University Degree Requirements

The following sections describe the University requirements established by the Graduate School for the Master’s, Education Specialist, and Doctoral degrees. However, individual programs and colleges may establish additional or more stringent requirements. Note: Educational Specialist programs and Doctoral programs are not offered at USF St. Petersburg.

Student Responsibilities

The University of South Florida, the Colleges, and the degree programs therein establish certain academic requirements that must be met before a degree is granted. These requirements concern such things as curricula and courses, majors and minors, and academic residence. Faculty and graduate program directors are available to help the student understand and arrange to meet these requirements, but the student is responsible for fulfilling them.

At the end of a student's course of study, if all requirements for graduation have not been satisfied, the degree will not be granted. For this reason, it is important for students to acquaint themselves with all regulations and to remain currently informed throughout their college careers. Courses, programs, and requirements described in the catalog may be suspended, deleted, restricted, supplemented, or changed in any other manner at any time at the sole discretion of the University and the USF Board of Trustees.

Graduate Faculty Definition

The University of South Florida recognizes Graduate Faculty and Affiliate Graduate Faculty.

Graduate Faculty is defined to consist of all tenure-track or tenured faculty appointed at the Assistant, Associate, or Professor rank, who hold a terminal degree or equivalent in their discipline. Graduate Faculty members are eligible to teach graduate courses and may direct and serve on master's, specialist, and doctoral level committees. To chair a doctoral level committee, a Graduate Faculty member must engage in current and sustained scholarly, creative, or research activities, such as publications, performances, exhibitions, patents, inventions and research grants.

Affiliate Graduate Faculty membership may be granted by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies to individuals whose skills or expertise meet criteria established by the College. Affiliate Graduate Faculty membership is in effect for a specified period of time an specific purposes. Affiliate members may be eligible to teach graduate courses, to serve on master's, specialist, and doctoral level committees, and to co-direct doctoral level committees, at the discretion of the College. Emeritus Professors and retired or recently resigned professors may also be appointed as Affiliate Graduate Faculty with the approval of the College and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies.

For a list of Graduate Faculty and Affiliate Graduate Faculty in any program, contact the program director or coordinator.

Graduate Study Requirements

See USF Regulation 6C4-3.011,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm

Master’s Degree Requirements

Minimum Hours
A minimum of thirty (30) hours is required for a master’s degree, at least sixteen (16) hours of which must be at the 6000 level. At least twenty (20) hours must be in formal, regularly scheduled course work, ten (10) of which must be at the 6000 level.

Up to six (6) hours of 4000-level courses may be taken as part of a planned degree program. Additional graduate credit may be earned in 4000-level courses only if specifically approved by the appropriate College Dean. Students enrolled in undergraduate courses as part of a planned degree program are expected to demonstrate a superior level of performance. Graduate students may not enroll for more than 18 hours in any semester without written permission from the College Dean.

Institutional Residency
The majority of credits toward a master's degree must be earned through instruction offered by the institution granting the degree. Students at USF St. Petersburg are expected to complete the majority of the required credits at USF St. Petersburg. Deviations from this rule must be recommended by the student's committee and approved by the College Dean and teh Associate Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School (Tampa) or the Regional Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies (USF St. Petersburg).

Time Limitations

All requirements for master’s degrees must be completed within five (5) calendar years from the student’s date of admission for graduate study.  Master degrees (including dual degree programs) that require course work in excess of 50 credit hours may be granted a longer statute of limitations by the University Graduate Council.

In the event that a student nears the end of the time limitation as specified above, but the student needs more time to complete the degree, the student may submit a request for an extension using the Time Limit Extension Request Form, available on the Graduate Studies website (http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad.) Requests must include the reasons for the delay in completion, the anticipated time needed for completion, and endorsements from the graduate faculty advisor, graduate program, and College Dean or designee, prior to submission to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.  Students who exceed the time limitations may have their registration placed on hold until a request for extension has been approved.

Students who are temporarily unable to continue the program should submit a Leave of Absence Request, which extends the time limit for the duration of the approved Leave (see the section on Leave of Absence in the Enrollment Requirements section.)

Enrollment Requirements

Refer to the Academic Policies Section

Major Professor

A major professor will be appointed as soon as possible but no later than the time the student has completed 50% of the program. The student and major professor should plan a program of study which, when completed, will satisfy the degree requirements specified. A copy of this program, signed by the student and professor, must be maintained in the student’s department file.  Major Professors must meet the following requirement:

• be regular graduate faculty, as defined by the University. 

Faculty who do not meet this definition may serve as Co-Major Professor with faculty who do.

In the event a Major Professor leaves the University (i.e. for an appointment at another university, due to retirement, etc.) and the Major Professor is willing to continue serving on the student’s committee, the Major Professor then becomes a Co-Major Professor on the committee and another faculty is appointed as the other Co-Major Professor.  It is important that one of the Co-Major Professors be accessible on the university campus for the student to make satisfactory progress on the thesis/dissertation.

In the event a Major Professor is on temporary leave (e.g. sabbatical, research, etc.), the Major Professor shall coordinate with the Program Director to facilitate the needs of the student.

In some instances a student may choose to have two professors serve as Major Professor.  In this situation the faculty are approved as “Co-Major Professors” and jointly serve in that role.  Consequently both faculty must sign approval on paperwork pertaining to the student’s processing (i.e. committee form, change of committee form, etc.)

(Co-) Major Professor(s) of the Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Responsibilities

Available on the Graduate School Website:  http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/policies.asp

Thesis Committee

Students working toward a thesis degree will have the benefit of a committee of members of the graduate faculty. The committee will approve the course of study for the student and plan for research, supervise the research and any comprehensive qualifying exams, and read and approve the thesis for content and format.

Composition
The committee will consist of the major professor and at least two other members or co-major professors and at least one other member of the department or area of interest in which the degree is sought. (Colleges and Programs may require additional committee members and specify characteristics.)

Member Definition

All graduate faculty, as defined by the university and the college/department, and approved by their department and college, are assumed by the Office of Graduate Studies as qualified to be a member of and/or supervise a Masters Thesis committee. Persons desiring to serve on a Masters committee who are not defined as Graduate Faculty (i.e. visiting faculty, professionals, etc.) by the university and the college/department must submit a curriculum vitae and be approved by the department, college, and the Office of Graduate Studies for each committee.

Approval
Once a committee has been determined, a Supervisory Committee Form needs to be completed by the student and submitted to the Committee Members for original signatures. Check with the College for instructions and forms.  The original appointment form and two (2) copies should be submitted to the College Associate Dean’s office for approval.   A copy of the approved form should be kept in the student’s file. 

An approved and current Committee Form must be on file in the program/college before graduation may be certified. Committee forms need to be processed as early in the program as possible, but no later than the semester prior to graduation. (Colleges and departments may institute additional requirements for membership on Supervisory Committees.)

Changes to Committee

Changes to a Supervisory Committee must be submitted on a Change of Committee Form.   Check with the College for instructions and forms.  Original signatures of faculty being added to the Committee, along with the approval signature of the (Co-) Major Professor(s), must be on the form. Faxed signatures are acceptable.

Faculty who are removed from the Committee are not required to sign the form, provided that the (Co-) Major Professor(s) has signed.  In such instances the signature of the (Co-)Major Professor(s) indicate(s) approval of the change, as well as acknowledgement and approval of the change by the removed member.  Any non-faculty being added to a committee must submit a Curriculum Vitae (CV) for college approval. Change of Committee Forms should be submitted for approval as soon as the change takes place. Changes to a Committee are official only once approved and filed by the program and college.

Masters Comprehensive Examination

Prior to clearance for the degree, candidates must perform satisfactorily on a comprehensive examination or an alternative method designated by the academic unit to measure student competency in the major area. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of two (2) hours of graduate credit during the semester when the comprehensive examination is taken. If the exam is taken between semesters, the student must be enrolled for a minimum of two (2) hours of graduate credit in the semester before or following the exam.

Thesis
If a thesis is required, it must conform to the guidelines of the University. Refer to the Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines, available on the web at http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/thesis.asp  for complete information about requirements, procedures, and deadlines.  For enrollment requirements, refer to the Academic Policies section in the Catalog.

Format

The Thesis must conform to a traditional format inclusive of:

Part I: Preliminary Pages

Title Page

Note to Reader (if applicable)

Dedication (optional page)

Acknowledgments (optional page)

Table of Contents

List of Tables  (if applicable)

List of Figures (if applicable)

Abstract

        Part II: Text  (divided by chapter or section headings)

        Part III: References / Bibliography

Appendices Title Page

Appendix Sections (if applicable)

       Part IV:  About the Author (required for  dissertations)

Directed Research

Directed Research hours may satisfy up to 50% of the thesis hour requirement.

Manuscript Processing Fee

Students participating in the thesis/dissertation process are required to pay a processing fee.  If the student fails to complete the process within the semester, they are required to go through the process again and subsequently pay the Manuscript Processing Fee again.  More information is available on the Thesis and Dissertation website.
See USF Regulation USF4-0107,

http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm

 
Exchange of Thesis for Non-Thesis Credit
If a student changes from thesis to non-thesis during a semester and is currently enrolled in thesis credit, the current thesis credits may be exchanged without academic penalty if a Graduate School Petition is filed with the Office of Graduate Studies no later than the last day to withdraw without Academic Penalty.

If a student enrolled in a thesis required program has taken thesis credits but elects to change to non-thesis track or program, the accumulated thesis credits may not be exchanged or converted to another non-structured credit. The thesis hours will remain on the transcript and will retain the “Z” grade.

Thesis Defense

Policies and procedures for the thesis defense are handled within the College and Program.  Contact the College and Program for requirements.

Thesis Final Submission Guidelines

Information on requirements for submission of the finished and approved manuscript copies is available online at the Thesis and Dissertation website http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/thesis.asp  Students who fail to submit the final copy of a thesis by the posted submission deadline will be considered for graduation in the following semester and must therefore apply for graduation by the posted deadline, enroll in a minimum of two (2) thesis hours for that subsequent semester, submit their manuscript for processing again, and pay the manuscript processing fee again. Only after the USF Tampa Graduate School has approved the manuscript can the student be certified for the degree.

Mandatory Electronic Submission

Students are required to submit the thesis in an electronic format (ETD).  Requirements and procedures are available at the USF Tampa Graduate School website http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/thesis.asp  

Changes after Publication

Once a thesis is approved and accepted by the USF Tampa Graduate School for publication, it cannot be changed.

Release of Thesis Publications

The University recognizes the benefits from collaboration with sponsors on research projects but also recognizes the possibility of conflicts of interest in the disclosure of the results of the collaborations. While the sponsor’s economic interests in the restriction of disclosure should be considered, the University has a primary mission to extend knowledge and disseminate it to the public and the broader academic community.

The University’s “Statement of Policy Regarding Inventions and Works” acknowledges the possible need for delays in publication of sponsored research to protect the sponsor’s interests, but it provides no definite guidelines for the restrictions of publication beyond the statement: “Disclosure delays mutually acceptable to the Inventor, the Vice President for Research, and the sponsor, if any, are authorized in order to allow patent applications to be filled prior to publication, thereby preserving patent rights...”
To protect the University’s primary goal from un-due compromise, the University has adopted the following guidelines:

• The recommendations of sponsors, regarding publication of research results should be considered advisory rather than mandatory.

• In support of academic discourse and the mission to promote and share academic works, Theses will be released for worldwide access once submitted to and approved by the USF Tampa Graduate School.  In the event that a patent or copyright application provides reason to delay the release of the Thesis, a petition to request a one year delay may be submitted to the USF Tampa Graduate School for consideration.  Such requests must be received by the format check of the thesis.

• Students should not be delayed in the final defense of their theses by agreements involving publication delays.

Duty to Disclose New Inventions and Works

The complete policy regarding Duty to Disclose New Inventions and Works may be viewed at:  http://www.research.usf.edu/pl/0_300_INVENTIONS_WORKS.pdf

For information about this policy contact the Division of Patents and Licensing at (813) 974-0994. Also see

USF Regulation 6C4-10.012, http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm

Thesis Change of Grade

In the semester in which the final manuscript has been received, reviewed, and certified for permanent filing in the University Library, the USF Tampa Graduate School submits the change of grade from “Z” to “S” for the last registration of thesis courses to the office of the registrar when all grades are due at the end of the semester.

Deviations from the traditional format are acceptable if approved in advance by the Supervisory Committee and Graduate School

Include either References or a Bibliography, as specified by your style guide

April Burke, “University Policies on Conflict of Interest and Delay of Publications,” Report of the Clearinghouse on University-Industry Relations, Association of American Universities, February, 1985.

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