To meet general requirements for a master’s degree a student must:

1. Complete the course work requirements of a Plan I or II program within the identified deadline dates (described below);
2. Fulfill any additional department or graduate unit requirements (e.g., foreign language or skill requirement, practicum, etc.);
3. Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
4. Have a Program of Studies approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies;
5. Complete at least 50% of required course work after admission to the graduate program, unless further limited by the graduate program;
6. No more than 6 credit hours of course work in which a grade of C (2.0), C+ (2.33) or CR (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation.
7. Pass the Master’s Examination and/or Final Examination for Thesis;
8. Meet the time limit for completion of degree requirements.

Requirements specific to individual degree programs are described in the appropriate sections of this catalog.

All work used to meet degree requirements for a master’s degree, including transfer credit, must be completed within a seven-year period immediately preceding the granting of the degree. Course work older than seven years cannot be used to meet requirements for the master’s degree. Graduate units may impose stricter limitations on the time limit for completion of degree requirements.

Master’s degree programs at the University of New Mexico are completed under one of two plans, as described below. These are referred to as Plans I and II. Some programs offer students the option of following either of these two plans, while others offer only one. In addition to the general requirements listed above, the following specific requirements apply:

1. A minimum of 32 hours of course work, with a minimum of 18 hours in the major field.
2. A minimum of 12 hours of 500-level courses.
3. A maximum of 12 hours in “problems” courses and a maximum of 8 hours of workshop credit.

A master’s degree student should file a Program of Studies with the Office of Graduate Studies as soon as she/he has planned a program of studies for the degree in consultation with the major advisor. This form may be obtained from the academic unit or the OGS website (http://www.unm.edu/grad). The Program of Studies must be approved by the graduate unit and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by the following deadlines: October 1 for Spring, March 1 for Summer and July 1 for Fall. It must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies before a student may take the master’s examination.

Within either Plan I or Plan II, the student and the major advisor may design a program of studies in which work is done only in the major graduate unit, in the major and a minor graduate unit, or in the major and one or more related graduate units. The following regulations must be observed:

1. Each Program of Studies must be approved by the student’s major graduate unit and by the Dean of Graduate Studies (see Program of Studies);
2. After a Program of Studies has been filed, a student may change between Plans I and II only with the approval of the major graduate unit and the Dean of Graduate Studies and must submit a new/revised Program of Studies;
3. No more than half the graduate program’s minimum required course work hours, exclusive of Thesis/Project, may be taken with a single faculty member;
4. When a master’s student elects a transcripted minor, the student must consult with the chairperson of the minor graduate unit in the planning of the program of studies. A faculty member from the minor graduate unit must be included on the student’s master’s examination committee unless this right is waived by the chairperson of that unit (see Transcripted Minors, below);
5. Application/Transfer of Graduate Credit: The application or transfer of graduate credit to a program of studies is never automatic. With the approval of the student’s graduate unit, a maximum of 50% of the course work requirements for a master’s degree may consist of a combination of applied/transfer credits, assuming they meet the restrictions specified earlier in this catalog. In addition, applied/transfer credit must meet the following criteria:

1. The course work was taken at an accredited institution and is judged by both the graduate unit and the Dean of Graduate Studies to be appropriate to the student’s degree program;
2. The course work is graded at least a B and was completed within the required seven-year period; and
3. Any additional restrictions that may have been imposed by the particular graduate unit have been fulfilled.

NOTE: Course work that has been counted toward a previous degree may not be counted again toward any subsequent degree with the exception of a master’s degree for a doctoral degree.

A master’s degree student may declare a transcripted minor in a different graduate unit.

1. Transcripted minors must be fully approved through the UNM curricular process. A list of approved minors is available on the OGS website.
2. The student must submit a "Transcripted Minor" form to OGS, approved by both the major and minor units, with the Program of Studies.
3. Approved minors have a minimum of 9 credit hours of course work, or more if the department requires.
4. The minor must be outside the student’s major code.
5. The student’s master’s examination committee or thesis committee must contain one faculty member from the minor field, unless this requirement is waived by the minor department on the Transcripted Minor form.

Master’s students electing either Plan I or Plan II must be enrolled for at least 1 graduate credit either in thesis (599) for Plan I, or in project, problems (not to exceed 12 credit hours) or another graduate course for Plan II for the semester (including the summer session) in which they complete degree requirements. Typically Plan I master’s students complete degree requirements in the semester during which they pass the master’s examination and submit a thesis to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval. Typically Plan II master’s students complete degree requirements in the semester during which they pass the master’s examination and complete all Plan II requirements. In order to qualify to sit for a master’s exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester.

All candidates for the master’s degree must pass a master’s examination. The examination, drawn from the major field and from minor or related fields as appropriate, may be written, oral or both, depending upon the requirements of the graduate unit.

The examination will be conducted by a committee of a minimum of three members approved for committee service. Two members must be in Category 1 or 3; the chair of the committee must be in Category 1, or 3 if within the student’s major; one member must be from Category 1; and no more than one voting member can be in Category 4 (see Faculty Approval section for details).

The master’s examination may be taken only after the Program of Studies has received approval by the Graduate Dean and only if the student is in good academic standing. In the case of Plan I students, the thesis defense may be considered as the master’s examination; for these students, the thesis chairperson usually serves as chairperson of the master’s examination committee. (See Required Enrollment)

The major graduate unit must notify the OGS of the student’s scheduled examination date by submitting the appropriate announcement form. The announcement form must be filed at least two weeks before the master’s examination, and no later than the published deadline dates (November 1 for Fall, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for Summer). Barring extraordinary circumstances, the graduate unit will notify the student and the Office of Graduate Studies of the results of the examination no later than two weeks from the date on which it was administered. Should such circumstances arise, the unit will inform the student in writing of the reason for the delay and let him/her know when notification can be expected. The results of the examination (pass or fail) must be reported to the OGS by November 15 for Fall graduation, April 15 for Spring graduation or July 15 for Summer graduation. If a student fails the examination, the graduate unit may recommend a second examination, which must be administered within one calendar year from the date of the first examination. The master’s examination may be taken only twice. A second failure will result in the student’s termination from the program.

Having evaluated the materials required for the examination, if the Committee feels that, although the student has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the field, it is not quite sufficient to justify a grade of “pass”, the committee may assign the grade of “Conditional Pass” and require that the student meet additional conditions before a grade of pass will be awarded. The student must meet the conditions noted on the Conditional Pass by the end of the subsequent term. However, students who plan to graduate in a specific term must resolve a Conditional Pass by the posted deadline for submission of examination results. The committee will note the conditions that need to be met by the student on the examination form.

Students must inform their graduate unit in writing of their intent to graduate. The graduate units must submit their proposed graduation list to OGS no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the semester immediately preceding the semester of graduation.

Each candidate for a Plan I master’s degree must submit a thesis that demonstrates evidence of the ability to do sound research. The student’s thesis committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies must approve the thesis. The student is responsible for providing each member of the committee with a complete draft of the thesis in ample time for review prior to the defense.

A thesis committee consists a minimum of three members approved for committee service. Two members must be in Category 1 or 3; the chair of the committee must be in Category 1, or 3 if within the student’s major; one member must be from Category 1; and no more than one voting member can be in Category 4 (see Faculty Approval section for details).

NOTE: If the graduate unit approves, Emeriti/Emeritae faculty are allowed to continue to chair existing thesis committees for up to one calendar year from the date of their retirement. They may not be appointed chair of any new thesis committees once retired. If the student has not completed his/her thesis within one year of the chair’s retirement, the retired faculty member may continue to serve on the thesis committee as a co-chair or member of the committee.

Plan I students must complete a minimum of 6 hours of thesis (599) credit and only 6 credits may be applied to the program of studies. Once initiated, continuous enrollment (Fall and Spring semesters) in thesis (599) is required until the thesis is accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Students who complete degree requirements during a summer session must be enrolled in a minimum of 1 thesis hour. This rule applies whether or not the student is concurrently enrolled for other credit hours.

Students who have enrolled in 599 and subsequently stopped enrollment for one or more semesters (not including summers) must follow the procedures listed under “Reinstatement Policy” previously given in this catalog. (Procedures for reinstatement are available on the OGS website http://www.unm.edu/grad).

At least two weeks before the final examination is held, and no later than November 1 for Fall, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for summer, the major graduate unit must notify the OGS of its scheduled date by submitting the appropriate announcement form.

All members of a student’s thesis committee must be present at the manuscript defense. Although physical presence is strongly encouraged for all members, synchronous participation by telephone/video conference is allowed when necessary.

An original signature of each committee member is required for each examination and thesis or dissertation defense form. In the rare cases where an original signature cannot be provided, the committee member may request a proxy signature by submitting the Proxy Request Form at least two weeks prior to the student’s examination.

Two copies of the unbound thesis manuscript, each with an abstract of no more than 350 words, must be submitted for approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies by November 15 for Fall graduation, April 15 for Spring graduation or July 15 for Summer graduation. If the manuscript is not submitted by these deadlines the student will not graduate in that semester. One copy will be placed in the library archives and the other in circulation. The student’s graduate unit may require additional copies.

A Plan I master’s student must submit his/her thesis to the Dean of Graduate Studies within ninety (90) days of his/her final examination for the thesis. If the manuscript is not submitted within that time, the student must schedule and complete a second final examination for the thesis. In all cases the results of the thesis defense must be submitted to OGS no later than two weeks after the announced date of the thesis defense.

UNM accepts both traditional and non-traditional (hybrid) theses. If a graduate unit accepts both thesis options, the student, in consultation with his/her thesis committee, must decide which format is appropriate.

A traditional thesis is a single written document, authored solely by the student, presenting original scholarship. A non-traditional (hybrid) thesis, as defined by the graduate unit, consists of a collection of related articles prepared/submitted for publication or already published. Each thesis must include “introduction” and “conclusion” sections. The student must meet the general manuscript format criteria set forth in the UNM Catalog/website on manuscript guidelines. Students must adhere to copyright policies for obtaining permission to use a previously published manuscript.

The student is responsible for preparing a thesis in proper ­format (traditional or non-traditional), which is of high ­reproduction quality and free of grammatical and typing errors. Guidelines on thesis format are detailed and should be carefully followed. Students are urged to print current manuscript guidlines and forms from the OGS website. (http://www.unm.edu/grad/manuscripts/manuscripts.html); and may consult with the OGS manuscript reviewer. Examples of the front matter and reference pages are available on the OGS website. (http://www.unm.edu/grad/manuscripts/example/front_matter.doc).

The following forms, which must be submitted along with the manuscript, may be obtained from the graduate unit or the OGS website:

1. A “Report on Thesis or Dissertation” completed by each committee member is forwarded to the OGS manuscript reviewer by the graduate unit. The forms may be submitted with the student’s manuscript, and they must be received by the OGS before the student’s thesis receives final approval.
2. A "Certification of Final Form."
3. An "Information Cover Sheet" (which should be included in the box with the manuscripts).
4. The UMI Master’s Agreement Form (optional). UMI requires a fee payable by money order or cashier’s check made out to ProQuest.  This payment must have a minimum expiration date of one year from date of purchase.

Students are responsible for including two complete sets of the “red-bordered pages” (Signature Approval Page, Thesis Title Page and Thesis Abstract Page) with the two manuscripts submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. The red-bordered pages are available on the OGS website (requires a color printer), or from the UNM Bookstore.

NOTE: The student’s graduate unit may require copies of the manuscript and forms.

A thesis-binding fee must be paid at the Cashier’s Office for the two manuscript copies submitted to the OGS. For the exact amount of the fee, please check with the OGS. A copy of the thesis binding fee receipt must accompany the two copies of the manuscript submitted to the OGS.

Students who want to write a thesis in a language other than English must petition and receive advanced approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A thesis submitted in another language must be accompanied by an abstract in English that has been approved by the thesis committee.