Master’s Degree Requirements for All Candidates

  • Course work completed. Grades for courses being taken in the current semester will be reported at the end of the Final Examination Period.
  • Online Degree Eligibility Form must be submitted in SPIRE two weeks prior to the degree deadline to allow for departmental review. The graduate program director must approve the Online Degree Eligibility Form before it is routed to the Graduate Student Service Center.
  • Diploma Name and Home (Non-UMass) Email Address must be updated in SPIRE (Academics Tile > Graduation > Diploma preferences)
  • Diploma address must be updated in SPIRE (Academics Tile > Graduation > Diploma preferences). Diplomas will be sent to the student's Diploma Address.
  • Any transfer credits listed on the Eligibility Form must be approved by the Graduate School
  • The total number of credits listed on the Eligibility Form must be at least the minimum for the program
  • Minimum of 21 credits in the major field
  • Minimum of 12 credits in 600-800 level courses for non-thesis students; minimum of 6 credits in 600-800 level courses for thesis students (in addition to thesis [699] credits)
  • At most six credits of 400 level courses (they must be outside the major field), subject to approval of the Graduate Program Director
  • No courses below the 400 level should be listed on the Eligibility Form
  • The grade point average for courses listed on the Eligibility Form must be 3.0 or above
  • Enrolled as an active student
  • 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 that may or may not apply

  • Language requirement satisfied
  • Thesis committee appointed by the Graduate Dean
  • Thesis outline submitted to department
  • There has been four months between submission of prospectus/outline and thesis defense date
  • Registered for the appropriate number of thesis (699) credits
  • Maximum of six credits in Independent Study and Special Problem (596, 696, 796) courses if a thesis is submitted
  • General examination/thesis defense passed - a 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.
  • Master's thesis electronically filed with ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst - Scholarworks for M.A., M.S., M.F.A. (Art and Theater) or Scholarworks for English M.F.A.
  • Signature page – one signature page with original signatures must be submitted to the Graduate Student Service Center. An unsigned signature page should also be included after the copyright page in the electronic copy of your dissertation.