Academic Programs Catalog

Admission to Michigan State University is open to all candidates on the basis of academic preparation and ability, and the availability of space in the desired academic program, and without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height, weight, veteran status, age, or (in the case of U. S. citizens) financial need.

The applicant for admission at the graduate level must:

1. Complete the Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study. The Application Fee is required at the time of submission.
2. Submit any additional materials through the application portal or as specified by the department, school or program to which admission is sought.
3. Request the registrar of each college or university attended to send one copy of each official transcript (original language version plus one translated into English, if needed) to the college, department, school, or program to which admission is sought or to the Office of Admissions. Transcripts of work taken at Michigan State University need not be requested.
4. Have three letters of recommendation submitted electronically using the application system.
5. Take any required examinations and have the testing agency forward official results to the appropriate entity at Michigan State University as specified in the application instructions.
6. Fulfill any additional requirements and procedures of the college, department, program or school to which admission is sought.

To ensure full consideration, the application for admission, the application fee, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, test scores, and other required documents received by the appropriate offices at least nine months prior to the anticipated first semester of enrollment.

If the applicant is also applying for financial aid, the application materials must be received nine months prior to the first semester of enrollment.

An application for an assistantship, fellowship, or scholarship for a fall semester is assured of full consideration if received before January 1, of that year, unless the application is for a special form of financial aid carrying an earlier deadline date. Some awards of financial aid are made earlier than January 1, and the applicant is therefore encouraged to file the application as early as possible.

Applications for loans for new students are made through the Office of Financial Aid and should be returned to that office before April 1, except for such loans as may carry a later deadline date.

See the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog for further details.

Concurrent Application to a Graduate Program

Applicants seeking admission to a graduate program may apply to two programs concurrently in order to seek admission to the program that is the appropriate field of study for their needs. Submission of applications concurrently may be for any two programs selected from master’s degree programs, educational specialist degree programs, graduate certificate (Type 2) programs, and/or doctoral degree programs. For each program, the applicant must file a separate application and pay a separate application fee.

An applicant for admission to a graduate program leading to a master's degree or an educational specialist degree must be a senior in or a graduate of an institution having substantially the same requirements for a bachelor's degree as Michigan State University. An applicant for admission to a doctoral or doctor of education degree program may be required to have completed a master's program or its equivalent. In certain departments and schools, however, a student may be allowed to begin a doctoral program directly after obtaining a bachelor's degree. Normally, a grade–point average of at least 3.00 (B) in the third and fourth years of undergraduate study is required by all departments and schools for regular admission to graduate programs.

Upon admission to a graduate program a student is classified in one of two categories, regular or provisional. Specific criteria for distinguishing between these categories are determined within each college for its own programs. In general, these criteria are:

1. Regular:  Students who are considered to be fully qualified to undertake a program toward the graduate degree for which they are admitted.
2. Provisional:  Students of promise who have some remediable inadequacy of qualification such as a minor deficiency in subject–matter preparation or for whom there is incomplete interpretation of available records. A student who is admitted to provisional status will be eligible for change to regular status when specific written conditions for transfer to regular status have been met.

Graduate students currently enrolled in a degree program but wishing to enter a different degree program must file a new graduate application as noted in the Application Procedure section of this catalog at least six weeks in advance of the deadline set by the unit for ordinary applications.

A graduate student admitted with deficiencies in academic background may be required to take collateral courses in addition to the prescribed courses of a program. Credits earned in collateral courses do not count toward the minimum credit requirements for a degree.

If a person files an application for admission to a graduate program for a specific semester and is accepted but does not enroll for that semester, that person may renew his or her application within a period of one year. If after one year that person still has not registered at Michigan State University, that person must file a new application for admission.

Dual enrollment provides an opportunity for academically talented undergraduate students to enroll in graduate courses and conduct research towards a graduate degree while completing the last two years of their bachelor’s degree(s) programs.

To be considered for dual enrollment, the student must first file an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, as indicated under Application Procedure in this section of the catalog and be admitted into a graduate program. Subsequent to admission to a graduate program, in regular status, the student must complete a Request for Dual Enrollment Status form, available from the Office of the Registrar. A student who is accepted for dual enrollment can be admitted to both the undergraduate and graduate degree program upon reaching junior standing.

Within the first semester of dual enrollment, the student’s graduate degree program advisor must be identified and the appropriate graduate degree guidance committee established. The advisor and committee assist the student in developing a program of study for the graduate degree. Admission to graduate study and the Request for Dual Enrollment Status form must both be approved before work to apply toward a graduate degree program is undertaken. Credits completed prior to admission to graduate study cannot be applied toward a graduate degree program.

A student will be classified as an undergraduate until the minimum number of credits required for a first bachelor’s degree is completed. When the student is classified as a graduate student, eligibility begins for graduate assistantships, other forms of graduate student financial aid, or those services and prerogatives normally reserved for graduate students.

A student pays undergraduate tuition up to the total number of credits required for a first bachelor’s degree(s) in his/her major(s), at which point graduate tuition is applicable and students are eligible for graduate fellowships and assistantships. If approved by the graduate program, a maximum of nine credits, at the 400-level or higher, from the undergraduate degree program can be applied toward the requirements for the graduate degree program for credits completed after admission to graduate study. Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the master’s degree may apply more than 9 credits toward the master’s degree but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master’s degree.  Credits applied to a master’s degree are not eligible to be applied to any other degree program.

In semesters when the student is dually enrolled, federal financial aid designated for the first bachelor’s degree (Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)) will be determined based upon the number of undergraduate credits only. Awards will be manually adjusted as necessary once the student is registered. Students are not eligible for financial aid as a graduate student until the semester after the minimum number of credits required for the first bachelor’s degree has been earned.

A faculty member with the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor may not earn a doctoral degree from Michigan State University. Any waiver of this regulation may be made only by agreement of the University Committee on Graduate Studies and the provost prior to the beginning of the program. A faculty member may earn a master’s degree at Michigan State University. 

New students may apply for housing after the notice of acceptance for admission is issued. Specific instructions are provided with the notice of acceptance. Former students may apply for housing facilities after their applications for readmission have been accepted. Although additional students may be accommodated in university housing, housing reservations are guaranteed only for first-year students. See Housing and the University Housing Policy in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog for more information on university housing regulations and facilities.

Graduate students whose enrollment at Michigan State University is interrupted for any reason so that they have not been enrolled for three consecutive semesters, including the summer sessions, must apply for readmission via the web at www.reg.msu.edu at least two months prior to the first day of registration for the semester in which the student expects to resume graduate studies. Faculty will evaluate the application to determine admission. 

A graduate student wishing to pursue a degree or program other than the one originally sought, or who has not been enrolled for three consecutive semesters, including the Summer Sessions, or who has completed prior courses of study, must file a new graduate application as noted in the Application Procedure section of this catalog.

Michigan State University welcomes applications from international students and is authorized by the U.S. government to issue Forms I-20 and DS-2019 to assist non-immigrants to apply for F and J visas.

A prospective international student should contact the graduate department to which they wish to apply.  We recommend that prospective students obtain application information well enough in advance so that the completed application can be submitted well before the program’s start date.  One official copy of all records of any previous postsecondary schooling (mark sheets, transcripts, diplomas, certificates, etc.) must be submitted as official documents directly from each institution. These records must show courses taken and grades earned, and must be translated into English if the original records are in another language. Translations must be done by the issuing institution, a certified translator in the country of study, or by an American Translator’s Association certified translator in the US.  The original record should be also included.  The chief academic officer of the university has authority to grant waivers of usual entrance requirements upon recommendation of the Dean of the Graduate School.

U.S. immigration regulations require that non-immigrants who intend to study in the United States hold a student visa (F or J) and attend the institution that issued the Form I-20 or DS-2019 they used to obtain their visa.  Michigan State University is required by U.S. government regulations to obtain evidence of a non-immigrant student’s financial ability to meet their educational and living expenses for each year of their proposed study before issuing the Form I-20. Estimated expenses may be found by visiting http://admissions.msu.edu/cost-aid.  Thus, providing written verification of the source and amount of financial support available for at least the first year of study is part of the application process.  This information should be sent to the Office of Admissions. It is common that a teaching or research assistantship serves as the required evidence of financial support. If you are awarded an assistantship, your department will notify the Office of Admissions.

If the student is approved for admission, the university will mail a letter of acceptance and the Form I-20 to the student.  The student will need to present the Form I-20 and evidence of financial support to a U.S. Consular Officer when applying for a student visa and later, to a U.S. immigration inspector at a U.S. port of entry.  If a student must obtain a J Exchange Visitor visa, they should contact their sponsoring agency, or Michigan State University’s Office for International Students and Scholars (http://oiss.isp.msu.edu) for information about the issuance of a Form DS-2019. 

There can be lengthy delays in the time it takes for the visa application to be approved. We recommend non-immigrant students apply as far in advance as possible for the student visa.  More information about the process to obtain a U.S. student visa can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html.

A student who currently attends another institution in the U.S. will need to notify the U.S. government of their school transfer.  An international student advisor can provide the information about the procedures to transfer a student’s visa sponsorship from one institution to another.

Each student is assigned a member of the faculty who serves as the academic advisor. The name of the advisor is included with other information which is mailed to the student before registration. Each student's program is planned with, and must be approved by, the advisor, and changes may be made only with the advisor's approval.

The students should report first to the office of the assigned academic advisor in order to plan the schedule of courses for the semester.

Information relating to enrollment, payment of fees, credits, changes in enrollment, the grading system, and other general information is given in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog.

Refer to the statement on Period Covered by Registration in The Academic Program section of this catalog.

Graduate assistant is a generic term referring to a graduate student who is supported on a graduate assistantship. Graduate assistants are in one of three categories as they relate to policy in this section: research assistants, teaching assistants represented by the Graduate Employees Union (GEU), and teaching assistants not represented by the GEU.

Graduate assistantships are available only to graduate students who are actively pursuing graduate degree programs and who are making satisfactory progress toward their degrees, including maintaining at least a 3.00 grade–point average. Colleges, departments, or schools may set higher or additional standards. 

Graduate assistants are appointed on a quarter–time, half–time, or three–quarter time basis. There are two appointment periods during the fall and spring:  August 16—December 31 and January 1—May 15.  During each appointment period a graduate assistant's duties to the university require an average of:

1. 10 hours per week for a quarter–time stipend. 
2. 20 hours per week for a half–time stipend. 
3. 30 hours per week for a three–quarter–time stipend.

A variety of graduate fellowships are available to Michigan State University students. Stipends and sources of support vary widely. In addition to applying for fellowships offered by the university and through the university by outside agencies, students are encouraged to apply for any outside sources of funds for which they may be eligible. Students are encouraged to consult such publications.

You can find a summary by visiting: http://staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3gradinf.htm.

Michigan State University annually awards a number of fellowships and tuition scholarships to encourage and assist high-achieving students to pursue study leading to a graduate degree. A recipient of one of these awards must be enrolled in a degree program but is not required to give formal service to the university or to the department or school.

For a student not currently enrolled in a graduate program at Michigan State University, the application for admission also serves as an application for these awards. A student currently enrolled may apply through the respective department, school, or college.

Following is a list of titles of master's degrees granted at Michigan State University.

The minimum number of credits required for a master's degree program is 30 beyond the bachelor's degree. Specific, approved programs, however, have different credit requirements. See the specific program sections in this catalog.

A minimum of 6 credits in the degree program must be earned in residence on the East Lansing campus or at approved Michigan State University instructional sites, but many programs require more. Requests for waivers of this requirement must be submitted by the department or school responsible for the degree program to the appropriate college and then to the Dean of  the Graduate School.

Certain off-campus and online master’s programs do not require the minimum residence. Contact the department, school, or college offering a specific program for additional information.

An academic advisor for each student is assigned by the responsible unit in which the student takes the major work. The advisor alone, or in consultation with the student's advisory committee, will assist the student in planning a program satisfactory to the needs of the student and acceptable to the responsible unit. Changes in program plans may be made only with the approval of both the advisor and the responsible unit administrator, and, in some cases, the dean of the college.

Two types of programs are available:

Plan A        consisting of prescribed course work, research, thesis, and a final oral examination.

Plan B        consisting of prescribed course work, without a thesis, and with a final examination or evaluation.
 
Some colleges, departments, and schools offer programs only under Plan A or only under Plan B. Unless such limitation is explicitly stated in the catalog description of a program, both Plan A and Plan B are available.

Courses taken toward a master's degree should fit into a unified plan aimed at providing the student with both a comprehensive background and a depth of understanding in a major field. The number of course credits required in a major area is determined by each responsible unit. Some programs require a minor area of study. Whether a minor area of study is required, optional, or not accepted toward a degree depends on the student's major program. In any case, the detailed course requirements are left to the judgment of the academic advisor and/or committee subject to the approval of the responsible unit administrator and the dean of the college. More than half of the credits of the total required for a master's degree must be taken in courses at the 800 and 900 levels except as specifically exempted by the dean of the college.

A minimum of 4 credits in master's thesis research (course number 899) is required; some programs require more. The thesis, an abstract of the thesis, and an abstract title page must be prepared in accordance with the specifications in The Formatting Guide-Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations, a handbook that is available, along with a packet of required forms relating to the thesis online at www.grad.msu.edu/etd.

After the thesis advisor—and, if required by unit bylaws, members of the guidance or examination committee—indicate(s) that the thesis is acceptable for examination within the time frame determined by the department the semester in which graduation is anticipated, the student must submit copies of the thesis and abstract for distribution to the thesis advisor and other examiners. The thesis must be in completed form, with finished diagrams, etc. It must not, however, be bound. The oral examination in defense of the thesis must be scheduled within the time frame determined by the department the semester in which graduation is anticipated. After the examiners have reviewed and approved the thesis and voted to pass the student on the final oral examination in its defense, the student must incorporate into the thesis any recommended change(s) and corrections before presenting it to the thesis advisor for final review and signature of the approval form. Not later than the deadline date indicated by the Graduate School the semester in which graduation is expected, the student must submit to the Graduate School a final electronic copy of the thesis online and the approval form signed by the thesis advisor following the instructions at https://grad.msu.edu/etd/electronic-submission-to-proquest. Some departments, schools, or colleges require additional copies of the thesis, and it is the student's responsibility to provide such copies to them. In some colleges the master's thesis is first approved in the dean's office before the student submits it to the Graduate School. 

An electronic copy of the thesis will reside in the MSU library and the abstract will be published online at www.proquest.com under Master’s Abstracts. The student may order bound paper copies for the department, the thesis director, or others through ProQuest-UMI, or may make other arrangements for obtaining additional bound copies.

A fee is charged by ProQuest-UMI if the thesis is to be copyrighted.

GradPlan training guides can be found at https://sis.msu.edu/training/grad.html. To start a Ph.D. or Master’s Degree Plan, go to https://student.msu.edu and select GradPlan.

The GradPlan includes committee composition, course requirements, answers to research related questions, including use of human and /or animal subjects and tentative thesis and dissertation titles, and documentation of the student’s annual academic review. Doctoral students will also answer questions related to comprehensive examination areas.

The Doctoral Plan includes course requirements with a timetable, and a tentative dissertation topic. The Master’s Plan A Plan includes course requirements with a timetable, and a tentative thesis topic. For both Doctoral and Master's Plan A plans the committee also recommends whether to accept any graduate credit that was taken at other institutions; whether any study may be done in absentia, and under what conditions; what language examinations or alternative program, if any, the student must complete; and which member of the committee should later direct the research that is to form the basis of the student’s thesis. Once designated, the guidance committee has the responsibility to meet periodically to oversee the graduate student’s progress for as long as the graduate student continues in good standing. Any desired or required changes in the membership of the guidance committee may be made by the graduate student with the concurrence of the unit chairperson or director or designated representative, or by the unit with the concurrence of the graduate student in accordance with university, college, and unit policy. The membership of the guidance committee, with the concurrence of the graduate student, may be changed as appropriate to the dissertation topic. Guidance committee chairperson on leave shall provide for the necessary guidance of their advisees during their absence.

The Master’s Plan B Plan includes course requirements. If Master’s Plan B students do not require a committee, they should at least have an academic advisor they meet with routinely ensure that they are progressing adequately in their program.

Students in a Plan A master's degree program are required to pass an oral examination in defense of the thesis. However, students in certain programs are required to pass an oral examination that covers both a defense of the thesis and course work. This examination must be scheduled within the time frame determined by the department the semester in which graduation is anticipated. The examination for a Plan A master's degree is administered by an examining committee consisting of at least three Michigan State University regular faculty members (as defined in the Faculty Handbook).

“ The ‘regular faculty’ of Michigan State University shall consist of all persons appointed under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, and persons appointed as librarians. In addition, the principal administrative officer of each  major educational and research unit of the university shall be a member of the ‘regular faculty.’ ”

An exception may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School to allow a non–tenure stream faculty member or an Academic Specialist to serve on a master's student's examination committee as one of the three required faculty members, or in special circumstances, as the chairperson of a master's student's examination committee or as the thesis advisor. With the approval of the chairperson or director of the department or school, an exception may be granted to allow an Emeritus faculty member to serve as one of the three required faculty members on a master's student's examination committee; in addition, an Emeritus faculty member may continue to serve as the chairperson of an examination committee.  At the discretion of the examining committee, the presentation and defense of the thesis may be open to members of the academic community. The thesis and the student's performance on the oral examination must be approved by a majority vote of the examining committee.

A final examination or evaluation is required for students in a Plan B master's degree program with the following exceptions:  the Plan B programs of study that lead to the Master of Business Administration degree, the Master of Human Resources and Labor Relations degree, the Master of Social Work degree, and the Master of Science degree in Accounting. The examination or evaluation is  administered in accordance with department or school and college rules by a committee consisting of at least two Michigan State University regular faculty members (as defined in the Faculty Handbook).

“ The ‘regular faculty’ of Michigan State University shall consist of all persons appointed under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, and persons appointed as librarians. In addition, the principal administrative officer of each  major educational and research unit of the university shall be a member of the ‘regular faculty.’ ”

An exception may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School to allow a non–tenure stream faculty member or an Academic Specialist to serve on a master's student's committee as one of the two required faculty members, or in special circumstances, as the chairperson of a master's student's committee.  With the approval of the chairperson or director of the department or school, an exception may be granted to allow an Emeritus faculty member to serve as one of the two required faculty members on a master's student's  committee; in addition, an Emeritus faculty member may continue to serve as a chairperson of a committee.  In the event of significant discrepancy between the two assessments, the unit chair or coordinator would arrange for a third assessment to break the tie. The content and format of the examination or evaluation are specified by the department or school and college.

For both Plan A and Plan B, the student must be registered during the semester in which the examination or evaluation is administered (see Maximum and Minimum Credits). This requirement may be waived if the examination is administered during the summer session immediately following a spring semester during which the student was registered and/or prior to a fall semester in which the student will be registered.

Michigan State University is committed to high academic standards and expects all graduate students to excel in their particular majors.

A 3.00 cumulative grade–point average for all courses counting toward the master's degree is the minimum university standard; however, colleges, departments, or schools may establish a higher minimum standard.

Each college and department or school determines whether the minimum standards must be attained at the completion of a certain number of credits or by a specified interval after the student's first enrollment in the degree program. Some colleges, departments, and schools will not permit a student to remain in a program if there is an accumulation of more than a specified number of graduate credits with lower than a 3.0 grade even though the cumulative grade–point average is 3.00. A student who fails to meet the standards set by the university, college, and department or school will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program, and appropriate action will be taken by the college, department, or school.

As many as 9 semester credits of graduate course work (excluding research and thesis credits) may be transferred into a 30-credit master's degree program from other MSU programs or postsecondary accredited institutions of comparable academic quality, if they are appropriate to a student's program and provided they were completed no earlier than three years prior to the date of matriculation into the master’s degree program. The department or school chairperson or director and dean must grant approval. Applications to transfer courses completed prior to this deadline must be submitted by the department/school for approval by the dean of the college and the Dean of the Graduate School. Only courses in which at least a 3.0 grade or its equivalent was received will be considered for transfer. Exceptions to this policy (at least a 2.0 grade) have been granted for the dual degree programs between Michigan State University and the Michigan State University College of Law. 

Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the degree may accept more than 9 credits in transfer, but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master's degree may be accepted in transfer.

Students in any master's program may apply a maximum of 9 credits earned through any combination of courses taken through lifelong education, or in transfer from another institution. Each program may determine if courses are appropriate for the master's program and may allow fewer than 9 credits to be applied to the specific master's program.

For programs requiring greater than 30 credits, the limit on the number of credits transferable from lifelong education remains 9.

Michigan State University will allow the College of Education or any other college to recommend the acceptance of up to 6 credits toward a Michigan State University master's degree if these credits are recognized on an official American Council on Education (ACE) transcript showing completion of the National Board Professional Teaching Standards Certification.

See Credits in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog for additional information.

Credit for courses taken at Michigan State University off-campus instructional centers is of equal value to credit for on–campus courses. However, for the master's degree at least 6 credits must be earned in residence on the East Lansing campus or at approved Michigan State University instructional sites, although some programs may require more. A student who plans to take off–campus courses should discuss the possibilities of acceptance of such work toward the degree with the academic advisor, department or school chairperson or director, or dean. Such approval should be obtained before enrolling in an off–campus course, just as is done for an on–campus course.

The university offers selected degree programs (primarily, professional master’s degree programs), certificate programs, and individual courses online. All university regulations, policies, and procedures described in this catalog that apply to on-campus programs also apply to online programs, unless specified otherwise. For more information about online learning, visit the web at https://reg.msu.edu/UCC/OnlinePrograms.aspx.

Michigan State University courses offered online are considered on-campus courses. Applicability of specific online Michigan State University courses is determined by the requirements of specific programs.

Unless otherwise specified, the time limit for the completion of the requirements for the master's degree is five calendar years from the date of matriculation into the master's degree program. The colleges of Arts and Letters, Human Medicine, Natural Science, Nursing, Osteopathic Medicine, Social Science, and Veterinary Medicine permit six years with the following exception: the time limit for the completion of the Master of Fine Arts degree in the College of Arts and Letters is nine years. 

Michigan State University must reserve the right to modify or eliminate programs that are described in this publication. In the event such an action is taken, students affected will be advised by their units of the options available to them to complete their degrees. Every reasonable effort will be made to permit students to complete these programs or similar programs.

A candidate for a second master's degree, or for joint or dual master's degrees, from Michigan State University may request the application of up to 9 credits, appropriate to both programs, from the first master's degree program to the second or from one master's program to another. These 9 credits must have been earned within the time limitations of the college concerned. Credits used to satisfy the requirements of one master's degree may not be used to satisfy the residency requirements of another master's degree. The candidate must obtain written approval from both programs indicating which 9 credits will be shared. Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the master's degree may apply more than 9 credits toward the master's degree but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master's degree. Credits applied to a Second, Joint, or Dual Master's Degree Program are not eligible to be applied to any other graduate degree program.

A candidate for a Linked Bachelor's-Master's Degree from Michigan State University may request the application of up to 9 credits toward the master's program for qualifying 400-level and above course work taken at the undergraduate level at Michigan State University or another postsecondary accredited institution of comparable academic quality. The number of approved credits, not to exceed 9, are applied toward the credit requirement of the master's degree. Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the master's degree may apply more than 9 credits toward the master's degree but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master's degree. Credits applied to the Linked Bachelor's-Master's Program are not eligible to be applied to any other graduate degree program.

A student who is enrolled in a graduate–professional program in Michigan State University's College of Human, Osteopathic, or Veterinary Medicine, and who is also enrolled in a master's degree program at Michigan State University may request the application of up to 9 credits, appropriate to both programs, from the graduate–professional program to the master's degree program, as well. These credits must have been earned within the time limit for completing the master's degree program in which the student is enrolled. Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the master's degree may apply more than 9 credits toward the master's degree but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master's degree if approved by the master's degree and graduate-professional degree program. Credits applied to a Joint Master's Degree and Medical Degree Program are not eligible to be applied to any other graduate degree program.

For information about the Educational Specialist program, refer to the Educational Specialist statement in the College of Education section of this catalog.

Normally six or more semesters of study and research beyond the bachelor's degree are needed to complete a Ph.D. or D.M.A. program, although time is less important than scholarly achievement. The minimum number of courses or course credits required for a doctoral degree is determined by individual colleges and/or departments or schools.

One year of residence on campus after first enrollment for doctoral degree credit is required to permit the student to work with and under the direction of the faculty, and to engage in independent and cooperative research utilizing university facilities. A year of residence will be made up of two consecutive semesters, involving the completion of credits at the level of full-time status of graduate work each semester.

Each graduate student admitted to a doctoral program has the responsibility to form a guidance committee with the approval and the assistance of the department or school chairperson or director or designated representative. The guidance committee will consist of at least four Michigan State University regular faculty at least three of whom, including the committee chairperson, possess an earned doctoral degree, preferably of the same type that the student is seeking (for example, Ph.D.). For the D.M.A. degree, the guidance committee will consist of at least four regular MSU faculty, at least two of whom, including the committee chairperson, possess the D.M.A. degree. As defined in the Faculty Handbook:  “ The ‘regular faculty’ of Michigan State University shall consist of all persons appointed under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, and persons appointed as librarians. In addition, the principal administrative officer of each  major educational and research unit of the university shall be a member of the ‘regular faculty.’ “

An exception may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School to allow a non–tenure stream faculty member or an Academic Specialist to serve on a doctoral student's guidance committee as one of the four required faculty members or, in special circumstances, as the chairperson of a doctoral student's guidance committee. With the approval of the chairperson or director of the department or school, an exception may be granted to allow an Emeritus faculty member to serve as one of the four required faculty members on a doctoral student's guidance committee; in addition, an Emeritus faculty member may continue to serve as the chairperson of a guidance committee. More than four persons may be members of the guidance committee. Persons who are not Michigan State University regular faculty who can contribute to the student's program may serve as members of the guidance committee and assist in the work of the committee, providing that the number of such persons does not exceed the number of regular faculty on the committee. In consultation with the student, the guidance committee plans the entire program, including examinations, and thereafter supervises it, making modifications as needed until the degree is completed.

During the course of study leading to the completion of the doctorate, a student will meet university, college, and department or school requirements, including:

1. taking certifying or qualifying examinations as required by the department, school, or college.
2. completing courses in the major and related fields as prescribed by a guidance committee.
3. fulfilling any college or departmental or school language requirements.
4. meeting the academic standards, including maintaining a 3.00 cumulative grade–point average, required by university, college, and department or school policies. 
5. passing doctoral comprehensive examinations covering the major and related fields.
6. preparing a dissertation that is acceptable to the guidance committee and that is based on original research which makes a significant contribution to knowledge.
7. passing a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

Certain colleges, departments, or schools may require that a student early in the program take some form of certifying or qualifying examination. The results are used to determine if the student should be encouraged to proceed in a doctoral program, and, if so, to determine any weakness that exists in background knowledge which may be strengthened by including appropriate courses in the doctoral program.

Courses (in addition to those numbered 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research) will be prescribed by the guidance committee to insure that the student will have a comprehensive knowledge of a major field and related subjects. The courses that a student is required to complete will depend upon prior academic background in relation to the selected graduate program.

When the prescribed course work is substantially complete as defined by the guidance committee, the doctoral student is eligible to take the comprehensive examinations covering the major and related fields. At least one component of the comprehensive examinations must be written and must be maintained in the department or school office for three years. Colleges, departments, or schools may also require an oral component. Students must be registered during the semester(s) in which they take comprehensive examinations (see Maximum and Minimum Credits). This requirement may be waived if the examination is administered during the summer session immediately following a spring semester during which the student was registered and/or prior to a fall semester in which the student will be registered.

Scheduling, composing, and evaluating the comprehensive examinations is done in accordance with college, department, and school policy. In the case of a comprehensive examination that consists of more than one part, the date that the student passes the examination is the date on which they pass the final component of the comprehensive examination. The department, school, or college shall make available to doctoral students upon matriculation a written explanation of comprehensive examination procedures. The comprehensive examinations must be completed before an oral defense of the dissertation can be scheduled.

For the Doctor of Philosophy and the Doctor of Musical Arts degrees, all of the comprehensive examinations must be passed within five years and all remaining requirements for the degree must be completed within eight years from the date of matriculation into the doctoral degree program.

Each student working toward a Doctor of Philosophy degree must conduct original research upon which a dissertation which makes a significant contribution to knowledge is to be prepared and published. The research is to be under the direction of and acceptable to the guidance committee and made available publicly. All doctoral students must register for and successfully complete a minimum of 24 credits and no more than a total of 36 credits of doctoral dissertation research (course number 999). For additional information see Costs in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog.

It is a policy of Michigan State University to permit and facilitate dissertation research by students from developing nations in their home countries, whenever feasible.

The dissertation and an abstract of the dissertation must be prepared in accordance with the specifications in the Printable Formatting Guide, a PDF that is available, along with a packet of required forms relating to the dissertation online from The Graduate School at www.grad.msu.edu/etd.

After the guidance committee chairperson—and, if required by unit bylaws, other members of the guidance committee—indicate(s) that the dissertation is acceptable for examination, and not later than the date determined by the department the semester in which graduation is anticipated, the student must submit copies of the dissertation and abstract for distribution to the guidance committee chairperson, other guidance committee members, and, if necessary, to any appointed examiner. The inclusion of a "public" abstract written in non-technical language is highly recommended. The dissertation must be in completed form, with finished diagrams, etc. It must not, however, be bound. After the guidance committee and any appointed examiner have reviewed and approved the dissertation and after the student has passed the final oral examination in its defense, the student must incorporate into the dissertation any recommended change(s) and corrections before presenting it to the chairperson of the guidance committee for final review and signature of the defense approval form. Not later than the deadline date indicated by the Graduate School for the semester in which graduation is expected, the student must submit to the Graduate School a final electronic copy of the dissertation online and the ETD approval form signed by the dissertation advisor  following the instructions online at grad.msu.edu/ETD. Some departments, schools, or colleges require bound paper copies of the dissertation, and it is the student's responsibility to provide such copies to them.

The final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is conducted and evaluated by the guidance committee and, at the discretion of the dean of the college, by one appointed faculty member whose voting status is determined by the college. Other interested faculty members and members of the public may attend the presentation portion of the examination without vote. Only guidance committee members may attend the examination portion of the defense per individual unit guidelines. The dissertation and the student's performance on the final oral examination must be approved by a positive vote by at least three–fourths of the voting examiners and with not more than one dissenting vote from among the Michigan State University regular faculty members of the guidance committee.

The final oral examination must be scheduled for a date not earlier than two weeks after the dissertation and abstract have been submitted to the chairperson of the guidance committee, other guidance committee members, and any appointed examiner. The student must be registered during the semester in which the final oral examination is taken. See Maximum and Minimum Credits in this section of the catalog.

An electronic copy of the dissertation will reside in the MSU library. The dissertation will be published online under Dissertation Abstracts, at www.proquest.com. The student may order bound paper copies for the department, the school, the director, or others through ProQuest or may make other arrangements for obtaining bound paper copies.

An extra fee is charged by ProQuest if the dissertation is to be copyrighted.

For information regarding publication hold/embargo of your thesis or dissertation by ProQuest, please contact The Graduate School at msuetds.approval@grad.msu.edu, or call 1-517-353-3220. 

Michigan State University is committed to high academic standards and expects all doctoral students to excel in their programs of study.

A 3.00 cumulative grade–point average in the degree program is the minimum university standard, but colleges, departments, or schools may establish a higher minimum standard. However, attainment of the minimum grade–point average is in itself an insufficient indicator of potential for success in other aspects of the program and in the field. The guidance committee and academic unit are jointly responsible for evaluating the student's competency (as indicated by, e.g., grades in core and other courses, research performance, and development of professional skills) and rate of progress (as indicated by, e.g., the number of courses for which grades have been assigned or deferred). Written evaluations shall be communicated to the graduate student at least once a year, and a copy of such evaluations shall be placed in the graduate student's file. A student whose performance does not meet the standards of quality will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program, and appropriate action will be taken by the college, department, or school.

Graduate credits may be transferred from other MSU programs or postsecondary accredited institutions of comparable academic quality if they are appropriate to a student's program and provided they were completed no earlier than three years prior to the date of matriculation into the doctoral degree program. The department or school chairperson or director and dean must grant approval. Applications to transfer courses completed prior to this deadline must be submitted by the department/school for approval by the dean of the college and the Dean of the Graduate School. Only graduate–level courses in which at least a 3.0 (B) grade was received will be considered for transfer. Exceptions to this policy (at least a 2.0 grade) have been granted for the dual degree programs between Michigan State University and the Michigan State University College of Law.

A student who is enrolled in a doctoral program and who is also enrolled in a master's degree program at Michigan State University may request the application of up to 9 credits, appropriate to both programs, from the doctoral program to the master's degree program, as well. Some colleges with programs that require more than 30 credits for the master’s degree may apply more than 9 credits toward the master’s degree but not more than 30% of the total number of credits required for the master’s degree. These credits must have been earned within the time limit for completing the master's degree program in which the student is enrolled.

See Credits in the General Information, Policies, Procedures and Regulations section of this catalog for additional information.

Candidates for the doctoral degree may, with the approval of the guidance committee, carry on some of the work in absentia. Arrangements for registration may be made by applying at the office of the dean of the appropriate college.

For the Doctor of Philosophy and the Doctor of Musical Arts degrees, all of the comprehensive examinations must be passed within five years and all remaining requirements for the degree must be completed within eight years from the date of matriculation into the doctoral degree program. Application for extensions of the five-year period of time to complete the comprehensive examinations or eight-year period of time toward degree must be submitted by the department/school for approval by the dean of the college and the Dean of the Graduate School. The request for the extension must be submitted at least one semester prior to the end of the relevant time limit. Upon approval of the extension of the eight-year time toward degree, doctoral comprehensive examinations must be passed again unless this requirement is waived by the Dean of the Graduate School as part of the extension.

All dual major doctoral degrees must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. A request for the dual major degree must be submitted via GradPlan within one semester following its development and within the first two years of the student’s enrollment at Michigan State University. In order to receive a dual major, the following conditions must be met:

1. The intent to receive the degree in two areas must be outlined in the guidance committee report.
2. The guidance committee will include members from both doctoral programs.
3. The Ph.D. Degree Plan must reflect the required standards for both doctoral programs.
4. The integrated course work must be satisfactory to both graduate programs and meet the requirements for awarding of a degree in that program.
5. The comprehensive examination must be passed to the satisfaction of both departments.
6. Responsible Conduct of Research requirements will be approved by the guidance committee; they should meet the RCR requirements in both programs.
7. There must be a single dissertation that represents an integration of the two disciplinary areas.
8. Guidance committee members from both departments must be satisfied that the dissertation represents a contribution meeting the usual standards in both areas.

The following regulations pertain to (1) students who hold a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree and wish to pursue a second Ph.D. program, or who wish to pursue two Ph.D. programs simultaneously, and (2) students who hold a professional doctoral degree (e.g., J.D., M.D., D.O., D.V.M.) and wish to pursue a Ph.D. program, or who wish to pursue a professional doctoral program and another doctoral degree program simultaneously.

1. Admission is determined by the respective college(s), department(s), or school(s), within current university guidelines.
2. A guidance committee composed of a chairperson and at least three additional members is appointed by the unit in which the student is enrolled, and the academic program is developed in consultation with the student.
3. The request for the academic program must be submitted via GradPlan to the Graduate School, within one month following its development by the guidance committee, for review and approval. The Ph.D. Degree Plan must be complete.
4. The Graduate School review includes appropriateness of the guidance committee membership, the academic program, and courses or credits applied to the two programs.

For information about the Doctor of Education program, refer to the Doctor of Education statement in the College of Education section of this catalog.

For information about the Doctor of Musical Arts program, refer to the Doctor of Musical Arts statement in the College of Music section of this catalog.

For information about the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, refer to the Doctor of Nursing Practice statement in the College of Nursing section of this catalog.

Graduate students at Michigan State University are eligible to participate in the CourseShare program, sponsored by the Big Ten Universities Academic Alliance.

CourseShare is a system for sharing specialized and unique courses among Big Ten universities. Courses taught using technology have been targeted for CourseShare, but face-to-face courses, particularly those taught in a non-traditional format such as summer intensive sessions or weekend seminars are also candidates.

Online and other non-traditionally delivered courses that are inter-institutionally shared will be determined and agreed upon by the deans of the participating academic departments. It is most likely that CourseShare courses will focus on sharing graduate and other very specialized courses not offered at every institution.

A graduate student from Michigan State University who enrolls in a CourseShare course will be registered on the Michigan State University campus, and fees will be collected and kept by this institution. No additional fees will be charged. Credit for work taken under this program will be accepted at this University.

A graduate student interested in this program should contact the Graduate School for instructions and formal processing.

 

Doctoral students at Michigan State University are eligible to apply for admission to the “Traveling Scholar Program,” sponsored by the Big Ten Universities Academic Alliance. 

The Traveling Scholar program enables selected doctoral students to take advantage of special facilities available on the campus of one of the participating universities but not available on the home campus. Such facilities include special course offerings, research opportunities, laboratories, and library collections. Students participating in this program, known as "Traveling Scholars,'' are limited to two semesters or three quarters on another campus.
 
A Traveling Scholar from Michigan State University will be registered on the Michigan State University campus, and fees will be collected and kept by this institution. No additional fees will be charged. Credit for work taken under this program will be accepted at this University. 

A doctoral student interested in this program should contact the Graduate School for instructions and formal processing. 


 

The Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Studies (MIGS) Program enables graduate students of Michigan institutions offering graduate degree programs to take advantage of unique educational opportunities at other Michigan institutions offering graduate degrees.

Any graduate student in good standing in a master's, educational specialist, or doctoral degree program is eligible to participate. Students on a MIGS enrollment pay tuition and other fees at the host institution for the services rendered. All credits earned under a MIGS enrollment are accepted by a student's home institution as if offered by that institution. This type of enrollment is limited to one semester for master's or educational specialist degree students, and two semesters for doctoral degree students.

Students interested in this program should contact the Graduate School for further information and instructions or visit https://grad.msu.edu/migs