2013-2014 Graduate Catalog Downloadable PDF (10.71MB)

136 Degree Information/The Degree of Master of Land and Property DevelopmentPersons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of thecandidate and the major professor, attend final examinations for advanced degrees. Uponcompletion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves fromthe proceedings.A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissensionis required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricterrequirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department.Thesis-option candidates may petition to be exempt from their final examinationprovided their degree plan GPR is 3.500 or greater and they have the approval ofthe advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department and the Office ofGraduate and Professional Studies. It is recommended that the petition for exemption besubmitted the same semester the student intends to submit the thesis.A non-thesis option student cannot be exempted from the final examination. Examresults must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee members approvedby the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies. If an approved committeemember substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must also be submitted tothe Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.Application for DegreeGraduate degrees are conferred at the close of each regular semester and 10-weeksummer semester. A candidate for an advanced degree who expects to complete his/herwork at the end of a given semester must apply for graduation by submitting the electronicapplication for degree to the Office of the Registrar and by paying the requiredgraduation fee to the Fiscal Department no later than the Friday of the second week ofthe fall or spring semester or the Friday of the first week of the first summer term. Theelectronic application for degree can be accessed via the student’s Howdy portal.A cancellation made after the application deadline will not receive a refund of thediploma fee. Students who have completed all their degree requirements will notbe allowed to cancel their graduation. The Registrar attempts each semester to balancethe size of each ceremony. A student should check the website of the Office of theRegistrar at graduation.tamu.edu to determine the date and time of his/her graduationceremony.The Degree of Master of Landscape ArchitectureThe College of Architecture offers a non-thesis program leading to the degree ofMaster of Landscape Architecture (MLA). The degree requires the completion of aminimum of 45 hours of coursework and a satisfactory comprehensive final examination.Residence (See Residence Requirements, page 34.)A student must complete 12 credit hours in resident study at Texas A&M Universityto satisfy the residence requirement for the Master of Landscape Architecture degree.Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill totalresidence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester.In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waiversand Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Office of Graduateand Professional Studies.