Graduate Studies

Apply Now · Catalog · Register For Classes · Research · Scholarships · Financial Aid

General Requirements for Master's Degree

• GRE/GMAT/MAT

The GRE General test is required for students who are pursuing a Master's degree. If you are pursuing a certification with no degree, scores are not required. The GRE test is offered at any Prometric/Sylvan Learning Center. Master of Business Administration students may substitute acceptable scores on the GMAT.  Other departments may also accept the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

Students who have been conditionally admitted without their GRE or GMAT scores have one semester of enrollment to take the test and submit their scores. If the student fails to submit acceptable scores before the subsequent semester, a hold will be placed on their record and they will not be allowed to register for classes until acceptable scores are received. Scores may take 2-3 weeks to arrive in the Graduate Office. For this reason we suggest taking the test at least two months before classes begin the next semester. This gives the student time to register for classes without being assessed a late fee. Acceptable scores are determined based on the student's last 60 hours GPA at the time of admission. Students will be notified by the Graduate Office if their scores do not meet the requirements.

• Degree Plan

All students must have filed a degree plan in order to be considered for graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with their advisor to establish a degree plan. The catalog of the academic year you were first granted admission is your official contract. However, since courses are selected by you and approved by your advisor to fulfill degree requirements, the degree plan is the official record of courses taken that will apply toward your declared degree program. Consult with your advisor to ensure accurate records of all courses transferred from other institutions and course substitutions.

A graduate student’s degree plan includes those courses listed for degree credit on the official degree plan form. All courses on the approved degree plan must be completed with a satisfactory grade to meet requirements for the degree. Changes in an approved plan can be made by recommendation to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies by the student’s complete advisory committee and head of his or her major department.  If a student decides to change their major, they must contact their advisor to file an updated (revised) degree plan in the Graduate Office.

Courses listed for graduate credit on the approved degree plan in which the student has received a final grade may not normally be removed from the degree plan, although courses acceptable for graduate credit may be added. The student’s advisory committee, head of his or her major department, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies must approve exceptions to this policy.

• Thesis

Not every graduate program at Tarleton requires a thesis for completion of a master’s degree.

Students must have full admission to a degree program and the permission of the department head to enroll in thesis. A thesis will not be accepted unless a student has completed a minimum of six semester hours of thesis course work. The Thesis Manual contains details regarding the preparation and submission of a thesis for approval. Students who plan to pursue a thesis should obtain a copy of this manual early in their graduate programs.

Students who pursue a thesis are required to enroll each semester in at least one thesis course until the thesis is completed. Those who make satisfactory progress will be given the grade of I. Once the thesis has been approved and accepted, the final six semester hours of thesis will be assigned the grade of S. The thesis grade of S is not included in the GPA calculation for the degree major or minor.

• Comprehensive Exams

Candidates for any of the master’s degrees at Tarleton must satisfactorily pass a comprehensive examination. A graduate student must be admitted to candidacy for a degree before he/she will be allowed to take the comprehensive examination.

The policies and procedures for the comprehensive examinations are available in the office of the department head of the student’s major field of study. Early in their degree program students should review the requirements for taking the examination. Some departments require both oral and written examinations, which must be scheduled early in the semester in which they are to be administered. Consult the university calendar for deadlines for submission of comprehensive examination results to the College of Graduate Studies.

The oral examination, when required, is conducted by the student’s advisory committee. A representative of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will be invited to participate in this examination.

Students whose performance on the comprehensive examination is unsatisfactory may reschedule an examination at the next regular administration, or, at the discretion of the advisory committee and head of the department involved, at an earlier date. Unless departmental requirements are more limiting, students who attempt the comprehensive examination three times and are not successful will be dropped from the graduate program.

• Applying for Graduation

Candidates for a degree must complete the application for graduation form not later than the dates specified in the University Calendar. The form can be found online at the College of Graduate Studies web site or in the Stephenville office. Applications received after the due date will not be accepted and the student will be required to file for graduation during the next possible semester. If the student does not graduate in the semester applied for then he/she must re-apply for graduation; they will not be automatically rolled to the next term.

To be considered for degree conferral, a candidate must be in good standing with the University, have an application for graduation on file, have a degree plan on file, and successfully completed all major requirements. All contractual and financial obligations to the University must be satisfied.

• Degree Minor

A student may declare a minor of 12 hours in a second field. It is possible for anyone with an established major to take a minor in any department that offers 6 hours of graduate courses and 6 hours of upper-level undergraduate courses.

• Research and Practicum Requirement

All students seeking a master's degree must have credit for an approved research course.

continue to:  Academic Honesty