Master's Degree Forms

With the help of their academic department, all graduate students must complete and submit a series of forms to Graduate Education throughout the course of their degree program. These forms are used to document degree requirements and advisory committee membership, report performance on various examinations and assist in tracking degree progress.

PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to make sure the form makes it through the required approvals. After submitting the form, you will receive a confirmation email with a link that will allow you to track your request. Forms are generally processed by your graduate specialist in the order they are received, as time allows. Processing times vary depending on when the form is received. Unless your form is urgent, please allow a minimum of three weeks before checking on the status. 

This form is required to establish a plan of study and appoint an advisory committee (thesis) for the master’s degree program.

Form 1 must be submitted during the semester/session in which the student completes their ninth graduate credit hour. If changes to the plan occur at any time, a Form 1A must be submitted.

Use the link below for instructions on how to properly fill out a Form 1 and Form 1A Course Plan.

Course Plan Instructions for Forms 1 and 1A

Use the link below to create a formal plan for the master's degree program and discuss the plan with your academic advisor.

Form 1/Form 1A Course Plan 

Once you and your advisor are in agreement that the plan meets minimum departmental and university requirements and is acceptable for the master's degree, use the link below to submit the form to the approval workflow.

Submit Form 1/Form 1A

This form is required to request a one-time-only exit semester of reduced enrollment for master's students on a GRA/GTA/GA appointment.

Submit Request for Waiver of Enrollment Requirements

This form is required to request a leave of absence.

Once admitted to a master's degree program, a student will be given six years to complete the program. A student may take a leave of absence, up to one year only, which will not count toward the specified time limit.

Submit Request for Leave of Absence

This form is required to request a change of catalog year.

Degree requirements are updated annually and published in the graduate catalog. The catalog year is what determines the degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. The catalog year is determined by the date of admission to the degree program, however, students may request to change to a subsequent catalog year if the requirements of the later catalog benefit the student. If a student changes their catalog year, they are responsible for fulfilling all of the graduation requirements in the newly chosen catalog and are not permitted to use a combination of catalogs to satisfy degree requirements.

Submit Request to Change Catalog Year

Thesis Forms

This form is required to report the results of the student's final defense.

Enrollment on the date of the defense is required. A candidate will be considered to have passed the defense if all, or all but one, of the advisory committee members recommend that the candidate pass. Once this form has been approved by the advisor, committee, and department chair (or designee), no other content changes can be made except for changes to the format outlined by the thesis specifications.

Discuss the appropriate thesis release and research grade selection with your advisor. Use the link below to submit the form to the approval workflow once you have determined the appropriate selection. This form can be submitted before or after the exam; please discuss submission preference with your department.

Submit Form 2

Non-thesis Forms

This form is required to designate the committee for the master’s non-thesis comprehensive examination.

The comprehensive examination will be given in the candidate’s final semester. This form should be submitted at least ten days before the examination.

Submit Form 1B

This form is required to report the results of the master’s non-thesis comprehensive examination.

The candidate will receive a passing grade if all, or all but one, of the members recommend to pass.

Submit Form 3