Graduate Handbook

Over 120 programs offer graduate study at ISU. To pursue a graduate degree at ISU, a student must be accepted by both a program and the University. Depending upon the field of study, students may apply for admission to a program leading to various master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, or graduate certificates. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is not considered a graduate degree.

The Graduate College establishes general requirements for the completion of a graduate degree or certificate at ISU. Faculty in each graduate program have the responsibility of establishing specific course offerings and research opportunities appropriate to their graduate programs. Individual programs may place additional requirements on graduate students beyond those established by the Graduate College. Departmental/program procedures for beginning, continuing, or discontinuing programs, majors, and program foci may be obtained from the Faculty and Staff Forms page on the Graduate College website.

4.1 - Graduate Administrative Components

4.1.1 Department

The department is the basic administrative unit of the academic colleges of the university. Departments report to colleges; colleges report to the Provost. All staff members engaged in teaching, research, and extension hold appointments in at least one department. Department responsibilities to graduate education include faculty appointments, offering of courses, and graduate student support.

4.1.2 Graduate Major

A major is an approved academic area of study leading to a graduate degree. Each major is offered by a group of qualified faculty who are responsible for the curricula, requirements, and standards that constitute a distinct program of study. The responsible faculty may be administratively located in a single department (departmental major) or may be located in several departments (interdepartmental major). At ISU every graduate student must either be enrolled in a major or be officially accepted as a nondegree or undeclared student. Opportunities also exist for majoring in more than one area of study (co-major, concurrent major, or double degree).

4.1.3 Interdepartmental Majors and Home Departments

Interdepartmental graduate majors and academic departments are in synergistic relationships. The majors gain from these relationships by placing their students in physical settings in which scholarship can thrive. Departments gain talented students who enrich the academic unit in various ways.

Interdepartmental students contribute to the academic culture of their home departments by being highly qualified, prepared, and motivated to focus on a research subject through a broad lens.
Interdepartmental students who enroll in courses in their home department bolster the student credit hours of the department.
Many interdepartmental students co-major in departmental programs to enhance their credential base. In this manner, interdepartmental programs act as a recruiting channel for departmental majors.
Interdepartmental students frequently have unique experience and training that enhance their effectiveness as teaching assistants for a home department’s courses.

Admission

Interdepartmental majors review applicants for admission to those majors based on university-wide and program standards. Cooperating departments do not influence the decision of whether to admit applicants to interdepartmental majors, but the departments do have the choice of whether to serve as the academic home for admissible applicants to interdepartmental majors. A department may elect not to serve as the academic home for reasons such as resource limitations, but declining home department status should not be based on prioritizing students based on major or admission standards. By affiliating with an interdepartmental major, the department agrees to defer to the major for decisions on admissibility. Interdepartmental majors may need to decline admission to a well-qualified applicant who seeks to work with a specific faculty member if that professor’s department will not serve as the student’s home. The choice of a major professor by students who rotate among labs immediately after admission may be based, at least in part, on which potential major professors are able to offer the student a home department.

Home Department Status

Students admitted to an interdepartmental major may begin their programs with confirmed major professors. In such cases, the department of the professor has agreed to be the home department for the new student. Students must officially appoint their major professor through the Manage Committee Membership process in Workday to establish their home department.

Some students begin a graduate program in an interdepartmental major without a major professor. For example, it is common for new students to have rotation experiences with multiple faculty members before settling on a major professor and permanent home department. In this case, the Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) of the interdepartmental major may provide a home as the student completes rotations, or each faculty member hosting a rotation may provide a temporary home for the student.

The choice of a major professor for students who begin a graduate program without one may be based in part on which professors can provide a home department. If a student selects a major professor who holds joint appointments among departments, the home department of the student will be the primary rank department of the professor. Just as students who enter their program knowing who their major professor will be, those who choose a major professor later in their program will also use the Manage Committee Membership process in Workday to appoint their major professor. A major professor can be appointed and approved prior to the submission of the rest of the Academic Plan Committee (APC). If a student changes their major professor or a major professor notifies a student that they will no longer serve, the student must change their major professor in Workday immediately through the same committee membership process.

Tuition assessment and distribution for interdepartmental students is described below:

Tuition assessment for students is based on the student’s major.
Tuition revenue from interdepartmental students flows to the college of the student’s major professor’s primary rank department. Academic colleges of major professors award tuition awards for graduate students in interdepartmental majors to qualified students.
When a student does not yet have a major professor, tuition is distributed to the primary rank department of the interdepartmental DOGE, and the college of the interdepartmental DOGE awards tuition awards to qualified students.

Provisions for Students

Home departments agree to provide space, facilities, and equipment to students in interdepartmental majors in a manner consistent with what is provided to other graduate students in the department. Typically, desk space is provided, and access to copy machines, common office supplies, and shared departmental equipment is offered. Depending on departmental policy, computers, printers, and other personal equipment may also be provided. Although what is provided to interdepartmental students may vary among departments, provisions within departments should not differ based on the major a student is pursuing unless specific funds have been donated to students in certain majors. It can be acceptable for a home department not to provide space and other support to all or some (e.g., those not on an assistantship or fellowship) students if that is the department’s policy regardless of a student’s major.

Requirements of Students

After admission and establishment in a home department, an interdepartmental student is required to meet the academic requirements of their major, not those of their home department unless those additional requirements are associated with a co-major program of study. Home departments may not impose requirements for coursework, seminars, teaching, internships, etc. beyond those of the major. Any department not wishing to abide by this policy may withdraw its affiliation with an interdepartmental major or may deny requests to serve as the home department for a student in an interdepartmental major. With encouragement from major professors, interdepartmental students should strive to become integrated in the culture of their home department and to build collegial relationships with others from within and outside of their major.

4.1.4 Graduate Minor

Minors are available in many disciplinary and interdepartmental graduate programs. Some programs offer only a minor. In other programs, students may declare either a major or a minor. Programs offering a major are not required to offer a minor. A student may not major and minor in the same discipline for a single degree or across multiple degrees. To illustrate, a student earning a Ph.D. in computer science may not minor in statistics for their Ph.D. program if they are also pursuing an M.S. in statistics

In all cases:

The student must receive approval to pursue the minor from the offering program and the student's major DOGE.
To complete the minor, the student must meet the requirements established by the program.
The minor must be listed on the student’s Academics Overview tab in Workday to appear on a student’s transcript after graduation.
A graduate minor must comprise graduate or undergraduate courses designated as appropriate by the program offering the minor.
The student must have a minor representative on their Academic Plan Committee (APC).
On that committee, the major professor and the representative from the minor field may not be the same person.
For students pursuing a master’s degree, the minor representative on the student’s APC must evaluate the student’s competence in the subject area of the minor during the final oral examination, if a final oral exam is required by the program.
For students pursuing a doctorate, the minor representative on the student’s APC must evaluate the student’s competence in the subject area of the minor during the preliminary and final oral examinations.
If a doctoral student wishes to add a minor after the student is in candidacy status (preliminary examination passed), their program of study must be revised to declare the minor, a minor representative must be added to the Academic Plan Committee, and the preliminary oral examination must be retaken.

4.1.5 Graduate Program Foci

Subdivisions or program foci are defined within some graduate majors. When approved by the Graduate Curriculum and Catalog Committee and declared on a student’s program of study, such program foci are shown on official transcripts after graduation. (For a complete listing of graduate programs and program foci, see the Graduate College website).

4.1.6 Graduate Certificates

Students may earn graduate certificates in several departments and programs (for a specific list and other information, see the Graduate College website). Candidates for a graduate certificate must be recommended for admission to the desired graduate certificate program in the department or program administering the certificate. All courses for a graduate certificate must be acceptable for graduate credit and each graduate certificate must require at least 12 graduate credits. A graduate advisor will be appointed to oversee the certification for each graduate certificate. For departments wishing to establish a certificate program, more information is available Faculty & Staff Forms page under the “Graduate Curriculum Forms" heading.

4.2 - Changes in Graduate Program or Status

4.2.1 Changing Majors or Degrees

Most program of study changes will be completed through a new application for admission submitted by the applicant or previously-admitted student. The standard application fees and fee-payment options will apply. A new application is required because the new department or interdepartmental program needs the opportunity to review the student's information before deciding whether to accept the student in their desired program of study.

The Office of Admissions will include previously submitted transcripts, exam scores, and other materials from the prior application in the new application, completing any action items the student has already provided at the request of the program. The student will only need to provide additional information the new program requires, such as a new statement of purpose, a writing sample, portfolio, etc. In rare cases, a student can change the program of study after matriculation by contacting their graduate program for permission to make this change. For instructions on reapplying to the university or requesting a program change through your program, refer to the Graduate Program of Study Changes how-to article.

4.3 - Special Graduate Majors and Degree Programs

4.3.1 Co-Major Degree Program

A co-major is a program of study for a single degree in which the requirements for two separate majors are met. A single degree is granted when the student fulfills the requirements of both majors. The Academic Plan Committee will include co-major professors, each of whom represents one of the co-majors. Both co-major professors must be members of the graduate faculty. The same person, if a faculty member in both majors, will be allowed to serve as major professor for both majors. A preliminary oral examination and research work for the doctoral degree should be related to both majors. Students declaring co-majors must satisfy requirements established by each major as monitored by the representatives on the Academic Plan Committee and the DOGEs of the two majors. A co-major cannot be added after the preliminary oral examination has been taken.

4.3.2 Concurrent Degree Programs

Concurrent Master’s Degrees

Students may complete two degree programs that lead to two awarded master’s degrees. These degrees can be earned in the same semester or may be earned in different semesters since requirements for each are completed separately. Pursuing concurrent master’s degrees simply means that a student is pursuing more than one master’s degree at the same time. A student can become a concurrent master’s student by following these requirements:

Apply to both graduate programs through the Office of Admissions.
Create separate Academic Plans (APs) and Academic Plan Committees (APCs) for each degree and receive approval for both.
File separate Applications for Program Completion for each degree.
Complete separate projects or theses for each degree, if applicable.
File separate Final Oral Exam Requests for each degree, if applicable, and
Pass separate final oral examinations (if applicable) and complete a separate Graduate Student Approval request for each degree (KBA coming soon).

Two awarded master’s degrees require at least 22 hours of non-overlapping graduate credit in each major. If the two degrees are thesis or non-thesis degrees, they require two terminal projects (theses or creative components, respectively). Coursework-only degrees do not require a final project.

ISU Undergraduate Students in Concurrent Graduate Certificate or Graduate Degree Programs

Several graduate certificate and degree programs allow qualified ISU juniors and seniors to apply to pursue a bachelor’s and graduate credential concurrently. Students in concurrent undergraduate/graduate status must be making good progress toward a bachelor’s degree. The minimum requirements for admission to concurrent student status are the same as those required for admission to the Graduate College. Students must apply for the graduate program through the Office of Admissions application.

Other aspects of concurrent undergraduate/graduate status include:

Official enrollment and fee payment will be as a graduate student.
The graduate credential will be awarded at the same time or after the undergraduate degree is conferred.
Students may be appointed to graduate research assistantships.
With approval of a student’s Academic Plan Committee, up to 6 ISU credits taken while in concurrent status may be applied to a bachelor’s degree and a graduate credential that requires up to 41 credits. For master’s degree programs that require at least 42 credits, students may instead, with Academic Plan Committee approval, count up to 12 such ISU credits.
For students pursuing a concurrent bachelor’s degree and graduate certificate, with POS committee approval, up to 3 or 6 credits may be double counted when the certificate requires 15 or 18 credits or more, respectively. No double counting is permitted for certificates that require fewer than 15 credits.
A student in a bachelor's and master's concurrent degree program cannot be on a doctoral track during the concurrent program.

Transferring Concurrent Graduate Degree Credits

The student must submit the Internal Transfer of Courses Request and lists all courses that need to be articulated, or used, toward both degrees as well as all courses that need to be moved, or reassigned, from one degree to the other to meet program requirements at either the undergraduate or graduate level. This process is initiated in Workday and must be submitted to the Graduate College before the Academic Plan is submitted for approval. The transferred courses and grades will also appear on the graduate permanent record but will not be included in the graduate grade point average.

Concurrent Bachelor's/Professional Degrees with a Graduate Certificate or Master's Program

Bachelor’s Degree	Bachelor’s Major	Certificate/ Master’s Degree	Certificate/ Master’s Major
B.S.	Accounting	M.Acc.	Accounting
B.A.	Advertising	M.S.	Journalism and Mass Communication
B.S.	Aerospace Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Aerospace Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Aerospace Engineering
B.S.	Aerospace Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Engineering Mechanics
B.S.	Agricultural Biochemistry	M.S.	Biochemistry
B.S.	Agricultural Engineering	M.S.	Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
B.S.	Agricultural Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Agricultural Systems Technology	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Agricultural Systems Technology	M.S.	Industrial and Agricultural Technology
B.S.	Agronomy	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Animal Science	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Animal Science	M.S.	Animal Breeding and Genetics
B.S.	Animal Science	M.S.	Nutritional Sciences
B.S.	Animal Science	M.S.	Meat Science
B.S.	Animal Science	M.S.	Animal Physiology
B.S.	Animal Science	M.S.	Animal Science
B.S.	Apparel, Merchandising, and Design	M.S.	Apparel, Merchandising, and Design
B.S.	Athletic Training	M.ATr.	Athletic Training
B.S.	Biochemistry	Graduate Certificate / M.S.	Biochemistry
B.S.	Biological Systems Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Biological Systems Engineering	M.S.	Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
B.S.	Biophysics	M.S.	Biophysics
B.S.	Chemical Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Chemical Engineering	M.Engr.	Chemical Engineering
B.A./B.S.	Chemistry	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Chemistry	M.S.	Analytical Chemistry
B.S.	Chemistry	M.S.	Chemistry
B.S.	Chemistry	M.S.	Inorganic Chemistry
B.S.	Chemistry	M.S.	Organic Chemistry
B.S.	Chemistry	M.S.	Physical Chemistry
B.S.	Civil Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Civil Engineering	M.S.	Civil Engineering
B.S.	Computer Engineering	Graduate Certificate / M.Engr. / M.S.	Cybersecurity
B.S.	Computer Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Computer Engineering
B.S.	Computer Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Computer Science	M.S.	Computer Science
B.S.	Computer Science	M.B.A.	Master of Business Administration
B.S.	Cybersecurity	M.B.A.	Master of Business Administration
B.S.	Cybersecurity	M.Engr. / M.S.	Cybersecurity
B.S.	Pre-Diet and Exercise	M.S.	Diet and Exercise
B.S.	Electrical Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Electrical Engineering
B.S.	Electrical Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Event Management	M.S.	Hospitality Management
B.S.	Event Management	M.S.	Event Management
B.S.	Financial Counseling and Planning	Graduate Certificate	Family Financial Planning
B.S.	Financial Counseling and Planning	M.S.	Human Development and Family Studies
B.S.	Food Science	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Geology	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Geology	M.S.	Geology
B.S.	Hospitality Management	M.S.	Hospitality Management
B.I.D.	Industrial Design	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Industrial Engineering	M.S./M.Engr.	Industrial Engineering
B.S.	Industrial Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Industrial Technology	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Industrial Technology	M.S.	Industrial and Agricultural Technology
B.F.A.	Interior Design	M.A.	Interior Design
B.A.	Linguistics	M.A.	TESL/Applied Linguistics
B.S.	Journalism	M.S.	Journalism and Mass Communication
B.S.	Materials Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Materials Science and Engineering
B.S.	Materials Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Mechanical Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Mechanical Engineering	M.S.	Mechanical Engineering
B.S.	Meteorology	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Meteorology	M.S.	Meteorology
B.S.	Nutritional Science	M.S.	Nutritional Sciences
B.S.	Public Relations	M.S.	Journalism and Mass Communication
B.A.	Political Science	M.A.	Political Science
B.S.	Psychology	M.S.	Psychology
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.S.	Computer Science
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Computer Engineering
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.B.A.	Business Administration
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.Engr. / M.S.	Cyber Security
B.S.	Construction Engineering	M.B.A	Business Administration
B.S.	Technical Communication	M.A.	Rhetoric, Composition, & Professional Communication
B.S.	Agricultural Economics/Economics	M.S.	Agricultural Economics/Economics
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.S.	Information Systems
B.S.	Industrial Engineering	M.Engr.	Engineering Management
B.S.	Industrial Engineering	M.Engr.	Systems Engineering
B.S.	Business Analytics	M.B.S.	Business Analytics
B.S.	Management Information Systems	M.B.S.	Business Analytics
B.S.	Finance	M.Fin.	Finance
B.S.	Management Information Systems	M.S.	Information Systems
B.S.	Business Analytics	M.S.	Information Systems
B.S.	Software Engineering	M.S.	Artificial Intelligence
B.S.	Computer Science	M.S.	Artificial Intelligence

Concurrent Application Process

Interested undergraduate students will apply for the graduate program through the Office of Admissions. After the program has made an admissions decision, the Graduate College will make the final decision if the student is admissible.

Individual Concurrent Program Admission

Undergraduate students seeking admission to concurrent graduate certificates and/or graduate degree programs in fields other than those listed in the table must:

submit a detailed written proposal for an individualized program, co-signed by their advisers, to the Graduate College for review and approval.
complete the application process in Workday

The graduate certificate or degree will only be awarded at the same time as, or after, the undergraduate degree is conferred.

Transferring Undergraduate/Graduate Concurrent Credits

Students must adhere to the requirements below:

The student must submit the Internal Transfer of Courses Request and list all courses that need to be articulated, or used, toward both degrees as well as all courses that need to be moved, or reassigned, from one degree to the other to meet program requirements at either the undergraduate or graduate level. This process is initiated in Workday and must be submitted to the Graduate College before the Academic Plan is submitted for approval.
The courses and grades will also appear on the graduate permanent record but will not be included in the graduate grade point average.
Students in concurrent degree programs may apply, subject to Academic Plan Committee approval, up to 6 ISU credits used to fulfill the requirements for a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree program of study. These double-counted courses must be clearly marked on the Internal Transfer of Courses Request. Students may only double count those graduate courses while they are a concurrent student.
For students pursuing a concurrent undergraduate bachelor’s degree and graduate certificate, at least 12 graduate credits cannot be double counted and a maximum of 6 graduate credits can be double counted for both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate (when the graduate certificate requires more than 12 credits).
Credits in addition to the 6 credits transferred from the graduate permanent record to the undergraduate permanent record are no longer available for use on the graduate program of study.
The credits transferred from the graduate permanent record to the undergraduate permanent record are no longer available for use on the graduate program of study.
The credits transferred from the graduate permanent record to the undergraduate permanent record are no longer available for use on the graduate Academic Plan.

Veterinary Medicine Students in Concurrent Graduate Degree Programs

Students may be concurrently enrolled in the professional curriculum leading to the D.V.M. degree and in a graduate program leading to the M.S. or doctoral degree after completion of 90 undergraduate semester credits. The graduate program may be in the College of Veterinary Medicine or in another college. Interested students must apply through the Office of Admissions.

When a student takes any courses in the professional veterinary curriculum, registration is as a veterinary student, and tuition and fees are assessed according to that status.

Students are subject to rules and procedures of both colleges. Graduate credit is available only for courses identified in the Iowa State University Catalog as carrying graduate credit.

Students may use graduate courses, where applicable, to meet requirements for the professional curriculum, provided they have been approved for that purpose by the college curriculum committee.

If a student does not hold a B.S. or B.A. degree, a graduate degree is not granted until all requirements for the D.V.M. degree are completed. After the concurrent status has been approved, there is no limit on the number of credits that may be earned toward the graduate degree before receiving the D.V.M. degree. A student may pursue graduate studies during summer and vacation periods and may elect to postpone the fourth year of the professional curriculum for one year to pursue graduate studies and research. This option may be declared during the second or third year of the professional curriculum, but no later than the first day of the spring semester of the third year of the professional curriculum. Approval by the student’s Academic Plan Committee and the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine is also required.

Transferring Concurrent Veterinary Medicine/Graduate Concurrent Course Credits

To transfer credits in a concurrent program, follow the requirements below:

The student must submit the Internal Transfer of Courses Request and list all courses that need to be articulated, or used, toward both degrees as well as all courses that need to be moved, or reassigned, from one degree to the other to meet program requirements at either the professional or graduate level. This process is initiated in Workday and must be submitted to the Graduate College before the Academic Plan is submitted for approval.
Credits transferred from the graduate permanent record to the veterinary permanent record are no longer available for use on a graduate program of study.

Concurrent Doctoral/Master's Degrees

Sometimes a student in a doctoral program wishes to add a concurrent master’s degree program. If that is the case, the following requirements must be followed:

Apply for admission to the master’s program.
File separate Academic Plans and Committees for each degree.
Apply for Program Completion for each degree.
Complete separate projects or dissertations/theses for each degree.
File separate Preliminary and/or Final Oral Exam Requests for each degree.
Pass separate final oral examinations and complete a separate Graduate Student Approval request for each degree.

Concurrently awarded doctoral and master’s degrees have no non-overlapping graduate credit requirements, since a doctoral degree can use the credits from a master’s degree on the doctoral program of study. Two separate projects (dissertation/thesis/creative component) are required. The two degrees do not have to be awarded during the same term since requirements for each are completed separately.

4.3.3 Double Degree Programs

A double degree requires fulfillment of the requirements for two graduate majors for which two differently named master’s degrees and two diplomas are granted at the same time. For double degrees with a thesis or creative component, the final project (thesis or creative component) must integrate subject area from both majors.

Several named double degree combinations are currently available at ISU:

Master of Architecture/Master of Business Administration (M.Arch./M.B.A.)
Master of Architecture/Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.Arch./M.C.R.P.)
Master of Architecture/ Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (M.Arch./M.D.S.E.)
Master of Architecture/Master of Urban Design (M.Arch./M.U.D.)
Master of Community and Regional Planning/ Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (M.C.R.P./M.D.S.E.)
Master of Community and Regional Planning/Master of Business Administration (M.C.R.P./M.B.A.)
Master of Community and Regional Planning/Master of Urban Design (M.C.R.P./M.U.D.)
Master of Finance/Master of Business Administration (M,Fin./M.B.A.)
Master of Finance/Professional Master of Business Administration (M.Fin./P.M.B.A.)
Master of Fine Arts in Integrated Visual Arts/ Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (M.F.A./M.D.S.E.)
Master of Landscape Architecture/Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.L.A./M.C.R.P.)
Master of Landscape Architecture/ Master of Design in Sustainable Environments (M.L.A./M.D.S.E.)
Master of Landscape Architecture/ Master of Urban Design (M.L.A./M.U.D.)
Master of Science in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design/Master of Business Administration (M.S./M.B.A.)
Master of Science in Information Systems/Master of Business Administration (M.S./M.B.A.)
Master of Science in Information Systems/Professional Master of Business Administration (M.S./P.M.B.A.)
Master of Science in Statistics/Master of Business Administration (M.S./M.B.A.)
Master of Science in Sustainable Agriculture/Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.S./M.C.R.P.)
Master of Finance/Master of Real Estate Development (M.Fin./M.R.E.D.)
Master of Business Administration/Master of Accounting (M.B.A./M.Acc.)
Professional Master of Business Administration/Master of Accounting (P.M.B.A./M.Acc.)
Master of Business Administration/Master of Entrepreneurship (M.B.A./M.Etrp.)
Professional Master of Business Administration/Master of Entrepreneurship (P.M.B.A./M.Etrp.)
Master of Business Administration/Master of Real Estate Development (M.B.A./M.R.E.D.)
Professional Master of Business Administration/Master of Real Estate Development (P.M.B.A./M.R.E.D.)
Master of Business Administration/Master of Business Analytics (M.B.A./M.B.S.)
Professional Master of Business Administration/Master of Business Analytics (P.M.B.A./M.B.S.)
Master of Business Administration/Master of Healthcare Analytics and Operations (M.B.A./M.H.A.O.)
Professional Master of Business Administration/Master of Healthcare Analytics and Operations (P.M.B.A./M.H.A.O.)
Master of Industrial Design/Master of Science in Human Computer Interaction (M.I.D./M.S.)

If a student outside one of the named areas is interested in an individually-developed double degree program, a written proposal for a double degree to serve those interests, which must include a proposed course plan, should be submitted to the Graduate College for review.

The requirements for all students who are interested in pursuing double degree programs are listed below.

The interested student must apply to one of the available Double Degree programs through the University Admissions Application.
Only one Academic Plan Committee (APC) and Academic Plan (AP) needs to be formed for the two degrees.
For double degrees involving a creative component, there must be at least two graduate faculty members on the double degree APC. For double degrees involving a thesis, there must be at least three graduate faculty members on the double degree Academic Plan Committee. Such APCs for double degrees must include co-major professors from each of the majors.
Although specific degree programs may require more, the AP must include at least 48 credit hours of non-overlapping graduate credit (24 for each major) in the two degrees, and no less than 75% of the sum of the credits from each separate degree.
If one or both of the degrees has a thesis or creative component, one final oral examination must be held covering the combined thesis or creative component. One thesis is submitted to satisfy the requirements of both degrees.
If a thesis or non-thesis is combined with a coursework only degree, the thesis/non-thesis project should include information for both degrees.
One Graduate Student Approval request must be completed for both degrees.

4.4 - Graduate Degree Requirements

4.4.1 Credits Required for Graduate Degrees

The academic value of each course is stated in semester credits. Each credit is normally earned by attending one 50-minute lecture or recitation per week for the entire semester, or by attending a laboratory or studio session for two or three hours per week. For more specific information on credits see the chapter titled “Courses, Credits, and Grading.”

Master’s Degrees

The number of credits in a major for a master’s degree will vary according to the specific program requirements. General credit requirements for all master’s degrees include:

A minimum of 30 graduate credits is required for all master’s programs at ISU.
At least 22 graduate credits must be earned at ISU (specific master's programs may require more).
For the program focus that is considered essential for an advanced degree, approximately two- thirds of the work should be devoted to the major field, but this is not necessarily restricted to one program.
Any transfer of graduate credits from another institution must be added to the Academic Plan and approved by the Academic Plan Committee and Graduate College.
Graduate credit earned as a graduate student will be approved for transfer only if a B grade or better was earned.
Two master's degrees require 22 non-overlapping graduate credits.

Doctor of Philosophy

A minimum of 72 graduate credits must be earned for a doctoral degree:

At least 36 graduate credits, including all dissertation research, must be at ISU.
A minimum of three research credits must be taken toward the dissertation requirement there is no specific university requirement regarding the number of credits to be taken inside or outside the major/program.
For the program focus that is considered essential for an advanced degree, approximately two- thirds of the work should be devoted to the major field, but this is not necessarily restricted to one program.
Any transfer of graduate credits from another institution must be recommended in the Academic Plan and approved by the Academic Plan Committee and Graduate College.
Graduate credit earned as a graduate student will be approved for transfer only if a B grade or better was earned.
Two doctoral degrees require 36 non-overlapping graduate credits.

4.4.2 Examinations

The graduate student must complete certain prescribed examinations, some of which are required by the program and others by the Graduate College.

Diagnostic Examination

A program may require a diagnostic examination of a graduate student before arrival at ISU or shortly after arrival on campus. Diagnostic examinations help the program assess the quality and breadth of a student’s preparation.

English Examination

To ensure competence in written English, graduate students whose native language is not English and who did not graduate from a US institution must take English exams. In addition, nonnative speakers of English who will have teaching responsibilities are required to take the Oral English Certification Test (OECT) (see Graduate English Requirements for Nonnative Speakers of English).

Qualifying Examination

If the field of study requires mastery of a certain core curriculum, the program may administer qualifying examinations to ascertain that core material has been mastered. A student who fails a qualifying examination is normally allowed an opportunity to retake it after a specified period of time.

Preliminary Oral Examination

The Graduate College requires a preliminary oral examination of doctoral degree students; most programs add a written portion to the preliminary oral examination. The doctoral degree preliminary oral examination rigorously tests a graduate student’s knowledge of major, minor, and supporting subject areas as well as the student’s ability to analyze, organize, and present subject matter relevant to the field. A Preliminary Oral Exam Request must be submitted to the Graduate College at least two weeks before the proposed date of the examination.

The following conditions must be met before the Preliminary Oral Exam Request is submitted to the Graduate College:

The student's Academic Plan Committee and Academic Plan must be approved at least three calendar months before the preliminary oral examination.
The student must have met the English requirement.
The student should not be on academic probation.
The student should not exceed the time-to-degree limit (see Chapter 4).
The student must have passed the qualifying examination (if required by program).
The student must be registered for a minimum of one credit, or for Examination Only (GR ST 6810B) if no course work is needed, during the term in which the preliminary oral examination is taken.

A preliminary oral examination will not be scheduled for a student on academic probation. Upon successful completion of the preliminary oral examination, the student is admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree. If the graduate student fails all or part of the preliminary oral examination, they may be allowed to retake it. Six months must elapse between the first attempt and the next.

The entire Academic Plan Committee must be convened for the preliminary oral examination. Any request to change the makeup of the committee needs to be submitted by completing the Manage Committee Membership task in Workday before the preliminary oral examination is held. The Academic Plan Committee and Academic Plan must be approved by the Graduate College, all committee members involved in the change, and the DOGE before the preliminary oral exam can be held.

The preliminary oral examination must be passed at least six months before the final oral examination.

The student, in consultation with their major professor(s), may decide on the examination modality (in person, remote, or hybrid). The student and major professor(s) should discuss the choice of modality with the committee, and for remote or hybrid meetings, arrange for facilities and equipment to ensure full video and clear communication. Determination of meeting modality must be determined when the student submits the Preliminary Oral Examination Request in Workday. If the chosen modality is not in person, the student must inform the Graduate College of the modality at the time the request form is submitted. Best practices for remote meetings may be on the Graduate College website.

When one committee member cannot participate at a time that suits other participants, two options are available:

Complete a request for Committee Substitution before the examination to arrange for a temporary, substitute committee member who will serve with voting rights only for the examination that the permanent member cannot participate. This option can be used in cases in which the member’s absence is planned, or in cases of emergency/unplanned absences. The substitute must fill the same role (be an inside vs. outside member) as the absent member.
The committee member may be replaced permanently on the committee by another member of the graduate faculty who can participate in the examination and commits to fulfilling all other remaining responsibilities of Academic Plan Committee service. The new member must fill the same role (be an inside vs. outside member) as the member being replaced. To make this replacement, a new APC and AP should be routed and approved.

The Graduate College is responsible for maintaining a process for the committee members to report the outcome of the examination to the college. The reporting process must require that each committee member attest to their mode of participation, the degree to which full (audio and video) and clear communication was sustained throughout the examination, and to their participation throughout the entire examination. The Graduate College is expected to confer with committees and program DOGEs in cases where at least one committee member reports problems with communication or participation. The college may nullify examinations that do not meet expectations of the college, the DOGE, and all committee members.

The preliminary oral examination must be passed at least six months prior to the final oral examination. In rare circumstances, an exception to the rule is allowed if a written request with extenuating circumstances signed by the major professor(s) and the program’s DOGE is approved by the Dean of the Graduate College.

Reporting Doctoral Preliminary Oral Examination Results

Immediately following the preliminary oral examination, it is the responsibility of the Academic Plan Committee to decide whether the student will be recommended for admission to candidacy and may continue to work toward the doctoral degree. All APC members must be present at the preliminary oral exam and report the results. Four options exist:

The student passes and the APC recommends to the Graduate College that the student be admitted to candidacy.
The student may continue their studies, but must meet other conditions specified by the APC on the Preliminary Oral Examination Results under “Conditional Pass” before being recommended for admission to candidacy.
The student fails but is given an opportunity to repeat the examination six months after the first attempt. An explanatory letter must accompany the results.
The student fails and is not permitted to continue to work toward a doctoral degree at ISU. An explanatory letter must accompany the results.

In a preliminary oral examination, if one member of the committee votes not to pass the candidate, the student passes, but each member of the committee must forward to the Dean of the Graduate College in writing a justification for their votes. Upon request these letters will be made available to the committee at the time of the final oral examination. If more than one member of the committee votes not to pass the student, the candidate does not pass the examination. An explanatory letter must accompany the report form.

Final Oral Examination

Most master’s and all doctoral degree candidates must pass final oral examinations. See Ch.7 for more detailed information about final oral examinations.

4.4.3 Graduate English Requirements for Nonnative Speakers of English

Graduate students whose native language is not English and who do not have a bachelor’s or advanced degree from ISU or a U.S. institution, or do not meet the TOEFL or IELTS exemption score range, must take the English Placement Test at the beginning of their first semester of enrollment. This test is administered by the Department of English. It must be taken in addition to TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), which is taken as part of the admissions process. A student who does not pass this examination is assigned to one or more courses in the English 990 and 1010 series. This coursework must be completed during the first year of study. Registration holds are placed on the student’s account if the student does not register for these classes during the first year of study. (There is a developmental course fee for the English 990 course.)

A graduate student whose native language is not English may be automatically exempted if one of the following is met:

Graduate student earned a TOEFL PBT score of 600 or above or a TOEFL iBT score of 100 and above
Graduate student earned a score of 7.5 or above on the IELTS Academic test
Graduate student scored a 72 or above on the PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic test
Graduate student's primary language* as reflected in their ISU student records is English and they completed their education in an English-speaking country**
Graduate student's primary language is not English, but they received a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree from an English-medium university in an English-speaking country**
Graduate student's only enrollment is in a fully online, distance-only program.*** (Note: Graduate students who take any classes on ISU's campus in Ames as part of their program are not considered distance-only and thus are not exempt).
Graduate student has been employed full-time (40 hours per week minimum) for at least two years in organizations that use English as the primary language for both written and spoken forms of communication. To qualify for this exemption, admitted graduate students must provide verifiable evidence (typically a written statement from a supervisor) attesting to the fact that (a) the parts of their work that involve writing and speaking are conducted primarily in English, and (b) the ability to communicate effective in both written and spoken English is considered a requirement of the position. The exemption will not apply to graduate students who use English:
- only occasionally in the workplace (e.g., only when meeting with foreign clients);
- for written workplace communication (reports, emails, etc.) while primarily speaking in languages other than English, or;
- for speaking in the workplace (discussions, presentations, etc.) while primarily writing in languages other than English.
  - Note: Only students admitted to the Graduate College in Fall 2023 or afterward are eligible for this exemption. Assistantship appointments held as a graduate student are not considered professional experience for this purpose, though full-time postdoctoral appointments are.
International exchange students****who do not plan to take classes offered by the Department of English

*A primary language is defined as the language in which is person is most proficient and/or which was the first language learned and spoken from childhood. **English-speaking countries (e.g., those that recognize English as an official language) include the following:

Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Cayman Islands
Curacao
Dominica
Eritrea
Eswatini
Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas)
Fiji
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Grenada

Guernsey
Guyana
Jamaica
Hong Kong
Ireland
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Liberia
Malawi
Micronesia
Malta
Mauritius
Montserrat
Namibia
New Zealand
Nigeria
Pakistan
Palau
Papua
New Guinea
Philippines
Rwanda
Saint Helena, Ascension,
and Tristan da Cunha

Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Samoa
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Sudan
St Kitts & Nevis
St Vincent & Grenadines
Sudan
Tanzania
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Turks & Caicos
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Zambia
Zimbabwe

***A list of fully online, distance-only programs can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.
****Exchange students are those who come to ISU from another country as part of a formal exchange program to spend a semester or academic year attending classes and participating in campus life. They continue to be enrolled full-time and earn credits toward their degree at their home institution.

Oral English Certification Test

The Oral English Certification Test (OECT) is an academic test required for international teaching assistants (ITAs), i.e. graduate students who fit both of these categories:

international graduate students who are not native speakers of American English (i.e., learned another language first), and
international graduate students who are appointed to a teaching assistantship.

The OECT is administered before the beginning of fall and spring semesters for first-time test- takers, as well as at the end of these semesters for ITAs re-taking the test. The OECT testing dates can be found on the OECT website . Registration for the OECT can be completed online through the program’s website two to three weeks before the testing dates. International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) and faculty with questions about OECT should email itas@iastate.edu.

A prospective ITA who does not pass OECT is required to successfully complete GRST 5400 coursework and be retested. The GRST 5400 is a series of oral communication courses designed to help ITAs improve their English-speaking skills by focusing on pronunciation, listening, classroom- communication strategies, question-handling, teaching and lecturing skills, and the culture of U.S. university life. Because enrollment is restricted, ITAs cannot register for GRST 5400 courses. ITAs must contact the Center for Communication Excellence (CCE) in the Graduate College upon receiving the OECT scores to obtain permission to enter the course.

4.4.4 Time-to-Degree Limit

The Graduate College’s time-to-degree limit for all graduate students, both master's and doctoral, is seven years. Graduate programs may establish more restrictive time-to-degree limits. For example, at the program’s discretion, a student beginning a doctoral degree program at ISU with a master’s degree could be expected to complete the program within three or four or five years, while a student beginning a doctoral degree program without the master’s degree could be expected to complete the program within five or six or seven years. This is an option that would be enforced at the department level. Requests to extend the seven-year time limit will be considered in situations involving medical or other extenuating circumstances. Cases in which the student leaves ISU during their graduate career and later returns are dealt with individually by the Academic Plan Committee and the Graduate College.

The inclusion in the Academic Plan of coursework that is beyond the time limit (“expired” courses) must be justified in the Expired Course Petition as part of the Academic Plan approval process.

Printer-friendly version