Degree Requirements

Advanced Degree Requirements

To qualify for any advanced degree, the faculty has stipulated that the following requirements must be satisfied:
1. The student must earn a minimum 3.00 average of grades in all 300- through 800- numbered courses taken (a) in all departments AND (b) in his/her major department after admission to the graduate program, or taken for graduate credit at School of Mines as an undergraduate or special student. Note that thesis and dissertation research credit hours and grades will not be counted in the determination of these grade-point ratios.
2. The student must earn a “C” grade or better in any graduate course (500 through 800 level), which is to be credited toward advanced degree requirements.
3. The student must earn a “B” grade or better in any 300 or 400 level course, which is to be credited toward advanced degree requirements.
4. The student’s thesis or dissertation research must be of a quality to earn a final grade of “S.”
5. The student who fails any course must repeat the course with a passing grade. The student may petition, through his/her advisor or major professor, guidance committee, the Dean of Graduate Education for a potential waiver of this rule.
6. The student cannot apply any credit hours or grades for 100 and 200 level courses (which are usually taken to overcome academic deficiencies) toward advanced degree requirements. If, in the opinion of the student’s advisor, major professor, guidance committee, progress in these courses is unsatisfactory, additional work may be required to demonstrate proficiency.
7. Of credits counted for an advanced degree, not more than 50% of the credit hours in any graduate program can be at the 500 level.

If a course is repeated for a passing or improved grade, only the grade for the last attempt will be included in the computation of the cumulative grade-point average shown on the graduate student’s transcript.

A limitation of a total of nine credit hours exists for advanced-degree credit for courses identified as “Special Topics in,” “Advanced Topics in,” or “Seminar in.” Refer to the specific course description for any other restrictions.

All graduate research credit hours are graded according to regular grading standards. However, for thesis research (courses numbered 700) and dissertation research (courses numbered 800) the final grades for a completed program will be issued as either “U” for Unsatisfactory or “S” for Satisfactory. These S and U grades will not be used in the computation of grade- grade-point averages.

Research credit may be applied toward the fulfillment of credit-hour requirements. The number of credit hours so applied is identified in the relevant sections under Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs.