Master of Arts in Social Science

A full-time student in the MASS Program will be finished with all coursework in four semesters. Thirty-six hours of graduate course work and possibly a thesis may seem daunting at the beginning–and it is–but those four semesters go very quickly. All students are urged to use this timeline as a guide to finishing the program in a timely fashion.

	Comprehensive Exam Students	Thesis Students
First Semester	1. Early in the semester have a detailed discussion with the Program Director about your specific goals. 2. Meet and talk to as many faculty in your concentration as possible. A major strength of this Program is its diverse faculty–diverse in interests, experience, and personality. The better you know the faculty the easier your choice of Committee Chair will be. BY THE END OF THE SEMESTER: 1. Decide on the Thesis or Exam option. 2. Discuss Graduate Committee composition with the Program Director.
Second Semester	1. Early in the semester negotiate with a faculty member to serve as your Graduate Committee chair. 2. Discuss Committee composition with your Committee Chair. 3. If you intend to pursue the Thesis option provide a substantial writing sample to your Committee as soon as possible. BY THE END OF THE SEMESTER: 1. Constitute a full Graduate Committee and get all members to sign the . . .
	Committee Contract (Exam). 2. Identify the major foci of the Comprehensive Exam.	Committee Contract (Thesis). 2. Obtain Committee approval to pursue the Thesis option. 3. Students intending to go on to Ph.D. programs should identify and discuss potential programs with their Committee Chair.
First Summer	Begin reading for Comprehensive Exam	Begin Thesis research and initial writing.
Third Semester	1. Coordinate the specific requirements for your Historiographical Essay or Literature Review with your Chair. 2. Provide a first draft of your essay to your Chair.	1. ASAP contact professors from who you want letters of recommendation for Ph.D. programs. 2. By 31 January provide your Chair with a brief (5-10 pages) introduction to your Thesis. This will become the basis for your Thesis Proposal (see Thesis Guidelines). 3. Before the Thanksgiving break get all surveys approved by the University's Human Subjects Review Board if necessary. 4. 1 NOVEMBER. Thesis Proposal due to the Program Director. Must be signed first by your Committee Chair and Department Chair. If surveys require Human Subjects Review Board approval the Board's approval must be attached to the proposal.
Fourth Semester	Turn in your Graduation Card. All students filing graduation cards after the first week of the semester will be assessed a $100.00 late fee.
	1. Prior to Spring Break provide a final draft of your Historiographical Essay or Literature Review, approved by your Chair, to your Committee. 2. By Spring Break schedule your Comprehensive Examination and your Final Oral Examination.	1. Prior to Spring Break provide a final draft of your Thesis, approved by your Chair, to your Committee. 2. Schedule your Thesis Defense and Final Oral Examination.
	Even though you turned in a graduation card at the beginning of the semester, you may not participate in Graduation if you have not COMPLETED all Program requirements and scheduled your examinations. All examinations must be completed and your thesis turned in within two weeks of graduation if your graduation is to be posted in this particular semester.

Students who enter the program during the Spring semester should adjust this timeline as appropriate. Specific due dates for the thesis Proposal can be found on the Thesis Guidelines page.

Degree Completion

The Master's Degree in Social Sciences is not completed until the student provides the following to the Program Director, who must certify degree completion to the Dean of Graduate Studies and the University Registrar:

Thesis Students:

A copy of the signed Thesis signature page, and
A receipt from Baron-Forness Library acknowledging receipt of at least four copies of the Thesis for binding.

Non-thesis Students:

A signed copy of the Comprehensive Exam Completion Form,
A copy of Comprehensive Exam responses, and
A copy of the Historiographical Essay or Literature Review.

To be credited with graduation in a particular semester or session ALL REQUIREMENTS must be completed within two weeks of the official end of the semester or session.