Required of all programs and degree types:
Degree Verification
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.
Overall Graduate GPA at least 3.0 and no grades of C- or lower; Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree.
Course Number Acceptability
The Program of Study for a master’s degree must include at least 15 semester credits at the level of 6000 or above.
Credits in the following areas are not acceptable in a degree program: foreign languages (unless included in an approved Program of Study), continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 3000.
Matriculation Start Semester
A master’s degree must be completed within six years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review.
Coursework Validity
Coursework over eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated.
USU Residency Requirement
At least 24-semester credits for a master’s degree must be from a committee-approved and a School of Graduate Studies-approved Program of Study from Utah State University
Thesis Research Credits 6970
Master’s Plan A students:
The Plan A option requires the preparation and defense of a thesis. Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 semester credits of thesis research (PSC 6970 ) that will be applied toward a Program of Study.
Master’s Plan B students:
A Plan B option requires the production and defense of a paper or project. Students are required to complete a minimum of 2 credits of thesis research (PSC 6970 ) with a maximum of 3 thesis research credits applied toward a Program of Study.
Professional/Plan C students cannot use any thesis/dissertation credits.
Degree Requirements
Minimum Total Credits
The minimum requirement for a master’s degree is 30 semester credits.
Course requirements leading to MS degrees are developed jointly by the student and the student’s supervisory committee. Each student must have a Program of Study approved by their supervisory committee.
The following are required:
- 15 credits minimum of committee-approved 6000-7000 level courses
- including 2 credits of Plants, Soils and Climate Graduate seminar (PSC 6890 )
(5000 level courses are considered upper-division and may be used in a graduate program if approved by the supervisory committee)
- 2-15 credits of Thesis Research credits (PSC 6970 ) depending on plan type.
- Plan A - minimum of 6 credits, maximum of 15 credits
- Plan B - minimum of 2 credits, maximum of 3 credits
Course selections reflect areas of specialization. Designation of a specialization is optional. Official specializations will appear on transcript. There are additional specific departmental requirements regarding physical sciences, biological sciences, and mathematics courses, which differ depending on the program and area of specialization.
All MS students write a Plan A thesis or create a Plan B project under the guidance of their advisor and supervisory committee. The master’s thesis must be successfully defended before the supervisory committee and submitted to the library.
