Requirements for Advanced Degrees

A graduate student is responsible for becoming informed about and observing all regulations and procedures required by the graduate program pursued. Ignorance of a rule does not constitute a basis for waiving that rule. Any exceptions to the policies stated in this catalog must be approved by the dean of the Graduate School.

Additionally, all research must comply with campus and federal research regulations. See the research administration website at www.colorado.edu/vcr.

Graduate Faculty Appointments for Courses and Exams

All courses, 5000-level or above, completed to fulfill graduate degree requirements must be taught by members of the graduate faculty. In addition, any faculty member serving on a master’s or doctoral examination/defense committee must hold a current graduate faculty appointment. Membership on the university faculty does not automatically constitute an appointment to the graduate faculty. Contact your departmental graduate program assistant for questions concerning these appointments.

Master’s Degrees

A student enrolled in a master’s program must satisfy the degree requirements of both the Graduate School and the major department. The requirements listed below are the minimum standards of the Graduate School; additional requirements are set forth by the major department.

Minimum Requirements

The minimum requirement for the master’s degree is 30 credit hours. A student may complete a Plan I (thesis) option, or a Plan II (course work) option. At least 24 hours must be completed at the 5000 level or above; these 24 hours must include a minimum of 4, but not more than 6, thesis hours for those students completing a Plan I degree. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level at the discretion of the academic department.

Independent study course work cannot exceed 25 percent of the course work required for the master’s degree.

Master’s Thesis

A thesis, which may be research or expository, critical or creative work, is required of every master’s degree candidate under Plan I. Every thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree must accomplish the following:

• represent the equivalent of 4–6 semester hours of work, and
• comply in mechanical features with the specifications for theses and dissertations available in the Graduate School.

The final grade is withheld until the thesis is completed; if the thesis is not finished at the end of the term in which the student is registered, an in-progress (IP) grade is reported.

Language Requirement

There is no campuswide foreign language requirement for the master’s degree. The decision regarding the foreign language requirement for each graduate degree is the responsibility of the graduate program.

Time Limit

Master’s degree students have four years (six years for students pursuing an ME) from the semester in which they are admitted and begin course work to complete all degree requirements. The phrase “all degree requirements” includes the filing of the thesis with the Graduate School if Plan I is followed. Students who fail to complete the degree in this four-year period may be dismissed from their program with the concurrence of the major advisor and/or appropriate departmental personnel. To continue, the student must file a petition for an extension of the time limit with the dean of the Graduate School. Such petitions must be endorsed by the student’s major advisor and/or other appropriate departmental personnel and may be granted for up to one year.

Students who have not completed the degree within their time limit, and who have received approval for an extension, must have any course work completed more than five years prior to the completion of the degree requirements evaluated by their department for relevance and applicability. At the discretion of the department the student may be required to validate these courses as part of the completion of their degree requirements.

Students who need to leave CU-Boulder for a period of time may apply to the Time Off Program for up to one year. Participation in the Time Off Program does not extend the student’s time limit, but may be used as a reason to request an extension.

Students whose registration at CU-Boulder is interrupted by military service may apply to the dean of the Graduate School for an extension.

Minimum Registration Requirement 

Master’s degree minimum registration requirements can be met only by full-time registration at CU-Boulder for at least two semesters, at least three summer sessions or a combination of at least one semester and two summer sessions/part-time semesters.

For purposes of deciding minimum registration credit toward a graduate degree, a student must be registered as a full-time student. One semester of minimum registration credit may be earned for full-time registration during the fall or spring semesters or two summer semesters/part-time semesters.

To be a full-time master’s student, a student must carry one of the following course loads: a minimum of 5 credits of graduate course work, 8 credits of combined undergraduate and graduate course work, 12 hours of undergraduate course work, at least 1 master’s thesis hour or at least 1 hour of “Master’s Candidate for Degree.” Full- and half-time standards may be different for students receiving federal or state financial aid. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to see if these standards apply. These different standards are for financial aid purposes only.

Candidacy and Graduation

To be granted a master’s degree, a student must become a candidate for that degree by filing an Application for Admission to Candidacy with the Graduate School no later than the posted graduation deadlines during the semester in which he or she plans to have the degree conferred. Students must meet all posted graduation deadlines in order to receive a degree in any given semester.

Comprehensive-Final Examination

Each candidate for a master’s degree is required to take a comprehensive-final examination/thesis defense after the requirements for the degree have been substantially completed or to present an approved degree plan which meets the requirements of the field and represents an intellectually coherent graduate education as determined by the major department. The examination/defense may be given near the end of the student’s last semester while the candidate is still taking required courses for the degree, provided satisfactory progress is being made in those courses. For students pursuing a Degree Plan Approval option, a final exam is not required. The approved degree plan must be approved by the department chair, graduate director and major advisor on the Degree Plan Approval Form. The Degree Plan Approval option is available only in select departments.

The following rules apply to the comprehensive-final examination:

1. A student must be registered on the Boulder campus as a regular degree-seeking student during the semester the examination is passed.
2. Notice of the examination/defense must be filed by the major department in the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the examination/defense. The examination/defense must be scheduled no later than the posted deadline for the semester in which the degree is to be conferred.
3. The exam is given by a committee of three graduate faculty members appointed by the department with approval of the dean of the Graduate School. The chair of the committee must have a regular or tenured graduate faculty appointment. 
4. The examination, which may be oral, written or both, must cover the thesis (which should be essentially complete), other work completed in courses and seminars in the major field and all work presented for the degree.
5. A student must have an affirmative vote from the majority of the committee members to pass. A student who fails the comprehensive-final examination may attempt it once more after a period of time determined by the examining committee.

Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts 
and Doctor of Audiology

The doctor of philosophy (PhD), the doctor of musical arts (DMusA) and the doctor of audiology (AuD) are the highest academic degrees conferred by CU-Boulder. The requirements stated below are minimal requirements for all candidates for the PhD degree; additional conditions are found in department announcements. Additional requirements for the doctor of musical arts are available from the College of Music. Additional requirements for the doctor of audiology are available from the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.

Admission

A student admitted to the Graduate School for the master’s program must reapply for admission for the doctoral program.

Minimum Course Requirement

The minimum requirements for the PhD or DMusA degree are 30 credit hours of course work at the 5000 level or above. Those students pursuing the PhD shall complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of dissertation work beyond the minimum course work requirement. The minimum requirements for the AuD degree are 97 credit hours of course work at the 5000 level or above.

Unless otherwise specified by departmental requirements, all courses taken at the 5000 level or above that were taken for the master’s degree at CU-Boulder may be applied toward the PhD degree. Course work taken in pursuit of a doctoral degree cannot be applied toward a subsequent master’s degree.

Dissertation Credit-Hour Requirement

To complete the requirements for the PhD degree, a student must register for a minimum of 30 dissertation credit hours. Distribution of those hours is as follows:

1. A student may not register for more than 10 dissertation credit hours in any one semester.
2. Not more than 10 dissertation credit hours taken in semesters prior to the semester in which the comprehensive examination is passed may be counted in the 30 dissertation hours required for the degree.
3. Not more than 10 dissertation hours of credit taken the semester in which the comprehensive examination is passed may be included in the 30 dissertation credit hours required for the degree.

Minimum Registration Requirement

The minimum registration requirement for doctoral students is six semesters beyond the attainment of an acceptable bachelor’s degree. Two semesters of minimum registration credit may be allowed for a master’s degree from an accredited institution; however, at least four semesters of minimum registration credit, two of which must be consecutive in one academic year, must be earned for work taken at CU-Boulder.

For purposes of deciding minimum registration credit toward a graduate degree, a student must be registered as a full-time student. One semester of minimum registration credit may be earned for full-time registration during the fall or spring semester or during two summer semesters. Doctoral students who have not passed the comprehensive examination are considered full time during the spring and fall semesters if they are enrolled for at least 5 credit hours of course work at the graduate level, 8 credit hours of combined undergraduate and graduate hours, 12 credit hours of course work at the undergraduate level or at least 1 doctoral dissertation hour. DMA students who have not passed their comprehensive exam may also be considered full time if they are taking 1 hour of course work numbered 8200–8399 or TMUS 8019. Doctoral students who have passed the comprehensive examination must register for at least 5 doctoral dissertation hours to be considered full-time students. DMA students who have passed their comprehensive examination must register for 1 hour of course work numbered 8200–8399 or TMUS 8029 to be considered full time. Doctor of audiology students are considered full-time students if they are enrolled for at least 5 credit hours of course work at the graduate level, 8 hours of course work of combined undergraduate and graduate hours or 12 credit hours of course work at the undergraduate level. Full- and half-time standards may be different for students receiving federal or state financial aid. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to see if these standards apply. These different standards are for financial aid purposes only.

Preliminary Examination

Each department determines for itself (by examination or other means) that students who wish to study for the doctoral degree are qualified. The means by which each department makes this evaluation are specified in departmental requirements. Students who are thus evaluated are notified immediately of the results.

Language Requirement

There is no campuswide foreign language requirement for the doctoral degree. The decision regarding the foreign language requirement for each graduate degree is the responsibility of the graduate program.

Comprehensive Examination

Before admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree, students must pass a comprehensive examination in the field of concentration and related fields.

The following rules apply to the doctoral comprehensive examination.

1. Students must be registered (pass/fail or credit) on the Boulder campus as regular degree-seeking students when they pass the comprehensive examination.
2. Notice of the examination must be filed by the major department with the Graduate School at least two weeks before the examination.
3. The examination is conducted by an examining board appointed by the chair of the major department and approved by the dean of the Graduate School. The board consists of the major advisor and additional members as necessary to a minimum of five. The chair must have a regular or tenured graduate faculty appointment. Successful candidates must receive affirmative votes from a majority of the members of their examination board. A candidate who fails the examination may attempt it once more after a period of time determined by the examination board.
4. The examination, which may be oral, written or both, tests mastery of a broad field of knowledge, not merely formal course work. The oral part is open to members of the graduate faculty.

Admission to Candidacy

A student must formally apply for admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree on forms supplied by the Graduate School upon passing the comprehensive examination. Before being admitted to candidacy a student must earn at least three semesters toward the minimum registration requirement, and pass the comprehensive examination.

Continuous Registration Requirement

A PhD student is required to register continuously for a minimum of 5 dissertation hours in the fall and spring semesters of each year, beginning with the semester following the passing of the comprehensive examination and extending through the semester in which the dissertation is successfully defended (final examination). DMusA students must maintain continuous registration for at least 1 credit of course work numbered  8200–8399 (or TMUS 8029). AuD students must maintain continuous registration for appropriate course work in the fall and  spring semesters of each year through the semester in which the final exam is passed.

1. A student not required to maintain full-time status and not using campus facilities may claim off-campus status, which allows registration for 3 rather than the minimum of 5 dissertation credit hours. Off-campus status (3 credits of dissertation hours) is considered part-time. All CU-Boulder considerations for part-time status apply.
2. A student who fails to register continuously for dissertation credit hours after passing the comprehensive examination must retake and pass the comprehensive examination in order to regain status as a student in good standing in the Graduate School. The department may require that the student validate course work more than five years old. At its discretion, the department may petition the dean of the Graduate School for a time limit for completion of all degree requirements of up to one year after the retaking of the comprehensive exam. The department must petition the dean of the Graduate School to waive the requirement to retake the comprehensive exam.
3. A PhD student must be registered full time for a minimum of 5 dissertation hours during the semester (including summer session) in which the dissertation defense is passed. DMusA students must be registered full time in course work numbered 8200–8399 ( or TMUS 8029) during the semester in which the dissertation defense is passed. AuD students must be registered full time for 5 hours of graduate level course work or 8 hours of combined undergraduate and graduate hours during the semester in which the final exam is passed.

Dissertation Defense/Final Exam

After the dissertation has been accepted for defense by the student’s committee, a final examination on the dissertation and related topics is conducted. For AuD students, a final examination is conducted in place of the dissertation defense. 

The following rules apply to the dissertation defense.

1. A student must be registered as a full-time, regular degree-seeking student at CU-Boulder, for a minimum of 5 dissertation hours during the semester in which the final examination is passed. DMusA students must be registered full time in course work numbered 8200–8399 (or TMUS 8029) during the semester in which the dissertation defense is passed. Doctor of audiology students should be registered during the final exam for 5 credit hours of course work at the graduate level or 8 hours of combined undergraduate and graduate hours.
2. Students must notify the Graduate School of their final oral examination at least two weeks before their scheduled examination date. 
3. This examination is wholly or partly oral, the oral part being open to anyone.
4. The examination is conducted by a committee appointed by the chair of the major department and approved by the dean of the Graduate School, which consists of at least five persons, one of whom must be from outside the student’s major department. Three of the members must be CU-Boulder graduate faculty. The chair and outside member of the committee must have regular or tenured graduate faculty appointments. The other committee members must have either regular or special graduate faculty appointments. The chair and a majority of the committee must be present on the Boulder campus for the examination. More than one dissenting vote disqualifies the candidate in the final examination. 
5. A student who fails the examination may attempt it once more after a period of time determined by the examining committee.

Dissertation Requirements

A PhD student must write a dissertation based upon original investigation, showing mature scholarship and critical judgment, as well as familiarity with tools and methods of research. The subject must be approved by the student’s major department.

1. Every dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree must represent the equivalent of at least 30 semester hours of work.
2. The student is responsible for notifying the Graduate School of the exact title of the dissertation on or before the posted deadlines during the semester in which the doctoral degree is to be conferred.
3. The dissertation must comply in mechanical features with the specifications for theses and dissertations available in the Graduate School.
4. After the dissertation defense, the student is responsible for submitting the dissertation and signature page on or before the posted deadline during the semester in which the doctoral degree is to be conferred.

The final grade is withheld until the dissertation is completed. In progress (IP) grades are assigned during each semester until the defense is successfully completed and the final copy of the dissertation is accepted by the examination committee, at which time the final grade for all dissertation hours is submitted to the Graduate School.

Time Limit

Doctoral degree students are expected to complete all degree requirements within six years from the semester in which they are admitted and begin course work in the doctoral program. The phrase “all degree requirements” includes the filing of the dissertation and all accompanying forms with the Graduate School. Students who fail to complete the degree in this six-year period may be dismissed from their program with the concurrence of the major advisor and/or appropriate departmental personnel. To continue, the student must file a petition for an extension of the time limit with the dean of the Graduate School. Such petitions must be endorsed by the student’s major advisor and/or other appropriate departmental personnel and may be granted for up to one year. If the dean of the Graduate School and the department chair/program director cannot agree on whether a student should continue, the Graduate School’s executive advisory council makes the final decision.

Students who need to leave CU-Boulder for a period of time may apply to the Time Off Program for up to one year. Doctoral students who are required to maintain continuous registration may petition for an exception in order to participate in the Time Off Program for parental leave or other extenuating circumstances. Participation in the Time Off Program does not extend the student’s time limit, but may be used as a reason if applying for an extension.

Students whose registration at CU-Boulder is interrupted by military service may apply to the dean of the Graduate School for an extension of time.

Graduation

Students must meet all posted graduation deadlines in order to receive a degree in any given semester.

Sequestration of Dissertations

Dissertations approved by the departments and the Graduate School are released to ProQuest/UMI and kept on file electronically at Norlin Library.

Occasionally, the primary academic advisor, after consultation with the student, may find it necessary to sequester the student’s dissertation to protect university rights to intellectual property. The university accepts the obligation to protect potentially publishable creative works and potentially patentable subject matter from premature public disclosure so as to preserve entitlement to patent protection while the technology is being evaluated. This sequestration should take place only when it is absolutely required and only for the minimum time necessary.

With just cause, the student may request that an embargo be placed on the publication/sale of the thesis for a reasonable amount of time. This request is made upon the electronic submission of the document.