Procedures for Earning a Master’s Degree

Graduate Advising

Each department is responsible for evaluating the qualifications of its prospective graduate students. One of the evaluation tools used by some departments is a proficiency examination administered by the department. When undergraduate preparation in the chosen field of graduate study is insufficient, a student’s major advisor may prescribe additional work. If the department determines that a student is deficient in one or more areas, the student is expected to remove these deficiencies.

The chairperson of the concerned department or the delegated representative will advise the student in outlining a degree program. All departmental advisors signing approval for graduate student academic programs must have been approved by their departments. When a student’s eligibility is assured, the academic advisor will admit the student to candidacy for the master’s degree and later will recommend the conferment of the degree. When required by the degree program, the research paper, creative project, and thesis will be written under the supervision of an academic advisor who is a member of the department in which a student has selected a major.

Registration

Upon receiving registration clearance, graduate students may register for courses on the Self-Service Banner section of my.bsu.edu. A Ball State University e-mail account is needed to use online registration services.

All students are expected to register before the beginning of a given term for which they will take classes. The period of advance registration for each semester and term is specified in the Schedule of Classes and the Office of Registration’s website at www.bsu.edu/registration. The penalty for late registration is a late-registration fee.

Changes of address or telephone number after registration are to be reported to the Office of the Registrar.

Research Plans

Candidates for master’s degrees will organize their graduate study to meet the requirements of one of four research plans:

• thesis, 6 graduate credits;
• research paper, 3 credits;
• creative project, 3 or 6 credits; or,
• graduate research methodology course plan, a minimum of 3 graduates credits.

The research requirement must be taken at Ball State University.

Before beginning work on a thesis/research/creative project, a student must submit a topic approval form, approved by his or her advisor and the appropriate departmental chairperson or designee, to the dean of the Graduate School. The form, obtainable online on the Graduate School’s website, is to be accompanied by a short (up to 300 words) description of the proposed research paper, creative project, or thesis.

Although the concerned department has the responsibility for determining the manual or form to be followed in writing the thesis, research paper, or creative project, projects must also conform to Graduate School guidelines located on the Graduate School’s website.

Students must be registered during their final semester.  If not registering for a course or courses, the candidate will register for MAST 600, Master’s Candidate, for a fee of $75. A master’s candidate may also take MAST 600 under other circumstances when not registered for a course or courses in order to access university services—for instance, while working off an incomplete grade—with the approval of the candidate’s committee chairperson or graduate advisor.

Thesis (THES 698)

This plan requires the candidate to present a thesis embodying the results of a study of some subject directly related to the area of specialization. The thesis must show that the candidate can pursue a research problem successfully and draw valid and significant conclusions from the data. The student must have a committee of three faculty members selected in consultation with the department chairperson.  A student’s thesis may be approved with one dissenting committee vote.  If one member of the thesis committee dissents, the dissenting member and, if appropriate, the chairperson of the thesis committee will file with the dean of the Graduate School a letter detailing the circumstances of the dissent.

A student is not permitted to submit a thesis before completing 12 credits of graduate work and the candidate’s advisor and departmental chairperson have signed a statement approving the subject. A student must also be in good academic standing to register for THES 698. Approval forms are available on the Graduate School webpage.

The approved thesis must be presented to the dean of the Graduate School in final form by the submission deadline during the term in which the student is to be certified for graduation. The final digital copy of the approved thesis, any accompanying materials, and up to 300-word abstract of the thesis describing the nature of the study and findings must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically. Two hard-copy documents, the Final Approval Form and the ETD Signature Form, signed by all three members of the student’s committee and the department chairperson, must be submitted to the Graduate School. The approval form needs to be signed by all members of the committee, even if the thesis passes with a dissenting vote. If one member of the thesis committee dissents, the dissenting member and, if appropriate, the chairperson of the examining committee will file with the dean of the Graduate School a letter detailing the circumstances of the dissent. If the departmental advisor and the department chairperson are the same person, another member of the graduate faculty within the department of the student’s major must also sign the form, indicating familiarity with the project and knowledge of the student’s work.

The student who writes a thesis must enroll in THES 698: Thesis, for a total of 6 credits. The thesis is not used to meet the requirements for any course except THES 698.

The grading system used for THES 698 is credit/no credit.

Research Paper (RES 697)

This paper must be an original study of nonthesis proportions showing that the candidate possesses the abilities to pursue a research problem successfully and to draw valid and significant conclusions from the data. It must be on some subject directly related to the candidate’s area of concentration and must meet the approval of the student’s departmental advisor and the department chairperson.

A student is not permitted to submit a research paper before completing 12 credits of graduate work and the candidate’s advisor and the department chairperson have signed a statement approving the subject. A student must also be in good academic standing to register for RES 697. Approval forms are available online.

The approved research paper must be presented to the dean of the Graduate School in final form by the submission deadline during the term in which the student is to be certified for graduation. The final digital copy of the approved research paper, any accompanying materials, and a 250- to 300-word abstract of the research paper describing the nature of the study and findings must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically. Two hard-copy documents, the Final Approval Form and the ETD Signature Form, signed by the student’s advisor and the department chairperson, must be submitted to the Graduate School, showing that the work is accepted as the student’s research paper for a master’s degree. If the departmental advisor and the department chairperson are the same person, another member of the graduate faculty within the department of the student’s major must also sign the form, indicating familiarity with the paper and knowledge of the student’s work.

The student who writes a research paper must enroll in RES 697: Research Paper for 3 credits. The research paper is not used to meet the requirements of any course except RES 697.

The grading system used for RES 697 is credit/no credit.

Creative Project (CRPR 698)

The creative research project (3 or 6 credits) must be in the student’s concentration area. Examples of creative projects are a musical arrangement, composition, or recital; painting(s), sculpture, or a craft project; a literary composition; and instructional units in science or social science. The creative project must be supported by a written report that includes background research and other significant information basic to the project, as well as a thorough description of the project itself. The student is required to have a committee of three for the 6-credit project and an advisor for the 3- credit project. These members will be selected in consultation with the department chairperson.  For the 6-credit project, a student’s creative project may be approved with one dissenting committee vote.  If one member of the thesis committee dissents, the dissenting member and, if appropriate, the chairperson of the committee will file with the dean of the Graduate School a letter detailing the circumstances of the dissent.

A creative research project must show evidence of superior craftsmanship and creative scholarship and must be limited to students, on the recommendation of the department chairperson, who are capable of exhibiting these traits. It must meet the approval of the student’s advisor and the chairperson of the department concerned.

A student is not permitted to submit a creative project before completing 12 credits of graduate work and obtaining a signed statement from the departmental advisor and the department chairperson approving the project. A student must also be in good academic standing to register for CRPR 698. Approval forms are available online.

The approved creative project must be presented to the dean of the Graduate School in final form by the submission deadline during the term in which the student is to be certified for graduation. The final digital copy of the approved project, any accompanying materials, and a 250- to 300-word abstract of the project describing the nature of the project must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically. Two hard-copy documents, the Final Approval Form and the ETD Signature Form, signed by all three members of the student’s committee (for a 6-credit project) or the student’s advisor (for a 3-credit project) and the department chairperson, must be submitted to the Graduate School, showing that the work is accepted as the student’s creative research project for the master’s degree. For the 6-credit project, if one member of the creative project committee dissents, the dissenting member and, if appropriate, the chairperson of the committee will file with the dean of the Graduate School a letter detailing the circumstances of the dissent. If the departmental advisor and the departmental chairperson are the same person, another member of the graduate faculty in the student’s major department must also sign the form.

The student who writes a creative project will enroll in CRPR 698: Creative Project for a total of 3 or 6 credits. The creative research project is not used to meet the requirements for any course except CRPR 698.

The grading system used for CRPR 698 is credit/no credit.

Graduate Research Methodology Course Plan

This course plan is not approved as a research plan option in some master’s degree programs. For these programs, a thesis, research paper, or creative project is required.

A candidate for a master’s degree choosing the graduate research methodology course plan will complete an appropriate research course at Ball State University totaling a minimum of 3 credits. The research course, with departmental approval, will constitute a part of the master’s degree major.

Each academic unit offering a master’s degree will identify the course or courses it will use to satisfy the research course requirement of 3 or more credits. The research course may be taken in another department with the approval of the major-area advisor.

Research methodology courses identified as appropriate should emphasize either basic or applied research skills, or both. Unlike other graduate courses in the major area dealing with research, this course will have research as its primary focus and will be taught by persons with special research competencies and interests. Course content should include preparation of a research study, report, or paper.

Comprehensive Examinations for the Master’s Degree

The Graduate School does not require comprehensive examinations for master’s degree students. Departments and academic units that do have these requirements solely determine the format that is most appropriate for their disciplines but must adhere to the following general guidelines:

• The comprehensive examinations should be taken when the majority of the course work required for the master’s degree is completed. The examinations will be offered each academic semester, the time and place to be determined by the administering department or academic unit.
• The examining committee will be made up of three members of the graduate faculty representing the student’s major area(s) of study and will evaluate the student’s performance.
• The committee decision will be either “pass” or “fail.” A student's exam may be passed with one dissenting committee vote. 
• The examining committee chairperson will notify the student, department chairperson or program director, and the Graduate School in writing of the outcome when the student has completed the comprehensive examination. If one member of the thesis committee dissents, the dissenting member and, if appropriate, the chairperson of the examining committee will file with the dean of the Graduate School a letter detailing the circumstances of the dissent. 
• A failed examination may be repeated only one time. The committee members who administered the first examination will also administer the retest.
• A student who fails the examination after two attempts is not allowed to complete graduate studies in that program, and the master’s degree will not be conferred.

Exceptions to the above guidelines must be approved in advance by the dean of the Graduate School.

A student must pass the comprehensive examination before submitting a final copy of the research paper, creative project, or thesis (if required) to the Graduate School

Final Thesis or Creative Project Defense

Candidates for master’s degrees may be required or may choose to write a thesis or a six-credit creative project. The Graduate School does not require an oral defense for theses or six-credit creative projects. Departments and academic units that do have this requirement solely determine the format that is most appropriate for their disciplines, but they must adhere to the following general guidelines:

• The defense will cover the thesis or six-credit creative project in its final form and will be administered by the student’s committee. The time and place of the defense should be scheduled at least 10 days in advance. All committee members must be supplied a copy of the thesis or creative project well in advance of the scheduled defense to allow adequate time to review the final project. No defense will be given without all committee members present, unless prior consent is granted by the graduate dean in consultation with the chairperson of the committee and the absent committee member (see Distance Conferencing Guidelines for videoconferencing policy).
• If, in the opinion of the committee chairperson or upon a motion duly passed by a majority of the committee, it is deemed desirable to discontinue the oral defense, the chairperson may recess the oral defense until a time mutually agreeable to the student and the committee.
• After the conclusion of the defense and when the committee has determined the success or failure of the student, all the committee members must sign the Final Examination Form. The department chairperson or designate also signs the form and forwards it to the Graduate School.
• If the candidate has failed the defense, the committee must prepare a report including reasons for failure and requirements to be met. The committee chairperson must file this report with the dean of the Graduate School within seven days from the date of the defense. Permission to defend for a second time must be obtained from the chairperson of the student’s committee and the dean of the Graduate School. Failure to pass the second defense will result in termination of master’s degree study for said degree program. 
• Upon passing the final thesis or creative project defense, the candidate can be formally recommended to receive the degree when all course work is completed satisfactorily.

A student who has failed the defense may request the department to be allowed to complete a master’s degree without the thesis or six-credit creative project in academic areas in which the thesis or creative project is not required. The student must, however, complete all degree requirements for said degree program, including the appropriate research course or courses, as would any student who did not choose the thesis or creative project option.

Grading System

The graduate grading system and credit points are as follows:

The following grades are not included in the calculation of GPAs: W (Withdrawal), I (Incomplete), AU (Audit), and EC (Enrollment Continued).

All graduate grades are used in computing the student’s cumulative GPA. An overall scholastic ratio of 3.0 GPA (B average) must be attained before admission to candidacy and the final awarding of any master’s degree. An average of B is also required in the student’s major. An overall scholastic GPA of 3.2 must be attained before admission to candidacy and the final awarding of any specialist or doctoral degree. No course with a grade below 2.0 (C- or lower) may be counted toward any degree program. Individual departments may have higher minimum grade requirements. Consult the individual departments for a description of the minimum grade requirements.

A grade of I represents incomplete work and is given only when the instructor permits a student to finish incomplete work. In cooperation with the department chairperson, the instructor determines the validity of the claim to an incomplete grade and outlines the procedure for its removal and the time limit for completing the work. The maximum time permitted for the completion of an I grade is one year. If an I grade is not removed within the time agreed upon, it automatically becomes an F grade. Upon written notification to the registrar, the dean of the Graduate School may approve an extension of time up to one more year.

At the close of each semester or term of attendance, a report of grades earned will be available on http://my.bsu.edu. Any change in a grade already reported must be made by the instructor on a Change-of-Grade form. Grade changes must be approved by the dean of the college concerned before filing in the Office of the Registrar. Any such change must be completed within one year of the close of the session for which the grade was due.

Incomplete capstone projects in CRPR 698, RES 697, THES 698, or DISS 799 may be handled in one of three ways: credit may be given on an ongoing basis if the student is making progress, with the understanding that the student cannot graduate until the project is submitted to and approved by the Graduate School; instructors may assign a grade of NC and may change the grade to CR when the project is complete; or instructors may request an extension of the I grade.

Course Repetition

A graduate student may not repeat more than one time a course for which a grade has been given unless the course is offered for variable credit. The repetition of a course does not remove the previous grades from the student’s official academic record. The last grade in a course will be used in computing the scholastic ratio (GPA). The credits will count only once toward meeting minimum credit requirements for graduation.

Individual programs may impose additional limitations on course repetitions with the approval of the dean of the Graduate School. Students are advised to familiarize themselves with program policies.

Auditing a Course

A student who wishes to take a course without expectation of credit registers as an auditor. No credit will be earned; however, a transcript entry of “audit” may be recorded. The instructor will decide whether an audit class is to be posted on the permanent record.

Credit/No Credit

The option of credit/no credit is generally not available for graduate courses above zero credits with the exception of graduate student teaching courses, RES 697, THES 698, CRPR 698, and DISS 799.