Exciting and diverse educational opportunities are offered through the graduate programs of Oregon State University’s 11 colleges which encompass 73 major disciplines and 19 different graduate degree types. A land, sea, space, and sun grant university, OSU enrolls more than 4,400 graduate students, representing more than 70 countries and every state in the nation.

At OSU, maximum opportunity is provided for the integration of graduate instruction and research. The graduate faculty (1,800 members) is selected on the basis of training, experience, research, and evidence of the ability to successfully direct and supervise graduate students.

All study beyond the bachelor’s degree at Oregon State University is conducted through the Graduate School. The establishment of graduate programs and the formulation and direction of individual student programs are responsibilities of the academic unit.

Introduction

Oregon State University has a global reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and engagement.

Oregon State is one of only two land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the nation and is the only university in Oregon to have the Carnegie Classifications for both Very High Research Activity and Community Engagement. OSU is comprised of 11 academic colleges with strengths in natural resources, earth dynamics and sustainability, life sciences, innovation and entrepreneurship, and the arts and sciences. OSU has facilities and/or programs in every county in the state, including 11 regional experiment stations, 35 county extension offices, a branch campus in Bend, a major marine science center in Newport, and a range of programs and facilities in Portland. OSU earned $441 million in external research funding in 2017, a third consecutive year of record-breaking growth.

A dedicated and highly regarded graduate faculty, a well-equipped library, comprehensive special collections, and exceptional research facilities keep Oregon State at the leading edge of graduate education. Linus Pauling, an Oregon State alumnus and the only person to win individual Nobel prizes in two different categories, selected OSU as the repository for his papers.

Research and teaching assistantships are available to allow students the opportunity to work with people who are leaders in their fields while furthering your education. In addition to being outstanding teachers, many OSU faculty members are internationally renowned for their research. 

With these strengths in research and teaching, Oregon State produces degree holders who can compete successfully with the best in their fields.

But life isn’t all study and research, and when you’re ready to take a break, you’ll find that Oregon State is the ideal location. Whether you want to be active or relax, attend a sports event or a lecture, go to a concert or a play, you’re likely to find what you want at Oregon State or just a short distance away.

OSU is located in Corvallis, a community of 57,110 people situated in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. Ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, forests, high desert, the rugged Cascade and Coast Ranges, and the urban amenities of the Portland metropolitan area are all within a 100 mile drive of Corvallis. More than 27,650 undergraduate, 601 first professional, and 4,899 graduate students are enrolled at OSU, including more than 7,600 students of color and 3,500 international students.

The stunning, park-like setting of the OSU campus is comprised of 400 acres of stately buildings, seasonal landscaping and green, open spaces. Housing for many OSU undergraduate and graduate students is provided by residence halls on campus, and cooperatives, sororities, fraternities, and family student housing just off the central campus.

In addition to the main campus, the state owns and leases many acres of forest and farmland that are used by the university for instruction and research. OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center at Newport serves as the main coastal facility for Sea Grant, oceanography, and fisheries programs. For many graduate students, study and research through these off-campus facilities means a direct look at the natural resources and characteristics of the Pacific Northwest.

The institution that is now OSU opened in 1858 as Corvallis College, a small academy. College-level study began about 1865, and the first three baccalaureate degrees were awarded in 1870. Graduate programs began a short time later. In 1868, Corvallis College was designated by the Oregon Legislature as the "agricultural college of the state of Oregon." From 1868 until 1885, the college continued under the direction of the Methodist Episcopal Church but was partly state supported. In 1885, the state of Oregon assumed full control of the institution.

Oregon State granted its first advanced degree (A.M.) in 1876. Residence requirements for the master's degree were announced in 1897.

Responsibility for graduate study at OSU has changed a number of times over the years. In 1910 it was placed under a standing committee of the faculty. In 1933 all graduate work in the State System of Higher Education was placed in an interinstitutional graduate division. At Oregon State, an associate dean and an institutional graduate council were put in immediate charge of graduate study. The first doctor of philosophy degrees were conferred by Oregon State in 1935. In October 1946, the State Board of Higher Education again gave the institutions direct responsibility for their graduate programs and assigned graduate work at Oregon State to the Graduate School.

The primary aims of the Oregon State University Graduate School are to prepare students to create new knowledge and to assist students in acquiring specialized knowledge in one or more disciplines(s). At the same time, graduate programs may provide the student with the opportunity to acquire an educational background broader than his or her specialty. The Graduate School and graduate programs provide additional opportunities to learn and practice vital professional and leadership skills.

The graduate educational process is designed to help the student attain a high level of scholarship. The student is assisted in developing the skills of assimilation, interpretation, organization, evaluation, and application of knowledge. Such scholarship increases the student's breadth of learning and prepares him or her for roles of leadership and participation in the broader areas of culture and society. The ideal graduate program permits the student to specialize, but at the same time develop a broad educational base.

The communication of new knowledge to both technical and non-technical audiences is an important part of the educational process. Creating, interpreting, and communicating knowledge are related processes at OSU. The Graduate School provides opportunities for students to develop these skills. Graduate students have the opportunity to distinguish themselves from their peers by taking advantage of a broad range of additional educational offerings. These include professional and leadership skills vital for student success in their future employment.

Mission, Goals, and Values

Preamble

Oregon State University is a comprehensive, public, research-intensive university and a member of the Oregon University System serving as the state's land, sea, space and sun grant institution—one of only two universities with such designation in the country. OSU programs and faculty are located in every county of the state and are dedicated to investigating the state's greatest challenges. OSU considers the state of Oregon its campus and works in partnership with the P–12 school system, Oregon community colleges and other OUS institutions to provide access to high quality educational programs. Strong collaborations with industry and state and federal agencies drive OSU's research enterprise.

Mission

As a land grant institution committed to teaching, research, and outreach and engagement, Oregon State University promotes economic, social, cultural and environmental progress for the people of Oregon, the nation and the world. This mission is achieved by producing graduates competitive in the global economy, supporting a continuous search for new knowledge and solutions, and maintaining a rigorous focus on academic excellence, particularly in the three Signature Areas: Advancing the Science of Sustainable Earth Ecosystems; Improving Human Health and Wellness; and Promoting Economic Growth and Social Progress. 

Vision

To best serve the people of Oregon, Oregon State University will be among the Top 10 land grant institutions in America.

Goals

1. Provide outstanding academic programs that further strengthen our performance and pre-eminence in three Signature Areas of Distinction: Advancing the Science of Sustainable Earth Ecosystems; Improving Human Health and Wellness; and Promoting Economic Growth and Social Progress.
2. Provide an excellent teaching and learning environment and achieve student access, persistence, and success through graduation and beyond that matches the best land grant universities in the country.
3. Substantially increase revenues from private fundraising, partnerships, research grants, and technology transfers while strengthening our ability to more effectively invest and allocate resources to achieve success.

OSU Strategic Plan: https://leadership.oregonstate.edu/provost/osu-strategic-plan

Core Values

Accountability. We are committed stewards of the loyalty and good will of our alumni and friends of the human, fiscal, and physical resources entrusted to us.

Diversity. We recognize that diversity and excellence go hand-in-hand, enhancing our teaching, scholarship, and service as well as our ability to welcome, respect, and interact with other people.

Integrity. We practice honesty, freedom, truth, and integrity in all we do.

Respect. We treat each other with civility, dignity, and respect.

Social responsibility. We contribute to society's intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.

Organization

Graduate School

Graduate work at Oregon State University is administered by the Graduate School. The regulations, policies, and procedures governing graduate education are implemented by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate School oversees admission standards, and degree requirements; enforces current regulations; recommends changes in graduate policy to the Graduate Council; acts on petitions to deviate from existing regulations; and is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the Graduate School. The Graduate School office is in Heckart Lodge on Jefferson Way near 30th Street on the Corvallis campus. The telephone number is 541-737-4881, and the FAX number is 541-737-3313. The email address is Graduate.School@oregonstate.edu, and the Web address is http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu.

Mission

The Graduate School contributes to OSU's goal of achieving top ten land grant status by providing leadership in all aspects of graduate education, through advocacy for the critical importance of the graduate enterprise to the university's mission, and by providing core centralized services to the graduate community. In partnership with the graduate faculty, the Graduate School plays a leadership and advocacy role to ensure that OSU attracts the best graduate students and delivers a compelling and high-quality graduate experience that prepares them to create new ideas and knowledge, to educate others, to make positive impacts on society, and to lead innovation.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council formulates the basic policy, procedures, and requirements for all graduate work at OSU, within the general authority granted by the State Board of Higher Education. The council establishes admission standards, basic degree requirements, and general policies; approves all graduate faculty members, new programs, and courses; and periodically reviews all existing graduate programs. Graduate Council members are appointed by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, with each academic college having one representative. Major actions of the Graduate Council are referred to the Faculty Senate for review and approval.

Current and past Graduate Council membership and information can be found at: http://senate.oregonstate.edu/graduate-council

Graduate Faculty

Graduate faculty members are chosen from the university faculty based on their academic training, experience, demonstrated potential for scholarship, and evidence of their ability and competency to direct and supervise graduate students in the pursuit of advanced knowledge.

Each graduate faculty member is authorized to perform specific activities within a particular graduate program. The head and academic dean of each unit are responsible for nominating faculty members for these activities, subject to review and approval by the Graduate Council.

Academic Units

An academic unit is the administrative unit responsible for directing and managing a graduate major or minor field of study. An academic unit may be an academic program, department, school, or college, or composite of these. The chief administrative officer of the academic unit is responsible for managing the graduate programs in that unit and is responsible to the dean of the Graduate School for all graduate work performed by the unit.

Academic units have a major role in the success of graduate education. Within the general rules of the Graduate School, the academic units establish and teach courses, maintain a graduate faculty to teach and supervise research, establish their own admission standards and specific graduate certificate and degree requirements, make graduate student appointments, and provide advice and supervision for their graduate students.

Graduate School Administration

A300 Kerr Administration Building [Relocating to Heckert Lodge in Fall 2017]
541-737-4881; FAX 541-737-3313
Website: http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu

Stephanie Bernell, Interim Vice Provost and Dean, 541-737-9162
Yanyun Zhao, Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Programs, 541-737-0556
Rosemary Garagnani, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Services, 541-737-1465
Jessica Beck, Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Development, 541-7378-8576
Fran Saveriano, Assistant Dean for Recruitment and Financial Support, 541-737-1459
Kim LaMay, Executive Assistant to the Dean, 541-737-1456
Maureen Childers, Assistant to the Associate Dean and Assistant to the Office of Postdoc Programs, 541-737-2033

Graduate Council

Current and past Graduate Council membership and information can be found at http://senate.oregonstate.edu/graduate-council

Equal Opportunity

Oregon State University, in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any of its policies, procedures, or practices. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, university programs and activities, including but not limited to academic admissions, financial aid, educational services, and employment. Inquiries regarding the university's equal opportunity policies may be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, 541-737-3556 or visit http://eoa.oregonstate.edu/. 

Graduate Admissions Requirements

Oregon State University offers admission to applicants whose records demonstrate the highest potential for graduate study and promise for substantial contribution to both their academic professions and to a diverse, global society. The university fosters an environment that welcomes inclusiveness.

Admission decisions are based on many factors, such as the quality of the applicant’s prior academic degree and record of accomplishment, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation from professors or others familiar with the applicant’s academic work, performance in aptitude and achievement tests, relevant work experience, preparation in the proposed field of study, and the connection of the applicant’s academic goals with the faculty’s research interests.

Requirements

The following minimum entrance requirements guide the university and its graduate programs in the consideration of applicants for graduate admission:

• A four-year baccalaureate degree (or international equivalent), a professional degree (such as BPharm, BVsc, MBBS, MD, DVM, DPharm, etc.), or an appropriate U.S./Canadian alternative degree, from a regionally accredited (US) or recognized (International) college or university, with
• A cumulative B average (equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the most recent baccalaureate degree or equivalent or any subsequent graduate degree from a regionally accredited (US) or recognized (International) college or university, plus all work completed thereafter.

The graduate program may choose to calculate the GPA on the last 90 quarter credits (60 semester credits [last two years on an international record]) of graded undergraduate work on the most recent baccalaureate degree, plus all work completed thereafter, as the basis for admission.

Minimum GPA for admission to only graduate certificate programs is set by the departments that supervise the certificates. Applicants requesting admission to only graduate certificate programs should contact their academic program to learn about minimum GPA and other admission requirements.

OR:

• A four-year baccalaureate degree (or international equivalent), a professional degree, or an appropriate U.S./Canadian alternative degree, from an regionally accredited (US) or recognized (International) college or university, and
• A 45-quarter credit equivalent graduate degree from a regionally accredited (US) or recognized (International) college or university, with
• A cumulative B average (equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the most recent graduate degree.

If the applicant has completed his or her baccalaureate degree in a country that is a signatory of the Bologna Declaration, then:

• A Bologna compliant baccalaureate degree of at least three years duration from a recognized college or university, with
• A cumulative B average (equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the degree, plus all subsequent graded course work.

OR (Other three-year bachelor degree holders):

• A non-Bologna compliant baccalaureate degree of at least three years duration from a recognized college or university, and
• A 45-quarter credit equivalent graduate degree from a recognized college or university, with
• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on the most recent graduate degree.
• Graduate programs also have the option of validating that specific professional and/or three-year degrees appropriately prepare students for their graduate admission.

International Requirements

All international graduate applicants must meet the following additional requirements:

• Documentation of sufficient financial resources to attend Oregon State University as a graduate student.
  AND:
• Documentation of English language proficiency

Graduate Applicants

Test	Regular Admission	Transitional Admission-TAP (formeraly Conditional Admission-CAP)
TOEFL Paper based	550	500-547
Internet (iBT) TOEFL	80 Minimum score of 18 on each section	60-79 Or any sub-score less than 18
Internet (iBT) TOEFL Applicants awarded GTA	80 Minimum score of 22 on Speaking subscore and Minimum score of 18 on all other sections
IELTS	6.5	6.0

Please note: OSU requires graduate applicants to meet or exceed all five iBT scores to be eligible for full admission. Scores must be no more than two years old at the time of the applicant’s first term of registration.

Waived from English Language Testing

The English language proficiency requirement is waived for applicants who have demonstrated success by achieving an overall GPA greater than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for two or more semesters/quarters in a rigorous undergraduate or postgraduate program in the U.S. or from one of the following English speaking countries¹: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and United Kingdom.

1

Waivers for applicants in other countries are considered on a case-by-case basis if the medium of instruction is English. The individual program must petition the Graduate School for a waiver. Not all programs will request a waiver. Please contact your proposed graduate program to inquire about their policy.

English Language Exceptions

Individual programs may request exceptions to the minimum English language proficiency requirements. Exceptions to the minimum TOEFL score/sub-score requirements will be considered by the Graduate School Dean on request if:

• Applicant’s GRE Verbal score is greater than 500 (153 – revised GRE)
  OR
• The chair of the Graduate Program (or designated faculty member)
  • Has personally interviewed the applicant and established a plan for language support for the applicant, if needed, which may include additional English Language Training,
    OR
  • The Graduate Program arranges for the applicant to complete language training at INTO OSU equivalent to the admission status as designated by the Transitional Admission Program-TAP

Transitional English Admission

Transitional admission based on English language proficiency may be granted to applicants seeking admission to a graduate degree program. University transitional admission of international applicants may be granted only if the applicant is otherwise fully admissible.

Transitional admission for degree-seeking applicants requires:

• On-campus testing of English language proficiency prior to enrollment, and
• Compliance with the subsequently specified plan for English and academic course work during each quarter until such time as the applicant qualifies for regular admission.
• Individual graduate programs may require additional documents such as GRE and GMAT test results or set higher English and academic standards. For detailed information, refer to the website for Graduate Admissions  and individual graduate program websites.

Transitional admission based on English language proficiency may not be granted to applicants seeking admission to only a graduate certificate program.

All international applicants seeking graduate teaching assistantships should refer to the International Graduate Teaching Assistant English Language Requirement section of this catalog for more details.

Admission Requirements Continued

Applicants not meeting minimum academic requirements still may be considered for admission with the support of their academic program, plus review and approval by the University Graduate Admissions Committee. For these applicants, decisions may rely more heavily on noncognitive criteria. However, the university encourages those applicants whose overall cumulative undergraduate GPA is less than an equivalent 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale to take the GRE.

Applicants whose baccalaureate degrees are awarded by an institution that issues non-graded transcripts will be considered for admission with the support of the program’s written evaluation of the quality of the applicant’s transcript record.

Satisfaction of minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available. As a consequence, many well-qualified applicants may not be accommodated.

Please note that academic performance is not the sole criterion for admission to the university. The university may evaluate a person's behavior and background to determine their ability to maintain the standards of academic and professional conduct expected at the university. An evaluation may take into consideration current behavior and performance as well as past experiences and actions.

Policy Regarding Students' Eligibility to Return to Prior College

Applicants who disclose that they are ineligible to re-enroll at any college or university that they attended within the last seven years for student conduct reasons will be automatically declined admission to OSU. Applicants who disclose that the reason for their ineligibility is for academic reasons will be admitted only if they meet OSU's minimum academic requirements. 

All applicants who are denied admission for conduct reasons have the right to appeal that decision, and appeals will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Application Process

Application forms required for admission to the Graduate School are available electronically at https://oregonstate.Force.com/AppLogin. 

The applicant’s proposed academic program will examine material submitted to determine the adequacy of scholastic background and to decide whether departmental facilities are adequate for the expressed aims of the applicant. Upon the positive recommendation of the academic program, the Graduate School will determine whether minimum university requirements for admission have been met and, subsequently, will provide to the applicant formal notification as to the action taken.

Applicants must upload application materials, unless a program specifies differently. Applicants should contact their academic program(s) of interest to determine whether additional admission materials are required beyond those listed below. Applicants seeking admission to only a graduate certificate program must provide items a., b., and c. below and contact their academic programs to determine what other program-specific materials may be required for admission to the graduate certificate program.

1. One electronic version of the graduate application for each major to which the applicant seeks admission.
2. $75 nonrefundable application fee (domestic students); $85 nonrefundable fee (international students). Applying online requires payment by credit card.
3. Transcripts/Academic Records¹ of all previous academic work, undergraduate and graduate. International applicants must provide a certified English translation of academic records in addition to original language records.

   1	Unofficial records but not grade slips/reports, computer printouts, or internal transcripts may be submitted for evaluation and admission purposes.

   
   If admitted, before registering for courses:
   1. Applicants from U.S. schools must provide official transcripts from all colleges attended, including final transcripts showing degrees awarded and dates earned.
   2. International applicants must provide equivalent documentation from all colleges attended, including final academic records showing degrees awarded and dates earned in the original language plus certified English translations.
4. Three letters of professional reference are required of most applicants applying for admission to a graduate degree program.
   
   If you have a master’s degree, please include a letter from your major professor. Applicants applying only to graduate certificate programs are encouraged to consult with their academic program to determine whether this or other materials are required.
5. Certain graduate programs require the GRE of all applicants. Address inquiries regarding GRE requirements to your proposed academic program. See specific Program Information, http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/programs.

International applicants must also upload the following documents with their application materials:

1. One photocopy of TOEFL or IELTS scores. If admitted, official test scores must be received by the Graduate School prior to the start of the applicant’s first term of enrollment.
2. Certification of Finances form with supporting documentation, demonstrating sufficient financial resources for the desired academic program.
   
   Financial documentation is not required at the time of application. If the application is accepted, the Graduate School will contact the applicant via email to request the financial materials.
   
   Note: If you will be taking courses as a distance student through OSU Extended Campus and not entering the U.S., we ask that you complete a special certification form. Proof of funding is not required. Please contact graduate admissions to request the form.

Application Deadlines

Department Deadlines

Academic programs establish their own application deadlines, which are often substantially earlier than the general university deadlines described below. In such cases, program deadlines supersede the more general university deadline. Some academic programs also admit applicants for specific terms only (e.g., fall term). Applicants should contact the proposed graduate program for deadlines and any other restrictions. See specific program information, http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/programs.

In the absence of earlier program deadlines, the following university deadlines exist:

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Absolutely no later than 30 days prior to the first day of classes.

International Applicants

To allow adequate time for students to obtain visas and make travel arrangements, the following deadlines have been established for international applicants:

International Applicants

Term	General University Deadline1 for International Students Applying from Outside the U.S.	General University Deadline1 for International Students Applying from Within the U.S.
Fall	April 1	June 1
Winter	July 1	September 1
Spring	October 1	December 1
Summer	January 1	March 1

1	Program deadlines supersede this deadline. Please contact program directly for specific program deadline.

Summer Session Admission

See Summer Session, http://summer.oregonstate.edu/.

Admission Status

Students may be admitted to the Graduate School under the following categories.

Advanced-Degree Students

1. Regularly Admitted Graduate Students. These students have been accepted by the university and by a major program to work toward an advanced degree.
2. Conditionally Admitted Graduate Students. Students who have not met the formal admission requirements but whose accomplishments have convinced the University Graduate Admissions Committee and their major program that they have potential for success as advanced degree candidates may be conditionally admitted as follows:
   1. Students from nonaccredited institutions must complete at least one term of satisfactory work at Oregon State, after which they may be admitted with full standing in the Graduate School.
   2. Students whose preparation does not warrant full admission to the Graduate School but who may prove acceptable later must satisfactorily complete specified conditions to demonstrate their ability to carry out graduate-level work.
3. Transitionally Admitted Graduate Students. International students who lack minimum English language proficiencies but otherwise meet all other formal admission requirements may be transitionally admitted under the following:
   1. TOEFL total score is in the range of 61 to 79 (iBT).
   2. IELTS total score is 6.0.
      
      Students who score below the minimum on one or more iBT subtests but meet the minimum overall iBT score requirement may be considered for transitional admission. Transitional admission based on English language proficiency may not be granted to students seeking admission to only a graduate certificate program.
4. Provisionally Admitted Graduate Students. Students who have met all of the university standards for formal admission but whose academic program or major department may have placed additional restrictions upon their admission may be provisionally admitted. These restrictions may include certain prerequisite courses that must be completed, completion of the GRE or GMAT, submission of additional reference letters or scores, etc.

Conditionally and transitionally admitted students cannot schedule and hold preliminary oral exams or final oral exams for their degree until they have satisfied the requirements of their admission and have been reclassified as regular graduate students.

Provisionally admitted students cannot take the final exam for their degree until they have satisfied their provisions and have been reclassified as regular graduate students.

Credit for graduate courses that students have completed acceptably while registered as conditional, transitional or provisional students may count toward the residence requirement for advanced degrees.

If students fail to satisfactorily complete their conditions or provisions, they will be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Graduate Certificate Students

Students admitted to only a graduate certificate program may be considered for reclassification as degree-seeking graduate students by following the procedure in the section below regarding reclassification.

Nondegree-Seeking Graduate Students

The nondegree-seeking graduate student category may be used by holders of a baccalaureate degree who do not wish to pursue an advanced degree at Oregon State University. Those nondegree-seeking graduate students who wish to be reclassified as degree-seeking graduate students must follow the procedure in the next section.

International students who are currently in the U.S. on visas such as an F-1, F-2, B-2, J-1, etc. should consult with OSU's Office of International Services (OIS) (email: ois.student@oregonstate.edu) before submitting the OSU non-degree application for admission. Only certain visa types allow an individual to pursue part-time or non-degree-seeking course work and still maintain one's visa status.

Graduate international students who wish to enroll as nondegree students with OSU for one or more terms, but who will not participate in an established exchange program, should contact the OIS Office isas.advisor@oregonstate.edu for further information before applying.

International students who plan to enroll with OSU as nondegree exchange students should use the application form that is made available at each partner institution. For a list of exchange partner institutions, go to http://international.oregonstate.edu/sites/international.oregonstate.edu/files/atosu/osu-exchange-partner-institutions.pdf.

Reclassification of Postbaccalaureate Students, Nondegree-Seeking Students, and Graduate Certificate Students

A postbaccalaureate, nondegree-seeking graduate, or graduate certificate student may be considered for status as a regular degree-seeking graduate student under one of the following provisions, depending upon prior academic records:

If the student would have been eligible for graduate admission at the time of entering as a postbaccalaureate, nondegree-seeking graduate, or graduate certificate student, the student is eligible for admission consideration at any time but must submit an application for admission to the appropriate level to begin the process.

If the student, prior to entering as a postbaccalaureate, nondegree-seeking graduate, or graduate certificate student had been denied graduate admission or would have been ineligible for graduate admission, as determined a posteriori by the University Graduate Admissions Committee, the postbaccalaureate, nondegree-seeking graduate, or graduate certificate student must complete option a, b, or c below and reapply or reactivate an application for admission to graduate-level study:

1. complete 24 credits of courses each with a grade of B (3.00) or better, or
2. complete 15 credits of graduate course work involving lecture and textbook instruction, each eligible to transfer into the degree program  and with a grade of B (3.00) or better, or
3. complete sufficient credits to bring the cumulative grade-point average (that for the last 90 credits of undergraduate work plus that for courses taken as part of the 24-credit rule) to 3.00 or better before being eligible to apply for graduate admission.

These courses will normally be regular graduate courses relevant to the specific field, except that seminars and other blanket number graduate courses may not be used. Upper-division undergraduate courses are acceptable, provided that they eliminate specific deficiencies in requirements for entry into an identified graduate program. Lower-division undergraduate courses may not be used. All courses should be carefully selected in consultation with an academic advisor from the graduate field into which the student desires admission.

Completion of 2(a), 2(b) or 2(c) above does not guarantee graduate admission. Reclassification decisions employ the same procedures and requirements as those for admission. Postbaccalaureate, nondegree-seeking graduate, and graduate certificate students who seek reclassification must be acceptable to the program in which they plan to major. The university does not have the capacity to accommodate all who meet the minimum requirements for regular graduate student status; when selecting among students who meet minimum requirements, the university treats students requesting reclassification the same as those applying for admission as regular graduate students.

A postbaccalaureate or nondegree-seeking graduate student may use graduate credit earned in this status toward an advanced degree or graduate certificate if the student is later reclassified as a regular graduate student. This credit cannot be used to satisfy residence requirements for an advanced degree. A graduate certificate student may use graduate credit earned in this status toward an advanced degree if the student is later reclassified as a regular graduate student. In either case, the amount of usable credit will depend on the size of the individual student’s program (e.g., a maximum of 15 graduate credits could be used on a 45-credit master’s program or a maximum of 6 graduate credits may be applied toward an 18-credit graduate certificate.) See section entitled "Transfer Credit" for complete details.

Students should initiate all requests for reclassification at the Graduate School.

Second OSU Master's Degree

A candidate for a second master’s degree from Oregon State University may request the application of up to 15 credits, appropriate to both programs, from the first master’s degree program to another, subject to the following three requirements:

1. Credits used to satisfy the residency requirements of one master’s degree may not be used to satisfy the residency requirements of another master’s degree.
2. Students who earn two master’s degrees at Oregon State University must complete all degree requirements for each degree. This requires filing separate programs of study forms for each degree, filing separate commencement applications for each degree, completing separate projects or theses for each degree, scheduling separate final oral examinations for each degree, and passing final oral examinations for each degree.
3. Such credit will be granted only for graded course work earned at Oregon State University and completed with a grade of B or higher.

Pursuit of the Second PhD

The doctor of philosophy degree is the highest academic degree granted by North American universities. It is a research degree designed to prepare a student to become a scholar; that is, to discover, integrate, and apply knowledge, as well as communicate and disseminate it. The doctor of philosophy degree is to be distinguished from other doctorates such as the MD, JD, or EdD degrees, which are designed for professional training or which focus on applied rather than basic research.

Students may enroll for a second PhD degree if they have previously obtained a PhD from OSU or elsewhere. Concurrent pursuit of dual PhD degrees is not allowed. In the case of a student pursuing a second PhD degree, requirements for the second PhD must be met without overlap with the first PhD degree including, but not limited to: successful completion of a second preliminary exam, a separate thesis with no overlap with the first PhD thesis, a final defense exam for the second PhD, a different major advisor from the first PhD, a thesis committee of different faculty than the first PhD degree (although some, but not complete, overlap between committee members would be acceptable in the case of two PhD degrees from OSU), and all other requirements for the second PhD degree program. Courses from the first PhD degree relevant to the second degree may be allowed to transfer between the two degrees. However, the student’s program of study committee must approve all course transfers, should pay particular attention to the relevancy, overlap, and currency of any courses to be transferred from one PhD degree to another, and are advised to proceed conservatively when approving course transfers from a first PhD to a second PhD degree.

Re-Enrollment

All credential-seeking graduate students will be subject to the continuous enrollment policy. Continuous graduate enrollment refers to the policy of requiring continuous registration of graduate students from original matriculation until all graduate degree requirements are met. Please refer to Registration Requirements under Policies Governing All Graduate Programs for complete details.

A graduate student who takes an unauthorized break in registration by failing to maintain continuous enrollment or by failing to obtain regular or planned leave of absence will relinquish his/her graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to have their graduate standing reinstated will be required to file an Application for Graduate Readmission and pay the readmission fee. Readmission is not guaranteed even if the student left in good standing.

International students who wish to re-enroll after an absence should contact the Office of International Services (OIS) to make sure they have the required documents to return to the US.

Graduate Tuition and Fees

The official Graduate Tuition and Fee Schedule can be found on the OSU Business Affairs website: http://fa.oregonstate.edu/business-affairs/tuition-and-fee-information. 

Tuition and fees for the next year are usually finalized during the month of July prior to the academic year start.

For information about residency status, visit http://admissions.oregonstate.edu/residency. 

Policies Governing All Graduate Programs

Graduate Major

A graduate major is the area of academic specialization in which the student chooses to qualify for a graduate degree. Upon completion of a graduate degree, the degree awarded and the graduate major are listed on the student's transcript.

Graduate Option

Options are for students of a specific major. An option is one of several distinct variants of course aggregations within a major that focus on an area of study designed to provide a student with specialized knowledge, competence, and skills while sharing a minimum core of courses.

A graduate option consists of a minimum of 12 designated quarter credits of related course work (excluding thesis credits), comprised of course work offered by the sponsoring unit as well as by other academic units. The option may be comprised of specific courses, completion of a designated number of credits from a longer list of alternative courses, or a combination of specific and alternative course lists. Approved options may be added to a graduate program of study, and approved by the faculty advisor(s) and the director of the sponsoring unit. On the program of study, there should be no overlap in course credits between options (the same course cannot be used to satisfy credit requirements in multiple options). When the unit submits the final examination card to validate awarding of the major to the Graduate School, the unit will also validate that the requirements of the option have been completed.

Graduate Area of Concentration

A graduate area of concentration is a subdivision of a major or minor in which a strong graduate program is available. Areas of concentration may be referenced on the student's program of study, but they are not listed on the student's transcript.

Graduate Minor

A graduate minor is an academic area that clearly supports the major. Master's program minors must include a minimum of 15 quarter credits of graduate course work; doctoral minors require a minimum of 18 credits. On a master's or doctoral program, a minor may be:

1. an academic area available only as a minor,
2. a different major,
3. the same major with a different area of concentration, or
4. an integrated minor.

An integrated minor consists of a series of cognate courses from two or more areas. These courses must be outside the major area of concentration, with most of the courses being outside the major department. The graduate faculty member representing the integrated minor must be from outside the major department. Graduate minors are listed on the student's transcript.

Concurrent Master’s Degrees

Students who earn two master’s degrees at Oregon State University must complete all degree requirements for each degree. This requires filing separate programs of study forms for each degree, filing separate commencement applications for each degree, completing separate projects or theses for each degree, scheduling separate final oral examinations for each degree, and passing final oral examinations for each degree. For additional information, please refer to the Transfer Credit section of this catalog.

Dual Majors

For the MA, MS, EdM, MF, or PhD degree, a student may select two graduate major areas to pursue instead of the traditional single major. Only one degree is awarded, and the student basically must satisfy all degree requirements for majors in both areas. For more details, contact the Graduate School.

Graduate Certificate

A graduate certificate program is a structured progression of graduate-level courses that constitute a coherent body of study with a specific defined focus within a single discipline or a logical combination of disciplines. It is designed for a student who has completed a baccalaureate degree and is in pursuit of advanced-level learning. Graduate certificates reflect the educational mission of the university.

Transfer Credit

Students may only transfer course credits from regionally accredited institutions (or equivalently recognized institutions outside the U.S.). Students who wish to transfer graduate credits from other schools must provide transcripts for courses already completed to the Graduate School prior to the submission of a study program. Undergraduate students at OSU may receive credit for graduate courses (500 and 600 level) in excess of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Graduate courses taken at OSU while the student was a non-degree graduate student, a post-baccalaureate student, a professional degree-seeking student (PharmD or DVM), or an undergraduate student, are considered transfer courses.

Courses to be transferred must be graduate level. It is the responsibility of the student wishing to transfer the course to provide the necessary documentation to satisfy the OSU guidelines.

All courses on a program of study require final approval by the student’s program of study committee and the Graduate School. Committees are free to deny inclusion of any course if they believe that the earned grade is not sufficient; the course is not appropriate, sufficiently current, sufficiently rigorous based on syllabus content; or for any other reason. To be considered for inclusion on a graduate program of study, OSU courses whether taken as either an enrolled graduate student or pre-graduate admission, must have an earned grade of C or better. To be considered for inclusion on a graduate program of study, courses from another institution (transfer courses) must have an earned grade of B minus or better.

If the transfer credit is from a foreign university, the student must provide copies of the original transcript and an English translation of the transcript, with the courses to be transferred clearly indicated. Grades and credits for the courses must be clearly identified. In some countries, the first university degree, which OSU considers to be equivalent to a baccalaureate degree, may take five years or more to complete. All of the course work toward such a degree is considered a requirement for the first university degree, and hence none of it can be transferred to a graduate certificate or graduate degree at OSU.

Students may not transfer courses graded on a nonstandard basis (e.g., Pass/No Pass, Credit/No Credit, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) to their graduate certificate or degree programs unless it can be verified from the registrar of the university offering the course that the grade is equivalent to a B (3.00) or better.

Graduate courses to be transferred from another institution to an OSU master's degree must not have been used to satisfy the requirements for a bachelor's degree, master's degree (or equivalent) or a doctoral degree.

Graduate courses to be transferred from an OSU master's degree to a second OSU master's degree must meet the following three requirements:

1. Credits used to satisfy the residency requirements of one master's degree may not be used to satisfy the residency requirements of another master's degree.
2. Students who earn two master's degrees at Oregon State University must complete all degree requirements for each degree. This requires filing separate programs of study forms for each degree, filing separate commencement applications for each degree, completing separate projects or theses for each degree, scheduling separate final oral examinations for each degree, and passing final oral examinations for each degree.
3. Such credit will be granted only for graded course work earned at Oregon State University and completed with a grade of B or higher.

Up to 15 graduate credits may be transferred toward a 45-credit master's degree. Up to 6 graduate credits may be transferred toward an 18-credit graduate certificate.

Graduate courses to be transferred to a doctoral degree program can be courses that were used to satisfy the graduate course requirements for a graduate certificate or a master's degree (or equivalent). Selected 700-level courses that have been deemed equivalent to graduate-level learning may be used on doctoral programs of study upon approval of the student's graduate committee. There is no limit on transfer credit toward the doctoral degree as long as the doctoral residence requirement is satisfied.

Credits earned in fulfillment of a graduate certificate program may be applied to a graduate degree, so long as they meet the appropriate standards for use in the degree and the criteria to transfer credit as defined herein. Courses completed for a degree program may likewise be applied toward a certificate program.

Preparation Required for Graduate Major

Preparation for a graduate major is ordinarily an undergraduate major in the same subject, or a fair equivalent. Preparation for a graduate minor is ordinarily at least one year of upper-division work in addition to foundation courses in the subject.

Academic performance is not the sole criterion for admission to and continuation in certain courses and programs at the university, such as practicum courses and internships. The university may find it necessary to evaluate a person's background to determine his or her likelihood of maintaining standards of professional conduct necessary in the academic discipline or profession. An evaluation may consider current performance as well as past experiences and actions that could affect a student's ability to perform in the particular course or program.

Qualifying Examinations. Some departments and programs require graduate students working for advanced degrees to take oral and/or written examinations in their major and minor fields to determine overall preparation and background. The examination serves as a guidance examination, the results of which are used in setting up the graduate study program. A poor showing in any area may result in a student's taking undergraduate courses without graduate credit to gain the necessary background to proceed with the graduate program. The examination usually is taken during the first quarter of graduate enrollment.

In lieu of their own qualifying examination, departments and programs may accept a satisfactory showing in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or some other standard test. Check with the anticipated major department or program to find out which exams are appropriate.

Registration Requirements

Introduction

Full-time status as a graduate student is defined by Oregon State University as enrollment in 9 credits per term. The maximum load for a full-time graduate student is 16 credits. A student may exceed this limit only with the approval of the Graduate School. Students receiving approval to exceed 16 credits will be assessed a per-credit overload fee.

Full-time status (i.e., a minimum of 9 credits per term) may be sufficient to qualify for purposes of veterans’ benefits, visa requirements, external fellowships, and federal financial aid.

To assure full compliance with visa regulations, international students must consult with the Office of International Services (OIS) for additional information about registration requirements.

Continuous Enrollment

1. Minimum Registration
   Unless on approved leave of absence (see Section II), all graduate students in graduate degree programs must register continuously for a minimum of 3 graduate credits until their degree is granted or until their status as a credential-seeking graduate student is terminated. This includes students who are taking only preliminary comprehensive or final examinations or presenting terminal projects. Students must register for a minimum of 3 credits and pay fees if they will be using university resources (e.g., facilities, equipment, computing and library services, or faculty or staff time) during any given term, regardless of the student’s location. If degree requirements are completed between terms, the student must have been registered during the preceding term.
   
   Graduate students who have successfully completed all course and noncourse requirements in accordance with diploma deadlines (see the Graduate School website) are not required to register during the subsequent term.
   
   Nonthesis master’s degree students who complete all degree requirements during a term for which they are registered will not be required to register for the subsequent term.
   
   Doctoral and thesis master’s students who fail to meet all deadlines and complete all course and noncourse requirements during the term will be required to register for a minimum of 3 graduate credits during the subsequent term. However, only if library copies of the thesis have been submitted to the Graduate School within the first two weeks of the subsequent term and the thesis is the only outstanding requirement remaining for certification of the student’s graduate degree may an exception to this rule be considered.
   
   Graduate students who use facilities or faculty/staff time during summer session to engage in academic or research activities in support of their thesis/pursuit of degree are required to register for a minimum of 3 credits during the summer session. Graduate students who use facilities or faculty staff time during summer session purely in service to the university and not to engage in academic or research activities in support of their thesis/pursuit of degree are not required to register during the summer session. 
   
   Graduate students do not need to submit a Leave of Absence form if they do not enroll in summer term.
   
   It should be noted that graduate assistantship eligibility requires enrollment levels that supersede those contained in this continuous enrollment policy. Various agencies and offices maintain their own registration requirements that also may exceed those specified by this continuous enrollment policy (e.g., those of the Veterans Administration, Immigration and Naturalization Service for international students, and those required for federal financial aid programs.) Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to register for the appropriate number of credits that may be required for funding eligibility and/or compliance as outlined by specific agency regulations under which they are governed.
2. Leave of Absence
   On-leave status is available to students who need to suspend their program of study for good cause. Students who desire a leave of absence will work with their major professor, program administrator, and the Graduate School to arrange authorized leave. Students understand that while on leave they will not use university resources. Graduate faculty members are students’ most important resource at the university and will work closely with graduate students to ensure timely completion of academic goals, understanding of the continuous graduate enrollment policy, and that graduate students enroll each term other than when they are on authorized leave. The Graduate School will assist graduate students and graduate faculty members with administrative procedures related to the continuous graduate enrollment policy. The Graduate School recognizes the diverse circumstances and unpredictability of graduate students’ lives and will work in partnership with the graduate community in arranging leaves and responding to unanticipated situations.
   
   A graduate student intending to resume active graduate student status following interruption of his or her study program for one or more terms, excluding summer session, must apply for leave of absence to maintain graduate student standing in his or her degree program. (See Section IV below). Leave of Absence form must be received by the Graduate School at least 15 working days prior to the first day of the term involved. The time the student spends in approved on-leave status will be included in any time limits relevant to the degree (See Sections C.1. and C.2. below). Students in on-leave status may not a) use any university facilities, b) make demands upon faculty time, c) receive a fellowship or financial aid, or d) take course work of any kind at Oregon State University.
   1. Eligibility
      Only graduate students in good standing are eligible for leave of absence.
   2. Leave of Absence Categories
      1. Regular. Regular leave of absence is granted on a term-by-term basis in cases where the student demonstrates good cause (e.g., illness, temporary departure from the university for employment, family issues, financial need, personal circumstances). Students who request a leave of absence must:
         1. be in good standing,
         2. submit the Leave of Absence form indicating each term for which leave is requested, and
         3. complete all degree requirements within the time limits established in this catalog.
      2. Family and Medical Leave. This leave is different from regular leave in that it is for 12 continuous weeks that may span multiple terms and must meet FMLA leave requirements as determined by the Office of Human Resources. See policy at http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/sites/gradschool.oregonstate.edu/files/imce/progress/graduate-student-family-and-medical-leave-policy.pdf. 
   3. Limits
      1. Regular Leave of Absence is granted for a specified time period that may not exceed three terms, excluding summer session.
      2. Time spent in on-leave status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program.
      3. Students who matriculate fall term 2016 or later may use unlimited leaves as long as time to degree constraints are met (7 years for master's degrees and graduate certificates; 9 years for doctoral degrees). Leaves of absence may be approved for up to three terms at a time, but must be renewed to retain student status. Failure to renew the leave of absence or register will result in the loss of student status.
      4. Family and Medical Leave is available for 12 continuous weeks that may span multiple terms and must meet FMLA leave requirements as determined by the Office of Human Resources. These absences will not be included in time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program. Contact the Graduate School for additional details.
   4. Approval
      Approval of the major professor, department/program chair, and graduate dean are required.
3. Student Fees
   Students with approved on-leave status are not required to pay tuition or fees. However, students who must register as per section I, "Minimum Registration," must pay both tuition and student fees.
4. Unauthorized Break in Registration
   A graduate student who takes an unauthorized break in registration by failing to maintain continuous enrollment or by failing to obtain a leave of absence will relinquish his or her graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to have their graduate standing reinstated will be required to file an Application for Graduate Readmission and pay the readmission fee. The readmission application must be approved by the student’s major professor, department/school/program chair, and graduate dean. Acceptance back into a graduate program is not guaranteed even if the student departed in good standing. The petitioner for readmission will be required to meet university and departmental admission requirements and degree completion requirements that are in effect on the date of readmission. Review of the Application for Graduate Readmission may also result in a change of residency status from resident to nonresident.
5. Appeal
   In the case of extraordinarily extenuating circumstances, students may appeal the provisions of the continuous graduate enrollment policy by submitting a detailed request in writing to the dean of the Graduate School.

Implementation of Continuous Enrollment Policy

All graduate students, excluding certificate-only students, including those enrolled prior to fall 2002, are subject to this policy.

All graduate students should be enrolled for a reasonable number of credits sufficient to represent their use of university space, facilities or faculty time.

Registration Requirements for Graduate Assistants

In addition to the above registration requirements, the following requirements apply to graduate teaching assistants (GTA) and graduate research assistants (GRA).

As a condition of their academic appointments, graduate teaching and research assistants are required to register for 3 credits above the minimum full-time load (i.e., a minimum of 12 credits) each term of the appointment during the academic year (fall, winter, and spring.) During summer session, a minimum registration of 3 credits is required for graduate assistants. Students are responsible for determining whether the minimum 3-credit summer registration fulfills their individual immigration, financial aid, tax liability or other specific needs. Audit registrations, course withdrawals, and enrollment in INTO OSU courses may not be used to satisfy enrollment requirements for graduate assistant salary/stipend, tuition remission, salary supplement or health insurance benefits. Tuition charges associated with INTO OSU enrollment are not covered under graduate assistant tuition remission.

Grade Requirement

A grade-point average of 3.00 (a B average) is required: 1) for all courses taken as a degree-seeking graduate student, and 2) for courses included in the graduate degree or graduate certificate program of study. Grades below C (2.00) cannot be used on a graduate program of study. A grade-point average of 3.00 is required before the final oral or written exam may be undertaken. Enforced graduate-level prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C.

Policy on Disallowance of Undergraduate Courses in the Calculation of the Final Graduate Student GPA

Calculation of the final cumulative GPA for graduation for a graduate student will include all 500-, 600- and certain 700-level courses determined to be eligible for use on a graduate program of study. Undergraduate (100 to 400 level) courses taken, even if taken while a graduate student, will not be used in the cumulative GPA calculation for graduation. A graduate student is required to attain a 3.0 GPA in all graduate-level course work, both cumulatively and on the program of study, for graduation.

Course Numbers

Graduate Courses

All graduate courses will be designed around well-defined objectives or student learning outcomes, and instructional opportunities should be designed to help students achieve these outcomes. Student learning outcomes encompass the range of student attributes and abilities that students should be able to demonstrate after successful completion of the course.

500-Level Courses

These courses are graduate courses offered primarily in support of graduate certificate or master's degree programs but which are also available for use on doctoral level degree programs.

Undergraduates of superior scholastic achievement may be admitted to these courses on the approval of the instructor, and they may, if admitted, under some conditions, use a limited number of these courses toward a graduate certificate or a graduate degree program. These courses have one or more of the following characteristics:

1. They require upper-division prerequisites in the discipline.
2. They require an extensive theoretical base in the discipline.
3. They increase or re-examine the existing knowledge or database of the discipline.
4. They present core components or important peripheral components of the discipline at an advanced level.

600-Level Courses

These are graduate courses offered principally in support of doctoral level instructional programs but also are available for use on graduate certificate or master's level degree programs. In addition to exhibiting the characteristics of 500-level courses, these courses typically require 500-level prerequisites and they build on and increase the information presented in 500-level courses.

700-Level Courses

These are advanced professional or technical courses that may be applied toward a first professional degree (e.g., DVM, PharmD). They make up the bulk of the course work for these professional degree programs. In general, these courses are not considered graduate-level courses, and may not be applied toward graduate certificate, master's level or doctoral level (PhD or EdD) degree programs. However, selected 700-level courses that have been deemed equivalent to graduate-level learning may be used on doctoral programs of study upon approval of the student's graduate committee and the Graduate School.

800-Level Courses

These courses are in-service courses aimed at practicing professionals in the discipline. These courses have an in-service or retraining focus, and provide the professionals new ways to examine existing situations or new tools to treat existing problems. These courses generally have none of the characteristics of 500-level courses. They are not graduate-level courses, and they may not be applied to graduate certificate or graduate degree programs nor to professional degree programs.

Blanket-Numbered Courses

Blanket-numbered courses have a zero middle digit. Those that carry graduate credit may be repeated up to the maximum totals indicated below.

• Research (501 or 601) is for research that is not part of the thesis. Data obtained from such research should not be incorporated into the thesis.
• Thesis (503 or 603) covers the thesis research and writing. A student may register for thesis credit each term.
• Reading and Conference (505 or 605) and Projects (506 or 606) are used for special work not given under a formal course number.
• Seminar (507 or 607) is used both for departmental seminars and for special group work not given in a formal course.
• Workshop (508 or 608) is usually a special, short-term course covering a variety of topics.
• Practicum (509) is used for courses whose emphasis is the application of academic theory to the work environment.

No more than 9 credits of blanket-numbered courses, other than thesis (or research-in-lieu-of-thesis for nonthesis programs), may be applied toward the minimum 45-credit master's degree. While internship credit (510) is not considered a blanket-numbered course, no more than 6 credits of internship may be applied toward a 45-credit master's degree. The internship credit limit is in addition to the 9-credit blanket-hour limit.

No more than 15 blanket-numbered credits may be applied toward the minimum 108-credit doctoral program.

No more than 3 credits of blanket-numbered courses in each field of study may be used in the MAIS program; thesis credits or research paper credits are exempt from this limitation.

Blanket-numbered transfer courses will count toward the maximum totals specified above.

Courses Graded on Nonstandard Basis

Graduate students may elect to take courses on an S/U basis only if those courses are not in their graduate certificate or graduate degree program or are not required for the removal of deficiencies. Graduate students may use courses taken at OSU on a P/N basis in their graduate certificate or graduate degree programs.

4xx/5xx Courses

No more than 50% of courses used for a graduate program of study may be the 500-level component of a dual-listed course. Courses bearing dual-listed numbers (400/500) must provide students who are enrolled for 500-level credit with graduate-level learning.

Expectations for learning outcomes in the graduate component of dual listed (400/500 level) courses are the same as for stand-alone 500-level courses. A distinction should be made between learning outcomes for students taking the course for undergraduate credit (400 level) and those taking the course for graduate credit (500 level). In most cases this distinction should include emphasis on developing skills in analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation for the 500-level credit. The different student learning outcomes should be accompanied by appropriate differences in instructional opportunities and evaluation procedures.

Repeating 4xx/5xx Courses

A graduate student who has taken a 4xx course may not normally include the corresponding 5xx course on his or her graduate program.

Remote Access for Graduate Committee Meetings

It is generally expected that all members of graduate committees should be physically present at all required graduate committee meetings (i.e., program meetings, preliminary examinations, and final examinations). However, it is permissible for the student, and/or committee members to participate from a remote location provided the conditions listed below are met:

1. Advance agreement of the student and all committee members has been obtained;
2. All participants join in with two-way audio and video connections; audio-only connections must be approved by the major professor if the video connection is not possible. When the student is the remote participant, his or her connection must be an audio and video connection;
3. Any visual aids or other materials have been distributed in advance to the remote participants;
4. The committee members participate in the complete meeting, discussion, presentation, and evaluation; and
5. The student is responsible for making arrangements.

Petitions

A student wishing to deviate from normal Graduate School regulations and procedures may submit a request and the reasons for it to the Graduate School in a letter signed by the student and his or her major professor. In reaching a decision, the Graduate School may seek advice from the Graduate Council. The student will be advised of the decision when it has been made. Action taken on a petition will not be considered precedent for future action.

Diploma Application

Graduate students wishing a printed diploma must complete a Diploma Application form. This form should be submitted prior to taking the final examination, indicating the term the student intends to graduate. Participation in Commencement ceremonies requires earlier submission of this form.

Institutional Review Board Approval of Human Subjects Research

It is Oregon State University policy that the OSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) must review all research that involves human subjects. The results from studies conducted without obtaining IRB review and approval may not be published or widely distributed, nor can such data be used to satisfy master's thesis or doctoral dissertation requirements.

The requirements for IRB review of research involving human subjects is based upon research ethics and federal law, and the implications of conducting human subjects research without IRB approval are significant. Failure to follow this policy places both the individual and the institution at risk: the individual may be subject to university sanctions and/or incur personal liability for negligence and harm; the university could lose access to federal funding or be forced to cease all human subjects research. For more information, please send an email to irb@oregonstate.edu or visit the IRB website at http://research.oregonstate.edu/irb/.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee IACUC

The Oregon State University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) requires prior review and approval for all live vertebrate animal use in research, teaching, testing, per the IACUC Scope of Work Policy. An eligible principal investigator must be identified in order to submit an ACUP to the committee, per PI Eligibility Policy. Review leading to approval is accomplished via submission of an Animal Care and Use Protocol form (ACUP) to the IACUC.

The requirements for IACUC review are based on the ethics of animal use, and our assurances to agencies that provide federal oversight, funding, and program accreditation. Implications regarding conduct of animal research without IACUC approval and oversight are significant. Failure to secure and maintain approval can result in the student’s inability to continue research or publish data. In addition, OSU could lose accreditation, lose access to funding and/or be required to pay significant fines. Please contact IACUC@oregonstate.edu for more information.

OSU Scientific Diving and Scientific Boating

Scientific Diving

OSU personnel (graduate or undergraduate students, faculty, staff, approved volunteers) who work underwater as a part of their research must have their diving activity pre-approved by the OSU Diving and Small Boat Safety Officer (DBSO) and the OSU Diving Control Board. OSU is an organizational member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) and all OSU scientific diving is conducted in accordance with AAUS standards. For more information visit http://research.oregonstate.edu/diving/ or contact the Diving and Small Boat Safety Office (diving.safety@oregonstate.edu).

Scientific Boating

OSU personnel (graduate or undergraduate students, faculty, staff, approved volunteers) who operate vessels (motorboats, personal watercraft, and non-motorized craft) as a part of their research must conduct their activities in accordance with OSU scientific boating standards. For more information visit http://research.oregonstate.edu/boating/ and contact the Diving and Small Boat Safety Office (diving.safety@oregonstate.edu) to ensure that your planned research boating activities are in compliance with OSU standards. OSU is a member of the Scientific Boating Safety Association (SBSA).

Graduate Work by Faculty Members

The Faculty as Student policy specifies that one may not simultaneously be an Oregon State University faculty member and an OSU graduate student. This policy pertains to all OSU faculty members (both ranked and professional), is consistent with practices at most universities, and is in keeping with recognized appropriate graduate education practice.

Although faculty members are eligible to enroll for courses at staff fee rates, such course work may not be applied to a graduate certificate or graduate degree without prior approval from the graduate dean.

Graduate Student Teaching

Appointment as Instructor of Record. For a graduate student to be appointed as the Instructor of Record for a graduate course (including the 500-level component of a slash course):

• The unit/program of employment must be separate and distinct from the unit/program of enrollment.
• The instructor must be appointed to the graduate faculty based on their academic/professional qualification by the unit/program of employment.
• In the event that graduate students from the instructor’s unit/program of enrollment are enrolled in the course, alternative arrangements must be made for evaluating the work of those graduate students.

Appointment as Teaching Assistant. For a graduate student to be appointed as the Teaching Assistant for a graduate course (including the 500-level component of a slash course), the Director of the Graduate Program must ensure that potential conflicts of interest are avoided to the maximum extent possible. This may include:

• Making alternative arrangements to evaluate the work of graduate students from the same unit/program as the Teaching Assistant, OR
• Ensuring that the Teaching Assistant has advanced to candidacy status (after prelims) and all graduate students in the class have not advanced to candidacy

If neither of these criteria are met, the program must have a conflict of interest plan approved by the Graduate School.

Graduate Appointments

Graduate assistants are represented by the Coalition of Graduate Employees, American Federation of Teachers Local 6069 (CGE). Terms and conditions of employment for service not performed as a requirement for their degrees are prescribed in the collective bargaining agreement between OSU, and CGE. The CGE contract can be found on the OHR website at http://hr.oregonstate.edu/ercc/gradstud.

Persons interested in assistantships should write directly to the department/program concerned.

To qualify for appointment as a graduate assistant the student must:

1. Be a regularly admitted, conditionally admitted, or provisionally admitted graduate student at Oregon State University (i.e., not a graduate nondegree-seeking, postbaccalaureate student, or PharmD or DVM student).
2. Be enrolled as a full-time degree-seeking graduate student at Oregon State University, completing a minimum of 12 credits of instruction each term (3 credits during summer session). Audit registrations, course withdrawals, and enrollment in INTO OSU may not be used to satisfy these minimum enrollment requirements.
3. Be making satisfactory progress toward an advanced degree.

Graduate assistants may be appointed on an academic term basis, an academic-year basis (nine months) or a full-year basis (12 months). No appointment can be for less than .30 FTE or more than .49 FTE per term. A graduate assistant on less than .49 FTE may take on extra duties; however, the total stipend plus salary from all sources at Oregon State University may not exceed the equivalent of .49 FTE for any term.

All graduate assistants are required to provide duties to OSU to justify their stipends. Teaching assistants are expected to provide duties related to the university's instructional program (e.g., teaching laboratories or discussion sections, grading papers, advising). Research assistants provide duties related to the research function of the university. Whatever the type of appointment, the graduate assistant should be regarded as a student providing service as part of a learning experience rather than as an employee whose education is secondary.

The work schedule and the duties to be performed by the graduate assistant shall be established by the department or program sponsoring the assistantship.

Graduate assistants must register for and complete a minimum of 12 credits of instruction each term except during summer session, when a minimum of 3 credits is required. Audit registrations, course withdrawals, and enrollment in INTO OSU courses may not be used to satisfy these minimum enrollment requirements. (See section on 'Registration Requirements for Graduate Assistants' for complete details.)

Persons interested in assistantships should write directly to the department or program concerned.

International Graduate Teaching Assistant English Language Requirement

If the Graduate School determines that an applicant or current student’s native language is not English, the proposed IGTA is required to take the Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) test before being appointed as a graduate teaching assistant.

Potential IGTAs scoring below 22 on the speaking section of the iBT can be appointed, but will be required to undertake further English language training.

If a department wishes to offer a student with an iBT speaking score of 18 to 21 an assistantship, the unit must:

1. Affirm that the graduate student will be enrolled in IEPA 098NC Communication for IGTAs (with the unit paying the cost of this training).
2. If at all possible, assign the graduate student assignments (such as paper grading, reagent preparation, etc.) that do not require personal contact with undergraduate students.
3. If (b) above is not possible, and if possible, pair the IGTA in the laboratory or classroom with another TA who is a native speaker of English.
4. Monitor the quality of IGTA performance using student evaluations and the evaluations of the supervising professors. The unit will document for each student the results of their evaluation of the student’s performance as a GTA.

If the unit agrees to meet these conditions, the IGTA appointment can be made.

The scheduling of IEPA 098NC will be coordinated with the units so that students can attend the course and conduct teaching assistantship duties. Please check the OSU online schedule of classes for confirmation of the time and date: https://catalog.oregonstate.edu/course-search/

Students with an iBT speaking score of less than 18 cannot be assigned teaching assistantships.

Students Who Fail to Find a Major Advisor

There are times when students are making satisfactory academic progress, but are unable to complete graduate studies with their initial major professor. Oregon State University has an ethical responsibility to assist such students in identifying a new major professor. The Graduate Council and Faculty Senate policy for establishing major advisors and committees for students in this situation provides guidance and can be obtained by contacting the Graduate School.

Dismissal from Graduate School

Advanced-degree students (regularly, conditionally, and provisionally admitted) are expected to make satisfactory progress toward a specific academic degree. This includes maintaining a GPA of 3.00 or better for all courses taken as a graduate student and for courses included in the graduate program, meeting departmental or program requirements, and participating in a creative activity such as a thesis.

If a student is failing to make satisfactory progress toward an academic degree, as determined by the major department/program or the Graduate School, the student may be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Any doctoral student who fails the preliminary oral examination with a committee recommendation that the student's work toward this degree be terminated may be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Any student who fails a final oral examination may be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Academic dishonesty and other violations of the Student Conduct Code may serve as grounds for dismissal from the Graduate School.

Student Conduct Regulations

Graduate students enrolled at Oregon State University are expected to conform to basic regulations and policies developed to govern the behavior of students as members of the university community. The regulations have been formulated by the Student Conduct Committee, the Student Activities Committee, the university administration, and the State Board of Higher Education. Violations of the regulations subject a student to appropriate disciplinary or judicial action. The regulations and the procedures for disciplinary action and appeal are available via the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards website at http://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/studentconduct/.

Grievance Procedure

All students desiring to appeal matters relating to their graduate education should request a copy of Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students at Oregon State University from the Graduate School. These procedures are also available on the Web at http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/grievance-procedures. Graduate assistants whose terms and conditions of employment are prescribed by the collective bargaining agreement between OSU and the Coalition of Graduate Employees, American Federation of Teachers Local 6069 should also refer to that document.

Policies Governing Graduate Certificate Programs

General Requirements

The Graduate Certificate Program at Oregon State University is a structured progression of graduate-level courses that constitute a coherent body of study with a defined focus within a single discipline or a logical combination of disciplines. It is designed for a student who has completed a baccalaureate degree and is in pursuit of advanced-level learning. Graduate certificates reflect the educational mission of the university. Students desiring a graduate certificate must be admitted to the university as a credential-seeking graduate student, but are not required to be on track for a specific degree. There is no formal committee requirement for graduate certificates. Certificate students are subject to all general policies governing the courses for the master's degree, unless specified within the Graduate Catalog.

Graduate Certificate Study Program

The graduate certificate curriculum consists of a minimum of 18 graduate credits, and may include a final project, portfolio, or report for integration of the sequence of course materials. All graduate student programs of study submitted to the Graduate School must consist of, at a minimum, 50 percent graduate stand-alone credits. The remaining credits may be the 500 component of 400/500 slash courses. No final examination is required.

Time Limits

Courses completed no more than seven years prior to the graduate certificate award may be used to satisfy certificate requirements. Students enrolled in certificates without concurrent enrollment in a graduate degree program are not subject to the continuous enrollment policy during the time allowed for certificate completion.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Students enrolled in only graduate certificate programs may qualify for federal loan and work-study financial aid. Students must complete the federal FAFSA form to begin the financial aid application process.

Policies Governing Master's Degree Programs

General Requirements

All master’s degree programs require a minimum of 45 graduate credits including thesis (6 to 12 credits), research-in-lieu-of-thesis (3 to 6 credits), or an integrative capstone experience (3 to 6 credits). Exceptions to this capstone requirement are specified under the degree descriptions that follow these universal master’s degree requirements. Effective fall 2005, all graduate student programs of study submitted to the Graduate School must consist of, at a minimum, 50 percent graduate stand-alone courses. The remaining credits may be the 500 component of 400/500 slash courses. General regulations for all master’s programs are cited here, with certain exceptions provided for master’s degrees in the professional areas listed on the following pages.

All master’s students must:

1. Conduct research, produce some other form of creative work, or participate in an integrative capstone experience; and
2. Demonstrate mastery of subject material; and
3. Be able to conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner

The assessment of these outcomes and the specification of learning objectives related to these outcomes are to be carried out at the program level.

Residence Requirements

The residence requirement for the master’s degree is 30 graduate Oregon State University credits after admission as a degree-seeking graduate student. These 30 graduate credits must appear on the master’s degree program. (This does not include graduate credits taken as a postbaccalaureate or graduate nondegree-seeking student, nor transfer courses.)

Language Requirements

For the master of arts degree, the student must show foreign language proficiency (including American Sign Language) equivalent to that attained at the end of a second-year university course in that language with a grade of "C" (2.00) or better. English is not considered a foreign language for purposes of this requirement. There is no language requirement for the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree. For other master’s degrees, there is no foreign language requirement unless a language is required in the individual student’s program. A student must be enrolled to complete their foreign language requirement before they take the final oral examination for the degree. 

Graduate Program of Study

A regular master’s degree student must complete a program of study in consultation with an advisor/advisory committee before completing 18 graduate credits. This includes credits earned as a postbaccalaureate, graduate nondegree-seeking student, or graduate student.

Students who wish to transfer credit must submit a Transfer Credit Request form before the end of their first year of study.

The final program of study must be submitted to the Graduate School at least 15 weeks prior to the date of the student’s final examination.

Effective fall 2005, all graduate student programs of study submitted to the Graduate School must consist of, at a minimum, 50 percent graduate stand-alone courses. The remaining credits may be the 500 component of 400/500 slash courses.

If a minor is declared, approximately two-thirds of the work (30 graduate credits) should be listed in the major field and one-third (15 graduate credits) in the minor field. In such cases, the student’s advisory committee must include a member from the minor department.

The program is developed under the guidance of the major professor, and minor professor when a minor is included, and signed by those professors and the chair of the academic unit before filing in the Graduate School. Each candidate’s program should include substantial work with at least three faculty members offering graduate instruction. Changes in the program may be made by submitting a Petition for Change in Program form, available in the Graduate School.

Time Limit

All work toward a master’s degree, including transferred credits, course work, thesis (if required), and all examinations, must be completed within seven years. Time in which the student is on a leave of absence is included in the seven year limit.

Thesis

When scheduling their final oral examinations, thesis option master’s students are required to submit the pretext pages of their thesis to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the final oral examination. Pretext pages include the abstract, copyright, title page, approval page, acknowledgment page, contribution of authors, table of contents, list of figures, tables, appendices, dedication (optional), and preface (optional). It is expected that students will distribute examination copies to all their committee members, including the Graduate Council representative, sufficiently early to permit thorough review of the thesis prior to the student’s final oral examination.

Within six weeks after the final oral examination or before the first day of the following term, whichever comes first, students must upload one PDF copy of the thesis, without signatures, electronically to ScholarsArchive and submit the signed ETD submission approval form with a copy of the title page to the Graduate School. If final submission requirements are after the initial six-week period, the student may be subject to re-examination. Please refer to the Graduate School's website for complete details (http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/thesis-guide).

Signatures on the ETD submission approval form can be electronic, signed, scanned and emailed or faxed. The thesis will not be accepted for graduate requirements until it has received approval by the graduate dean, which the thesis editor will obtain.

Full information concerning the prescribed style for theses is given in the booklet, Thesis Guide: Preparing a Thesis or Dissertation at OSU, available on the Web at http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/thesis-guide.

The results from studies conducted using human subjects without obtaining Institutional Review Board approval shall not be used to satisfy master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation requirements.  For more information, please send an email to irb@oregonstate.edu or visit the IRB website at http://research.oregonstate.edu/irb/.

The credit allowed for the thesis, including research and preparation of the manuscript, varies from 6 to 12 credits. In certain departments and programs, the MS or MA thesis is optional, to be determined in each case by the department/school/program and the major professor. See departmental descriptions.

Final Examination

Successful completion of a final oral examination is required for all master's degrees with the exception of the following graduate programs:

• EdM students who complete the nonthesis option must take a final written examination;
• MBA students submit capstone projects that are assessed at the curricular core and graduate option levels, in addition to being assessed upon their fulfillment of graduate learning outcomes;
• MCoun students admitted to the degree program prior to June 2017 must successfully pass a written project portfolio that demonstrates mastery of the MCoun learning outcomes;
• MCoun students admitted to the program beginning June 2017 must successfully pass a nationally administered exam determined by program faculty.

Some departments also require the student to pass a written exam prior to the oral exam.

The final oral examination for master's candidates may, at the discretion of the graduate program, consist of a public thesis defense followed by a closed session of the examining committee with the candidate. Under normal circumstances, the final oral examination should be scheduled for two hours.

For master's candidates whose programs require a thesis, not more than half of the examination period should be devoted to the presentation and defense of the thesis; the remaining time can be spent on questions relating to the student's knowledge of the major field, and minor field if a minor is included in the program of study. Graduate faculty serving on thesis-oriented master's degree programs may contribute to the direction of the student's thesis, will assess the student's thesis and his or her defense of it in the final oral examination, will vote to pass or fail the student, and may sign the thesis when it is in acceptable final form.The examining committee consists of at least four members of the graduate faculty—two in the major field, one in the minor field if a minor is included, and a Graduate Council representative. When a minor is not included, the fourth member may be from the graduate faculty at large. All members of the student's graduate committee must approve the scheduling of the final examination.

Students writing a thesis must have a Graduate Council representative on their committee. It is the student's responsibility to obtain his or her own Graduate Council representative from a list provided by the Graduate School. This must be done prior to scheduling the final exam.

When no thesis is involved, not more than half of the examination period should be devoted to the presentation of the research project; the remaining time can be spent on questions relating to the student's knowledge of the major field, and minor field if one is included in the program. For nonthesis master's degree programs, the major professor is responsible for directing and assigning a final grade for the research or culminating project. Other members of the nonthesis committee will assess the student's defense of the project in the final oral examination, as well as the student's knowledge of his or her field, and vote to pass or fail the student. No more than two re-examinations are permitted by the Graduate School, although academic units may permit fewer re-examinations. The examining committee consists of three members of the graduate faculty—two in the major field and one in the minor field if a minor is included. When a minor is not included, the third member may be from the graduate faculty at large.

Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) degree is granted for attainment of broad, advanced knowledge and achievement integrated from three fields of study. Most graduate majors or minors may serve as a field for this degree. The current list of approved majors is at http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/programs. Two of the three fields may be from one department if the areas of concentration within these two fields are different. A minimum of 9 credits in each of the three fields of study is required. The degree requires a minimum of 49 credits, including 4 credits of course work on interdisciplinary research methods.

No more than 21 credits (excluding thesis or research paper credit) may be taken in any field unless the total program exceeds 49 credits. There is no foreign language requirement. No more than 3 credits of blanket-numbered courses in each field of study may be used in the program; thesis credits (Option A) or research paper credits (Option B) are exempt from this limitation. The student’s committee consists of four members of the graduate faculty—one from each of the three fields—and a Graduate Council representative. A formal program meeting must be held prior to the completion of 18 graduate credits. A final oral examination is required.

Two options under the program:

Option A: Thesis option. The thesis must coordinate work in the three fields. The requirement is 6 to 9 credits of Thesis 503. The thesis advisor must be a member of the graduate faculty authorized to direct theses.

Option B: Research paper option. The research paper must integrate work from at least two of the three fields. The requirement is 4 to 7 credits, registered as Research 501, Reading and Conference 505, or Projects 506.

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)

The Master of Arts in Teaching is an intensive professional degree program intended to prepare teachers for careers in public school education. Students who successfully complete the MAT can be recommended for the Oregon basic teaching license upon the positive evaluations of the university and public school supervisors.

The professional program in teacher education is full-time and one calendar year in length. Students will enroll with their subject area cohort group and complete the program in one year. Teacher licensure is offered in the following areas:

• Advanced Mathematics Education
• Agricultural Education
• Biology Education
• Chemistry Education
• Elementary Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Integrated Science Education
• Language Arts Education (English) — Cascades Campus only
• Music Education
• Physics Education
• Spanish Education

The professional teacher education program begins with a 15-credit professional education core that is foundational to and a prerequisite for the 48-credit Master of Arts in Teaching degree. The 48-credit MAT includes a professional education concentration (3 credits), professional course work in the teaching specialty (18 to 21 credits), a public school professional internship (15 to 18 credits), and a minimum of 9 graduate credits in the subject matter specialization (mathematics, physics, literature, etc.). Because the professional teacher education program is a two-part program, including the professional core and the MAT, future students may plan their programs as either five-year (with a nine-month MAT) or as fifth year programs (with 12 months of graduate study including both the professional core and the MAT).

The MAT degree requires successful completion of a final oral examination.

Master of Athletic Training

The Master of Athletic Training (MATRN) degree program consists of a combination of didactic, laboratory and clinical education experiences, from which students in athletic training attain the entry-level educational competencies stipulated by the national accrediting agency for the athletic training profession, the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Graduates are expected to take and pass the certification examination offered by the Board of Certification and embark on careers as Certified Athletic Trainers.

Master of Business Administration

The MBA program represents a broad, yet responsive general management education with an entrepreneurial focus that crosses the functional disciplines of business. Its advanced management emphasis and entrepreneurial focus creates practical value-added content for all students, both business and nonbusiness undergraduates, enabling them to solve complex business problems and successfully compete in the business marketplace.

The MBA program is concentrated in length—three academic terms for full-time students with a BA/BS in business or who have completed the foundation courses. Full-time students with no previous business or business-related course work can complete the program in as few as six terms. The MBA degree requires no thesis. MBA students submit capstone projects that are assessed at the curricular core and graduate option levels, in addition to being assessed upon their fulfillment of graduate learning outcomes.

Master of Business Administration and Accountancy

The Master of Business Administration and Accountancy is a one-year master’s program for students with an undergraduate degree in accounting. It allows accounting students to receive an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree during their five years of university study required to become a CPA. As an integrated program, the MBAA is designed to allow students the opportunity to plan early enough in their accounting education program to enable them to receive both an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree. The MBAA is also designed to accommodate postbaccalaureate students wishing to prepare for accounting careers.

Master of Counseling (MCoun)

Students admitted to the MCoun degree program prior to June 2017 must successfully pass a written project portfolio that demonstrates mastery of the MCoun learning outcomes. Students will specifically address graduate learning outcomes (G.L.O.’s) by describing how they have and/or how they would utilize research/evidence-based counseling practice in their clinical work. Students will be required to describe an ethical dilemma they have faced in their clinical practice to date and include an ethical decision model when describing their ethical decision-making processes. The written project portfolio will assess the 8 CACREP areas, in which the MCoun learning outcome objectives are based. A student shall receive a Pass when the grading committee unanimously grades the portfolio as a Pass.

Students admitted to the MCoun degree program beginning June 2017 must successfully pass a nationally administered exam determined by program faculty. The written exam will evaluate all three graduate learning outcomes (G.LO.'s). Successful completion of the national exam will evidence the candidate's mastery of MCoun subject material covered in the program and assess the candidate's ability to apply research and ethical proficiencies on the exam. The exam will assess the 8 CACREP areas, in which the MCoun learning outcome objectives are based.

The minimum passing score for the national exam is defined as one standard deviation below the national mean at the time of administration. Candidates who do not pass the national exam are allowed to take re-examination, but not before the end of the term in which the exam was administered. No more than two re-exams are permitted.

Please contact the College of Education for additional information regarding additional MCoun examination requirements, graduate learning outcomes, and the CACREP national examination.

Master of Education

The Master of Education (EdM) is a professional degree requiring a minimum of 45 credits in graduate courses (including a maximum of blanket-numbered courses); additional credits may be required in some areas of concentration. A minimum of 9 additional credits in graduate courses is required for the masters degree in College Student Services Administration (CSSA).

The EdM degree requires successful completion of a final written examination.

A candidate for the EdM degree qualifies for the degree under one of these options:

1. The student submits a thesis that meets all standards for a masters thesis on some applied or professional aspect of education. For the thesis the student receives 6 credits. He or she must complete a major of 24 credits (which may include the 6 thesis credits) and 21 elective credits determined under the direction of an advisor.
2. For adult education, the student completes 30 credits in the major and at least 15 credits in the minor. The minor may be completed either inside education or from approved minors outside education and serves students focusing on training and development and developmental education.
3. The student completes 45 credits with 24 credits in specific courses for the major. No minor is identified. The remaining 21 credits are elective under the direction of an advisor. No thesis or field studies are required. This option is designed primarily for in-service teachers working on standard licensure.
4. The student majors in College Student Services Administration and completes at least 39 credits in the major and 15 credits in a minor for a minimum of 54 credits.

Master of Engineering

The Master of Engineering (MEng) degree is designed to provide students the opportunity to pursue advanced-level study in a field of engineering. The degree is concerned with application of specialized, graduate-level engineering and managerial knowledge to specific engineering disciplines. The degree is a course work-only degree, with the option of substituting research or internship credits for a few courses. No thesis or project is required.

The MEng program requires a minimum of 45 credits. The examining committee consists of a minimum of three members of the graduate faculty in the engineering specialization. A final oral examination is required.

Master of Fine Arts

The Master of Fine Arts is an appropriate terminal degree for those who wish to teach in creative, performing, and studio arts in higher education. The MFA in Creative Writing is a program that helps students define and advance their literary ambitions and develop their skills as artists and teachers. Students will be introduced to three broad areas of knowledge within the field of creative writing that they need in order to become successful writers, editors, or teachers. These areas involve writing, reading, and marketing skills within contemporary literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. The degree requires a minimum of 60 credits comprised of 24 credits in creative writing workshops, 24 credits in literature and/or composition and rhetoric and one course emphasizing literary roots, and 12 credits in thesis and/or writing and conference. All MFA candidates are required to complete a thesis, which is to be a sustained piece of imaginative writing of literary merit. A final oral examination is required.

Master of Forestry

The professional Master of Forestry degree is intended for potential administrators and potential professional forestry and natural resource specialists in public and private organizations where persons of broad ability are demanded and a broad technical education is needed. A thesis is not required, but a technical report on an approved topic, correlated with courses in the major field, must be submitted. A final oral examination is required.

Master of Health Physics

The Master of Health Physics degree is designed to be a professional, advanced graduate degree that emphasizes fundamental learning and professional development for those wishing the master's credential, but not requiring a research focus for their planned profession. The degree directs students toward professional licensing as a certified health physicist in the field of radiation protection. The program will consist of a minimum of 45 graduate credits, with 30 graduate credits in the major, and 15 elective graduate credits. A final oral examination is required.

Master of Medical Physics

The Master of Medical Physics (MMP) degree prepares the graduate for a professional career in applied medical physics, focused on practical hands-on experience. The MMP program is designed as a clinical specialization for individuals with an undergraduate degree in science or engineering, offering areas of concentration in therapeutic radiologic physics or medical health physics. The degree requires a minimum of 45 graduate credits, including 30 graduate credits within the major and 15 elective graduate credits. The program does not require a thesis, however, candidates are required to pass a final oral examination.

Master of Natural Resources

The Master of Natural Resources (MNR) degree is designed to engage university scientists and world-wide natural resource professionals in a process that integrates diverse perspectives to address natural resource challenges at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The program is intended for individuals with at least two years of experience in natural resource disciplines who seek an advanced degree in natural resource management. The MNR curriculum, consisting of 45 credits, is organized into three sections: core (18 credits), area of emphasis (18 credits), and capstone project (9 credits). It is taught as a distance, online curriculum, although it may be possible for some students to work toward the MNR degree while in residence at Oregon State University. The MNR degree is offered as a non-thesis option only. A final oral examination is required.

Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program combines broad training in public health with specific training in one of the specialty options.

The MPH program is designed for persons who already have a bachelor’s degree and who wish to obtain further formal education in the field of public health. Persons with experience in the health field or who have training in a specialized area of health may increase their knowledge regarding population-based health to prepare them for expanded administrative and service careers. Persons who do not have prior experience in health fields may prepare themselves for a broad variety of careers depending upon their choice of specialty option.

The Master of Public Health degree is offered by Oregon State University with graduate options in biostatistics; environmental and occupational health; epidemiology; global health; health management and policy; health promotion and health behavior.

The MPH program consists of 17 credits of core courses, plus additional units of required and elective courses, an internship, and a thesis or nonthesis project depending upon the specific track. Programs are approximately 60 credits in length. All students will be required to take a final oral examination as determined by their specific option.

Master of Public Policy

The Master of Public Policy is a professional degree intended to prepare students for careers in the public, nonprofit, and international sectors and offer training for in-service students desiring professional growth and advancement. The degree is designed to be a generalist program, with an emphasis on analytic skills and policy knowledge. The degree requires a minimum of 62 graduate credits, 44 of which are in the required core. The core curriculum provides an important foundation in statistics, research methods, computer applications, public policy analysis, public administration and ethics, and economics. The remaining 18 credits support the student's preferred area of concentration, consisting of environmental policy, international policy, rural policy, science policy, or social policy. Students with little work experience in public service, the nonprofit sector, or the international context will be required to engage in a supervised internship that will allow them to work closely with experienced mentors who will help them integrate theory with practice and introduce them to a professional network. Students with relevant work experience will substitute course work for internship credits. A final oral examination is required.

Professional Science Master's Degree (PSM)

The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) allows students to pursue advanced training in science while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers. PSM programs consist of two years of academic training in an emerging or interdisciplinary area in science, along with a professional component that includes internships and "cross-training" in workplace skills, such as business, communications, and regulatory affairs. All have been developed in concert with employers and are designed to dovetail into present and future professional career opportunities.

The Professional Science Master’s Degree (PSM) is offered with five graduate majors:

1. Applied Biotechnology [To be terminated, pending approval]
2. Applied Physics [To be terminated, pending approval]
3. Applied Systematics in Botany [To be terminated, pending submission and approval of a proposal.]
4. Environmental Sciences
5. Fisheries and Wildlife Administration

For further information on Environmental Sciences, email: carolyn.fonyo@oregonstate.edu.

For further information on Fisheries and Wildlife, email: fw.gradadvising@oregonstate.edu.

Policies Governing Doctoral Degree Programs

General Requirements

The doctor of philosophy degree is granted primarily for creative attainments. There is no rigid credit requirement; however, the equivalent of at least three years of full-time graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree (at least 108 graduate credits) is required. Effective fall 2005, all graduate student programs of study submitted to the Graduate School must consist of, at a minimum, 50 percent graduate stand-alone courses. The remaining credits may be the 500 component of 400/500 slash courses.

After admission into the doctoral program, a minimum of one full-time academic year (at least 36 graduate credits) should be devoted to the preparation of the thesis. A minimum of 27 regular non-blanket credits must be included on a doctoral program.

By completing the requirements necessary for the PhD, students shall: (a) produce and defend an original significant contribution to knowledge; (b) demonstrate mastery of subject material; and (c) be able to conduct scholarly activities in an ethical manner. Additional program specific learning outcomes, the assessment of all outcomes and the specification of learning objectives related to these outcomes are to be carried out at the program level.

Graduate Program of Study

The student’s doctoral program of study is formulated and approved subject to departmental policies at a formal meeting of his or her doctoral committee. The committee is comprised of a minimum of five members of the graduate faculty, including two from the major department and a representative of the Graduate Council. If a minor is declared, it must consist of at least 18 credits (15 credits for an integrated minor) and the committee must include a member from the minor department. All committee members must be on the graduate faculty with appropriate authorization to serve on the student’s committee.

Doctoral students must complete the program of study in consultation with their advisory committee. This signed plan must be submitted to the Graduate School by the end of the fifth term of study.

The student must be registered for a minimum of 3 credits for the term in which the program meeting is held. When the program is approved by the doctoral committee, the departmental chair, and the dean of the Graduate School, it becomes the obligation of the student to complete the requirements as formulated. Changes in the program may be made by submitting a Petition for Change of Program form available in the Graduate School.

Selected 700-level courses that have been deemed equivalent to graduate-level learning may be used on doctoral programs of study upon approval of the student’s graduate committee.

No more than 15 credits of blanket-numbered courses, other than thesis, may be included in the minimum 108-credit program.

Students who wish to transfer credit must submit a Transfer Credit Request form before the end of their first year of study.

Time Limit

Effective beginning with students matriculating fall term 2016, all work toward a doctoral degree, including course work, thesis (if required), and all examinations, must be completed within nine years of the indicated start term on the Departmental Action Form. Extensions of this time limit may be requested by submitting a petition to the Graduate School.

Residence

For the doctoral degree, the residence requirement consists of two parts:

1. a minimum of 36 graduate Oregon State University credits must be completed; and
2. the student must spend at least three terms of full-time graduate academic work (at least 9 credits per term) on campus or at an off-campus site approved by the Graduate School. The latter requirement of three terms of full-time enrollment does not have to take place in consecutive terms.

Adequate fulfillment of the residence requirement shall be determined by the Graduate School.

Language Requirements

The foreign language requirement is determined by the student’s doctoral committee, subject to the same approval required for the graduate study program, and is so designated in the official doctoral program. Foreign language requirements must be completed before the oral preliminary examination.

Preliminary Examinations

The student working toward a doctoral degree must pass a comprehensive preliminary examination. The purpose of this exam is to determine the student’s understanding of his or her major and minor fields and also to assess the student’s capability for research. Students must enroll for a minimum of 3 credits during terms in which they undertake departmental written or oral preliminary examinations.

Written Comprehensive Examination

Most programs require a written comprehensive examination to be taken before the oral preliminary examination. If a written examination is required, it must be completed prior to the oral preliminary examination. The content, length, timing, passing standard, and repeatability of this examination are at the discretion of the major department. The general rules and structure of this examination, however, must be provided in writing to all candidates for this examination and a current copy of these guidelines must be on file with the Graduate School. Copies of the written examination (questions and student’s answers) must be available to all members of the student’s doctoral committee at least one week prior to the oral preliminary examination.

Oral Preliminary Examination

The oral preliminary examination is taken near the completion of the student’s course work. The oral examination is conducted by the student’s doctoral committee, and should cover the student’s knowledge in his or her major and minor subjects. The exam may cover the student’s proposed research topic, although no more than one-half the time should be devoted to specific aspects of the proposal. The examination should be scheduled for at least two hours, and the exam date must be scheduled in the Graduate School at least two weeks in advance. If more than one negative vote is recorded by the examining committee, the candidate will have failed the oral examination. No more than two re-examinations are permitted by the Graduate School, although academic units may allow fewer re-examinations.

At least one complete academic term must elapse between the time of the preliminary oral examination and the final oral examination. If more than five years elapse between these two examinations, the candidate will be required to take another preliminary oral examination.

Thesis

Each candidate for the PhD degree must submit a thesis embodying the results of research and giving evidence of originality and ability in independent investigation. The thesis must be a real contribution to knowledge, based on the candidate’s own investigation. It must show a mastery of the literature of the subject and be written in creditable literary form. The preparation of an acceptable thesis will require at least one full-time academic year. The booklet, Thesis Guide: Preparing a Thesis or Dissertation at OSU, is available electronically on the Web at http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/thesis-guide.

The results from studies conducted using human subjects without obtaining Institutional Review Board approval shall not be used to satisfy master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation requirements. For more information, please send an email to irb@oregonstate.edu or visit the IRB website at http://research.oregonstate.edu/irb/. 

A formal thesis proposal meeting is recommended but not required by the Graduate School; however, it is required for some majors. This meeting should be held with the student’s doctoral committee prior to the start of any substantial doctoral thesis research.

When scheduling their final oral examinations, doctoral students are required to submit the pretext pages of their dissertations to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the final oral examination. Pretext pages include the abstract, copyright (optional), title page, approval page, acknowledgment page, contribution of authors, table of contents, list of figures, tables, appendices, dedication (optional), and preface (optional). It is expected that students will distribute examination copies of their thesis to all committee members, including the Graduate Council representative, sufficiently early to permit thorough review of the thesis prior to the student’s final oral examination.

Within six weeks after the final oral examination or before the first day of the following term, whichever comes first, upload one PDF copy of your thesis, without signatures, electronically to ScholarsArchive and submit the signed ETD submission approval form with a copy of the title page to the Graduate School. If final submission requirements are after the initial six-week period, the student may be subject to re-examination. Please refer to the Graduate School's website for complete details (http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/thesis-guide).

Signatures on the ETD submission approval form can be electronic, signed, scanned and emailed or faxed. The thesis will not be accepted for graduate requirements until it has received approval by the graduate dean, which the thesis editor will obtain.

Final Examination

After completion of or while concurrently registered for all work required by the program, the student must pass a final doctoral examination that may be written in part but must include an oral examination. The final oral examination must be scheduled in the Graduate School office at least two weeks prior to the date of the examination. All incomplete course work appearing on the program of study must be completed prior to scheduling the final oral examination.

The final oral examination consists of a public thesis defense followed by a closed session of the examining committee with the candidate. Under normal circumstances, the final oral examination should be scheduled for two hours.

All members of the student's graduate committee must approve the scheduling of the final examination.

It is expected that the thesis defense portion of the final oral exam be open to all interested persons and should be limited to one hour. After the open portion of the exam, the examining committee should exclude all other persons and continue with the examination of the candidate's knowledge of his or her field and the evaluation of the candidate's performance.

If the department favors a more elaborate presentation, it should be scheduled as a separate seminar. In any case, the time involved for the open presentation may not impinge upon time required for the examining committee to conduct appropriate, iterative oral inquiry with the candidate, to evaluate the candidate's performance, and to deliberate fully within the time constraints of the scheduled oral examination.

The examining committee consists of the student's doctoral committee and any additional members, including professors from other institutions, whom the major department may recommend. In the oral examination, the candidate is expected to defend the thesis and show a satisfactory knowledge of his or her field. If more than one negative vote is recorded by the examining committee, the candidate will have failed the examination. No more than two re-examinations are permitted by the Graduate School, although academic units may permit fewer re-examinations.

The final oral examination must be taken within five years after the oral preliminary examination. If more than five years elapse, the candidate will be required to take another oral preliminary examination.

Doctor of Education Requirements

The EdD program is a degree program with a major in education. It is intended for the educational professional whose career path is that of educational or teaching specialist, administrator, or other practitioner in the public schools, postsecondary institutions of higher education, or in business and industry. Its focus is on the application of knowledge to learning and teaching environments in public and private settings. The EdD program is designed to prepare educational leaders in community college education, middle-level education, or related educational settings.

A masters' degree in education or a related field, or equivalent to a master's degree in postbaccalaureate course work is required for admission. In addition, the College of Education requires the following:

1. minimum professional experience as defined by each program,
2. letter or statement of professional objectives for doctoral study and area of specialization within education,
3. three letters of recommendation, and
4. either the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test.

Applicants to the EdD program must have significant experience in an education or education-related setting such as teaching, school administration, curriculum specialist, instructional specialist, child/youth counselor, supervisor; or in a setting where the primary function is education.

In general, the following requirements are in effect for the EdD:

1. A minimum of 108 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree.
2. Effective fall 2005, all graduate student programs of study submitted to the Graduate School must consist of, at a minimum, 50 percent graduate stand-alone courses. The remaining credits may be the 500 component of 400/500 slash courses.
3. Completion of the same residence requirements as listed for the PhD degree.
4. A dissertation of no less than 24 credits.
5. A mentored internship in an appropriate work setting for a minimum of 12 credits.
6. A minimum of 48 graduate credits in an area of specialty in education.
7. Completion of 24 credits of core seminars.
8. Completion of the core courses in research.

Procedures and requirements for preliminary and final examinations and thesis are the same as those for the doctor of philosophy degree.

Graduate Fellowships, Scholarships, and Financial Aid

Graduate Fellowships and Scholarships

A number of Oregon State University fellowships and scholarships sponsored by industry, foundations and government agencies are available to students for graduate study in various graduate programs at OSU. For a listing of many these fellowships and scholarships, visit the Scholarship Management System database at https://scholarship.ucsadm.oregonstate.edu/prod/search_schol.php.

For more information about scholarships and fellowships in the database above, including application instructions, as well as additional opportunities in individual programs, contact the individual program of interest.

Students interested in general information regarding graduate student funding opportunities are encouraged to explore Financing Your Education on the Graduate School’s website: http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/finance.

Graduate Student Employment

Each year, OSU receives grants from federal and state agencies, public and private foundations, and business and industry to support institutional and individual projects. Funding is awarded to the various departments in most academic colleges and to other research organizations on campus, including experiment stations, centers and institutes. Many of these grants include financial support for graduate students. Interested students should direct inquiries and applications to the department concerned.

Graduate students may be employed as Graduate Teaching or Graduate Research assistants by departments on campus. In addition to monthly stipends, graduate assistants appointed at .30 FTE or above are eligible for a tuition and fee subsidy.

In addition to graduate assistantships, graduate students may be appointed to student hourly positions on campus. These appointments are not eligible for a tuition or fee subsidy.

The maximum combined appointment FTE for all jobs on campus is .49 FTE.

For more information on student employment, contact the department of interest or the Office of Human Resources.

Financial Aid for Graduate Students

The OSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships administers federal financial aid programs to assist graduate students with meeting the cost of higher education. To determine eligibility for specific federal aid programs at OSU, graduate students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. Graduate students must be degree-seeking or in an approved certificate program and enrolled at least half-time (5 credits) to qualify for financial aid. Graduate students are not eligible for federal Title IV grants or subsidized loans. Students in graduate certificate programs are only eligible for aid for courses required for their certificate program.

For additional information about Financial Aid for graduate students, visit http://financialaid.oregonstate.edu, http://financialaid.oregonstate.edu/sites/financialaid.oregonstate.edu/files/grad_students_.pdf, or contact the OSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Graduate Research Supporting Services

For information on Graduate Student Success, please see the Graduate School's Graduate Student Success Guide http://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/graduate-student-success.

Information Services, Computers, and Academic Technologies

Information Services supports OSU students by providing accounts, technologies, equipment checkout, printing, computing networks and computing labs. The OSU Computer Helpdesk provides students with technical support for laptops, mobile devices, and campus systems like Canvas. If you need in-person support, please visit the Walkup Helpdesk in the Valley Library.

Student employment opportunities are available from a variety of units within IS, including the OSU Computer Helpdesk and Academic Technology, with the greatest opportunities announced just prior to each new term.

Accounts and Passwords

http://is.oregonstate.edu/accounts-support

• Accounts & Technologies Guide for New Students: This guide is for new OSU students who need to get connected to OSU systems such as email and Canvas. Even if you are already connected to one or more OSU systems, we recommend you go through this guide, just to be sure you’ve covered the bases and know where to get computing help.
• ONID: ONID stands for OSU Network ID. It’s a universal computer account available to all OSU students, employees and associates. You use your ONID username and password to access Online Services, Canvas, email, the wireless network and many other university computing services.
• Google Apps for OSU: ONID email is accessed via Google Apps for OSU. All OSU students, instructors, and employees may access all the supported core apps: Drive, Mail, Calendar, Site and Groups.
• Office365 for OSU: All OSU students, instructors and employees may collaborate using native Microsoft Office tools: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.

Learning Technologies

http://is.oregonstate.edu/learning-technologies

• Canvas, OSU’s Learning Management System used by both off-campus and on-campus students for classwork.
• Classroom Technology Services
• Event Support
• Technology Consulting
• Computing Labs
• Equipment Loan and Rental
• Standard Printing
• Media Creation
• Virtual Computing Lab

Software

http://is.oregonstate.edu/accounts-support/software

• Many software packages are available to students.

Technical Support

• OSU Computer Help Documents, http://oregonstate.edu/helpdocs, 24/7 help guides and FAQs
• OSU Service Desk, http://is.oregonstate.edu/service-desk, Monday–Friday support via phone, 541-737-3474, and webform
• Walkup Helpdesk, in-person support at the Valley Library, Sunday–Friday

Student Employment

(Opportunities subject to availability)

Student workers provide programming, development, and support services for the OSU community. Potential employment is contingent upon eligibility per university policy on student employment.

• OSU Service Desk
• Technical support, programmers
• Central Web Services
• Web app and mobile app developers
• Customer service and support, system maintenance