Master's Degrees
Degrees Offered
Master’s degrees are offered for the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), and several professional master’s degrees. The M.A. and M.S. degrees focus on methodology and practice of research and scholarship in the discipline. The M.A. and M.S. degrees require a minimum of 30 semester hours, a final examination or culminating experience, and, in some fields, a thesis reflecting original scholarship or research.
Master of Arts Degree Requirements
The Master of Arts degree is awarded to a student who has completed an appropriate degree program and met the foreign language requirement for this degree at the college level. This requirement may be met by:
Completing a minimum of four semesters (or its equivalent, ISU's LAN 116) in one foreign language. The requirement may be met by earning a grade of C or better (or Credit or Pass) in the courses at either the graduate or undergraduate level.
Students whose native language is not English may, with departmental or school approval, petition the Graduate School to substitute proficiency in the English language as fulfillment of the language requirement. Proficiency is met by achieving the university or program minimum, whichever is higher, total score on TOEFL or IELTS, or Duolingo exams. Academic English Program/Pathway students who have completed Illinois State Academic English Level 5 will also qualify.
Students wishing to use American Sign Language as the language requirement may do so if they have completed 4 semesters of ASL for credit at an accredited college or university (no adult education courses). Proficiency may also be tested but requires the use of an outside consultant. A fee will be assessed if a proficiency test is needed.
Other methods as determined by the department or school with approval by the Graduate School.
Degree Options and Credit Requirements
The following are the degree options, however, not all programs offer both options:
Master’s Degree with Thesis: No more than 6 and no less than 4 semester hours for thesis research and writing may be counted toward satisfying the 30 semester hour minimum of graduate work for a master’s degree with thesis.
Master’s Degree without Thesis: Consists of at least 30 semester hours of graduate work and includes a Comprehensive Examination and/or a culminating requirement demonstrating a mature application of skills and knowledge (e.g., professional practice, project, colloquia, and recital).
Master's Degree with Courses: Consists of at least 30 hours of graduate work demonstrating skills or knowledge of content competency.
Time Limitations
All requirements for the degree must be completed within six calendar years, beginning with the date the student first registers as a degree student. This time limit applies to enrollment in all graduate course work in the student’s program including work for which transfer credit is allowed, as well as courses taken as a visiting student if the student wants to use the courses toward a degree. A Request to Extend Time to Complete Degree Program must be completed by the student, graduate coordinator, and, if applicable, thesis chair, and submitted to the Graduate School for approval or denial. To access this form visit Grad.IllinoisState.edu/students/forms.
If a course taken to complete the requirements for the degree is not within the six-year period allowed for the degree program, the student’s department or school may require the student to retake the course for credit or allow the student to demonstrate current knowledge and/or proficiency of the subject matter. If the latter is used, currency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the department or school offering the course through successful completion of an appropriate examination or other assessment if available from the department or school. Otherwise, outdated coursework must be deleted from, and other course work must be substituted in, the degree audit.
Credits more than six years old at the time of first registration into a degree program are not transferable from other institutions. Individual departments and schools may have more stringent timelines. When graduate study is interrupted by military service or other contingencies, the six year limit may be extended with the approval of both the department or school and the Graduate School.
Transfer Credit
Upon recommendation of the department or school where the student is enrolled and with the approval of the Graduate School, a student may present a maximum of twelve semester hours or 33% of graduate credit coursework, whichever is higher, from another college or university that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association for use in meeting the requirements of the degree. The work may be part of another graduate degree program. Under special circumstances, the Graduate School may allow a student to present a larger number of credits if recommended by the department or school. A student who plans to take work elsewhere should obtain prior approval indicating that the course or courses are appropriate to the student's curriculum at Illinois State University. Correspondence courses and independent studies are not accepted toward a degree.
To be considered for transfer of credit, a course must be taught at the graduate level and the student must have received at least a B grade in the course. In addition, a departmental or school evaluation of all courses presented is necessary prior to consideration by the Graduate School. The Request for Transfer of Credit form is at: Grad.IllinoisState.edu/students/forms.
Residency Requirements
Except in the Wonsook Kim School of Art and Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, a candidate for a master's degree is not required to complete a residency requirement. For specific requirements of the department or school refer to the department or school program description.
Admission to Candidacy
To be admitted to candidacy for the master's degree the student must have: a) a Degree Audit on file in the Graduate Office, b) completed all deficiencies, c) a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 in graduate course work at Illinois State, and d) a copy of the thesis proposal approval form on file in the Graduate School if choosing a thesis option.
Master’s Comprehensive Examination
For the comprehensive examination option, a comprehensive examination must be taken by each student before receiving the master’s degree. The content, process, scheduling, administration, and evaluation of the examination (oral, written, performance, or otherwise) are to be determined by each department and school. To apply for comprehensive examinations a student must:
be in good standing in a program,
have a Degree Audit on file in the department or school,
not be on academic probation, and
have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of the examination.
The following procedures apply to the comprehensive exam:
A student who fails the examination must wait until the next academic term before repeating the entire examination unless there are reasons that make an exception advisable. Exceptions must be requested from the Graduate School in writing by the student and advisor/chair/director.
Students who have twice failed the examination are not to repeat the exam unless they have completed further study as prescribed by the department chair or school director.
Comprehensive examinations may not be administered more than three times to individual students.
Department chairs and school directors are to notify students, by letter, of examination results within thirty days from the examination date.
A copy of this letter is to be sent to the Graduate School. (If it is a student’s second failure, recommendations for further study and appropriate warning of the situation are to be included in the letter.)
The Graduate School must receive the results from the department or school no fewer than 10 working days before the date of graduation.
After the first and second failure of comprehensive examination, the student can petition the department/school to repeat the comprehensive examination.
At the point of the third failure of comprehensive examination, the department/school will recommend to the Graduate School that the student be dismissed from the degree program.
Master’s Thesis Option
The student electing the thesis option must register for a minimum of four and a maximum of six hours of 499, Master's Thesis. Any student using the services of the academic faculty, staff, or the facilities of the University must be registered for the semester or term during which the services are rendered or the facilities are used including the thesis proposal or defense. Also, to register for 499 the student must be working on the subject under the direction of the advisor or thesis chairperson. No grade will be given for the course but credit (CR) will be entered on the student’s record after the final thesis is uploaded to ISU ReD and finalized by the Graduate School. No credit for 499 may be given to a student who does not complete a thesis.
Master’s Thesis Committee
A thesis is written under the direction of a thesis committee appointed in a manner specified by the department or school. All thesis committees require a minimum of two people, a chair from the student’s department/school and at least one other committee member. In all cases the chair must have full graduate faculty status. The majority of the committee, which includes the chair, should have full graduate faculty status. Inquire with your department/school for any additional requirements. An associate member may co-chair a thesis with a full member. Proposed committee members who are not members of the Illinois State University Graduate Faculty must be approved by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education and Internationalization Initiatives. See the “Graduate Committee Information” section on the “Proposal Approval Form” to indicate the faculty who need approval to serve on the committee. A student must be admitted to a degree program in the Graduate School before a thesis committee can be appointed.
Thesis Proposal
The Thesis Proposal, including the title, scope, and design, must be approved by the student's thesis committee at the proposal hearing. The Thesis Proposal Approval Form should be completed after the successful proposal hearing and submitted and approved by the Graduate School before a student is admitted to candidacy to embark on thesis research. Institutional policy also requires that all research proposals involving human subjects be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Research proposals involving animals must be reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Research proposals involving biohazards must be reviewed by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
In special situations, and only with the approval of the thesis committee, the department chair or school director or designee, and the Graduate School, students may collaborate on some aspects of the work contributing to their theses. However, each thesis submitted to the Graduate School for approval must be a unique product with the degree candidate as the sole author and with due acknowledgment of the contribution of collaborators. The individual student must demonstrate to her or his committee satisfactory command of all aspects of the work presented.
Continuous Thesis Registration
After the Thesis Proposal approval form has been accepted in the Graduate School and a student has completed the courses on the approved degree audit and registered for four to six hours of 499 Master's Thesis, the student is required to maintain continuous registration until the submission of all final deposit materials to the Graduate School. The requirement for continuous registration may be fulfilled by maintaining registration of 1 hour of 499 each semester through the semester of degree completion. Students registering for less than 9 credit hours in fall or spring, or less than 6 credit hours in summer, will not have the insurance fee automatically assessed. See the Health Insurance website for further information. The requirement for continuous registration does not apply during a summer term unless the student is proposing, defending, or graduating in that term. Registration for 499 may be in absentia. If circumstances prohibit continuous registration, a student must request a leave of absence. Any student interrupting registration without obtaining a leave of absence, upon re-enrollment and/or reinstatement, must pay tuition and fees for one credit hour of 499, at the current tuition and fee rates, for each of the delinquent semesters. Any student requesting reinstatement in a degree program after a lapse of one calendar year must complete an application for readmission to the program. Continuous registration for an upcoming term may be waived if all materials are submitted to the Graduate School by the Friday before the next semester starts. Consult with the Graduate School for more information.
Two Simultaneous Master's Degrees
A maximum of 12 hours of course work is allowable to count simultaneously toward two (2) master's degrees provided certain other stipulations are met. These stipulations are as follows:
that the student must be enrolled in the second master's program at least one semester prior to the completion of the first degree,
that all requirements for both degree programs be met within the six year time limit,
that a particular thesis may not be used to meet the degree requirements for more than one degree, and
that not more than three hours of the 12 hours allowed to count toward the second degree be generated by independent study, practicum, or workshop credit.
Two Simultaneous Sequences
Two sequences offered within the same degree program may be recognized on a student’s transcript if the student is enrolled in both sequences simultaneously as part of the requirements for completing the degree program. A common core of degree requirements and common sequence requirements may be shared across both sequences subject to the following limitations:
Students must complete the requirements for both sequences before completing the degree requirements.
The requirements for the two sequences and the degree program must be completed within a six year time limit from the time of admission to the degree program.
No more than nine hours of independent study (400), workshop (493), or professional practice (498) can be shared for both sequences and the degree program.
Thesis hours may be shared by both sequences.
Students who have been awarded a graduate degree are not eligible to pursue a second sequence within the same degree program under these provisions.
Accelerated Master’s Degree Programs
Accelerated master’s degree (AMD) programs offer high achieving students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in a faster time frame than each degree separately. Students will take both graduate and undergraduate classes when they have junior or senior status and seamlessly transition into their master’s degree program.
Students admitted into an accelerated master’s degree program may count a maximum of twelve (12) hours or 33% of course work towards both the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree. The coursework requires approval of the academic advisor. Courses must be at the 400 level in which the student completes graduate student requirements as outlined in the syllabus. Although a maximum of twelve (12) hours or 33% of coursework may be shared, some programs have lower limits. Students will complete all degree requirements in both degrees.
Admission Requirements
Bachelors/Masters programs are designed to enhance the opportunities for advanced training for ISU’s most talented undergraduates. Admission to these programs must be highly competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the program’s admission’s committee. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs are higher than those required if the master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of the bachelor’s degree. Minimum requirements include:
Declared undergraduate major
Junior based on credit hours earned
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 for all course work at ISU
Students not eligible for the accelerated program may apply to the master’s degree program through the regular admissions process.
A student should apply for admission to the accelerated sequence by submitting the department required documents. Students apply to the graduate program in the semester they graduate from the bachelor's program. Some departments may have different deadlines for applications.
Students will receive conditional admission, pending the review of their grades at the conclusion of the semester of application. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Degree program, students are required to meet the academic standing requirements of the Graduate School. As long as a student remains in good standing, they will automatically be admitted as a graduate student in that program.
Financial Eligibility
Students will be billed based on the degree program in which they currently exist. Students are considered to be an undergraduate student until they complete their bachelor’s degree. Once completed the student becomes a graduate student and is eligible for graduate student funding.
Withdrawal from Accelerated Programs
Students must complete at least one graduate course as an undergraduate to be considered in the accelerated master’s degree program. If the student does not complete this course, or chooses to withdraw from the accelerated program, or will not start the master’s program the next available term after completing the bachelors, they will be placed back in their original degree program.
Application for Degree Completion
The undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred separately. Undergraduate students will apply for and follow undergraduate commencement procedures to complete their undergraduate degree. The last semester of the graduate degree program, the student will adhere to deadlines and processes for graduate degree commencement. All details of undergraduate commencement are handled in the same manner and by the same timelines as all other undergraduate students. Once in the graduate career, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate School.
Master of Fine Arts
Offered in the Wonsook Kim School of Art and the School of Theatre and Dance, the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) is a terminal degree that emphasizes theory and practice in a particular discipline of the arts.
Curriculum Requirements
A professionally oriented program, the M.F.A. requires a minimum of 60 semester hours for a student with only a bachelor's degree or a minimum of 32 hours for a student with an earned master's degree. The total hours required for a student with an earned master's degree will be based on an evaluation of the student's portfolio and academic record. However, the final determination will not be made until the student has completed a minimum of six semester hours in the student's major area of emphasis. A candidate for the degree must demonstrate proficiency both as a practitioner and a teacher in one of several areas of emphasis listed in the Graduate Catalog.
Time Limitations
All requirements for the Master of Fine Arts degree must be completed within eight calendar years, beginning with the date the student first registers as a degree student. This time limit applies to enrollment in all graduate coursework in the student’s program, including work for which transfer credit is allowed. If a course taken to complete the requirements for the M.F.A. degree is not taken within the eight year period allowed for the degree program, the student’s school may require the student to retake the course for credit or allow the student to demonstrate current knowledge of the subject matter. If the latter is used, currency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the school offering the course through successful completion of an appropriate examination or other assessment if available from the school. Otherwise, outdated coursework must be deleted from, and other coursework must be substituted in, the degree audit. Credits more than eight years old at the time of first registration into a degree program are not transferable from other institutions. When graduate study is interrupted by military service or other contingencies, the eight-year limit may be extended by the Graduate School. Use the Request to Extend Time to Complete Masters/Doctoral Degree Program form at Grad.IllinoisState.edu/students/forms.
Transfer Credit
Credits more than eight years old at the time of first registration into a Master of Fine Arts degree program are not transferable from other institutions. The work must not form part of a completed degree program elsewhere. Under special circumstances, the Graduate School may allow a student to present a larger number of credits if recommended by the school. A student who plans to take work elsewhere should obtain prior approval indicating that the course or courses are appropriate to the student’s curriculum at Illinois State University.
To be considered for transfer of credit, a course must meet the criteria outlined on the Transfer of Credit form and obtain approval from the Graduate School. The Transfer of Credit form is available at Grad.IllinoisState.edu/students/forms.
In the Wonsook Kim School of Art, a student can transfer no more than nine semester hours of credit from any graduate program (including a master's program in Art at Illinois State University) for use in meeting the requirements of the M.F.A. degree. In the School of Theatre and Dance, a student who does not have an earned master's degree may present a maximum of six semester hours of credit from another college or university for use in meeting the requirements of the M.F.A. degree. However, the student may present all earned hours from a master's program in Theatre at Illinois State for use in meeting these requirements. A Theatre student who has an earned master's degree must earn a minimum of 32 hours in the M.F.A. program at Illinois State University.
Residency Requirement
A student without an earned master's degree must complete a residency requirement of at least four semesters with at least two of them being full-time, consecutive semesters. A student with an earned master's degree must complete a residency requirement of at least two full-time, consecutive semesters. Summer session may be counted toward the two consecutive semester requirement only in the School of Theatre and Dance.
Admission to Candidacy
In order to be admitted to candidacy, the student without an earned master's degree must have completed 24 hours of graduate study at Illinois State University or two semesters of full-time resident study.
The student with an earned master's degree must have completed 12 hours of graduate study at Illinois State University or one semester of full-time resident study. All students must have a grade average of B or better with no more than 5 (6 in Theatre) hours below a grade of B.
Before becoming a candidate for the M.F.A. in Art the student must pass a candidacy review that includes approval of the following items: portfolio of studio work, final Degree Audit, and proposal for the Supportive Statement (an exhibition-related written project).
Before becoming a candidate for the M.F.A. in Theatre the student must have a Degree Audit on file with the Graduate School and pass a qualifying examination which is administered by the student's M.F.A. portfolio committee. Admission to candidacy, which usually occurs in the final semester, must be satisfied before the student is allowed to schedule an exit portfolio presentation. The Degree Audit form is available at Grad.IllinoisState.edu/students/forms.
Academic Advisors
In the Wonsook Kim School of Art, the student in the pre-candidacy phase of the program selects a major advisor with the help of the Graduate Coordinator/Director. With the help of the major advisor the student selects a candidacy review committee of three members. The chairperson of this committee must be from the student's major area of emphasis. Normally, the candidacy review committee continues as the student's graduate committee during the candidacy phase of the program.
In the School of Theatre, Dance, and Film, the director, in consultation with faculty whom the director deems appropriate, will select the candidate's Portfolio Committee. The committee chairperson must come from the student's major area of emphasis.