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1. Minimum of 60 graduate credits;
2. Minimum of 40 graduate credits of coursework;
3. Maximum of 24 graduate credits from a completed master’s degree program or previous post-baccalaureate work may be applied to the program (this includes grad special and transfer). Alternatively, doctoral students earning a master’s en route to a doctorate may transfer all units of coursework to their doctoral program;
4. Maximum of 9 graduate credits of S/U grading (including transfer credits);
5. At least 18 credits of 700-level graduate credits exclusive of dissertation credits are required: as many as 18 of these credits may be used from a master's degree program;
6. Must enroll in a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 30 dissertation credits for degree completion (see program requirement). With the program director's approval, internship/externship experiences can count for dissertation credits;
7. Fulfill residency requirement by completing two consecutive semesters (including summer sessions) consisting of six (6) graduate credits each;
8. All requirements for the doctoral program, excluding prerequisite graduate course work or master's degrees, must be completed within a period of eight (8) years immediately preceding the granting of the degree;
9. Continuous enrollment;
10. Minimum enrollment of 3 graduate credits each fall and spring semester;
11. Some graduate programs have additional requirements;
12. No undergraduate credits can be applied to any advanced degree program; and
13. Every graduate course must be completed with a grade of “C “or better.

Doctoral advisory-examining committees consist of five (5) to six (6) members of the Graduate Faculty.

The committee is composed of:

1. The committee chair;
2. two (2) faculty members with graduate faculty status in the student’s doctoral program;
3. at least one (1) and a maximum of two (2) faculty members who may hold graduate faculty status in the program of the University, or who may be from another institution; and
4. one (1) Graduate School representative who cannot have a primary appointment in the same department (or another major unit where a department structure does not exist) as the student’s committee chair and cannot have graduate faculty status in the student’s doctoral program. In the case of interdisciplinary graduate programs, the Graduate School Representative cannot have a primary appointment in the same department (or other appropriate major unit) as the student’s committee chair but may have graduate faculty status in the student’s graduate program. The director of an interdisciplinary graduate program cannot serve as the Graduate School Representative on advisory/examining committees within the same interdisciplinary graduate program.

The committee chair may be a different faculty member than the student’s primary advisor, as determined by the program or department (school, college). The committee chair must hold graduate faculty status in the student’s doctoral program. The Graduate School Representative must be a faculty member at UNR and a member of the graduate faculty. In no instance may the Graduate School Representative be an immediate family member, domestic partner, spouse or romantic partner to the chair or any other member of the advisory examining committee. The existence of any such relationships between other members of the examining committee, including the chair, must be disclosed to the student and to the committee chair when the composition of the committee is being determined. The Graduate Dean makes formal approval of the student’s advisory/examining committee.

A faculty of another institution from a relevant discipline or profession may be appointed as a committee member, provided the prospective member has achieved a record of distinction. The student’s Advisory Committee will decide if the prospective member is an appropriate addition to the committee. The Graduate Dean must approve them as a committee member listed under section III who will have voting rights. If approved, this committee member will be recorded as a member of the ÍƼöÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ graduate faculty whose privileges are limited to serving as a committee member for the specific graduate program, for which they have been approved. This person is not eligible to serve as a Graduate School Representative or as sole committee chair.

The advisory-examining committee consists of at least three members of the graduate faculty, two representing the area of specialization and one who is the Graduate School Representative. If a major/minor program is elected, there must be one committee member representing the major, one representing the minor and one who is the Graduate School Representative. All graduate degree advisory committee members must be members of the University graduate faculty.

Interdisciplinary/interdepartmental master’s degree programs

The committee may consist entirely of faculty from that interdisciplinary/interdepartmental program provided that the role of the Graduate School Representative is filled by a graduate faculty member who holds an academic appointment in a department of program different from that of the chair of the committee.

Committee composition

Thesis advisory/examining committees consist of at least three (3) members of the Graduate Faculty. Two (2) faculty members, not necessarily from the student’s department, represent the student’s area of specialization and one (1) faculty member is selected to serve as the Graduate School Representative. Students may request the appointment of a committee member from the faculty of another university or from a relevant discipline or profession, provided the prospective member has achieved a record of distinction. Any member outside of UNR may not serve as the Graduate School Representative. They are approved as an “additional inside member”. Formal approval of the student’s advisory/examining committee is made by the Graduate Dean. In case of interdisciplinary graduate programs, the Graduate School Representative cannot have a primary appointment in the same department (or another appropriate major unit) as the student’s committee chair.

Non-thesis/project-based committees consist of at least two (2) faculty members, the major advisor and the graduate program director.

Course-based only committees consist of one (1) faculty member, the graduate program director.

All graduate degree advisory committee members must be members of the University graduate faculty.

Time limitations

All coursework for a master’s degree must be completed within six years preceding the awarding of the degree. This means that for a student beginning graduate-level courses in Fall 2008, the student must complete their degree coursework by August 2014. When the student was officially admitted to their graduate program is irrelevant: it’s the age of the course work they wish to apply towards their degree. The time limitation, therefore, applies to graduate-level courses completed while still an undergraduate, as a graduate special, while in a previous graduate program, when first admitted to their graduate program, or transferred from another institution. And, of course, the six-year window shifts as time goes by. That student who cannot graduate in August 2024 and then applies to graduate in December 2024 now has to have coursework completed no earlier than Spring 2019. Any exceptions to course time limitations approved by the Graduate Dean are for a particular period of time – the approval is not good “forever.” Coursework for doctoral degrees must be completed within eight years preceding the granting of the degree. Credits from a previously completed master’s degree approved to apply to the doctoral degree are exempt from this time limitation.
Grades: All coursework for an advanced degree must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. This means a course for which you receive a “C minus” cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. If the course is required you will have to re-take the course.

S/U grades

There are limits to the number of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (previously called Pass/Fail) credits that may be applied to a degree. For master’s degrees, the limit is six (6); for doctoral degrees, the limit is nine (9). This limit is not applicable to thesis or dissertation credits or credits for the comprehensive exam (courses ending in 795).

Filing the Program of Study

Programs of Study must be filed prior to applying for graduation, generally the semester prior to the one in which you are planning to graduate. The Graduate School website lists the deadlines for filing your program of study under “Important Dates.” Please be aware of these dates. Reminders for deadlines may be emailed to students, but ultimately it is your responsibility as a graduate student to be aware of dates and deadlines. It is best to file a Program of Study as early as possible to avoid delays at graduation time.

Continuous enrollment

All graduate students are required to maintain continuous enrollment to stay in good academic standing. Students without assistantships must be enrolled in a minimum of three (3) graduate credits and students with assistantships must be enrolled for a minimum of six (6) graduate credits each fall and spring semester. Failure to maintain continuous enrollment may result in the student being placed on probation, losing an assistantship and various other consequences. If you know that you will need to be gone during a semester, please file a Leave of Absence.

400-600 level course policy

Courses numbered 600 and above are for graduate units (see numbering explanation in the Course Numbering System of the catalog). A dual-numbered (400-600) course completed at the 400-level for undergraduate units may not be re-taken at the 600-level for graduate units. Courses numbered 500-599 are post-baccalaureate level and not applicable toward a graduate degree.

See more in the 's Academic Requirements for Maintaining Graduate Standing.