Chapter 2: The Master's and Education Specialist Degrees

Admission and General Requirements
The Supervisory Committee
The Program of Study
Courses
Grade Requirements
Inactive Status and Probation
Dismissal and Reinstatement
Foreign Language Requirement
Theses and Reports
Final Examination
Accelerated Bachelor-Master Program

A. Admission and General Requirements

To gain admission to a Master's or Education Specialist program, the student must be approved for admission both by the graduate faculty of the department or interdepartmental program and by the Graduate School.

A minimum of thirty semester hours of graduate credit is required for a master's degree, and sixty semester hours of graduate credit is required for an Education Specialist degree, but some academic units may require more.

The Graduate School recognizes three different plans for a master's or Education Specialist degree, and the graduate faculty in each academic unit may accept one or more of them. The three possibilities are:

Thesis option: As a part of the degree program the student will complete a thesis for 6 to 8 hours credit.
Report option: As a part of the degree program the student will complete a written report for 2 hours credit on research or on a problem in the major field.
Course work option: The student's degree program will consist of course work only, but it will include evidence of advanced work, such as term papers, objects of art, music, or designs, as determined by the committee.

Not all master's or Education Specialist programs offer all three options, and a student may not select a plan that has not been approved by the graduate faculty of the program in which he or she is enrolled.

A culminating experience may be required to earn a master's or Education Specialist degree. The culminating experience should verify the student’s competence to synthesize information across the student’s program of study. The culminating experience will be completed prior to or during the semester the student plans to graduate based on the recommendation of the supervisory committee. The Supervisory Committee is responsible for administering the culminating experience. The majority of the Supervisory Committee must vote in favor for the student to pass their defense (a tie vote is a failure). The major professor is responsible for returning the signed ballot to the Graduate School.

For students pursuing a thesis or report option, the culminating experience shall be a defense of the thesis or report.

For students pursuing a coursework only degree, the culminating experience, if required by the academic program, may be an interpretation of scholarly work, a test of the student's understanding of the field or other culminating experiences. It is the responsibility of the academic unit to provide guidelines if the culminating experience is required for the coursework-only master’s degree.

To be awarded a master's or Education Specialist degree, the student (a) must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, (b) must not be on probation, (c) must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher, (d) must meet all the requirements of the Graduate School, the student's academic program area, and the student's supervisory committee, and (e) must be enrolled during the semester in which the degree requirements are completed.

B. The Supervisory Committee

Upon admission to a master’s or Education Specialist degree program, the student confers with the head of the academic program and selects or is assigned a major professor pro tem from among the graduate faculty who are qualified to direct master’s students and who are willing to assume the responsibility. All students with a program of study that includes a culminating experience must have a supervisory committee. In consultation between a student and their major professor, a supervisory committee, which consists of the major professor, who chairs the committee, and at least two other graduate faculty members is identified. Upon agreement of the selected members and approval of the graduate program director, the Graduate School is informed of the supervisory committee through the program of study¹. In addition to the members recommended, the Dean of the Graduate School may appoint other members to the supervisory committee from the graduate faculty. All members of a student's supervisory committee participate as peers and have the responsibility for planning the program of study, advising the student, administering the final examination or evaluating the culminating experience, ensuring that University regulations and program requirements are met, and ensuring that the student’s master’s or Education Specialist program is of high quality.

¹ Special restrictions apply to visiting, part-time, adjunct, or emeritus faculty and to graduate faculty associates. See Chapter 5, Section D.

The supervisory committee also is responsible for ensuring that no conflicts of interest exist. Conflicts of interest to be avoided include those that may arise from personal or professional relationships between committee members, committee members and the student, with funding sources, and with any other stakeholders.

C. The Program of Study

Every master's and Education Specialist student must file with the Graduate School a Program of Study, a formal list of the courses the student intends to take to fulfill the requirements of the degree. The program of study should consist solely of courses directly related to the master's degree. Full time students must file their programs before the end of their second semester of graduate study, and part time students must do so upon the completion of 9 credit hours. The student should prepare the program of study in consultation with the major professor and supervisory committee if a committee is required. All members must indicate their approval by signing the Program of Study form provided by the Graduate School. The head of the academic unit must then endorse the Program of Study and forward it to the Dean of the Graduate School, whose approval must be received within the first two semesters of graduate work. Subsequent changes in the program of study require approval of all members of the supervisory committee, and if changes are made, a Program/Committee Change form should be submitted to the Graduate School before graduation. General guidelines for preparing a program of study posted on the Graduate School website should be followed when preparing a program of study.

D. Courses

Graduate study demands a high degree of intellectual aptitude. It presupposes a broad preparation and involves the acquisition of specialized knowledge. These facts should be reflected in the graduate student's program of study. Credits that were earned more than seven years prior to the semester in which the student completes all degree requirements may not be used to satisfy the degree requirements except as noted in Chapter 2, Section D.6 and Chapter 2, Section J.4.

D1. Course Levels and Programs

For the master's degree at least 18 hours must be at the 700 level or above. Of the 60 credit hours required for the Education Specialist degree, at least 36 hours should be at the 700 level and above. Courses at the 600 level may be included, but 500 level courses in the student's major area are expected to have been completed as undergraduate prerequisites to graduate study or as undergraduate deficiency courses assigned upon admission. The use of 500-level supporting courses in the master's or Education Specialist program is therefore restricted as follows: (1) No course in the student's major area may be at the 500 level, and (2) normally no more than 6 credit hours may be at the 500 level.

D2. Problems Courses

No more than 3 hours in problems or other individualized courses may be applied in a 30-hour program. No more than 6 hours in problems or other individualized courses may be applied in a program of more than 30 hours.

D3. Short Courses and Workshops

A student enrolled in a short course or workshop during the summer session may also take regularly scheduled courses but must be able to attend all sessions of both. Enrollment in a short course or workshop does not affect enrollment in research or problems. In no case may a student enroll for more than nine credit hours during the summer session.

D4. S Courses

Departments may choose to offer certain courses or course sections that are primarily intended to teach or provide practice in skills and principles deemed important to a particular profession or discipline but that may not be applied to a master's or Education Specialist degree program. Such courses or course sections are designated by the letter S.

D5. Courses Applied Toward Multiple Degrees

Graduate students may not apply credit from the same course toward the requirements for both an undergraduate and a graduate degree, except as described in the accelerated B.S./master/graduate certificate programs approved by the Graduate Council. Credits that were earned more than seven years prior to the semester in which the program of study is approved cannot be applied.

Overlapping graduate credit

Students who take more than one master’s and/or Education Specialist degree may not apply more than six hours of overlapping graduate credit in total across the degree programs.
Students who wish to earn a master’s or Education Specialist degree after earning a doctorate may not apply more than 10 credit hours of doctoral work from the first degree toward the master’s or Education Specialist degree.
Students who earn a graduate certificate from Kansas State University may apply all of the graduate credits from the certificate towards a master’s or Education Specialist degree provided the credits are applicable to the student’s program of study for the degree. These credits are subject to revalidation guidelines as described in Chapter 2, J4.

DVM Students enrolled in a Master's Program

For students concurrently enrolled in the DVM program and a Master's program, a maximum of 12 graduate credit hours from the College of Veterinary Medicine DVM curriculum may be applied to their Master's program of study.
For students who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree and are enrolled in the DVM program and a Master's program, the Master's degree shall be awarded concurrently with the DVM.

D6. Transferred from another institution

Kansas State University accepts graduate credit from another institution only under the following conditions:

The other institution is accredited by the cognizant regional accrediting association to offer graduate degree programs appropriate to the level of the credit to be transferred;
The credit is fully acceptable to the other institution in satisfaction of its own advanced degree requirements; and
The credit is applicable to the student's program of study for an advanced degree at Kansas State University.

The program of study should consist solely of courses directly related to the master's or Education Specialist degree.

Subject to the recommendation of the supervisory committee, master's students with professional doctorate degrees (DVM, MD, etc.) may include a maximum of 12 graduate credit hours from a professional doctorate degree in their 30-hour master's program or 24 graduate credit hours in their 60-hour Education Specialist degree. As an earned degree, the transfer credit is not subject to the seven-year time limit.

Graduate credit transferred from another institution may not exceed 10 credit hours for the master's degree or 20 credit hours for the Education Specialist degree, and then only for courses graded B or better. Credits that were earned more than seven years prior to the semester in which the program of study is approved cannot be transferred except for approved credit from earned degrees and as noted above. Research credit earned at other institutions cannot be transferred for credit as part of a program of study.

D7. Off-Campus Programs

A student who has satisfied requirements for admission to the Graduate School may receive credit toward a master's or Education Specialist degree for off campus courses taught by regular members of the Kansas State University graduate faculty or by others approved by specific action of the Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate. The department offering the course must obtain approval in advance from the Dean of the Graduate School and from the Graduate Council. The request for approval must include documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the quality of instruction will be equivalent to that of on campus offerings.

D8. Off-Campus Research

Special difficulties arise in guiding graduate students when they are engaged in protracted off-campus research, whether that research is in the field, in the laboratory, or in the library. Therefore, supervisory committees must take adequate steps to ensure appropriate guidance. As a minimal requirement, the student must submit to the supervisory committee a well formulated research plan, including objectives and methodology, and the committee must review and approve the plan before the student departs for the research site and indicate approval on the program of study. In addition, the supervisory committee may require:

That the major professor and/or a competent local authority who can reliably guide the student provide continuing on-site supervision.
That the student provide the supervisory committee with frequent, periodic estimates of performance and progress. The committee may also require that these be authenticated by a competent local authority.
That the major professor carry out local inspections of the student's activities.

E. Grade Requirements

E1. Graded Work

Graduate work is graded A, B, C, D, F, credit/no-credit, pass/fail, incomplete, or withdrawn. For graduate credit, the grade in a course must be C or higher. To remain in good standing, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

To be awarded a graduate degree, the student (a) must not be on probation (see Section F.2), (b) must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on graduate coursework and on coursework on the program of study, (c) must meet all the requirements of the Graduate School, the student's academic program area, and the student's supervisory committee, and (d) must be enrolled during the semester in which the degree requirements are completed.

E2. Non-Graded Work (pass/fail, credit/no-credit)

At the discretion of the graduate faculty of the academic unit, seminars or colloquia in which letter grading conflicts with objectives may be offered on a credit/no-credit or pass/fail basis. Seminars and colloquia that are to be so offered must be listed with the Dean of the Graduate School.

All courses in the program of study except research (report, thesis, or dissertation) and seminars or colloquia that have been approved for credit/no credit or pass/fail must be taken for letter grades. Research for master's or Education Specialist reports and theses is graded credit/no credit exclusively. Incompletes awarded while research is in progress are not subject to the incomplete policy for course work.

No more than 3 hours of credit/no credit or pass/fail (exclusive of research credit hours) may appear on the program of study for the master's degree and no more than 6 hours of credit/no-credit or pass/fail (exclusive of research credit hours) may appear on the program of study for the Education Specialist degree.

Apart from the program of study, courses may be taken credit/no-credit or pass/fail with the approval of the major professor and of the professor offering the course. These courses do not apply toward a degree.

E3. Incomplete Policy

The grade of Incomplete (I) is given in regular courses (except for theses and directed research courses) upon request of the student for personal emergencies that are verifiable. The faculty member has the responsibility to provide written notification to the student of the work required to remove the incomplete. The student has the responsibility to take the initiative in completing the work and is expected to make up the I during the next semester (Fall or Spring) after receiving the grade (except for theses and directed research courses). If the student does not make up the I during the next semester after receiving it, a grade may be given by the faculty member without further consultation with the student.

If after the end of the next semester the I remains on the record, it will be designated as F (previously IX) for record keeping and will be computed in the student's GPA, weighted at 0 points per credit. A grade of NR will be treated in a like manner.

E4. Retake Policy

If the student received less than 3.0 in a course, the student may retake the course with approval of the major professor and the supervisory committee. If the course is retaken by the direction of the major professor and the supervisory committee, the original grade is noted as retaken and removed from the grade point average. The retake grade will always be used in computing the grade point average regardless of whether it is higher or lower than the original grade. A student may retake a course with subsequent removal of the prior grade only once for each course and for a total of two courses in the program of study. An approved program of study must be on file in the Graduate School at the time the retake request is submitted. Retake requests must be made prior to enrolling in the course.

F. Inactive Status and Probation

F1. Inactive Status

After consultation with the student's department/graduate program, a student will be placed in inactive status if he or she is not currently enrolled and has not been enrolled during the previous two years.

Once in inactive status a student must reapply to (and be accepted into) a graduate program before being considered for re-entry by the Graduate School. In order to be allowed to resume graduate studies, the student must meet all requirements for entry in force at the time of the new application. Inactive students who seek to regain active status will not, however, be required to recreate materials submitted with their original applications and held in their files by the Graduate School.

If allowed to regain active status, the formerly inactive student will be subject to all requirements in force in their graduate program and in the Graduate School at the time the student returns to active status.

F2. Probation

Students who fail to make satisfactory progress in their graduate programs will be placed on probation. Either of the following conditions will warrant probation:

A grade point average lower than 3.0,
The recommendation of the major professor or student's supervisory committee that the student's progress is unsatisfactory.

F3. Removal from Probation

Students placed on probation for deficient grades will be restored to good standing if they achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. This must be achieved within 2 semesters for full-time students and within 12 credit hours for part-time students.

Students placed on probation after recommendation by the major professor or supervisory committee may be restored to good standing when the major professor or supervisory committee notifies the Graduate School that the student is making satisfactory progress.

G. Dismissal and Reinstatement

G1. Dismissal

A graduate student will be denied continued enrollment at Kansas State University for any of the following reasons:

Failure of a student admitted on probation to achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the first 9 credit hours of graduate coursework, or failure of a student to meet other conditions specified in the admission letter.
Failure of a student placed on probation for deficient grades to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 within 2 semesters for full-time students and within 12 credit hours for part-time students (see F.3)
Failure to meet published departmental or University requirements.
Failure to maintain satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree.
Failure in the final degree examination(s) (see Chapter 2.K.3).
Failure to acquire mastery of the methodology and content in a field sufficient to complete a successful thesis or dissertation.
Qualifying for placement on probation a second time, except when the first period of probation is a condition of admission (Chapter 1.C) or when the second period is a condition of reinstatement (section G.2).
A recommendation for suspension or expulsion by the Honor Council.

G2. Reinstatement

A student who has been denied continued enrollment may petition for reinstatement to the same program or for admission to a different one. The procedures for reinstatement are described in Appendix C Graduate Student Reinstatement Procedure.

Students whose petitions are granted are readmitted on probation as a condition of readmission. In such cases, the Readmission Committee usually stipulates enrollment in a specific number of hours or courses, as well as other conditions for probation. To regain regular status, the student who has been reinstated must satisfy conditions described in F.3 for removal from probation.

H. Foreign Language Requirement

The Graduate School has no requirement for a language other than English for the master's or Education Specialist degree. Individual academic units may establish language requirements for their degree programs and may define the level of competence needed to satisfy those requirements.

I. Theses and Reports

I1. General

A thesis presents the results of an original investigation of a problem or topic approved by the candidate's supervisory committee. Its purpose is to demonstrate the candidate's ability to conduct original research of a type appropriate to the academic discipline, to analyze the information obtained from the research, and to present the results in a form acceptable to the supervisory committee.

A report is generally shorter than a thesis, and it may present the results of a more limited original investigation. Alternatively, it may review the state of a particular scholarly or scientific problem, or especially in the case of professional programs or applied disciplines it may describe a project appropriate to the discipline.

Candidates who undertake a thesis or report should allow sufficient time (at least ten working days) for review by the major professor and the supervisory committee and for making any necessary revisions before proceeding to the final examination.

See Appendix B for more information on theses and reports.

See Appendix R of the Kansas State University Handbook for a full description of University policies and associated institutional procedures for intellectual property.

With unanimous approval of the supervisory committee, a student majoring in Modern Languages may write a thesis or report in a language other than English, provided that the language is clearly appropriate to the subject matter.

I2. Copies

The candidate must provide a copy of the thesis or report to each member of the supervisory committee and all members of the committee must certify that they have received acceptable copies of the thesis or report before a final examination can be scheduled. A copy of the thesis or report must also be available at the examination.

Following a successful final examination, the candidate must provide an electronic copy of the thesis or report to the Graduate School, which will be deposited with the University Libraries. Theses and reports submitted to the Graduate School must be in final and acceptable form, incorporating any revisions required by the supervisory committee. The final electronic copy must also conform to the stylistic guidelines adopted by the academic unit and to the physical requirements established by the Graduate School, available on the Graduate School website under Requirements and Guidelines for Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports.

J. Final Examination

J1. Nature

A culminating experience may be required to earn a master's or Education Specialist degree. If a culminating experience is required, then it should verify the student’s competence to synthesize information across the student’s program of study. The culminating experience will occur after the student has completed the program of study and other requirements or during the term in which the candidate intends to complete them. If there is a supervisory committee, it is responsible for administering the culminating experience. The majority of the Supervisory Committee must vote in favor for the student to pass their defense (a tie vote is a failure). The major professor is responsible for returning the signed ballot to the Graduate School.

For students pursuing a thesis or report option, the culminating experience shall be a defense of the thesis or report.

For students pursuing a coursework only degree, if a culminating experience is required, it may be an interpretation of scholarly work, a test of the student's understanding of the field or other culminating experiences. It is the responsibility of the academic unit to provide culminating experience guidelines for each coursework-only master’s degree that the department offers. Examples could include concerts, portfolios, final written or oral examinations, case studies, or whatever the program deems appropriate.

J2. Scheduling

In the case of a candidate writing a thesis or report, the examination cannot be scheduled until the supervisory committee certifies that a satisfactory copy of the thesis or report has been presented. The candidate must file with the Graduate School an Approval for Final Examination Form signed by each member of the committee. The major professor or co-major professors are responsible for obtaining signature on the ballot from all committee members. Committee members will sign the ballot and submit the signed ballot to the Graduate School. By signing this form, the faculty member indicates only that the form of the thesis or report is acceptable for review and that a final examination may be scheduled. Signing does not imply that the content of the thesis or report is satisfactory. When the examination has been scheduled, the Graduate School will send a final examination ballot and an ETDR ballot to the major professor and notify in writing all members of the committee regarding the time and place.

Final examinations should be scheduled so as to give the supervisory committee at least two weeks to review the thesis. Preference is for final examinations to be given on the Manhattan campus unless the academic program is completely online. However, arrangements can be made for the student and the supervisory committee to conduct the defense via video conference. The student must work with their major professor or co-major professors and graduate program director to arrange a physical location for the on-campus faculty members. On-campus faculty members should participate in the same location. The major professor or co-major professors is responsible for obtaining signatures on the ballot from all committee members. Committee members will sign the ballot and return the scanned copy to the major professor or provide their vote via digital means. The original ballot with committee member’s signature and the scanned ballots or digital message will be delivered to the Graduate School.

For students pursuing a coursework only degree, if a culminating experience is required, this must be indicated in the POS form. The student must file with the Graduate School an Approval for Final Examination Form signed by each member of the committee. The major professor or co-major professors is responsible for obtaining signature on the ballot from all committee members. Committee members will sign the ballot and submit the signed ballot to the Graduate School.

For students pursuing a coursework only degree, if a culminating experience is not required, the candidate must indicate on the program of study form that the culminating experience is not required.

J3. Failure and Repetition

At least 2/3 of the supervisory committee must approve the candidate’s performance before he or she is deemed to have passed the final examination for thesis, report, or culminating experience. A refusal to vote by the major professor or any member of the supervisory committee shall be recorded as a negative vote. A candidate who fails a master’s examination may take a second examination no sooner than two months nor later than 15 months after the failure, with permission of at least 2/3 of the supervisory committee, unless the Dean of the Graduate School grants an extension. A third defense is not allowed.

At least 2/3 of the members of the supervisory committee must sign the final ETDR before the ballot can be processed and the thesis or report submitted to K-REX.

J4. Competency Revalidation of Courses

If a student's program of study includes any course credits more than seven years old at the time the student is expected to complete all degree requirements, a revalidation plan for the old courses must be submitted with the program of study to the Graduate School. The course(s) must be revalidated the semesters the student graduates or prior to the last semester.

The form and content of this competency examination is determined by each master's or Education Specialist program which may impose additional requirements for revalidating the student's competency in the supporting course work. In a master's or Education Specialist program for which such a revalidation examination may be inappropriate, an exception to this policy may be sought from the Dean of the Graduate School.

J5. Change in Program and Research Credit

A graduate student who changes from doctoral program to a master’s or Education Specialist degree with thesis option may include up to eight hours of dissertation research credit toward their thesis research credit if recommended by the supervisory committee.

K. Accelerated Bachelor-Master Program*

K1. Nature and Rationale

The Accelerated Bachelor-Master program offers the opportunity for outstanding students to advance their careers in a significant way by pursuing a bachelor and a master degree in an accelerated and coordinated program. It provides the opportunity to high performing undergraduate students who pursue this program to count nine graduate credit hours of coursework towards both the graduate and the undergraduate programs. A student can join the accelerated program after completion of a minimum of 75 credit hours toward the completion of the bachelor degree at time of application. Doctoral degrees are excluded from this accelerated program. Graduate education involves a close working relationship between a student and a Graduate Faculty mentor, and the Accelerated Bachelor-Master Degree Program develops this relationship early in a student's career.

*In previous handbooks, these programs were called concurrent. The name was changed in Summer 2022.

K2. Procedures for Proposing an Accelerated Graduate Program

Graduate programs are invited to develop program specific guidelines for recruiting current undergraduates into the Accelerated Degree Program and for guiding students admitted to the program. These guidelines should include the time in the student's undergraduate career in which the student would be admitted into the graduate program, the plans in place to provide the student with the high level of advising necessary for program success, and the identification of the graduate courses (9 graduate credit hours) that count towards both undergraduate and graduate programs’ requirements.

K3. Accelerated Graduate Program Guidelines

Admission Requirements

Students applying for the accelerated program are not required to have completed their bachelor degree prior to pursuing the master program. The following requirements must be met before an individual can be admitted into this program:

The student must be seeking the bachelor's degree.
The student must have completed a minimum of 75 credit hours toward the bachelor degree at time of application for admission to the accelerated program.
The student's cumulative undergraduate GPA must be at least 3.0.
Student must meet all other Graduate School admission criteria as outlined in the Graduate School Handbook.
A student who has completed all coursework for the bachelor's degree is not eligible for the accelerated program.
The student will be admitted into the accelerated program with a special graduate admission status.

Graduation Requirements

After completion of the nine (9) graduate credit hours from the master degree that are counted toward the bachelor's degree and the completion of all undergraduate program requirements, the student must apply to be awarded the bachelor's degree.
The student must complete 30 graduate credit hours with a graduate GPA of at least 3.0, including the 9 credits that count towards both bachelor and master degrees.
In the event that the student begins this program but does not wish to finish the master's degree requirements, the student must notify the College Dean's Office and Graduate School office. A notation on the student's transcript will indicate courses taken at the graduate level were applied to the bachelor's degree only.

** Special restrictions apply to visiting, part-time, adjunct, or emeritus faculty and to graduate faculty associates. See Chapter 5, Section D.