thesis option students and any report option students who want professional binding should also bring:
ALL students must submit (Plans A, B, C, D):
Please also take the Exiting Graduate Student Survey. This is optional, but will be very much appreciated. |
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| The Goal: Graduation—no more than five calendar years after you started Graduate School. When you have completed your degree requirements, you can usually receive a certification letter if needed. Your transcript will indicate degree granted by the 4th week of the next semester. Your diploma will be mailed to you about 90 days after the term ends. Leave a valid address with the Graduate School. | ||
| Be sure the Graduate School and your advisor are aware of your commencement plans six weeks before the commencement date. | ||
| * All these forms can be sent to the Graduate School by your Graduate Program Assistant via campus mail. Copies of signed forms will be returned to you and the graduate program. Be sure to keep a file of your paperwork. | ||