Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

The entire course of study undertaken for the Master of Science degree must form a unified, coherent program approved by the student's mentor and the Graduate School. Students inadequately prepared for the required graduate courses may need to take additional courses to supplement their undergraduate work. These courses may not be considered as part of the graduate program.

All requirements for the master's degree must be completed within a five-year period. Courses completed more than five years before the expected date for receiving the master's degree will not count toward that degree.

The minimum number of credits required by the university and the Graduate School for the master's degree is 30. However, some programs require more credits.

No more than 6 credits of graduate course work taken at the University of Maryland or at other regionally-accredited institutions before matriculation in the Graduate School may apply toward the master's degree. Students must take such courses from an accredited institution within the five-year limit for completing the master's degree; the program must agree that the specific credit is appropriate to, and acceptable in, students' programs; and students must earn grades of B or better in such courses.

A request for transfer of credit should be completed shortly after matriculation. The student's adviser and graduate program director must approve the form and submit it to the Graduate School office. Official transcripts of the courses for which credit is requested must accompany the transfer request form. The student is subject to final examination in all work offered for the degree.

The Graduate School does not allow transfer credit for any courses required for any other degree. The Graduate School does not grant credit for correspondence courses or for "credit by examination" courses taken at other universities. Note that the Graduate School only transfers credit, not grades, from other universities. A grade of A in transfer work will not, therefore, balance a C in work completed on this campus.

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