Graduate studies
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a leading center
for graduate education in the nation. A distinguished graduate faculty
of approximately 2,000 members supervises and guides graduate students
in research, scholarship, and teaching.
The University is the home of numerous national centers conducting
research across many disciplines, including computing, engineering,
education, genetics, and the arts.
The Graduate College is an administrative unit that has jurisdiction
over programs leading to advanced degrees. The only post baccalaureate
programs on the Urbana-Champaign campus that are not under the jurisdiction
of the Graduate College are the Juris Doctor degree program in the
College of Law and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program
in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Graduate College is responsible
for developing and safeguarding high academic standards and promoting
research in all academic disciplines.
Graduate Degrees
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign enrolls approximately
9,000 graduate students and offers advanced degrees in more than 100
fields of study. Master’s and doctoral degrees are offered in
many disciplines, including professional and performing arts fields.
Descriptions of these degrees are given in the departmental sections
of this catalog. More detailed descriptions of graduate programs and
the requirements for the degrees may be obtained from the individual
departments.
Admission, Graduate Admission and Registration
General Requirements
Applicants should have graduated from an accredited college or university,
or should hold or expect to be granted by the end of the current academic
year a baccalaureate degree (or its equivalent) comparable in content
and in number of credit hours to that granted by the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Applicants should have a grade point
average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) computed from the last 60 hours
of undergraduate work and any graduate work completed. Meeting these
minimum admission requirements of the Graduate College, however, does
not guarantee admission; individual departments may set a minimum
grade point average higher than that of the Graduate College and may
impose other special admission requirements and conditions. Because
applicants to most departments compete for a limited number of positions,
many who exceed minimum requirements may be denied admission.
Applicants for admission to the Graduate College with undergraduate
academic records showing “pass,” “satisfactory,”
“credit,” or other similar entries in advanced courses
that have a bearing on the student’s field of specialization
should submit a written evaluation or a letter grade by the instructor
in each such course. Because some departments have special examination
requirements, applicants should check with their prospective departments;
for example, the Departments of Accountancy and Business Administration
require the Graduate Management Admission Test instead of the Graduate
Record Examination. Information regarding specific departmental requirements
may be accessed through the Graduate
College Web site.
Prospective students are urged to apply for admission as early as
possible, preferably in October or November for the summer session
and fall semester, and September or October for the spring semester.
Applications for a given term may not be accepted during the three
weeks preceding the beginning of that term.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is committed to maintaining
a safe environment for all members of the University community. As
part of this commitment, the University requires applicants who are
under current indictment or who have been convicted of a crime (other
than a routine traffic offense or in a juvenile proceeding) to disclose
this information as a mandatory step in the application process. A
previous conviction or current indictment does not automatically bar
admission to the University, but does require review. Complete information
about the process is provided in the application for admission to
the Graduate College.
Domestic applicants are encouraged to complete and submit the Web-based
application available at the Graduate College Web site given above.
Paper applications may be obtained by printing the electronic application,
by contacting the department of interest, or by requesting them from
the Graduate College at the following address: Graduate College, 202
Coble Hall, 801 South Wright Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Application
forms for international students may be obtained by writing to the
Office of Admissions and Records, 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana,
IL 61801 or from the Web site listed above. A nonrefundable application
fee must be received before any application can be processed. International
applicants must submit official records of all higher education, including
certificates of degrees with the dates the degrees were conferred.
If only one original is available and would be difficult to replace,
an attested or certified copy should be submitted. All records not
in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
Records should show the individual subjects studied and the grades
received in each subject.
International applicants are required to submit proof of adequate
finances for the entire period of planned study. Applicants unable
to provide satisfactory evidence of adequate finances will not be
granted admission.
Eligible applicants whose native language is not English must take
the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), given throughout
the world. Applicants should make arrangements directly with the TOEFL
Application Office, P.O. Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 08541-6155, U.S.A.
or via their Web site. Graduate
applicants may be exempt from this testing if, within five years of
the proposed date of enrollment at Illinois, they have completed at
least two academic years of full-time study in a country where English
is the primary language and in a school where English is the primary
language of instruction. A course load of 48 graduate hours per semester
is considered full-time study at Illinois.
The University requires a score of at least 550 on the paper-based
TOEFL examination (213 on the computer-based TOEFL), and many departments
require higher scores. In addition, all non-native English-speaking
applicants to the Graduate College who are admitted on the basis of
their academic credentials but score 607 to 550 on the paper-based
TOEFL (253 to 213 on the computer-based TOEFL) or fail to submit a
required TOEFL score will be admitted on limited status and will be
required to take the English as a Second Language Placement Test (EPT)
upon their arrival. Students may be required to complete English as
a Second Language courses depending on their scores on the EPT. In
addition, all applicants, regardless of U.S. Citizenship, whose native
language is not English and who wish to be considered for teaching
assistantshipss must submit a score of 50 or more for the Test of
Spoken English (TSE), or pass the on-campus SPEAK. This is a law of
the state of Illinois which the university has no authority to waive.
The Notice of Admission
The Notice of Admission is issued by the Office of Admissions and
Records to applicants when their admission to the University is complete,
i.e., when they have been recommended for admission by the department
and have been determined to be eligible by Graduate College criteria
and the Office of Admissions and Records. The Notice of Admission
is the only official verification that admission has been approved;
it is issued for a specific term and should be brought to the initial
registration. Letters issued by departments may indicate recommendation
for admission but are not official notices of admission.
A department may request, on an applicant’s behalf, that an
applicant admitted for a particular term be allowed to enter in a
different term without having to repeat the application process. These
requests for change of term of entry are granted only if the new term
of entry is within one year of the term originally set. Applicants
should note that a Notice of Admission for the fall term is also valid
for the preceding summer session, and that one issued for the summer
session, if not marked “summers only,” is also valid for
the following fall semester.
The Notice of Admission will specify the admission status of the student:
whether the admission is as a degree candidate or as a nondegree student,
whether full graduate standing or limited status has been approved,
and whether additional credentials are still needed. Each admitted
student must submit complete academic credentials to the Office of
Admissions and Records before the registration period for the student’s
second term of attendance. Registration for the second term will be
blocked if the required official transcripts have not been received.
The Notice of Admission may state specific conditions for admission.
Admitted students should have a clear understanding of the conditions
or should seek clarification from their major departments. A student
may be admitted on limited status if his or her preadmission grade
point average (GPA), which is based on the last 60 semester hours
of undergraduate work and any completed graduate work, is below the
Graduate College minimum of 3.0 (A = 4.0), or if the academic record
shows other deficiencies or nontraditional academic qualifications.
After the student has satisfied the conditions imposed, his or her
major department should request that the Graduate College change the
student from limited status to full graduate standing. No advanced
degree will be awarded to a student who has not qualified for, and
been granted, full graduate standing.
Enrollment patterns
Each student admitted can choose one of two enrollment patterns: continuous,
in which the student enrolls each fall and spring semester, with summer
sessions optional; or consecutive summers only, in which the student
enrolls only for summer sessions.
Nondegree Status
A nondegree student who wishes to enroll only during the summer sessions
need not be admitted by a specific department but may carry an unassigned
student status within the Graduate College. Certification of an earned
bachelor’s degree is all that is required for admission. Such
a student is allowed to register continuously from summer to summer
until the final authorized term set at admission is reached, assuming
an acceptable GPA is maintained.
Students with nondegree status are admitted to courses on a part-time
basis if classroom space is available. Once accepted for admission
by a department and the Graduate College, a nondegree student has
the same enrollment pattern options as a degree candidate. Either
the major department or the Graduate College, however, may discontinue
the nondegree status at the end of any term. A student need not apply
each semester for readmission as a nondegree student as long as he
or she maintains one of the established patterns of enrollment.
Several restrictions and conditions apply to nondegree status. Nondegree
students:
- Are not eligible to register early.
- Cannot register until the fourth day of classes in the fall or spring semester. The late registration fee will be waived if the student completes his or her registration on or before the tenth day of instruction in a semester.
- Are limited to taking fewer than 48 graduate hours per semester. A nondegree student will not be granted full-time status unless he or she is participating in a special program for which full-time approval has been obtained from the Graduate College prior to admission. Participants in the CIC Traveling Scholar Program who visit Illinois may also be full-time nondegree students.
- Are not eligible for financial aid (fellowships, assistantships) administered by the Graduate College.
- Must apply for admission if they wish to become candidates for a degree. If the student is later approved for degree status, a maximum of 12 hours of nondegree graduate credit may be applied to a degree.
Registration
Students who register for courses agree to pay tuition and fees to
the University according to the payment policies and schedules adopted
by the Board of Trustees. If a student wishes to cancel registration,
and thus avoid payment of tuition and fee charges, the student must
do so by 5:00 p.m. of the first day of instruction of the term.
Unauthorized use of University of Illinois computerized systems, data,
or resources; unauthorized use of another individual’s identification,
account or password; or an attempt to gain unauthorized access is
prohibited by University policy and may constitute a violation of
Illinois state law.
Because course descriptions found in the Courses catalog are not intended
to be complete, students should check with their department’s
graduate studies office or talk with instructors involved to find
out about reading lists, papers, projects, and examinations for particular
courses.
Immunization requirements
Each student entering the University is required to present evidence
of immunization against certain vaccine-preventable diseases as defined
by Illinois state law and required by University regulations. Admitted
applicants will receive a Health Information and Medical History form,
which should be returned to McKinley Health Center. Students who fail
to return the completed Health Information form by the date shown
on the form may be prohibited from registration until the requirement
is met. This requirement applies to students entering the University
for the first time, to transfer students, and also to those enrolling
in a new graduate program but who may not be new to the University.
Tuberculosis Control
All new international students are required to complete tuberculosis
screening at McKinley Health Center before completing registration.
Evidence of freedom from tuberculosis is established by a negative
tuberculin skin test performed within the previous 12 months by a
health care provider at McKinley Health Center.
A person whose skin test is positive is required to have a chest x-ray.
A person with a known history of positive reaction to the tuberculosis
skin test will not be re-tested, but will require a chest x-ray to
show evidence of freedom from active tuberculosis. An individual who
has had a chest x-ray performed within the previous 12 months will
not require an additional chest x-ray if the previous x-ray is obtainable
and meets the University’s standards. International students
who have been treated or undergone a tuberculosis program should bring
medical records with them. All medical records must be accompanied
by a certified English translation.
Write the McKinley Health Center at mhc@uiuc.edu
or see the McKinley
Web site for more information.
Tuition and fees
Tuition and fees are assessed on the basis of a student’s status
(resident or nonresident of Illinois), graduate program, and the amount
of credit taken each term. A complete schedule of current tuition
and fees and an explanation of the eligibility requirements for full
or partial exemption are available from the Office of Admissions and
Records, 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, IL 61801 or from the
Web site
Residence for Tuition Assessment
Tuition is assessed in part on the basis of whether a student is a
resident or nonresident of the state of Illinois in accordance with
the University of Illinois Regulations Governing the Determination
of Residence for Admissions and Assessment of Student Tuition. These
regulations are published in the Code of Policies and Regulations
Applying to All Students available at the Office of Admissions and
Records, 901 West Illinois Street; the Dean of Students Office, 300
Turner Student Services Building; the Student Organization Complex,
280 Illini Union. The residence regulations and petitions for changing
a student’s status are available on request from the Office
of Admissions and Records, 901 West Illinois Street, Urbana, IL 61801
or on its Web
site.
Generally, in order to be considered a resident for the assessment
of tuition, a person must have been a bona fide resident of the state
of Illinois for at least one year before initial registration. If
an adult student has at least one parent who is a bona fide resident
of Illinois, this one-year rule is waived as long as the student resides
in Illinois during the period of registration at the University.
Academic staff, support staff, employees of the University, and staff
of certain specifically identified related agencies on appointment
for at least 25 percent of full-time services for not less than three-fourths
of the term, as well as their spouses and dependent children, are
treated as residents for tuition assessment purposes as long as they
hold their appointments. Professional staff members and teachers in
private or public elementary and secondary schools in Illinois are
also eligible for in-state tuition charges. Persons who are serving
on active duty in one of the armed forces of the United States and
who are stationed and present in the state of Illinois, their spouses,
and their dependent children may qualify upon petition for the in-state
tuition rate. A student who is a U.S. citizen may also qualify upon
petition for resident status if he or she is married to a resident
of Illinois who meets all the requirements of the residency regulations.
A non-U.S. citizen who meets and complies with all other applicable
requirements may establish residence status (by petition) unless he
or she holds a visa that on its face precludes an intent to reside
in the United States.
Installment Plan for Payment of Charges
Students enrolled on campus may elect to pay tuition and all fees,
flight instruction costs, and University residence hall charges (single-student
housing only) in three approximately equal installments. The first
installment is payable by the due date shown on the Registration Statement
(within the first ten days of classes), the second is payable in October
(March for spring semester), and the third in November (April for
spring semester).
Students electing the installment plan are assessed a finance charge.
Deferred installments and other charges billed through the student
accounts-receivable system are subject to a delinquent service charge
on any amounts not paid when due.
Refunds
Cancellation Of Registration. Individuals who have placed courses
on their record prior to the beginning of the term and later decide
not to attend the University may cancel their registration by 5:00
p.m. of the first day of instruction for the term and avoid all tuition
and fee charges. Individuals who are ineligible to continue in the
University for actions initiated by the University based on academic,
disciplinary, or medical reasons before 5:00 p.m. on the first day
of instruction for the term have their registrations become void and
are not entitled to student privileges.
Students may not cancel their registration once they have used fee-supported
services. If they leave the University, they must officially withdraw
from the University.
Withdrawal from the University
Students who have been charged tuition and/or fees and later withdraw
from the University prior to the completion of 60 percent of the term
receive a refund on a pro rata basis. Assessed tuition, the service
fee, the general fee, and the transportation fee are refunded on a
pro rata basis less five percent of the assessed amount or $100, whichever
is less. The health insurance and health services fees are nonrefundable.
Students continue to be covered by health insurance and are eligible
to receive health services (if these fees were paid) until the first
day of instruction for the following term.
Before a refund is made to the student, the University must make a
refund to appropriate financial aid programs providing assistance
to the student. A student indebted to the University at the time of
withdrawal will have the amount owed deducted from the amount of any
refund available.
Students permitted to pay tuition and fees on the installment plan,
or who make no payment at all, and then withdraw from the University
are liable for the full amount of tuition and fees originally assessed
less applicable refunds.
Special refund policies apply to those who withdraw to enter active
duty in the armed forces or other approved national defense service.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available in the form of fellowships, assistantships,
tuition and service fee waivers, federal work-study programs, and
loans.
Application Procedures
All students who apply for admission to graduate study receive consideration
for fellowships (except those awarded in national competitions) and
assistantships; there are no separate financial aid applications for
applicants. Currently enrolled students seeking consideration for
these awards should submit the Application for Graduate Appointment,
available from departments or the Graduate College, to their major
departments. Financial need is usually not a factor in awarding fellowships
or assistantships administered by the University.
Continuing or new students should file the appropriate application,
whether for admission or graduate appointment, with their major departments
no later than February 15, and preferably earlier. (Some departments
in high demand have deadlines earlier than February 15; prospective
students are advised to make sure of the departmental deadline before
applying.) While departments may, at their discretion, accept applications
after the February 15 deadline, most departments make their financial
aid decisions in February and March; thus, applications arriving later
may not receive financial aid consideration. Approximately 75% of
the 10,000 graduate and professional students at Illinois receive
some financial aid in the form of fewllowships, traineeships, assistantships,
scholarships, and grants. Each department appoints its own teaching,
research, or graduate assistants with the approval of the Office of
Academic Human Resources. Fellowships can be awarded only to students
who are enrolled full-time in or have been accepted for admission
to the Graduate College as degree candidates.
Fellowships
Students receive fellowships or traineeships from a variety of sources--department,
school or center; disciplinary college of Graduate College; external
sources (government; industrial; endowment). The Graduate College
Fellowship Office has oversight responsibility for all fellowship
appointments. Additional information about fellowships administered
by the Graduate College may be found at the college
website.
Assistantships
The various departments of the University appoint graduate students
as teaching, research, or graduate assistants. Applications should
be made directly to the appropriate department. Students holding assistantships
must be registered during the semesters of appointment and, in the
case of assistantships requiring the performance of classroom teaching,
must be proficient in oral English as determined by current University
verification standards. Assistantship appointments ranging from 25
through 67 percent time for three-quarters of the semester provide
waivers of either the full tuition or the base-rate tuition, depending
on the graduate program of enrollment. The service fee is also waived.
Students who held such waivers during the spring semester, and who
have no appointments the following summer, are also entitled to the
same tuition waiver for the summer term. Under certain conditions,
students holding assistantships between May 21 and August 21 are not
required to be registered.
Students who resign their appointments or whose appointments are canceled
before rendering service for at least three-fourths of the term become
subject to the full amount of the tuition and fees unless they withdraw
from University classes at the same time or before the appointment
becomes void, or they deposit their thesis with the Graduate College
within one week following the resignation date. A term is defined
as running from the first day of instruction through the last day
of final examinations.
Federal Work-Study Assistantships
The Graduate College operates a small program of assistantships funded
by the Federal Work-Study program, which provides subsidies to the
stipends of students who can demonstrate financial need. Prospective
applicants must have obtained the promise of assistantship appointment
for the next academic year at the time of application, which should
take place before January 31 of each year. Applicants must use the
need-based financial aid procedure described in the section on loans
below.
Federal Work Study (FWS) is a financial aid program through which
the federal government subsidizes the compensation of appointed students
who qualify for FWS on the basis of financial need. The program has
been operating at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since
1965, each year supporting hundreds of students all over campus.
Federal Work Study Graduate Assistantships are a special subset of
the traditional FWS program, using FWS funds for assistantship stipends.
The nature of work and financial compensation is the same as that
for the other graduate assistantships.
Tuition and Service Fee Waivers
At their discretion, colleges may waive payment of the tuition and
service fee for certain students. Applicants are advised to check
with their prospective departments for further information.
Research Grants
A great number of organizations and foundations offer grants to support
research in specialized fields. Information on these grants can be
obtained from the Graduate College Fellowship Office, the Illinois
Researcher Information Service, and departmental offices. Some schools
and colleges publish additional materials concerning research grants
and contracts.
Loans and other Need-Based Financial Aid
The Office of Student Financial Aid awards Federal Direct Student
Loans, Federal Work-Study, and limited scholarships to graduate and
professional students. To be eligible to receive this aid, a student
must complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Financial
Aid (FAFSA). Filing the FAFSA between January 1 and March 15 will
ensure priority consideration. Information about need-based assistance
and application packets containing the FAFSA, as well as information
on alternative non-need-based loans, are available from the Office
of Student Financial Aid, 620 East John Street, Champaign (217-333-0100).
Application for need-based assistance is made separately from applications
for fellowships and assistantships.
If certification of full-time status is required (for example, for
loans, immigration, or fellowships), a student must register for at
least three units or the equivalent, regardless of any assistantship
appointment.
Veterans’ Assistance
Veterans who believe they may be eligible for educational benefits
should contact the veterans’ counselor in the Office of Student
Financial Aid. Application for benefits should be made annually.
Employment
Part-time job opportunities, both on and off campus, are posted on
the Office of Student Financial Aid’s Web
site. Students are not required to apply for need-based assistance
to use employment staff services.
Emergency Loans and Grants
In addition to major educational loans, the University makes special
funds available. Graduate students with financial difficulties should
go to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Staff members can determine
the eligibility of students for emergency loans.
Students may also apply for Federal Direct Loans through the Office
of Student Financial Aid.
A limited number of small grants to meet acute needs may be available
in the Graduate College. International students may qualify for emergency
funding from the Office of International Student Affairs.
Graduate College Requirements
The following are the general requirements of the Graduate College.
A Handbook for Graduate Students and Advisers gives the requirements
in more detail; the handbook is available on
the Web. Graduate students should use the handbook as the official
statement of Graduate College regulations during their graduate study
on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Departments may have requirements
that apply in addition to those of the Graduate College. A departmental
standard higher than that of the Graduate College (e.g., the minimum
grade point average for degree eligibility) replaces the Graduate
College standard.
Departmental and Graduate College policies and requirements change
from time to time and may not be immediately reflected in handbooks
and other publications. New degree requirements, however, cannot be
imposed retroactively on continuing graduate students. If degree requirements
are changed, continuing students may complete their degree programs
under the requirements in effect at the time of their initial enrollment
in the Graduate College. They have the option, however, of electing
to be governed by the new requirements if they so desire.
The Graduate College does not permit a student to earn a graduate
degree similar to one obtained elsewhere.
Grading System
Final Grades. Final grades for courses are recorded
as follows: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F (fail).
Credit for a course in which a student has received an F cannot be
counted toward the degree. Points in the computation of grade point
averages are as follows:
| A+ 4.00 | C+ 2.33 |
| A 4.00 | C 2.00 |
| A- 3.67 | C- 1.67 |
| B+ 3.33 | D+ 1.33 |
| B 3.00 | D 1.00 |
| B- 2.67 | D- 0.67 |
F Failure (including courses dropped for academic irregularities)
= 0.00
Symbols used by the University include:
**F — F by rule. Grade of “F” on the letter scale
= 0.00.
W — Officially withdrawn from a course. No credit is given.
Ex — Temporarily excused. An extension of time may be granted
by the instructor, if permitted by departmental policy, to a student
who has not completed the final examination or other requirements
for the course. An excused grade given in the fall term must be replaced
by a letter grade no later than the reading day of the spring term.
An excused grade given in the spring or summer term must be replaced
by a letter grade no later than the reading day of the fall term.
Failure to complete the work within this time automatically results
in a grade of “F by rule.” If the student does not maintain
continuous enrollment, the excused grade becomes an “F by rule”
after one calendar year. An “F by rule” is distinguished
from an “F” on the transcript, but counts as an “F”
in computing the GPA.
Df — Grade temporarily deferred. Used only in research courses
and in other approved courses that usually extend beyond one semester.
The time limit for the Df grade to revert to “F by rule”
is the same as for the Ex grade except in regard to the thesis research
course (499) and certain other deferred courses. The Df symbol for
thesis course (499) stands indefinitely until a Supplemental Grade
Report Form is submitted by the adviser at the completion (successful
or unsuccessful) of the thesis.
S or U — Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Used as final grades
only in the thesis research course (499) and in certain other approved
courses; not included in the GPA computation.
CR or NC — Credit or No Credit. Used only if students have registered
for a course under the Credit-No Credit Option with the approval of
their major department. A form requesting this option may be obtained
from the student’s department. No letter grade is given and
none appears on the transcript.
Ab — Absent from the final examination without an acceptable
excuse; counts as a failure (F) in the GPA.
Credit-No Credit Option. Subject to the restrictions
of the Graduate College and the major department and with his or her
adviser’s approval, a student may register for graduate credit
under the credit-no credit option. Over the entire course of a degree
program, a student must earn at least 8 graduate hours of graded (A-D)
coursework for each 4 graduate hours of credit-no credit coursework.
In any one semester, a student may take no more than 4 graduate hours
on a credit-no credit basis.
Grade Point Average (GPA) Computation. A registered
student’s GPA is computed at the end of every term and reported
in the Semester Grade Report, which is made available to the student
about ten days after the final day of examinations. The GPA includes
units of coursework with grades of A through F and Ab but not those
with grades of CR, NC, Ex, Df, S, and U. The GPA does not include
courses taken for semester hour credit, nor does it include coursework
transferred from other universities or colleges with the exception
of the other two campuses of the University and CIC Traveling Scholar
credit.
If a grade below C is received, a student should check with his or
her adviser or department to see if the course must be repeated. (A
student may also choose to repeat a course.) In the computation of
a graduate student’s GPA and accumulated units toward a degree,
the grade for the course when first taken is the grade that counts;
the grade for the repeated course is ignored.
Minimum GPA. A student is required by the Graduate
College to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 in order to continue in
an advanced degree program. Many departments, however, require a minimum
GPA of 3.0 or higher, and if this is the case, the higher minimum
becomes the minimum enforced by the Graduate College.
A student who completes three or more units of graded coursework with
a GPA of less than the minimum will receive a warning letter. If after
the completion of three additional units of graded coursework a student’s
GPA has not been raised to or above the required minimum, or if the
GPA falls below it at any time thereafter, the student will be placed
on limited status. If, at the end of the first term (excluding summer
terms) on limited status, the student’s GPA still does not meet
the minimum required, the student will be prohibited from further
registration.
Advisers and departments take factors other than satisfactory grades
into consideration in determining qualifications for advanced degrees.
An adequate GPA does not in itself ensure continuation in an advanced
degree program. Many departments keep records of deferred grades,
as well as written evaluations by instructors. These factors, along
with other skills and aptitudes, are considered by departments in
determining satisfactory progress and in decisions to permit students
to continue in master’s and doctoral degree programs.
Credit
Graduate Credit. Graduate credit is measured in graduate
hours. Generally, courses in the 400 series may carry graduate or
undergraduate credit and are open to both graduate and undergraduate
students. Courses in the 500 series, with the exception of some courses
such as foreign language, carry graduate credit and are restricted
to graduate students except under special circumstances.
Credit for Work Completed Elsewhere. A student who
has completed graduate-level coursework at an accredited institution
within the last five years with grades of A or B, but has not applied
the credits to another degree, may request, with departmental approval,
that the credits be applied to a degree at the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign. Generally, a maximum of 12 graduate hours of
transfer credit may be counted toward a graduate degree. Students
may request that such credit be accepted by submitting petition forms
accompanied by official transcripts after successfully completing
at least 8 hours of graduate work on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
Credit for a master’s degree completed at the University of
Illinois or at another institution cannot be used as partial fulfillment
of the requirements for a second master’s degree. If a student
has earned a master’s degree at another university and then
completed additional coursework at that university before enrolling
at the University of Illinois, the student may petition to transfer
credit for that additional work to apply toward an Urbana-Champaign
master’s degree. A student who has a master’s degree is
considered to have completed the first stage of a doctoral program
unless the department stipulates otherwise. It should be stressed,
however, that any doctoral degree candidate, regardless of transfer
credits or a master’s degree completed elsewhere, must complete
64 graduate hours in residence on the Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, or
Springfield campus of the University of Illinois or in courses meeting
in other locations that have been approved by the Graduate College.
Research Credit and 599. The time devoted to research is recorded by registration in 599 (thesis credit) or in 500-level courses with such titles as “Independent Study,” “Individual Topics,” or “Special Problems.” Registration in 599 indicates that the student’s research is expected to result in a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree. Therefore, all students registering in 599 should do so only with full departmental approval. Registration in 599 is required if a thesis is being completed as a degree requirement.
Extramural Courses. Graduate courses are offered
by the University at various centers throughout the state. Information
about these courses is available from the Office
of Continuing Education . An extramural course is considered
as work in residence if it is approved for graduate credit.
After the student has been admitted as a degree candidate, credit
earned in extramural courses is counted toward an advanced degree
and counted as credit earned in residence in the same way as credit
earned in on-campus courses. A student may petition to include in
his or her degree program graduate courses that he or she completed
prior to admission as a degree candidate. If this request is granted,
generally a maximum of three such units may be counted toward the
degree.
Correspondence Courses. Credit for graduate-level
correspondence courses may be applied toward an advanced degree but
will not help fulfill the residence requirement. With departmental
approval, correspondence courses may be used to fulfill prerequisites
or remove deficiencies. A list of correspondence courses is available
from the Office of Continuing
Education
Requirements for the Master’s Degree
The Graduate College requires a minimum of 32 graduate hours of credit
for the master’s degree. At least 12 graduate hours must be
in 500-level courses and eight of these twelve graduate hours must
be in the major field. Half or more of the hours applied toward the
degree must be earned in courses counted for residence credit. Residence
credit is awarded for courses meeting on the Urbana-Champaign campus,
on the Chicago or Springfield campuses, or in other locations approved
by the Graduate College for graduate credit. Master’s degrees
are conferred in May, August, October, and January. A master’s
degree candidate must complete all degree requirements, under normal
circumstances, within five years of first registering in the Graduate
College.
Individual departments determine master’s degree thesis requirements.
Some departments require or recommend a thesis, while others ask for
a “substantial research paper” or require only the minimum
32 graduate hours of coursework. No more than 12 hours of 599 (thesis
credit), and only 4 or 8 hours in some departments, can be applied
to the master’s degree.
Requirements for the Doctoral Degree
Credit and Residence. Doctoral degree programs are divided into three
stages, as described below, and must include the successful completion
of a minimum of 96 graduate hours of credit as well as the preliminary
and final examinations. At least 64 graduate hours of credit, which
may include thesis credit, must be earned as residence credit.
Stage I —The master’s degree or its equivalent.
The equivalent is at least 32 graduate hours at this University or
32 semester hours (or 48 quarter hours) of acceptable graduate work
at another university. Each department has a procedure for evaluating
a student’s progress toward the doctoral degree. This evaluation,
whether by examination or other formal review, should take place no
later than the end of the second year after a student enters the doctoral
program. The evaluation results in a decision as to whether or not
a student is making satisfactory progress, and should be communicated
in writing to the student. In some departments, the evaluation may
take the form of a qualifying examination, which a student must pass
before entering Stage II of the doctoral degree program.
Stage II — One or more additional years devoted
to coursework and research in preparation for the preliminary examination
and fulfillment of any special departmental requirements not yet satisfied.
Passing the preliminary examination and completing any special departmental
requirements mark the end of Stage II.
Stage III — Research and other activities culminating
in the deposit of an approved thesis and the holding of the final
oral examination. Continuous registration, excluding summer terms,
should be maintained until a student has completed the credit requirement
for the doctoral degree. After one year following the student’s
last registration, the student must petition for reentry in order
to continue doctoral study. Registration in 599 (thesis credit) is
required for the term in which a student takes the final examination,
regardless of when the thesis will be deposited with the Graduate
College or when the degree will be conferred. Doctoral degrees are
conferred in May, October, and January, but not in August.
Time Limit. A doctoral candidate must normally complete
all degree requirements within seven years of first registering in
the Graduate College. A student entering directly into Stage II, with
a master’s degree from another university or with a significant
lapse of time since earning a master’s degree on this campus,
normally has six years in which to complete degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement. Each department establishes
its own foreign language requirement. Many have no foreign language
requirement.
Preliminary and Final Examinations
Preliminary examinations taken at the end of Stage II of doctoral
programs may be oral, written, or both, depending on the department’s
policy. Final examinations are oral and public.
The dean of the Graduate College appoints doctoral committees, at
departmental request, to administer preliminary and final examinations.
These committees must be composed of at least four voting members,
at least three of whom must be members of the graduate faculty; at
least two members must be tenured.
Decisions of the committees for both preliminary and final examinations
must be unanimous.
Theses
A thesis is an original, significant contribution to the scholarly
literature of an academic discipline. The thesis must be the work
of a single author. All candidates for the Ph.D. degree and candidates
for most other doctoral degrees are required to submit theses. All
completed theses must be acceptable for deposit in the Graduate College
Thesis Office.
Before the degree is conferred, a student may find it desirable or
expedient to publish some of the findings that will later be incorporated
in the thesis. If this is done, an appropriate acknowledgment of the
earlier publication should be included in the thesis. The Graduate
College encourages such publication, but the thesis may not be published
in its entirety before all degree requirements have been met.
If thesis research involves the use of human subjects, warm-blooded
animals, or hazardous materials or procedures, the student must comply
with the University’s policies and procedures governing such
work.
Because all theses are made available to the public, a thesis containing
classified material, i.e., material deemed nonpublishable under federal
security regulations, cannot be accepted.
Certificate of Advanced Study
Some departments, such as those in the College of Education and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, offer certificates of advanced study for students who are interested in professional training beyond the master’s degree but who are not planning to obtain the doctorate. These programs usually require the completion of 32 graduate hours of coursework beyond the master’s degree. Information concerning specific advanced certificate programs is available from departmental offices.