General Information on Master of Arts Degrees

Requirements for the Master of Arts

As soon as possible after regular admission to graduate study, the student should meet with a faculty adviser to develop a program of study. This program must be filed with the Education Student Services Office prior to completion of the last 15 hours of coursework. Program revisions may be requested later but also must be approved by the student's adviser and the dean's representative.

Twenty percent of resident graduate coursework may be transferred from other accredited universities' graduate programs. A maximum of 49 percent of acceptable graduate work (no grade below B) may be transferred from other campuses of the University of Missouri. Credits are transferred only with the recommendation of the adviser and the consent of the dean's representative in the School of Education. Transfer credit must not be more than seven years old at the time of program completion.

Transfer credit may be allowed for correspondence courses, provided the credits meet the above criteria. A maximum of six semester hours of continuing education courses that have been taken for graduate credit (workshops, special topics) may be included on a master's program. Students must provide a letter from the transfer institution clarifying the grade equivalent for transfer work posted as "credit" or "pass."

For regular courses taken through continuing education at UMKC to apply on degree programs, the student must be admitted to graduate study and have an approved program on file, including the continuing education courses.

The amount of workshop credit, either 498 or 470 series courses, that can apply toward a master's degree can not exceed more than 9 credit hours or more than 25 percent of the total degree program.

Credit more than seven years old at the time of degree completion must be validated. To validate a course, the student must meet with the instructor of the current equivalent course to devise a plan in which the student's current knowledge of the coursework can be assessed. Faculty may ask the student to write a paper, review current literature, or take examinations to determine whether the student's knowledge of the subject is acceptable. A maximum of 30 percent of the student's program of study may be validated under this procedure. All validation must be completed prior to the completion of the final semester of enrollment for the degree.

A thesis is not required for the master of arts degree, although the option for a thesis is available. A final integrating experience or independent or group research study may be required of those not selecting the thesis option.

Requirements for Retention

1. Meet all admission requirements.
2. File a planned program of study in consultation with a faculty adviser and have it approved by the dean's representative in the Education Student Services Office.
3. Complete all coursework listed on the approved program of study.
4. Maintain an acceptable graduate GPA with no grades below B- (3.0) in 300- or 400-level courses, no grades below C (2.0) in any 5500-level course, at least 80 percent of the degree program completed with grades of A or B, and a 3.0 average maintained in all graduate coursework, regardless of whether the courses are on the actual degree program.
5. Apply for the degree (graduation) by the posted deadline during the final term of enrollment.
6. Enroll in at least one credit hour during the term they intend to graduate.