Graduation

Graduation Requirements

Requirements for a Graduate Degree

It is the responsibility of each master's candidate to meet the following Graduate School minimum requirements (plus any additional requirements specified by the program in which the master's degree is being earned, see item 7).

  1. Under a thesis program, a minimum of 36 quarter credits (27 course credits and a minimum of nine thesis credits) must be presented. Under a non-thesis program, a minimum of 36 quarter credits of course work is required.
  2. At least 18 of the minimum 36 quarter credits for the master's degree must be for work in courses numbered 500 and above. (In a thesis program, nine of the 18 must be course credits and nine may be for 700, master's thesis.)
  3. Numerical grades must be received in at least 18 quarter credits of coursework taken at the University of Washington. The Graduate School accepts numerical grades (a) in approved 400-level courses accepted as part of the major, and (b) in all 500-level courses. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required for a graduate degree at the University.
  4. The residence requirement for the master's degree is one year (three full-time quarters). Students registered for fewer than nine credits per quarter may add part-time quarters together to achieve the equivalent of one full-time quarter (nine or more credits) to be applied toward fulfilling residence requirements. However, excess credits beyond nine may not be subtracted from one quarter and added to another. Once a student is admitted to a graduate degree program, a full quarter of residence is granted for any quarter in which at least nine credits in approved courses, research, thesis, or internship are satisfactorily completed.
  5. In a thesis degree program, a thesis, approved by the supervisory committee, must be submitted to the Graduate School. A student must register for a minimum of nine credits of thesis (700). With the exception of summer, students are limited to a maximum of nine credits per quarter of thesis (700).
  6. A final oral or written master's examination, as determined by the student's supervisory committee, must be passed.
  7. Any additional requirements imposed by the graduate program coordinator in the student's major department, or by the student's supervisory committee, must be satisfied. A master's degree student usually takes some work outside the major department. The graduate program coordinator in the major department, or the student's supervisory committee, determines the requirements for the minor or supporting courses.
  8. The graduate student must apply for the master's degree at the Graduate School within the first two weeks of the quarter in which he or she expects the degree to be conferred.
  9. The graduate student must maintain registration as a full- or part-time student at the University for the quarter in which the degree is conferred. A student who does not complete all degree requirements by the last day of the quarter must be registered for the following quarter.
  10. All work for the master's degree must be completed within six years. This includes quarters spent on leave or out of status and applicable work transferred from other institutions.
  11. A student must satisfy the requirements for the degree that are in force at the time the degree is to be awarded.