Requirements for the MA Degree

The degree of Master of Arts (MA) is conferred upon students who complete a total of two Residence Units (with additional semesters of Extended Residence, if applicable) and all academic requirements specified by their program.

To receive the degree, students in all MA programs are required to hold a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00, and to complete all coursework and receive letter grades replacing all marks of Incomplete (IN) or Credit Pending (CP), whether or not the course is required for the degree.

Departmental deadlines more stringent than those of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences supersede those of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Once all requirements have been completed, the student must apply for graduation in order to receive the MA degree. Degrees are awarded three times a year—in October, February, and May—and each degree conferral date has a corresponding application deadline.

To maintain satisfactory academic progress in a PhD program, all work for the MA degree including any thesis, project, or exam, must be completed within two years from initial registration, unless the student receives two Residence Units of advanced standing, in which case all MA degree requirements must be completed within one year from initial registration. Students must complete the MA and thesis, project, or exam by May 31 of their second year. Students who do not meet this deadline will be regarded as not in good academic standing, may not be appointed to a teaching or research role for the ensuing semester, and may be terminated from their PhD program.