Graduate Policies: Time Limit on Degree Completion

Master's Candidates

Master’s degree students have a maximum of seven years from the date of the start of course work after admission to the program to complete all degree requirements. This limit can be extended by a leave of absence approved by the student’s graduate program.

If you have taken longer than seven (7) years to complete your degree, your graduate advisor must write a memo addressed to the CLAS Graduate Associate Dean indicating why your degree progress was interrupted and asking for an extension of this time limit for a stated amount of time (usually one year).

Individual graduate programs may have time limits that are more stringent.

Ph.D. Candidates

Doctoral students have eight years from the date of the start of course work after admission to complete all degree requirements for a PhD (10 years with approved leave of absence).

Individual graduate programs may have time limits that are more stringent.

Validating Courses Older than 10 Years (all Graduate students)

Students who want to include a course taken more than ten (10) years prior to their graduating semester must have the course validated by the instructor or by arrangement with their graduate advisor, at the discretion of the department. Use the Course Validation Form (PDF) and forward to the CLAS Dean's Office.