Texas A&M University Graduate Catalog

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Degree Information

The Degree of Master of Arts

Non-Thesis Option

In some departments of the University requirements for the Master of Arts degree may be satisfied by completing a minimum of 36 semester hours approved by the student’s advisory committee and department head and subject to the Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses.

A student pursuing the non-thesis option is not allowed to enroll in 691 (Research) for any reason and 691 may not be used for credit toward a non-thesis option Master of Arts degree. No credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship) may be used for the degree of Master of Arts non-thesis option, with the exception of the non-thesis option Master of Arts in Philosophy, for which a student may use up to 6 credit hours of 684. A maximum of 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research) and up to 3 credit hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used toward the non-thesis option Master of Arts degree. In addition, any combination of 684, 685, 690 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan.

A thesis is not required. A final comprehensive examination is required. The requirements as to level of courses and examinations are the same as for the thesis option Master of Arts degree.

A student shall be given only one opportunity to repeat the final examination for the master’s degree and that must be within a time period that does not extend beyond the end of the next regular semester (summer terms are excluded). No examination may be held prior to the mid-point of the semester or summer term in which a student will complete all remaining courses on the degree plan.

A student in the non-thesis option cannot be exempted from his/her final examination. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided consistency exists within all degree programs within a department.

All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Arts degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.