Admission to graduate courses does not imply admission to candidacy for a graduate degree. Admission to candidacy will be granted upon the recommendation of the adviser and department head with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The following requirements must be met:

  1. The applicant must have regular degree status.
  2. The applicant must have a cumulative graduate grade-point average of 3.0.
  3. The applicant must apply for candidacy during the semester in which the 12th semester hour of graduate-level work is being completed. These 12 hours can include a maximum of six semester hours of acceptable transfer credits.
  4. A recommendation for admission to candidacy must be submitted by the department.

The Graduate Plan of Study must be completed within the first semester of graduate work or before completion of 12 credit hours of course work using the current graduate bulletin and the Curriculum, Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) system.

The Graduate Plan of Study is not an irrevocable contract between the student and the university. The university may need to change program requirements during the course of study.