NOTE: This document was generated from the 1995-1997
UIUC Programs of Study.
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but be advised
that requirements may have changed since this book was published.
Errors may have also been introduced in the conversion to a WWW
document. Thus for items of importance, it might be wise to seek
confirmation from either the paper version or a live human being.
The following are the general requirements of the Graduate
College.
A
Handbook for Graduate Students and Advisers,
which
is distributed to all graduate students enrolled at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, gives the requirements in more detail. 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 will generally grant no more than two
advanced degrees to one individual, nor will it permit a student to
earn a graduate degree similar to one obtained elsewhere. Admission to
a second nonprofessional (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.M.A.) doctoral program
will be permitted by special approval of the dean of the Graduate
College upon the recommendation of the department or equivalent
unit.
Grading System
Final Grades
Final grades for courses are recorded as follows:
A, B, C, D (lowest passing grade), and Ab or E (failure). No credit
will be given for a course in which the grade of E or Ab was
received. The grade-point average (GPA) is computed on a five-point
scale, with A equal to 5.0. Plus and minus signs do not appear on a
graduate student's official transcript and are not used in computing
the GPA, but they may be recorded on departmental records.
Other symbols used, but not included in the computation of the
GPA, are
- W--Officially withdrawn from a course.
- Ex--Temporarily excused. An extension of time granted by the
instructor to a student who has not completed the final examination or
other requirements for the course. An excused grade must be replaced
by a letter grade no later than the end of the next term in which the
student is enrolled. Failure to complete the work within this time
automatically results in a grade of E by rule. If the student does not
enroll the following term, the excused grade becomes an E by rule
after one year.
- Df--Grade temporarily deferred. Used only in research and
other approved courses that extend beyond one term. The time limit for
the Df grade to revert to E by rule is the same as that for the Ex
grade, except for the thesis research course (499).
- S or U--Satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Used as final grades in
the thesis research course (499) and in certain other approved
courses.
- CR or NC--Credit or no credit. Used only if a student has
registered for a course under the credit/no credit option with the
approval of his or her major department.
- Ab--Absent from the final examination without an
acceptable excuse. This grade counts as a failure.
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. The student must, however, have at least
2 units of course work in the graduate program with grades of A
through C for every unit of credit/no credit work.
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 mailed to the student about ten days after the
final day of examinations. The GPA includes units of course work with
grades of A through E 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 (for example, physical education courses), nor does it include
course work transferred from other universities or colleges with the
exception of the Chicago campus of the University of Illinois and
courses taken for credit through the CIC Traveling Scholar Program. A
student who receives a grade below C, should check with his or her
adviser or department to see whether the course must be repeated; a
student may also choose to repeat a course. In either case, repeated
courses are ignored in the computation of the GPA and the accumulated
credits toward a degree.
Minimum GPA
A student is required by the Graduate College to
maintain a minimum GPA of 3.75 in order to continue in an advanced
degree program. Many departments, however, demand a minimum of 4.0 or
higher, and their minimums are enforced by the Graduate College.
A student who completes 3 or more units of graded course work with
a GPA of less than the minimum will receive a warning letter from the
Graduate College. If after the completion of 3 additional units of
graded course work 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 the student's average
does not meet the minimum requirement at the end of the first term on
limited status, further registration will be prohibited.
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 continuance in an
advanced degree program. Records maintained by departments often
record deferred and plus and minus grades as well as written
evaluations by instructors. These factors, along with other skills and
aptitudes, are taken into consideration in departmental decisions
about permitting students to continue in master's and doctoral
programs.
Credit
Graduate Credit
Graduate credit at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign is measured in terms of units, with 1 unit equal to
approximately 4 semester hours. Generally, courses in the 300 series
carry graduate credit and are open to both graduate and undergraduate
students. Courses in the 400 series, with the exception of some
courses such as foreign language, carry graduate credit. Enrollment in
these courses is restricted to graduate students or students who have
petitioned and who meet the requirements to take graduate-level
courses.
Proficiency Examinations
Credit earned by passing proficiency
examinations cannot be applied to the requirements for advanced
degrees, but such examinations may be taken to fulfill prerequisites
for more advanced courses or to demonstrate competence in areas
considered important to a student's area of study. A proficiency
examination will be recorded only if the student is registered at the
time of the examination. These examinations are usually given without
cost to the student, but a fee may be charged to defray the cost of
examinations prepared by agencies outside the University. Students
should consult their advisers before applying for proficiency
examinations.
Credit for Work Completed Elsewhere
A student who has completed
graduate-level course work at an accredited institution within the
last five years with grades of A or B, but has not applied the credit
toward any advanced degree, may request that the credit earned for
that work be applied to a degree at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. Students may request that such credit be accepted by
submitting petition forms accompanied by official transcripts after
successfully completing at least 2 units 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. A student who has earned a master's degree at another
university and then completed additional course work at an accredited
institution before enrolling at the University of Illinois may
petition to transfer credit for that additional work. A student having
a master's degree is considered to have completed the f irst stage of
a doctoral program unless the department stipulates otherwise. It
should be stressed, however, that all doctoral candidates, regardless
of transfer credits or master's degrees completed elsewhere, must
complete 16 units in residence on the Urbana-Champaign campus or in
courses meeting in other locations that have been approved by the
Graduate College for graduate credit.
Research Credit and 499
The time devoted to research is recorded
by registration in 499 (thesis credit) or in 400-level courses with
such titles as "Independent Study" or "Special Topics." Registration
in 499 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 499 should do
so only with full departmental approval. Registration in 499 is
required if a thesis is being completed as a degree requirement.
Extramural Courses
Graduate courses are offered by members of
the University faculty at various centers throughout the
state. Pamphlets listing these courses can be obtained from the Office
of Continuing Education and Public Service. An extramural course is
considered as work in residence if it is approved for graduate credit
by the department offering the course and by the Graduate
College. Credit earned in extramural courses can be applied toward an
advanced degree only if the courses are approved in advance by the
adviser and constitute part of a well-integrated program.
The units of credit required for the master's degree must be
earned in courses meeting on the Urbana-Champaign campus or in courses
approved by the Graduate College for offering at off-campus
locations. Credit for extramural courses can be applied to the second
stage of a doctoral program only within the limits of campus residence
expected by the department offering the degree.
Correspondence Courses
Credit for correspondence courses cannot
be applied toward an advanced degree but can be used to fulfill
prerequisites or remove deficiencies. A list of correspondence courses
is available from the Office of Continuing Education and Public
Service.
Requirements for the Master's Degree
The Graduate College requires a minimum of 8 units of credit for
the master's degree. At least 3 units must be in 400-level courses,
and 2 of these 3 units must be in the major field. Credit applied
toward the degree must be earned in courses meeting on the
Urbana-Champaign campus, on the Chicago campus, or in other locations
approved by the Graduate College for graduate credit. Master's degrees
are conferred in May, August, October, and January. Master's
candidates must complete all degree requirements, under normal
circumstances, within five years after their first registration in the
Graduate College.
Some departments require a final examination for the master's
degree. Individual departments also determine master's degree thesis
requirements. Some departments require or recommend a thesis, but
others ask for a "substantial research paper" or require only the
minimum 8 units of course work. Thesis credit is earned in courses
numbered 499 in each department. No more than 3 units, and in some
departments only 2 units, of 499 can be applied to the master's
degree.
Requirements for the Doctoral Degree
Credit and Residence. Doctoral programs are divided into three
stages, as described below, and must include a minimum of 24 units of
credit. At least 16 units, including thesis credit, must be earned in
courses meeting on the Urbana-Champaign campus, at the Chicago campus,
or in other locations approved by the Graduate College for graduate
credit. After the residence requirement has been fulfilled, a student
who plans to leave campus may petition the Graduate College for
permission to register in absentia for thesis credit.
- Stage I-- The master's degree or its equivalent (8 units, or 32
semester hours, of acceptable graduate work at this or another
accredited university).
- Stage II-- One or more additional years devoted to course work and
research in preparation for the preliminary examination, and
fulfillment of the department's special requirements, if these have
not been satisfied earlier. Each department has a procedure for
evaluating a student's progress toward the doctorate. This evaluation,
either by examination or other formal review, results in a decision
about whether a student is making satisfactory progress. The decision
is communicated in writing to the student and to the Graduate
College. Such evaluation takes place no later than the end of the
second year after a student enters the Graduate College. In some
departments, the evaluation may take the form of a qualifying
examination that a student must pass before entering Stage II of a
doctoral program. Passing the preliminary examination marks the end of
Stage II.
- Stage III-- Research and other activities culminating in an
approved dissertation and final oral examination. Continuous
registration, excluding summer sessions, should be maintained until a
student has completed the credit requirement for the doctoral
degree. At this stage, a student who cannot maintain continuous
registration must apply for readmission in order to continue doctoral
study. Registration in 499 (thesis credit) is also 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.
Time Limit
Doctoral candidates must complete all degree
requirements within seven years after their initial registration 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, has six years
in which to complete degree requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement
Each department establishes its own
foreign language requirement; some allow for substitution of research
skills in computer programming language or statistical --
analysis.
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 three or more
members of the graduate faculty.
Decisions of the committees for both preliminary and final
examinations must be unanimous. Each department outlines its policies
regarding preliminary and final examinations as part of the
description of its advanced degree programs and requirements that is
distributed to graduate students in the department.
Theses
NOTE: See also the Thesis
Guidelines. - WWW Editor.
All candidates for the Ph.D. degree and candidates for most other
doctoral degrees are required to write a thesis. Individual
departments may have special requirements in this respect. In
addition, all completed theses must be acceptable for deposit in the
Graduate College; a thesis that fails to meet Graduate College
standards will be rejected. The thesis must be the work of a single
author.
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.
Advanced Certificate
Some departments, such as those in the College of Education and
the Graduate School of Library Science, offer advanced certificates
for students who are interested in additional professional training
beyond the master's degree but who are not planning to obtain the
doctorate. These programs usually require the completion of 8 units of
course work beyond the master's degree. Information concerning
specific advanced certificate programs is available from departmental
offices.
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