University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and SciencesUniversity of Colorado Denver

Master's Candidate Graduation Process

Please refer to the CLAS Master’s Graduation Deadlines. It is important that you adhere to the deadline dates if you desire to graduate in a given semester.

Admission to the Graduate School does not constitute admission to candidacy. Completion of hours of course work does not mean a student is automatically eligible for an advanced degree. Students must have fulfilled appropriate requirements, as established by their major department and the Graduate School.

  • If you have any classes in which you have received an incomplete, this grade must be changed by the date indicated on the master’s deadlines.
  • You must be registered for courses, thesis or project, or as Candidate for Degree during the semester that you take your final examination or defend your thesis/project.
  • Refer to the “Guidelines for Preparing Master’s and Doctoral Theses” (61-page PDF) if submitting a thesis.

Complete and submit the following:

  • Application for Admission to Candidacy Form (PDF)  This initiates a process of determining if the student has met all of the other requirements for the degree, and is eligible to submit a thesis.
  • Intent to Graduate (online process)  (This must be completed at the beginning of the semester you plan to graduate, even if previously submitted)
  • Request for Graduate Examination Form (Word .doc) (submit 1 week prior to exam)
  • Preliminary copy of thesis to the Graduate School to be checked for format review
  • Finalized copies of thesis – 2 copies on thesis bond paper, 1 copy on regular paper must be submitted to the Graduate School by the deadline specified. Binding fee must be paid when submitted

TIME LIMIT EXCEPTIONS

For students admitted to a master's degree program prior to January 2009, the degree should be completed within 7 years of acceptance into the program of study.  If you exceed this time limit, you must obtain an approved extension from your graduate program director and the CLAS Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students admitted after January 2009 will have 5 years to complete the master's degree, due to a revision of the Graduate School Rules.