Statute of Limitations / Expected Graduation Term

Expected Graduation Term

The Expected Graduation Term is the last term during which a student is allowed to register before their Statute of Limitations expires. Students who submit a Degree Eligibility Form will see their Expected Graduation Term adjusted to the actual expected graduation term. For example: Expected Grad Term of Summer 2022 means that you are eligible to register through the Summer 2022 semester, and that your Statute of Limitations expires at the end of summer 2019 (August 31, 2022).

Statute of Limitations

The Statute of Limitations (SOL) is the period within which all degree requirements must be completed. It is determined during the acceptance process using the following guidelines:

Master's degrees for students admitted starting Summer 2015

• SOL's are set to four (4) years with the exceptions noted below;
• for an M.F.A. degree, the SOL is five (5) years;
• for all part-time off-campus programs, the SOL is five (5) years;
• for dual master's degrees, the SOL is five (5) years unless otherwise noted in the program description.

Master's degrees for students admitted prior to Summer 2015

• SOL's are set to three (3) years with the exceptions noted below;
• for an M.F.A. degree, the SOL is four (4) years;
• for part-time off-campus programs in engineering, labor studies, management, music education, nursing, nutrition, and public health practice, the SOL is four (4) years;
• for dual master's degrees, the SOL is four (4) years unless otherwise noted in the program description.

Doctoral degrees for students admitted starting in Summer 2009

• for new doctoral students starting in Summer 2009, the SOL is set at six (6) years prior to achieving candidacy and five (5) years once candidacy is achieved.

Doctoral degrees for students admitted starting Summer 2004 and prior to Summer 2009

• prior to achieving candidacy, the SOL was set as indicated below;
• after achieving candidacy, the SOL is re-set to five (5) years.

Doctoral degrees for students admitted prior to Summer 2004

• for doctoral students without an earned master's degree in their major field, the SOL was set at six (6) years;
• for doctoral students with a related master's degree, the SOL was set to four (4) years.

Candidacy for Doctoral Students

Candidacy is recommended for doctoral students by the academic department upon satisfactory completion of coursework and passing the qualifying examination.

Statute of Limitations Extensions

A graduate student may be granted additional time to complete their degree program by the Graduate Dean provided the student's Graduate Program Director makes such a recommendation and provided satisfactory and reasonable progress is being made.

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