Credit Requirements

The range of approved graduate credits required for a master’s degree is 45-92 quarter hours. A minimum of 34 hours of graduate credit must be earned at the University of Denver but vary by unit depending on the number of transferred credits allowed per the transfer of credit policy. 

Advanced degrees are not awarded automatically upon completion of the required number of courses or hours of credit.

Students enrolled in a graduate program should not take courses towards another degree program unless they have been accepted into the second program, and no more than three courses may be earned at the University of Denver and applied towards a degree program before acceptance into that degree program.  Graduate coursework and credit hours already applied toward a degree received from the University of Denver cannot be applied towards another graduate degree of the same level or less.

Residency Requirements

Enrollment as a graduate student at the University of Denver for at least three quarters (two semesters) is required for graduation.

Tool Requirements

Candidates may be required to demonstrate proficiency in the required tools for research and advanced study.

Where required, tool requirements are determined by the candidate’s advisor and program and may include one or more languages, statistical methods, laboratory or other research skills. Consult the college, school or department for requirement details.

Advancement to Candidacy

A review of a candidate’s plan of study and progress must be conducted as soon as all the minimum requirements have been met and no later than the first day of the term in which the student expects to complete the degree.

Minimum requirements for the review include completion of any provisional admission requirements, an approved plan of study that will lead to meeting the degree requirements, posting of any transfer work to the student’s record, completion of tool (if required) and a grade point average of “B” or better in all work completed to that point. Successful completion of the review and approval by the appropriate student services office constitutes Advancement to Candidacy.

Note: Some units may require satisfactory completion of a qualifying examination for Advancement to Candidacy. Consult the academic unit for information regarding requirements.

Final Examination

The requirement of a final examination for the master’s degree is in accordance with the requirements of the candidate’s college, school or department. Where required, the examination may be oral, written, or both. The examination may focus on overall course content or it may be the final step in the defense of a thesis.

Additional Master's Degree Requirements

In addition to coursework, most master’s degree programs require a creative project, internship or practicum, oral comprehensive examination and/or major paper or thesis. Typically such projects are managed within the unit or program.