Regulations Pertaining to Masters' Degrees
....Master
of Arts and Master of Science Degrees
.....Professional
Masters' Degrees
MASTER OF ARTS AND MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREES
Master of Arts (MA) degrees are awarded for completion of graduate programs
in various departments within the
Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, and the Graduate
School of Public and International Affairs; the Master of Science (MS)
degree is offered in departments within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences,
the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, the School of Education,
the School of Engineering, the School of Dental Medicine, the School of
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, the School of Medicine, the Graduate
School of Public Health, the School of Pharmacy, and the School of Social
Work. Some of the MA or MS degrees offered are specified as being "in"
a particular discipline; e.g., Master of Science in Hygiene, Master of
Science in Chemical Engineering. The specific programs authorized to grant
the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees are listed in the Appendix.
Programs of Study
The MA and MS degree programs provide an introduction to scholarly activities
and research and often serve as preparation for teaching careers. These
degrees are awarded for the completion of a coherent program designed to
assure the mastery of specified knowledge and skills, rather than a random
accumulation of a certain number of courses. The overall form and content
of the student's program of study is the responsibility of the faculty
of the department. To carry out this responsibility, each student must
be assigned a major adviser, who, in consultation with the student, plans
a program of study and research in accord with school and departmental
guidelines.
At least four courses (12 credits) or one-half the master's degree program,
whichever is greater, must be at the graduate level (the 2000 or 3000 series)
and must be completed with at least an average grade of B (3.00). (Revised
2000). No course numbered below 1000 or from 7000 to 7999 may be applied
toward graduate degree requirements.
Some master's programs may include approved areas of concentration or
minors. Areas of concentration define and describe the student's training
and expertise within the broader discipline. Minors represent significant
coursework completed in an area related to the student's speciality. Such
areas of concentration or minors are added to the transcript upon the granting
of the degree.
Master's degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed
all courses required for the degree with at least a 3.00 QPA.
The requirement of proficiency in foreign languages is at the discretion
of individual departments or schools.
Departments are expected to provide students with a copy of school and
departmental regulations appropriate for their program. Students are expected
to become familiar with these and to satisfy all prescribed degree requirements.
Credit Requirements
The Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees normally require the satisfactory
completion of approximately 30 credits of graduate study approved by the
department or school. No Master of Arts or Master of Science degree program
may require fewer than 24 course credits. Not more than six credits may
be granted toward the completion of the requirements for a master's degree
for work completed at another graduate institution. (See Acceptance
of Transfer Credits, for further information.)
Comprehensive Examination
MA or MS degrees are conferred only upon those students who, in one or
more comprehensive examination or the equivalent, show that they have mastered
the general field of their graduate study. Each department or similar unit
is responsible for specifying the content and procedure for administration
of the comprehensive examination and will specify for each candidate the
field of his or her examination, which may vary from student to student.
Whenever a program substitutes an equivalent requirement for the comprehensive
examination, the department or program should notify the University
Council on Graduate Study and describe the substitution. (Revised
2000)
Students on special
or provisional
status are not eligible to take a comprehensive examination. These
examinations must be taken at least one month prior to the last day of
the term in which the degree is to be granted. The results must be reported
promptly to the office of the dean but no later than the last day of the
term in which the examination is administered. A student who is unable
to complete all degree requirements within a two-year period after passing
the comprehensive examination may be re-examined at the discretion of the
department or dean.
Thesis Option
The requirement of a thesis or its equivalent is at the discretion of individual
departments or schools. If a thesis is submitted, its form must be in accord
with specifications stipulated in the University "Style and Form Manual."
Each candidate must provide a suitable number of copies of the thesis for
review and use as designated by the thesis examining committee, consisting
of at least three members of the faculty recommended by the major adviser
and approved by the department chair. The final oral examination in defense
of the master's thesis is conducted by the thesis committee, and a report
of this examination signed by all members of the committee must be filed
in the office of the dean. After the examination, at least one copy of
the approved thesis must be deposited with the dean, who forwards it to
the Office of the Provost, for microfilming and deposit in the University
Library System. A receipt for the thesis binding/microfilming fees
must be submitted with the thesis.
Non-thesis Option
It is usual for a program to require additional course work if a thesis
is not required.
For the Master of Arts degree, each student must describe one
or more substantial intellectual experience(s) or accomplishment(s) acceptably
in writing. In programs in which a master's thesis is optional, the student
must satisfy this requirement by submitting a paper (or papers), as designated
by the major department, and must demonstrate competence in using the methods
of scholarship.
For the Master of Science degree, a paper or research project is usually
required.
PROFESSIONAL MASTER'S DEGREES
The University of Pittsburgh, through
its professional schools, offers the following master's degrees in professional
fields of study: Master of Business Administration, Master of Dental Science,
Master of Fine Arts, Master of Education, Master of Energy Resources, Master
of Health Administration, Master of Health Promotion and Education, Master
of Science in Information Science, Master of International Business, Master
of Law, Master of Library Science, Master of Science in Nursing, Master
of Physical Therapy, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public
Health, Master of Public and International Affairs, Master of Public Works,
Master of Social Work, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Science in
Telecommunications, Master of Urban and Regional Planning. The specific
programs authorized to offer these degrees are listed in the Appendix.
Programs of Study
The professional master's degree programs are generally similar to those
for the MA and MS except that they emphasize instruction in professional
affairs and practice and serve as preparation for careers in the professions.
The program of study should be a coherent program designed to assure the
mastery of specified knowledge and skills, rather than a random accumulation
of a certain number of courses. The overall form and content of the student's
program of study is the responsibility of the student's department or school.
To carry out this responsibility, each student must be assigned a major
adviser, who, in consultation with the student, plans a program of study
and research in accord with school and departmental guidelines.
At least one-half of the credits earned in a master's degree program
must be at the graduate level (the 2000 or 3000 series) and must be completed
with at least an average grade of B (3.00). (Revised 2000). No courses
numbered below 1000 or from 7000 to 7999 may be applied toward graduate
degree requirements.
Master's degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed
all course requirements with at least a 3.00 QPA.
Departments are expected to provide students with a copy of school and
departmental regulations appropriate for their programs. Students are expected
to become familiar with these and to satisfy all prescribed degree requirements.
Credit Requirements
The professional master's degrees normally require the satisfactory completion
of more than 30 credits of graduate study approved by the department. No
professional master's degree program may require fewer than 30 credits.
No more than one-third of the total number of required credits may be granted
to a student as transfer credit for work done at another graduate
institution. (See Acceptance
of Transfer Credits.)
Most professional master's degree programs provide opportunities for theoretical
studies and practical applications. Students are expected to acquire professional
skills through course work, projects, internships, practica, and/or research
papers.
Student Assessment
Professional master's degrees are conferred upon those students who demonstrate
comprehensive mastery of the general field of study. This includes: a)
satisfactory completion of all course requirements and b) other performances
which indicate comprehensive mastery such as examinations, internships,
research projects, theses, practica, and so forth. These requirements vary
from school to school.
graduate@pitt.edu
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