graduate school bulletin - Southern University at Baton Rouge

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE | Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Master Degree Requirements
Please Note:
Extension courses taken at Southern University and/or other
institutions may not be transferred as graduate credits or
used toward a graduate degree.
Graduate credits will not be officially transferred without a fully
executed application form, appropriate supporting documents
and the required approvals as outlined in this policy.
WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSE(S)/UNIVERSITY
• Students who must discontinue enrollment prior to the
end of a semester or Summer term, must complete and
submit a withdrawal form obtained from the Office of the
Registrar within the published deadlines. All University
accounts must be cleared prior to withdrawal.
• Students who withdraw on or before the 14th class day of
any semester, or on or before the 7th class day during a
Summer session, will receive a “W.”
• Students may not withdraw less than two calendar weeks
prior to the first day of the final examination period. In a
Summer term, students may not withdraw from the
University less than one calendar week prior to the first
day of final examinations.
• Students who fail to officially withdraw or satisfactorily
complete courses in which they are enrolled or students
who withdraw but fail to settle pending university
accounts will receive “F” grades in all courses in which
they were enrolled. Furthermore, students who fail to
settle outstanding university accounts after withdrawal
will forfeit all rights to a Statement of Honorable Dismissal
and jeopardize their readmission to the University or their
transfer to another accredited institution.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR A DEGREE
To receive a graduate degree, the Graduate School requires
the student to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on all
graduate course work, and all course work applied specifically
to the degree. A grade of D or F in any course work may not be
used to satisfy degree requirements. A maximum of two grades
below B are acceptable for credit toward graduate degrees.
Requirements for Master’s Degrees
The Master of Arts degree usually is awarded to qualified
candidates in the humanities, the social sciences, education
and all nonscientific fields except public administration, some
programs in education and other specialized fields. The Master
of Science degree is awarded to candidates in the natural,
physical, mathematical, and agricultural sciences and in nursing.
The following regulations represent the minimum and general
requirements of the Graduate School. Colleges and departments
may have additional regulations beyond those stated
below. Therefore, satisfaction of the minimum requirements of
the Graduate School, as stipulated in this catalog, does not relieve
graduate students of the responsibility for satisfying any
additional requirements of the degree programs in which they
are enrolled. Unless otherwise indicated in the following sections
concerning master’s degrees, these general regulations apply
to all master’s degree programs at Southern University.
Course Requirements
The programs of course work for a master’s degree must be
approved by the student’s advisor, supervisory committee and
the chairperson of the department. No more than six credits
from a previous master’s degree program may be applied
toward a second master’s degree. These credits are applied
only with the written approval of the dean of the Graduate
School and the graduate faculty and chairperson of the
second (new) department.
Degree Requirements
Unless otherwise specified, for any master’s degree, the
student must:
• Successfully complete a minimum of 30 semester credit
hours of graduate work, 24 hours of which must be in
course work, if the thesis option is chosen. For programs
not requiring a thesis and a student’s electing to do a
research project (nonthesis) in lieu of a thesis, the
minimum requirement is 30 semester credit hours of
course work (excluding credit hours for special projects).
• Include in his/her degree program a minimum of 18
semester credit hours in the field of study. A maximum of
six credit hours of thesis may be counted as part of these
18 semester hours. A maximum of two 400-level undergraduate
courses may be utilized to meet the 30 semester
credit hours requirement provided these two courses
meet the conditions set forth in the course numbering
section of this catalog.
• Earn a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0
on all graduate course work, and all course work applied
specifically to the degree.
• Earn no more than two grades below “B” on course work
applied specifically to the degree.
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