Checklist for Master's Degrees
Checklist for Master's DegreesDeadlines
- May 17, 2024 degree: April 1, 2024 (March 18, 2024 to department)
- September 1, 2024 degree: August 30, 2024 (August 16, 2024 to department)
- February 1, 2025 degree: January 16, 2025 (January 3, 2025 to department)
Requirements for all candidates
- Master’s Degree Eligibility Form must be completed and submitted to the academic department two weeks prior to the degree deadline to allow for departmental review. The student, graduate program director, and department head/chair must sign the Eligibility Form.
- Course work completed. Grades for courses being taken in the current semester will be reported at the end of the Final Examination Period.
- Minimum total number of credits: credits listed on the Eligibility Form must be at least the minimum for the program
- Minimum grade-point average: 3.0 or above for courses listed on the Eligibility Form
- Enrolled as an active student
- Minimum required credits in the major field: 21 credits
- Minimum required 600-800 level courses: 12 credits in for non-thesis students; minimum of 6 credits in 600-800 level courses for thesis students (in addition to thesis [699] credits)
- No courses below the 400 level should be listed on the Eligibility Form
- At most 6 credits of 400 level courses (they must be outside the major field), subject to approval of the Graduate Program Director
- Transfer credits listed on the Eligibility Form must be approved by the Graduate School
- Update Diploma Name and Non-UMass Email Address in SPIRE (Academics Tile > Graduation > Diploma preferences)
- Update Diploma Address must be updated in SPIRE (Academics Tile > Graduation > Diploma preferences). Diplomas will be sent to the student's Diploma Address.
- Bursar fees paid: any outstanding Bursar fees must be paid directly to the Bursar; no holds on record
- Department or program contacted regarding any further programmatic requirements
Other requirements which may or may not apply
- Language requirement satisfied
- Thesis committee appointed by the Graduate Dean
- Thesis outline submitted to department
- There has been 4 months between submission of prospectus/outline and thesis defense date
- Registered for the appropriate number of thesis (699) credits
- Maximum of 6 credits in Independent Study and Special Problem (596, 696, 796) courses if a thesis is submitted
- General examination/thesis defense passed: memo stating that the exam/defense was passed and the date on which it was passed must be signed by the Graduate Program Director and filed with the Graduate Student Service Center. The exam must be scheduled and passed by the posted deadline.
Thesis submission requirements
- Electronically submit the master’s thesis through the University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks site: ScholarWorks for M.A., M.S., M.F.A. (Art and Theater) or ScholarWorks for M.F.A. (English only)
- One signature page with original signatures submitted to the Graduate Student Service Center
- An unsigned signature page included after the copyright page in the electronic copy of the thesis
Questions?
Graduate Student Service Center
170 Bartlett Building, Amherst, MA 01003
Phone: (413) 545-0722
Email: degreq [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (subject: Graduation%20requirement%20question) (degreq[at]grad[dot]umass[dot]edu)