Degree Requirements and Standards

Degree Requirements and Standards

The Master of Arts, Master of Science, or Master of Fine Arts degree is conferred upon students who have been admitted to the College, satisfactorily completed their program of study, passed the comprehensive examination (if required), and successfully completed and defended a master’s thesis or master’s project (if required). 

The credit requirements for each program are as follows:

Because degree program requirements vary, students should consult the description of the appropriate program for specific requirements. Continuing student status credits are not applicable toward completion of the minimum number of credits required for the degree. Students must register for the total number of thesis credits for a master’s thesis or master’s project when required. Students must be registered for courses within their program to maintain financial aid eligibility. 

Limitation of Time

Students must complete all degree requirements within five years of their date of matriculation. Unless students apply for and are granted a leave of absence, they must remain enrolled during every term in which they expect to receive faculty support. Students must be registered for a minimum of 1 credit during the term in which they complete their degree requirements. Leaves do not stop the clock for the completion of the degree.

Transfer Credits

At the discretion of the graduate program director of each program and the dean of graduate and professional studies at Emerson College, a student may be permitted to transfer up to 8 credits of comparable graduate coursework from a regionally accredited institution (6 credits or two full graduate-level courses in the Communication Disorders program) or up to 12 credits of graduate courses taken at Emerson before matriculation into the current program, provided the applicant has received a grade of B or better and the course was taken within the last five years. To transfer Emerson courses, fill out a Course Credit Consolidation Form available from the Office of Graduate Studies’ website: emerson.edu/departments/graduate-studies/academic-policies-and-forms. The maximum number of credits that can be transferred is 12 credits. Quarter-hour credits will be reduced by one third to convert them to semester hour credit. Courses for which transfer credit is being requested must not have counted toward another degree. Requests for transfer of credit should be made on the Transfer Credit Form available from the Office of Graduate Studies and must be documented by an official transcript. 

For many programs, the final project or culminating experience is a capstone course. A capstone course must be taken in the last semester of study unless permission is given by the graduate program director.

Some degree programs conduct final comprehensive examinations for their candidates. Comprehensive exams must be completed at least one week before the last day of classes for the semester in which they are taken. For specific requirements, the student should contact the appropriate program.

The master’s project or MFA thesis project is an applied academic project that integrates theory and practice. The master’s project often takes the form of a creative project, such as a film, screenplay, or multimedia production. The written sections of master’s projects must consistently follow one of the MLA, APA, or Chicago style manuals (latest editions), as well as the latest version of the master’s thesis/project guidelines, which is available online from the Office of Graduate Studies website. It is the student’s responsibility to acquire these materials.

Master’s projects and MFA thesis projects must be submitted and approved according to the deadlines established by their program and the Academic Calendar. One electronic copy of the approved written component project must be submitted to Canvas no later than the date specified in the Academic Calendar. Editorial changes are not allowed after the approved Master’s Project or MFA Thesis Project is submitted to Canvas. The Master’s Thesis/Project Approval Page must be signed and dated by all committee members, including the project chair, the graduate program director, and the dean of graduate and professional studies. Final approval of the project rests with the dean of graduate and professional studies.

The master’s thesis is a scholarly treatment of a subject or an investigative treatment of a problem that is sufficiently limited in scope to ensure thoroughness. Work on the thesis is supervised by a thesis chair and thesis reader. Theses must follow one of the MLA, APA, or Chicago style manuals (latest editions), as well as the latest version of the master’s thesis/project guidelines, which is available from the Office of Graduate Studies. Students must follow program guidelines for thesis work.

Theses must be submitted and approved according to the deadlines established by their program and the Academic Calendar. One electronic copy of the approved thesis must be submitted to Canvas no later than the date specified in the Academic Calendar. Editorial changes are not allowed after the approved Master’s Thesis is submitted to Canvas. The Master’s Thesis/Project Approval Page must be signed and dated by all committee members, including the thesis chair, the graduate program director, and the dean of graduate and professional studies. Final approval of the thesis rests with the dean of graduate and professional studies.

Master’s degree recipients are encouraged to consider the publication of their thesis in whole or in part. In the event of publication, the author is expected to acknowledge that the thesis was originally submitted as part of the requirements for the master’s degree at Emerson College. Students contemplating publication should consult with their thesis chair.

In this special academic ceremony, which offers members of the Emerson community the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of each graduate within their school,  students have their name called and receive their master’s hood from the provost. This ceremony takes place during Commencement weekend.

Degrees are awarded on August 30, December 30, and at commencement in May. Degree candidates must apply for graduation at the Office of the Registrar prior to the semester in which they complete their degree requirements. Please consult the Academic Calendar for deadlines.

Students must be registered for a minimum of 1 credit in the semester in which they complete their degree requirements. Students scheduled to graduate in May must be registered during the spring semester; to graduate in August, students must be registered during Summer 1 or 2; to graduate in December, students must be registered during the fall semester. If necessary, this may be done under the Continuing Student Status provision. Students who complete a master’s thesis or project must submit the approved thesis or project to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than the last day of classes of the term in which they complete their degree requirements.

Students planning to complete their degree requirements by August 30 may participate in the College’s preceding May graduate commencement ceremony, provided that the following requirements are met:

1. The student must submit an application to graduate by the date stated in the Academic Calendar.
2. The student must indicate an intent to participate in commencement online at emerson.edu/ecommon by the dates stated in the Academic Calendar.
3. The student must register and pay for the final summer coursework by the last day of classes in the spring semester.

Students will be notified via email about the status of their request to participate in commencement. Participation is allowed with the understanding that no graduate receives a diploma until degree completion. No student may participate in commencement exercises until all financial obligations to the College are met.

A student in good standing is one who meets the standards set by the degree program and the Office of Graduate Studies. Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to remain in good academic standing. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 have one semester to meet the 3.0 minimum or they will be academically withdrawn from the graduate program. If a student is taking too few credits in a semester to allow for their GPA to reach a 3.0 in a single semester, they may be automatically given a one-semester extension. Any other extension to the one semester must be approved by the dean of graduate and professional studies. Any semester in which students are enrolled is considered the next semester. A student must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to graduate. In addition, no course in which a grade below B- is earned may be credited toward any degree. A student who receives below a B- in coursework totaling 8 credits is automatically withdrawn from the graduate program. In the Communication Disorders program, a student will be automatically withdrawn from the program upon earning a grade of below B- in any two courses, irrespective of the number of course credits involved, or of the overall GPA. Students who are academically withdrawn from the College may not reapply.

Some programs may require additional Standards of Work. All courses taken at Emerson College for graduate credit must be at the 600-level. Students may take no more than 12 credits in directed study and internship courses combined. Check with individual departments for any additional limits on credits. Please consult the degree requirements for individual programs for more information.

Course Grades

Graduate students’ work is graded at the end of each semester. The College uses a system of letter grades and quality points to evaluate student performance.

At the graduate level, the letter grade A signifies work of distinction, and the letter B represents work of good quality. The letter grades C+ and below represent work below the standard expected for a graduate student and will not be counted toward the degree requirements. Grade point averages are computed on a scale in which:

A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- = 1.7, D = 1.0,
F = 0.

Pass/Fail: A P (Passing) grade is used for thesis and project credit and certain designated and approved 600-level research and practicum courses. At the graduate level, a P indicates performance equivalent to a B or better. A grade of F signifies failure in the course.

Deferred: A DEF (Deferred) grade is used for certain designated and approved 600-level courses, such as research or thesis courses when a student’s work is not completed at the end of the term. When the work is completed in a course for which DEF has been assigned, the grade is changed to a letter grade by the instructor. In the case of an approved master’s thesis or master’s project, a DEF grade is automatically changed to P once the Office of the Registrar has received documentation from the Office of Graduate Studies that the project/thesis has been completed.

Incomplete: An I (Incomplete) grade is assigned when, for reasons acceptable to the course instructor, students engaged in passing work are unable to complete all class assignments. If an I grade is not changed by the end of the next term in which the student is registered, it automatically becomes an F. An extension of one additional semester may be granted to resolve an Incomplete with the written permission of the course instructor, which must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Students who take an approved leave of absence immediately after receiving an I have one semester after they return from their leave of absence to complete the I.

Course Withdrawal: After the first two weeks of the semester (the Add/Drop period) students may not drop a course, except through a petition approved by the dean of graduate and professional studies; however, they may withdraw from a course. Students who wish to withdraw from a course must obtain a Course Withdrawal Form online at emerson.edu/registrar and bring it to the course instructor. The course instructor must sign the form and confirm the student’s last date of attendance. The student must return the form to the Registrar by the deadline posted in the Academic Calendar. The student’s record will reflect the courses from which the student has withdrawn with a W grade. A grade of W does not affect the student’s grade point average. No refund is given to students who withdraw from a course.

Academic Warnings: Students who fail to remain in good academic standing (please see Standards of Work) will receive an academic warning letter via email from the Office of Graduate Studies at the end of the term notifying them of their changed academic standing, what they must do to return to good academic standing, and the consequences if they do not.

Grade Dispute or Grievance Process

Initial Process

A student can initiate an academic grievance when a dispute arises between the student and an instructor over a grade or some other academic requirement in a course. Before a student initiates an academic grievance, they should follow the initial process to resolve the dispute, as follows.

Note: Students should begin at Step 1 for grade disputes. All other grievances should begin at Step 2.

1. The student should schedule an appointment with the faculty member concerned and discuss the problem as soon as possible after the occurrence of the alleged incident or dispute. If this does not resolve the situation, move to Step 2.
2. The student should consult their graduate program director. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution, move to Step 3.
3. The student may appeal to the department chair.
4. If a student is not comfortable meeting with the faculty member, GPD, or chair, or has been unable to reach resolution, they can meet with the dean of graduate and professional studies, who will attempt to resolve the dispute. 

Formal Process

Students who feel their grievance has not been resolved through this initial process may request a formal hearing by the Graduate Grievance Committee through the formal process. This must be done, in writing to the Office of Graduate Studies, within 10 calendar days after the initial process has concluded.

1. Accompanying the request for a formal hearing, the student must include a written statement explaining the alleged grievance. Copies of this statement will be distributed to all involved in the hearing. The student must submit all documentation they have regarding the claim with the Graduate Grievance Committee chair within seven calendar days of submitting the written statement.
2. The Graduate Grievance Committee will meet in a timely fashion and examine all relevant material. The committee reserves the right to contact or solicit information from any person whom it feels would be helpful to understanding or resolving the grievance. The committee’s findings will be submitted to the student, faculty members, and other involved parties.

Graduate Grievance Committee

View Academic Grievance and Student Complaint Process and Policy

Grievance procedures are intended to support a fair hearing of any student with an unresolved academic grievance issue. When convened to hear a student academic grievance, the Graduate Grievance Committee will consist of four members: the dean of graduate and professional studies, who chairs the committee; a department chair from a non-involved academic department, who is appointed by the chief academic officer of the College; a faculty member who is also appointed by the chief academic officer; and the Registrar.

Students who believe they have been unfairly and/or improperly treated or have any other complaints regarding academic matters should report their issues to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Students must first follow the initial process for academic grievance, but may then request a formal hearing.

Community Standards Violations

Any person with a good faith reason to believe an Emerson student has violated the Code of Community Standards may initiate a report by submitting the following information, in writing, to the Office of Community Standards (OCS) or the Emerson College Police Department (ECPD):

• Name(s) of the student(s) reported to have violated the College’s Community Standards
• Clear explanation of the nature of the incident
• The names and contact information of any witnesses

An individual may submit a report directly to the OCS by filling out an incident report on the OCS website at emerson.edu/departments/student-success/share-concern or contacting the OCS at communitystandards@emerson.edu. An individual wishing to submit a report to ECPD must contact the ECPD.

When reporting an incident, the reporting party is not required to provide their name or contact information; however, it is recommended in the event that clarifying information is needed by the OCS or ECPD. The failure of a reporting party to produce their name and contact information may impair the ability of the College to process the report. Should the reporting party provide their name and contact information, the information will be handled in compliance with the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

The Student Code applies on and off campus, including at all College study away locations and online, to all students (including graduate students) beginning at the time of application until the actual awarding of a degree or when a student withdraws or is dismissed from the College. This includes during College break periods, student leaves of absence, and periods of suspension.

*A graduate student reported to have violated any of Emerson College’s Community Standards may be referred to the Student Conduct Process as outlined in the Code of Community Standards. Emerson’s Student Code can be found at emerson.edu/code-community-standards.