Master's and Doctoral Degree Students Master's in Passing Graduate Certificate Program

Master's and Doctoral Degree Students
The Program of Study (POS) is a contract between you (the student), your department and college, and the Graduate College, that demonstrates how you will fulfill your degree requirements.

You should work together with your advisor to create your Program of Study. After it has been approved by your committee and academic unit, it is sent to the Graduation Section of the University Registrar. When the Graduation Office has reviewed it, it is sent to SAS where it receives final approval if it meets all established program requirements. You should only list the classes that are required to complete your degree requirements.

Your entire committee must sign the POS, as well as the Head of the Academic Unit. Please note that if you are doing a thesis, dissertation, research paper, bound document, or practicum, your committee must include at least three people. Some departments require more than three members, so check the Graduate Catalog or your department for specific requirements.

A Program of Study can take 4 weeks to 4 months to move through the approval process. Master's students should submit the Program of Study no later than the semester before graduating. Doctoral students should submit the Program of Study no later than the semester before taking comprehensive examinations. Student Academic Services (SAS) encourages you to develop your POS early in your graduate program to guide you in course selection and other degree requirements. Please note that some departments have timelines for when students should submit the Program of Study. Our suggestions are only guidelines, so please contact your department for specific requirements.

Once SAS has approved your Program of Study, a copy signed by the Graduate College dean will be sent to you as well as your department. Be responsible for your Program of Study. Always keep a copy of it-before you submit it and when the approved copy is returned to you.

There are different Program of Study forms for each degree. Students pursuing a master's or doctoral degree can go to the Registrar's website (http://www.asu.edu/registrar/forms/regforms.html#4) to find links to the correct POS form.

If you need to make a change to your committee, fill out a Graduate Supervisory Committee Change form and submit it to Student Academic Services (SAS). This form is available online at graduate.asu.edu/forms.

If you need to change any of the coursework or credit hours listed on your approved Program of Study, fill out the Petition for Course Changes to the Graduate Program of Study form, and submit it to the Graduation Office. This form is available online at http://www.asu.edu/registrar/forms/regforms.html#4.


Master's in Passing
Doctoral students, in a program with an approved master's in passing (MIP) degree, can apply for the MIP when they have completed enough hours to get the equivalent master's degree. Currently, there are 25 academic units that are approved by the Graduate College to offer a master's in passing.

All of the MIP degrees require that the culminating experience be passed before submitting the master's in passing POS. There are four MIP programs that require a thesis, which cannot be completed before they submit the MIP POS.

Students Completing a Graduate Certificate Program
The Application for Awarding of a Graduate Certificate form is used to post a certificate and does not need to be completed until all the certificate requirements have been met. Students can download the form from the Graduate College website, graduate.asu.edu/forms. Students should list their courses on the certificate form and check with the program to ensure that all the requirements are met with the courses listed. The completed form should be sent to the attention of the Associate Vice Provost of the Graduate College once it's been signed by the student and program coordinator.

Questions?
If you have questions about the information on this page, please contact Student Academic Services (SAS) at (480) 965-3521.