The Graduate Program

Graduate Studies
Julie Coonrod, Dean
The University of New Mexico

Mailing (U.S. Postal) Address:
Graduate Studies
MSC03 2180
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001

Shipping/Physical Address:
Graduate Studies
107 Humanities Building
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001

Phone: (505) 277-2711 or 1-(800) CALL-UNM
FAX: (505) 277-7405
email: grad@unm.edu
http://grad.unm.edu/

In 1916, a Committee on Graduate Study was formed at the University of New Mexico to structure post-graduate programs that would provide students an opportunity to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate. One year later, the first master’s degrees were awarded in Chemistry and Latin. In 1919, the University formally opened the Graduate School, and in 1947, the first doctoral students graduated.

The University of New Mexico Graduate Studies is an active member of the Council of Graduate Schools, the Western Association of Graduate Schools, and the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals.

Graduate Studies is responsible for implementing the policies and procedures governing graduate education. The office maintains graduate student academic records. Office personnel are charged with processing graduate program materials, including new academic programs, curricular revisions, and program reviews. Graduate Studies also processes graduate assistantships, programs of studies, and applications for candidacy. Other graduate student services provided by Graduate Studies include assistance in seeking external funding, processing nominations for graduate student recognition and awards, awarding funds for travel and research projects, and processing documents for graduation.

The Senate Graduate and Professional Committee

The responsibility for maintaining and enhancing the quality of graduate education at the University and its graduate centers is delegated to the Senate Graduate and Professional Committee (SGPC), which works in consultation with the College/School/Division Graduate Committees and the Dean of Graduate Studies. The SGPC is responsible for the following: coordinating and monitoring graduate activities throughout the University; recommending to the Faculty Senate general policies concerning graduate education (including the creation and termination of graduate degrees); participating in periodic reviews of instructional units and programs; recommending to the general faculty the granting of graduate and honorary degrees; and acting as an appellate body when the need arises.

The Committee consists of at least one faculty member from each school or college. A Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) representative is chosen on a yearly basis. No representatives may serve more than three consecutive terms. The Dean and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, the Registrar and the Vice Provost for Extended University are ex-officio members. Chairpersons serve a three-year term but do not represent their own school or college. That school or college chooses a new representative to serve out the Chair’s term or begin a new three-year term, as appropriate.

Graduate Teaching Academy

Graduate Studies, in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning, is pleased to offer the Graduate Teaching Academy for all UNM graduate students who are teaching (or planning to teach) college courses. Students in the Academy acquire teaching techniques and technologies, improve their course design skill, receive teaching support, and prepare for careers in college teaching. The Academy is a combination of courses, teaching workshops, and classroom teaching experience in the home department. Those who complete the Academy training receive a non-transcripted certificate in college teaching, which will enhance their CVs and improve their chances of placement as faculty and lecturers at colleges and universities.

College and School Graduate Committees

Each University of New Mexico academic College or School elects or appoints faculty to serve on its graduate committee. The college/school graduate committee is charged with oversight of its graduate education programs and students.

Graduate Unit

The University of New Mexico has various administrative units offering degrees. The University of New Mexico uses the term “graduate unit” to identify the administrative organization that offers a graduate degree.

Master’s Degrees

A master’s degree may be earned in the following majors. Parenthetical notations indicate Plan I (thesis), Plan II (non-thesis), and/or Plan III (coursework only) options, and the specific degrees offered:

American Studies (I, II, III; M.A.)
Anthropology (I, II; M.A., M.S.)
Architecture (I, II, III; M.Arch., M.S.)
Art Education (I, II; M.A.)
Art History (I; M.A.)
Athletic Training (I, III; M.S.)
Biology (I, II; M.S.)
Biomedical Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Biomedical Sciences (I, II, III; M.S.)
Chemical Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Chemistry (I, III; M.S.)
Chicana and Chicano Studies (I, II, III; M.A.)
Civil Engineering (I, M.S.; III, M.Eng.)
Clinical Laboratory Sciences (II; M.S.)
Communication (I, II; M.A.)
Community and Regional Planning (I, II; M.C.R.P.)
Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies (I, II; M.A.)
Computer Engineering (I, III; M.S.)
Computer Science (I, III; M.S.)
Construction Management (III; M.C.M.)
Counseling (II; M.A.)
Dental Hygiene (I, II; M.S.)
Earth and Planetary Sciences (I, II; M.S.)
Economics (I, II; M.A.)
Educational Leadership (I, II; M.A.)
Educational Psychology (I, II; M.A.)
Electrical Engineering (I, III; M.S.)
Education (I, II; M.A.)
English (I, II; M.A.)
Family and Child Studies (I, II; M.A.)
French (I, II; M.A.)
Geography (I, II; M.S.)
German Studies (I, II; M.A.)
Global and National Security (III; P.M.S.)
Health Education (I, II; M.S.)
Health Administration (III; M.H.A.)
History (I, II; M.A.)
Landscape Architecture (I, II; M.L.A.)
Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (I, II; M.A.)
Latin American Studies (I, II; M.A.)
Linguistics (I, II; M.A.)
Manufacturing Engineering (I, II, III; M.E.M.E.)
Mathematics (I, II; M.S.)
Mechanical Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Museum Studies (I, II; M.A., M.S.)
Music (I, II; M.Mu.)
Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Native American Studies (III; M.A.)
Nuclear Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Nursing (I, II; M.S.N.)
Nutrition (I, II; M.S.)
Optical Science and Engineering (I, II, III; M.S.)
Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (I, III; M.A.)
Pharmaceutical Sciences (I, II; M.S.)
Philosophy (I, II, III; M.A.)
Physical Education (I, II; M.S.)
Physician Assistant Studies (II; M.S.)
Physics (I, II; M.S.)
Political Science (I, II, III; M.A.)
Portuguese (I, II; M.A.)
Psychology (I, II; M.S.)*
Public Administration (I, II, III; M.P.A.)
Public Health (I, II; M.P.H.)
Public Policy (II; M.P.P.)
Sociology (II; M.A.)
Spanish (I, II; M.A.)
Speech-Language Pathology (I, II; M.S.)
Special Education (I, II; M.A.)
Statistics (I, II; M.S.)
Theatre and Dance (I, II; M.A.)
Water Resources (II; M.W.R.)

*Admission to doctoral status only; students may earn master’s degree en route.

See also: Master of Fine Arts.
See also: Master of Accounting, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics, and Master of Science in Project Management (Anderson School of Management).
See also: Master of Studies in Law (School of Law).
See also: Master of Occupational Therapy (School of Medicine).

Master of Fine Arts Degree

A Master of Fine Arts degree may be earned in the following major fields:

Art Studio (M.F.A.)
Creative Writing (M.F.A.)
Dance (M.F.A.)
Dramatic Writing (M.F.A.)

Doctoral Degrees (Ph.D. and Ed.D.)

A doctoral degree may be earned in the following major fields:

American Studies (Ph.D.)
Anthropology (Ph.D.)
Art History (Ph.D.)
Biology (Ph.D.)
Biomedical Sciences (Ph.D.)
Chemistry (Ph.D.)
Chicana and Chicano Studies (Ph.D.)
Computer Science (Ph.D.)
Communication (Ph.D.)
Communication Sciences and Disorders (Ph.D.)
Counselor Education (Ph.D.)
Earth and Planetary Sciences (Ph.D.)
Economics (Ph.D.)
Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)
Educational Linguistics (Ph.D.)
Educational Psychology (Ph.D.)
Engineering (Ph.D.)
English (Ph.D.)
Family and Child Studies (Ph.D.)
French Studies (Ph.D.)
Geography (Ph.D.)
Health Equity Sciences (Ph.D.)
History (Ph.D.)
Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (Ph.D.)
Latin American Studies (Ph.D.)
Linguistics (Ph.D.)
Mathematics (Ph.D.)
Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering (Ph.D.)
Nursing (Ph.D.)
Optical Science and Engineering (Ph.D.)
Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences (Ph.D.)
Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education (Ph.D., Ed.D.)
Pharmaceutical Sciences (Ph.D.)
Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science (Ph.D.)
Physics (Ph.D.)
Political Science (Ph.D.)
Psychology (Ph.D.)
Sociology (Ph.D.)
Spanish and Portuguese (Ph.D.)
Special Education (Ph.D., Ed.D.)
Statistics (Ph.D.)

See also: Juris Doctor (School of Law)
See also: Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy (School of Medicine).
See also: Doctor of Nursing Practice (College of Nursing).
See also: Doctor of Pharmacy (College of Pharmacy).
See also: Doctor of Occupational Therapy (School of Medicine).

Transcripted Graduate Certificates

The University of New Mexico currently offers the following transcripted graduate certificates:

Advanced Graduate Certificate in Counseling
Applied Behavior Analysis: Research-Based Interventions for Individuals with Disabilities Who Have Challenges
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Chicana and Chicano Studies
Clinical and Translational Science
Computational Science and Engineering
Educational Diagnosis
Educational Specialist Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction
Educational Specialist Certificate in Educational Leadership
Educational Specialist Certificate in Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences
Educational Specialist Certificate in Special Education
Elementary Education with K-8 Licensure
Historic Preservation and Regionalism
Indigenous Planning
Music Performance
Post-Master's Certificate in Nursing
Race and Social Justice
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Technical and Professional Communication
University Science Teaching in Biomedical Sciences
Urban Innovation
Women Studies

See also: Graduate Certificate in Management (Anderson School of Management).

Admission Processes and Policies

Basic Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree: Applicants for admission to graduate study must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or its equivalent in another country.

Academic Record

In general, applicants must present a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (B) or its equivalent in their last two undergraduate years and in their major field. Applicants may be denied admission if their previous scholastic record indicates little likelihood of success in graduate-level work. Program faculty review each applicant file individually.

Students must indicate all academic institutions they have previously attended on their applications. Failure to disclose any previous college attendance or any other misrepresentation of the record may result in disciplinary action, including revocation of admission to the University.

Prerequisites

Ordinarily, the minimum undergraduate prerequisite is 12 semester hours of upper-division coursework (300-level courses or higher) in the major field to which the student is applying, or in cognate areas. Certain departments require more extensive or more specific preparation (consult individual graduate unit requirements).

Admission for Doctoral Study

Although some academic units at the University of New Mexico admit students with a bachelor’s degree directly into a doctoral program, most admit only students who have earned a master’s degree within the same or a different program at the University of New Mexico or at another accredited institution. Applicants must present satisfactory evidence of adequate preparation in their major field. (Consult individual departmental sections of this Catalog for specific requirements.)

Students who are admitted directly to a doctoral program without obtaining a master’s degree may elect to earn a master’s degree in the same field while in doctoral status. Such students must meet all requirements for the master’s degree as stipulated in this Catalog, as well as specific departmental requirements.

Master’s students at the University of New Mexico who wish to apply for admission to the doctoral program in the same field may do so by submitting an application for evaluation and review at the UNM Application Web site. Completion of a master’s degree does not guarantee admission to a doctoral program in the same or any other graduate unit.

Special Admission to Graduate Study–Domestic Students Only

In rare cases, the University may admit to graduate study a person who does not hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Such an individual must demonstrate substantial educational and professional experience over a period of many years and have achieved a level of accomplishment clearly superior to that normally represented by a bachelor’s degree. An individual who is interested in being considered for special admission should first contact the graduate unit in which study is desired. After a thorough review of the applicant’s credentials, if the unit is willing to recommend special admission to graduate study, after gaining the approval of the Department and the College Graduate Committee, the graduate must formally petition the Dean of Graduate Studies supporting such an admission. The petition must include a complete application and documentation that shows:

the relevance and extent of the applicant’s professional experience;
that the demonstrated level of the applicant’s effectiveness in the broad area of study to which they are applying is superior to that of the average student accepted for graduate work in that department;
the department’s belief that the applicant’s objectives in seeking the advanced degree are realistic and reasonable;
the department’s opinion that the probability of success in the graduate program is very high.

If the Dean of Graduate Studies judges the petition is justified, the Dean notifies the graduate unit that it may proceed with an offer of admission. A student admitted under this policy is classified as a regular graduate student, with the same rights and responsibilities as any other student in regular graduate status.

Readmission Process

Individuals who have previously attended the University of New Mexico in graduate status but have not been enrolled for three or more semesters (including summer sessions) and wish to resume a graduate degree program may apply for readmission. If a student was in probationary status at the end of their previous enrollment, the student returns in probationary status unless the cause of probation was resolved.

Readmitted students must adhere to policies in the Catalog in effect at the time of readmission to graduate status or a subsequent version.

Individuals applying for readmission must submit a readmission packet via the UNM Application Web site prior to the graduate unit’s published deadline.

Individuals applying for readmission are responsible for ascertaining the specific additional application materials the graduate unit requires (such as GRE scores, portfolios or writing samples).

Graduate Studies holds student files for five years after the semester of last attendance. If transcripts are no longer available at Graduate Studies, or if the applicant has attended another institution since their last attendance at the University of New Mexico, the student must submit new, official transcripts.

Admission Moratoria

On occasion, a graduate unit may impose an admissions moratorium for any or all of its degree programs. In those instances when a moratorium has been placed on a program after students have submitted applications, application fees are refunded. The University is not responsible for reimbursement of any other expenses (such as fees for transcripts or postage) incurred by applicants.

Application Process – Domestic and International Applicants

Transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation submitted to the University of New Mexico for admission become the property of the University and will not be sent elsewhere or returned to the student.

The online application can be found at the Admissions Web site. A $60 (domestic) or $70 (international) non-refundable Application Fee is charged by credit card with the online application.

In addition, students must submit one official transcript (unopened) from each non-UNM academic institution previously attended to the UNM Office of Admissions (domestic) or to the UNM Global Education Office (international) by the academic unit’s published deadline.

NOTE: Do not list study abroad programs separately on the application form, if they are included as part of a transcript program from an accredited U.S. institution.

Materials required by the academic unit (letters of intent, writing samples, etc.) should be uploaded as part of the online application.

Application Fee Waiver Policy

The University’s graduate application fee may be waived for domestic (regardless of immigration status) applicants under the following circumstances:

Applicants who are affiliated with either the GEM Fellowship Program, Initiatives for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD), McNair Scholars, Melon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF), Undergraduate Research Initiative for Student Enhancement (U-RISE), and Post Baccalaureate Research and Education Programs (PREP). The following must be provided:

A signed letter of support from the program director.

Applicants with U.S. military service. Depending on the category, one of the following must be provided:

Active Duty, Reservists, National Guard: copy of orders, valid military ID, or memo from unit commander on official letterhead.
Veterans (honorably discharged, retired, or disabled): copy of DD214.

Applicants who demonstrate limited cases of financial hardship. One of the following must be provided:

A copy of the waiver granted by the testing service for the GRE fee within the past year.
An official statement of need signed by a financial aid officer at the college or university the student is now attending, including the most recent year’s Estimated Student or Family Contribution.
Official verification of current participation in a government aid program based on low income.

In order to provide sufficient time to evaluate the documentation and determine eligibility, the Application Fee Waiver Request form and the required documentation identified above must be submitted to Graduate Studies preferably at least four weeks prior to the degree program's application deadline. The degree program to which the student is applying may require additional fees that are not covered by this policy. Waivers are not available to international applicants.

Application to More Than One Graduate Program

Students may apply to more than one graduate degree program but must submit an application and fee for each program. If admitted to more than one program, students may accept admission from only one, with the exception of admission to Dual Degree programs.

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary for each graduate unit, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to check with the unit to learn the deadline dates that pertain to that application. Deadlines are available on the Graduate Studies Web site. Early application is strongly recommended. Any application received by Graduate Studies after a unit’s deadline date is processed for the following semester if the department accepts applications each semester. If the department only admits once a year, applicants must update their materials in writing and submit them to the Office of Admissions prior to the next deadline.

If the program’s application dates fall on a weekend or a holiday for which the University is closed, the deadline is automatically moved to the next business day.

Reapplication Process

Individuals who have previously applied to a graduate degree program but never attended the University of New Mexico in graduate status may reapply for admission. Individuals must submit a new application and application fee to the UNM Application Web site, along with official transcripts from any institution they have attended since they last applied to the University of New Mexico. All materials must be received in Admissions by the specified application deadline. Re-applicants must contact the graduate unit for information on specific requirements for admission.

If it has been more than two years since the last application was submitted, new transcripts are required.

International Applicants – Admission Process

The University of New Mexico welcomes applications from international students who have distinguished academic records and have demonstrated English proficiency.

Graduate Admission Requirements for International Students

Undergraduate Education Requirement

Graduate applicants must have an earned degree that is equivalent to the U.S. bachelor’s degree. Some non-U.S. bachelor’s degrees are based on three-year programs that may or may not be equivalent to the U.S. bachelor’s degree. In these cases, the applicant must submit an independent credential evaluation report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

If the credential evaluation report confirms that the applicant does have the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree, the applicant is considered for graduate study.

If the report states that the applicant may be considered for graduate study but does not confirm the equivalent degree, the applicant may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for consideration of equivalency. The petition must include the support of the graduate unit and College Graduate Committee, along with a complete application packet, a copy of the credential evaluation report, and an explanation of the suitability of the applicant’s undergraduate preparation. This documentation must be submitted to the International Admissions Office.

If the Dean approves the petition, the graduate unit may proceed with an offer of admission. A student admitted under this policy is classified as a regular graduate student with the same rights and responsibilities as any other student in graduate status.

Academic Preparation

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a U.S. 4.0 scale) or comparable grade point average in upper-division (junior and senior level) work and in any graduate work already completed.
A satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) as required by the major academic department or college.
Adequate subject preparation for proposed graduate major.

Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission since some graduate programs have higher standards and may have limited space. Therefore, it is very important that students contact the departments to which they wish to be admitted.

Demonstrated Proficiency in English

If English is not the official language spoken in a student’s country, the student must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score is 550 on the paper test or 213 on the computerized test. Individual departments may require a higher score but not less than 550/213. International students whose native language is not English and are seeking graduate teaching assistantships may also be required to submit acceptable scores on the Test of Spoken English (TSE). Applicants who have received a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited institution in the United States, English-speaking Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand are exempt from submitting TOEFL scores. Contact the International Admissions Office for additional information.

Financial Resources

All international applicants are required to submit documentation verifying adequate funding to meet study and living expenses while in the United States. A minimum amount of approximately $26,909 U.S. dollars is required. Proof of support includes a Certification of Financial Responsibility Form completed for all years of study and proof of funds available for the first year of study.

Health Insurance

International students who attend the University of New Mexico and any dependents who may accompany them are required to have medical insurance as offered through the University of New Mexico Student Health Center. Students who demonstrate that they have equivalent health insurance policies may be granted waivers.

Application Deadlines for International Admissions

Fall Semester	March 1
Spring Semester	August 1
Summer Session	January 1

Note: Most graduate units have earlier application deadlines than those listed by the International Admissions office. It is important that students consult with individual graduate units and meet their specific academic program deadline requirements. Applications and all supporting credentials must be submitted by the International Admissions deadline (see above) or the graduate unit deadline–whichever comes first. Only complete applications are reviewed for admission.

International Applicants – Required Documents

International students should submit the following required documentation to the University of New Mexico International Admissions office. Note: A student who wants any information concerning the applicant file released to any third party must submit a letter of authorization directly to the International Admissions Office. This release must include the student’s name and signature.

Evidence of English language proficiency: TOEFL results must be sent directly to the University of New Mexico [code 4845] by Educational Testing Services, PO Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, USA. Phone (609) 771-7100.
Academic Records: In order to facilitate the admission decision, the University of New Mexico strongly recommends that students initially submit academic records to any member of the National Credential Evaluation Services. Students must still submit official transcripts to the University, but the English translations are then not required. Students who do not utilize a credential evaluation service must have official grade reports (transcripts) and diplomas or certificates from each institution attended sent to the University of New Mexico. Students must submit original or officially certified copies. Notarized, faxed copies or photocopies of these documents are not acceptable. All documents must be submitted in the original language and accompanied by an official certified English translation. Certified copies must contain the original signature(s), stamp(s) or seal(s) of the issuing institution’s designated official.
Financial Documents: Students must submit the University of New Mexico Certification of Financial Responsibility form along with required supporting documentation.

I-20 Statement: The Immigration Form I-20 is valid up to the first day of class for the semester or summer session to which a student is admitted. Students who are not able to attend must immediately return the I-20 form to the UNM Global Education Office. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required before the I-20 is issued. It is later applied to tuition. If a student does not enroll or changes semesters, the deposit is forfeited.

Submit all documents to:

Mailing Address:
International Admissions
Office of Admissions
MSC06 3850
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

Shipping/Delivery Address:
International Admissions
Office of Admissions
The University of New Mexico
Student Support and Services Center
1155 University Blvd., SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106

International Students – Reapplication Process

International students who previously applied to, but never attended the University of New Mexico in graduate status, may reapply for admission through the International Admissions Office, as described above.

Admission Decisions

Each graduate unit makes its own admission decisions. Admission to some graduate units may be particularly competitive. These units may set more rigorous admission requirements than those general requirements listed above. The Dean of Graduate Studies sends the official letter of admission to the student, based upon the graduate unit’s admission decision.

Provisional Admission

On occasion, a student’s degree has not been conferred before submission of an application for graduate status. Provisional admission is granted for one semester during which the student must submit official transcripts indicating the confirmed degree. A student in provisional status is not allowed to register for subsequent semesters until the confirmation of degree is certified.

Deferring an Offer of Admission

Offers of admission are made only for the semester for which the student has applied. Students who do not enroll during the semester for which admission is granted forfeit their admission, unless they submit to the graduate unit and Graduate Studies a written request for deferral no later than the Friday of the third week of classes of the semester of admission. A deferral is limited to a period within one calendar year. After one year’s deferral period, a student must reapply. Final approval for the requested deferral is made by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Dual Degree Programs – Graduate and/or Professional

The University of New Mexico offers both formal and individualized Graduate and/or Professional Dual Degree programs. Students must adhere to the general graduate degree requirements as described in this section of this Catalog. See the Graduate and Professional Dual Degree Programs section of this Catalog for a list and description of available Dual Degree programs. Interested students should also review the appropriate School/College and/or departmental sections of this Catalog and consult with each program for detailed information. With the exception of the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Biomedical Sciences and those programs that involve the Juris Doctor (J.D.), students in Dual Degree programs must complete both degrees in the same semester.

Dual Degree Programs – Individual

To pursue an integrated course of study combining two master’s degree programs, graduate students may, with prior approval of the two department Chairpersons, embark upon their own individualized dual degree program culminating in two master’s degrees, under the following conditions:

The student must prepare a written rationale for the particular dual degree program, including a description of the objectives to be achieved. The student’s rationale and proposed Program of Study must be approved and signed by each graduate unit Chairperson (or graduate unit advisor). The completed materials must be submitted to the Graduate Dean for final approval.
The student must meet all requirements for both master’s degrees, with the exception that a maximum of 6 credit hours from each major may be counted toward degree requirements in the other major.
Application process.
a. A new applicant wishing to pursue a dual degree program must submit an application, including application fee, to the second unit with his/her rationale for an individualized dual degree, and must identify each graduate unit to the other on both applications. The two departments may review the application together or sequentially. If accepted by both graduate units, the student is admitted to graduate study with two majors.
b. A student who is enrolled in one master’s degree program and wishes to add a second master’s must submit an application, including application fee to the second unit, together with his/her rationale statement (approved by both graduate units) to Graduate Studies (see #1 above) for an individualized dual degree. Submission of these materials must take place within three semesters of the student’s acceptance to the first graduate program. Acceptance by the second graduate unit establishes the student’s status in a dual degree program.
The student must work throughout the program with academic advisors from both graduate units, and the entire dual degree program should be constructed to fit the agreed-upon rationale.
Both degrees must be completed in the same semester.

M.F.A./M.A. Dual Status (Concurrent Enrollment):
M.F.A. and First or Second Master’s (Different field/major code)

While pursuing a M.F.A. degree, a M.F.A. student may choose to pursue a master’s degree in a field or discipline (major code) outside the M.F.A. field. Students wishing to pursue dual status must adhere to the following:

The M.F.A. student must prepare a written rationale for adding the particular master’s degree program, including a description of the objectives to be achieved. The student’s proposal must be approved and signed by the M.F.A. graduate unit Chairperson (or graduate unit advisor). The completed proposal must be submitted to the Graduate Dean for final approval.
The student must be formally admitted to the added master’s program and must submit an application packet indicating the addition of the master’s program, together with the rationale statement (see #1 above) to Graduate Studies. Acceptance by the second graduate unit establishes the student’s dual status.
The student must meet all requirements for both the M.F.A. and the master’s degree, with the exception that a maximum of 6 approved credit hours from each degree program may be counted toward requirements in the other degree program.
The student must work throughout the program with academic advisors from both graduate units regarding requirements for each degree as well as shared units. The student should obtain from both graduate units written approval of the 6 credit hours from each program that may be counted toward required credit hours in the other degree program.
Time limits for completion of the two degrees:
a. Students must adhere to the seven-year rule for completion of all requirements for the master’s degree (see the “The Master's Degree: Time Limit for Completion of Degree” section of this page).
b. Students must adhere to their M.F.A. program’s rules regarding time limits for completion of the M.F.A. (see the “The Master of Fine Arts: Time Limit for Completion of Degree” section of this page). No exception are made to the University time limit for the M.F.A. degree to accommodate completion of the master’s degree.
c. If the time needed for completion of the master’s degree extends beyond the completion of the M.F.A., the student must have a Program of Studies for the master’s degree approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies before the M.F.A. degree is awarded. If this is not done, the student is allowed to count any of the credit used for the M.F.A. toward the master’s degree.

Obtaining a First Master’s Degree while in a Doctoral Program (same field/major code)

Students admitted directly to a doctoral program may obtain a master’s degree in the doctoral field of study while pursuing the doctorate. Specific information regarding the master’s degree follows:

Students must adhere to departmental and university policies regarding the master’s degree.
Credit hours taken to complete the master’s degree may be applied to the doctoral degree, within the limits specified in this Catalog under Doctoral Degrees.
Students must complete departmental and university requirements for the master’s degree prior to the submission of the Application for Candidacy for the doctoral degree.

Dual Status (Concurrent Enrollment): Ph.D. and First or Second Master’s (different field/major code)

While pursuing a doctoral degree, a doctoral student may choose to pursue a master’s degree in a field or discipline (major code) outside the doctoral field. Students wishing to pursue a doctoral degree and a master’s degree in different fields concurrently must adhere to the following:

Students must have written permission from their doctoral program to pursue the master’s degree.
Students must complete application materials and be formally admitted to the new master’s program.
Students must adhere to the seven-year rule for completion of all requirements for the master’s degree (see the “The Master's Degree: Time Limit for Completion of Degree” section of this page).
Students must adhere to the five-year rule for completion of the doctorate (see the “The Doctoral Degree: Time Limit for Completion of Degree” section of this page). No exceptions are made to the five-year limit for the doctoral degree to accommodate completion of the master’s degree.
If the time needed for completion of the master’s degree extends beyond the completion of the doctoral degree, the student must have a Program of Studies for the master’s degree approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies before the doctoral degree is awarded.
A minimum of 18 credit hours of coursework for the doctoral degree (exclusive of dissertation credit hours) must be taken in post-master’s (i.e., doctoral) status and cannot be used for any master’s degree. Graduate units may impose additional requirements.

International Articulation Agreements

Collaborative agreements with international institutions are encouraged. These International Articulation Agreements are expected to capitalize on the strengths of each of the participating institutions and facilitate transfer articulation such that students earn a degree from both institutions. In order to receive a degree from UNM, all degree requirements must be satisfied.

Specific program agreements, involving transfer credits from the international institution amounting to less than 25% of the total UNM degree requirements, must be approved by the relevant College Dean, and notification must be provided to the Provost Office. Agreements involving transfer credits that amount to 25%-50% of the total degree requirements must receive prior approval from the Provost Office. Unless resubmitted for approval, agreements become void after seven years.

Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

A Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Program (such as 3+2, 4+1, etc.) provides an accelerated path to earning both a baccalaureate and a master’s degree. Both the baccalaureate and master’s degree requirements are completed in a program-defined number years by means of shared coursework. Such programs help recruit high-achieving UNM undergraduate students into UNM graduate programs.

This policy provides guidelines for programs that wish to participate in a Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Program.

Shared-Credit Programs must be approved through the Faculty Senate curriculum process and are not available for individual student design. Requesting departments, undergraduate and graduate, are responsible for ensuring that accrediting bodies do not object to sharing courses for the two degrees.

Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree requirements:

All undergraduate degree requirements, including college requirements, must be met.
The graduate portion of the program must meet at least Plan I, Plan II, or Plan III University minimums, including the approved graduate courses taken at the undergraduate level.
A maximum of 18 credit hours of approved graduate-credit-eligible courses may be taken in undergraduate status and applied again (shared) to the graduate degree. Shared courses are transcripted as graduate.
Shared courses must be from a prescribed set that meet an undergraduate requirement, such as that of a minor, concentration, emphasis, second major, distributed minor. A grade of "B" or better must be obtained in the courses in order for them to be shared toward the graduate degree.
The undergraduate degree is awarded when it is completed.
Time-to-degree for the graduate portion of the program begins in the senior year of the undergraduate degree. Standard Graduate Studies Leave of Absence policy and re-admission procedure apply to students in Shared-Credit Programs. However, upon re-admission the student is no longer eligible for the Shared-Credit Program and courses taken while an undergraduate are not applicable to a graduate degree.

Shared-Credit Programs must identify in their curriculum proposals and published materials:

Admission Requirements. These must be, at the least, the minimum requirements in place for UNM graduate admission. Other considerations may also include the minimum number of credit hours that must be completed in the undergraduate portion, completion of a minimum number of credit hours or specific courses in the undergraduate major, class standing, minimum GPA, etc.

Students follow the usual graduate admission process to the participating graduate program.

Admission to the graduate portion of the program is provisional until the undergraduate degree is awarded.

Escape Clause. Program requirements should define the steps to be taken by students who choose not to complete both degrees, and by departments that choose not to advance a student to the graduate portion of the program. Students who choose not to complete the graduate portion of the program are still awarded the undergraduate degree when all undergraduate requirements are met.

Regional and/or Targeted Programs

New Mexico/Western Regional Graduate Programs

The University of New Mexico is one of 35 graduate-level institutions in the West cooperating in a regional effort to make certain that graduate programs of limited availability are accessible to graduate students of the 15 participating states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Qualified students from all other 14 states may enroll in the University of New Mexico programs at resident tuition rates.

The Western Regional Graduate Programs (WRGP)/concentrations available at the University of New Mexico are as follows: American Studies (M.A., Ph.D.); Art History: Arts of the Americas (M.A., Ph.D.); Educational Linguistics (Ph.D.); Latin American Studies (M.A., Ph.D.); Optical Science and Engineering (M.S., Ph.D.); Art Studio focusing on Printmaking (M.F.A.); Water Resources (M.W.R.).

Additional information about the Western Regional Graduate Programs may be obtained by contacting the participating units or by visiting the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education Web site.

Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE)
Western Regional Graduate Program
Post Office Box 9752
Boulder, CO 80301-9752
(303) 541-0200

The McNair Program

The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded program designed to prepare undergraduate participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have demonstrated strong academic potential. Institutions work closely with these participants through their undergraduate requirements, encourage their entrance into graduate programs, and track their progress to successful completion of advanced degrees.

Additional information is available through the McNair Program Web site. The $60 application fee is waived for McNair scholars applying to UNM graduate programs. A letter from the student’s McNair program director is required.

Project 1000

Project 1000 is a national program created to assist underrepresented students applying to graduate school. Using one application, students may apply to as many as seven of the over 75 participating Project 1000 institutions of higher education. The University of New Mexico is one of the participating institutions. The application fee is waived for students in this program. Please note that Project 1000 is suspended indefinitely.

Financial Assistance and Support Programs

The University of New Mexico offers several types of financial assistance for which graduate students may apply. In some cases, the awards are merit-based and highly competitive. In other cases, awards are need-based and there is a limit (i.e., cap) to the combined amount of financial assistance provided. To qualify for need-based awards, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Fellowships

Graduate Studies coordinates a number of fellowship programs for graduate students. Students from groups under-represented in graduate education are particularly encouraged to apply. Information about these fellowships is available through the graduate units and the Graduate Studies Web site.

In addition to campus resources, there are several national and regional fellowship programs to support graduate students, particularly at the doctoral level.

Scholarships

The University of New Mexico Scholarship Office administers the majority of scholarships at the University, including institutional, departmental and outside and private scholarships. Scholarships are traditionally merit based and competitive.

Additional information about scholarships is available through the UNM Scholarship Office Web site and the Graduate Studies Web site.

Loans

The University of New Mexico participates in two federal educational loan programs: (1) the Perkins Loan and (2) the Direct Loan. Additionally, students may contact alternative lenders who offer non-federal educational loans. Further information can be obtained through the Student Financial Aid Office Web site.

Work-Study Opportunities

Many graduate students are eligible to receive funding under Work-Study programs. Graduate students are encouraged to apply for Work-Study by submitting a Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Graduate Studies works in conjunction with the Office of Student Financial Aid and graduate units to match students who are work-study qualified with faculty research projects or teaching assignments.

Assistantships

An assistantship is a financial award to a graduate student for part-time work in teaching or research while pursuing study toward an advanced degree. The primary goal of an assistantship is to assist students in strengthening and successfully completing their academic program.

Approximately 1,500 teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified graduate students in various departments within the university. Assistantships are competitively awarded at the department level and typically require 10 to 20 credit hours of service per week. Assistantship appointments are usually made within the students’ academic units. However, graduate students may accept an assistantship outside the unit in which they are pursuing a degree. Students interested in being considered for assistantships should contact the Chairperson/administrator in the unit in which they wish to hold an assistantship.

Types of Assistantships

Teaching Assistant (TA)/Teaching Assistant Special (TASpec): is directly involved in producing student credit hours, i.e., responsible for one or more classes or lab sections. Teaching Assistants may not teach courses offered for graduate credit.
Teaching Associate (TAssoc): an advanced teaching assistant who holds the master’s degree (or equivalent) and who directly produces student credit hours. Students who have been advanced to doctoral candidacy may be approved, as Teaching Associates, to teach courses offered for graduate credit through submission by the graduate unit of an Approval for Graduate Instruction form to Graduate Studies.
Graduate Assistant (GA)/Graduate Assistant Special (GASpec): one whose duties are related to instruction, but who is not directly involved in producing student credit hours.
Research Assistant (RA): assists in research work that is relevant to the assistant’s thesis, dissertation or other requirement for a graduate degree.
Project Assistant (PA): performs work required by a research grant, contract or special project that is not necessarily directly related to degree requirements. Employment associated with administrative/office support should not be classified as a project assistantship.

Eligibility for Assistantships

To be employed as a TA/TA Spec, GA/GA Spec, TAssoc, RA or PA a student must meet the following criteria:

Have been formally admitted to a graduate program at the University of New Mexico.
Be currently enrolled at the University of New Mexico for a minimum of 6 credit hours of coursework, thesis or dissertation credit hours that count towards the graduate degree. Courses taken for AUDIT are not accepted as part of the minimum credit hours.
Maintain a 3.0 grade point average in graduate coursework each semester.
Students on Types 1 and 2 probation are ineligible to hold an assistantship. Students on Type 3 probation may provisionally hold an assistantship for one semester (see the "Academic Probation and Consequences" section of this page).
Be within the time limit for completion of the degree sought.
a. Masters Students: All work used to meet degree requirements for a master’s degree, including transfer credit, must be completed within a seven-year period immediately preceding the granting of the degree.
b. Doctoral Students: Doctoral candidates have five (5) calendar years from the semester in which they pass their doctoral comprehensive examination to complete the degree requirements.

Background Checks

As stipulated by UNM Business Policy 3280, the University of New Mexico is required in certain cases to conduct in-depth background checks on assistantship recipients holding positions that are safety and/or security sensitive. In particular, Graduate Studies is responsible to determine which assistantship positions require background checks and to partner with Human Resources (HR) to ensure that the appropriate background check, when required, has been conducted before approving an assistantship contract. Any assistantship position in which a graduate student works directly with minors (e.g. as a tutor, instructor, coach, supervisor, childcare provider, or similar roles working with persons under the age of eighteen) necessitates the satisfactory completion of a valid background check.

All background checks must and will be conducted by trained individuals in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations including, but not limited to, New Mexico Criminal Offender Employment Act, New Mexico Caregivers Criminal History Screening Act, Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

To ensure compliance with this policy, Graduate Studies will coordinate with hiring units and HR to identify assistantship positions that require background checks, as well as to adjudicate any adverse findings.

Required Training

Various federal, state, and university guidelines require UNM to ensure that all assistantship recipients are aware of and receive training in specific standards and eligibility requirements. Graduate Studies has partnered with Human Resources (HR) to conveniently provide the following training sessions online at HR’s Learning Central:

Basic Annual Safety
Preventing Sexual Harassment
Securing Private Data

All Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants, Research Assistants, and Project Assistants are required to complete these training sessions on an annual basis in order to maintain eligibility for holding an assistantship. The training sessions help students better understand responsibilities to colleagues, students, and co-workers, and refresh understanding of federal, state, and university guidelines regarding ethical conduct, safety, and securing private information.

Stipends and Payments

Assistantship salaries are based on minimum salary guidelines. Teaching Assistants (TA) and Graduate Assistants (GA) are funded under the basic allocation made to the department, those classified as “Special” are funded from other sources (i.e., temporary part-time or non-Instruction and General Budget [I&G]).

TAs/TA Spec and GAs/GA Spec: Typically, differential stipends are received by pre-master’s and postmaster’s assistants. Stipends are paid in equal monthly installments. Any work performed outside of the approved assignments, i.e., extra compensation, must have prior approval from Graduate Studies. TAs/Spec and GAs/Spec are required to work within their contract dates, which begins one week before the start date of each semester and ends on the last day of the semester. Pay may be adjusted if assistants do not meet their contractual obligations.

TAssoc: Stipends are paid in equal monthly installments.

If a TA/GA/TAssoc assignment is terminated prematurely, either by voluntary resignation or dismissal, the stipend shall be prorated at the rate of 1/18 of the semester stipend per week worked.

RAs: Salary is determined by the principal investigator based upon a graduate unit’s RA salary guidelines or upon the funding agency’s guidelines; these guidelines are on file in Graduate Studies. Stipends are paid on a monthly basis for actual number of days worked.

PAs: Salary is determined by the principal investigator based upon a graduate unit’s PA salary guidelines; these guidelines are on file in Graduate Studies. The rate is at least equal to the federal minimum wage and is paid via the bi-weekly student payroll on an hourly basis.

Resident Tuition and Tuition Waiver Awards

Out-of-state students awarded TAs, TAssocs, GAs, RAs and PAs are eligible for the resident tuition rate provided the FTE is 25% or higher and they hold the assistantship for at least one-half of the semester. Normally assistantships are held for the full semester and the waiver of the non-resident portion of tuition is available only if the start date of the assistantship is before October 15 for Fall, or March 15 for Spring. The tuition waiver may only be used for courses approved by the graduate program in which the student is currently enrolled.

TAs and GAs classified as “Regular” are eligible for a non-transferable tuition waiver of up to 12 credit hours per semester and 3 credit hours during the summer session when the FTE is 50% (prorated for other FTEs). The University of New Mexico considers this tuition waiver as a scholarship and not as payment for services rendered. Unused credit hours of waived tuition do not automatically carry over to future semesters. Students should consult their academic advisors to determine the relevant policies.

TAs and GAs classified as “Special” are not funded under the basic allocation made to the department and may or may not carry a tuition waiver. If a tuition waiver is granted, the same tuition waiver policy for TAs and GAs classified as “Regular” applies.

TAssocs may, at the discretion of the hiring unit, receive a tuition waiver. If a tuition waiver is granted the same tuition waiver policy for TAs and GAs classified as “Regular” applies.

RAs and PAs are eligible for a tuition waiver provided it is included in the grant or project award budget. The University of New Mexico considers this tuition waiver as payment for services rendered. As such, this tuition waiver is subject to tax withholdings. Unused credit hours of waived tuition may not be carried over to a future semester.

Health Insurance Benefit

The University of New Mexico provides full payment of the assistantship recipient’s insurance coverage premium through the Student Health Center, on a semester-by-semester basis, provided the FTE is 25% or higher, and all other eligibility criteria to hold the assistantship is met.

NOTE: If more than one contract is issued and the student accepts coverage on one and declines on the other the system defaults to “yes” on all coverage.

Assistantship Workload

During the Fall and Spring semesters the typical workload for assistantships is 20 hours per week (.50 FTE). A student may not be appointed for more than 30 hours per week or .75% FTE as a TA/TA Spec, GA/GA Spec, TAssoc, RA or PA alone or in any combination. In addition, students holding a TA or GA may not be appointed for fewer than 10 hours (.25 FTE).

NOTE: The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations limit international students on J-1 and F-1 visas to appointments of no more than 20 hours per week or 50% FTE. The rule that allows graduate students to work 30 hours per week does not relieve international students or the University of the responsibility for complying with the Bureau's regulations.

During the summer session continuing assistantship recipients (including international students) may be employed up to 40 hours per week or 100% FTE provided they are not enrolled. However, entering graduate students awarded an assistantship during the summer session must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 credit hours of coursework which applies to their graduate degree and may not exceed 75% FTE or 30 hours per week. Assistantship recipients who are not enrolled for both summer sessions are required to pay Federal FICA tax (Social Security and Medicare) for that summer session in which they were not enrolled.

Assistantship recipients may concurrently hold a student employment or work-study position provided the combined FTE does not exceed 75% FTE (50% FTE for international students) during the Fall and Spring semester and 100% FTE during the Summer session.

Assistantship recipients may not concurrently hold a University of New Mexico staff position.

Assistantship Reappointments

By definition, assistantships are term appointments. Students should not assume that they will be reappointed merely because notification of termination at the end of the appointment period has not been received. Reappointments are contingent upon the continuing availability of funds, satisfactory performance of the assistantship recipient, relevant departmental policies and academic eligibility.

Termination of Assistantship Before End of Appointment Period

The graduate unit makes notification of termination to the student and forward a copy of this notification to the Dean of Graduate Studies. In the case of students who are placed on academic probation, Graduate Studies terminates the contract and notifies the appropriate graduate unit and the student. The stipend for assignments that are terminated before the end of the appointment is prorated for the period during which the assistant was employed. If a TA/GA/TAssoc assignment is terminated prematurely, either by voluntary resignation or dismissal, the stipend shall be prorated at the rate of 1/18 of the semester stipend per week worked.

Medical Leave While Holding an Assistantship

Assistantship recipients who suffer a serious medical condition requiring absence from assigned duties for two consecutive weeks may be granted, upon written request to the head of the graduate unit, a two-week sick leave without loss of stipend. After this leave, the student is paid only for the time the assistantship responsibilities were fulfilled. The graduate unit must notify Graduate Studies whenever it grants an assistant a two-week sick leave, as well as the date that the assistant returns to his/her position.

Absence Without Leave

Individuals who are awarded a contract and receive payment from the University of New Mexico, but who do not attend or are absent without leave are required to repay any stipend collected from UNM.

Procedures for Petition for Assistantship Awards

A student who desires to hold an assistantship appointment under conditions different from those described above (with the exception of those governed by Federal or state mandates) should address a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The petition should include a detailed explanation of what is requested, what the exceptional circumstances are, and why a waiver of policy is desirable from the point of view of progress toward the degree. The petition is reviewed by the Chairperson/administrator or principal investigator as well as the graduate director who may either deny the petition or recommend approval to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The Dean of Graduate Studies shall make the final decision.

Grievance Procedures for Students Holding Assistantships

Student who hold assistantships and are seeking direction for submitting a formal grievance related to the assistantship are referred to the section on Academic Freedom of Graduate, Teaching, Research and Special Assistants in the University of New Mexico Faculty Handbook.

Graduate Research and Scholarship Stipulations

Graduate students must adhere to general and university policies governing research and scholarly activities. These include, but are not limited to intellectual property, conflict of interest, research ethics and integrity, and the special circumstances described below.

Use of Classified Material in Research

Graduate students may not use in their coursework or thesis or dissertation research classified material or any other data that would cause the dissemination of the research to be limited. Dissemination is defined as “available to anyone without restriction.”

Human Subjects in Research

There are two institutional review board offices at the University of New Mexico. The Office of the Institutional Review Board serves Main and Branch campus faculty, staff, and students. The Human Research Protections Office serves Health Sciences Center (HSC) faculty, staff, and students. Institutional review boards are authorized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review, approve and certify all research involving human participants conducted by, for, or with the University of New Mexico faculty, staff, and students. Students who plan to utilize human participants for research purposes must obtain written approval from the appropriate institutional review board prior to initiating their projects.

Animal Subjects in Research

Neither students nor faculty may conduct research involving animal subjects until they have submitted a written protocol to one of the two Animal Care and Use Committees at the University of New Mexico and have received written approval for that protocol. Students on main campus may obtain the protocol from Research Compliance Services, Scholes Hall, Room 255; those on the HSC campus should contact the Animal Resource Facility, located in the Basic Medical Sciences Building.

Use of Copyrighted Material in Research and Scholarship

Graduate students must adhere to the policies governing the use of copyrighted material. They must seek permission from the copyright holder when using such works in assigned papers, theses, dissertations, or other publications.

General Academic Regulations and Catalog Requirements

Students are responsible for complying with all rules and regulations of the University. and of their respective colleges and departments from which they take courses, as well as for fulfilling all degree requirements. Students are responsible for knowing and complying with all academic regulations.

Students are responsible for knowing and abiding by the general University rules and regulations pertaining to graduate study at the University of New Mexico and the specific academic requirements of their particular degree program. They are also expected to be aware of their academic standing at all times.

Ignorance of a rule is not accepted as a basis for waiving that rule.

Students may graduate under the degree requirements of any Catalog in effect since the year in which they were first enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program at The University of New Mexico, provided that they have maintained continuous active status and they complete the graduation requirements for the degree sought within the appropriate time period. Students who are readmitted or who transfer from one degree granting program to another within the University graduate under the Catalog in effect at the time of their readmission/transfer or a succeeding Catalog. The Catalog under which a student intends to graduate must be specified on the first page of their Program of Studies/Application for Candidacy. Students must meet all the degree requirements for graduation in the Catalog chosen.

Notwithstanding the above, the University of New Mexico reserves the right to make changes in the curricula and degree requirements as deemed necessary, with the changes being applicable to currently enrolled students.

Deadlines

If a deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday for which the University is closed, the deadline is automatically moved to the next business day.

Semester Course Loads

In general, a graduate student enrolling for and completing a minimum of 9 graduate credit hours per semester is considered to be a full-time student at the University of New Mexico. However, if holding an assistantship, the minimum course load is 6 graduate credit hours per semester.

Graduate students not holding an assistantship and taking 8 credit hours or less per semester are considered part-time students. All graduate students are encouraged to enroll in and complete at least 9 credit hours per semester in order to achieve their expected time-to-degree.

International graduate students without assistantships are required to complete each semester with a minimum of 9 credit hours in order to maintain legal immigration status. International graduates with assistantships are required to complete each semester with 6 credit hours. Grades of W, WP, WF or courses taken for a grade option of "audit" do not count toward the "minimum" enrollment requirements for maintaining legal immigration status. The Global Education Office (GEO) must report any drops below these minimum requirements to immigration within 21 days of the drop (even if the drop occurs after the semester is complete). All international students must speak with OIPS before dropping below these required minimums FOR ANY REASON.

Continuous Enrollment Policies

Three Semester Rule for Plan II, III/Pre-Thesis/Dissertation students.

Three Semester Rule for Plan II, III/Pre-Thesis/Dissertation students. All Plan II and pre-thesis/dissertation graduate students who are admitted and complete at least one semester in graduate status at the University of New Mexico receive registration materials for three subsequent semesters (including summer session) whether they enroll or not. Prior to enrolling in thesis or dissertation credit hours, graduate students may register for classes and continue in their graduate program without having to apply for readmission so long as they enroll for classes by the published registration deadline of the third semester (including summer session). Students who have not received an official leave of absence and who do not enroll by the registration deadline of the third semester must apply for readmission to their degree program and to UNM. The time lost during such “stop-out” periods is counted in the time to degree limits, unless students have received an official leave of absence from their graduate unit and Graduate Studies. NOTE: Students must be enrolled in a semester in order to use their Lobo Card (see the “Admission Process and Policies: Readmission Process” section of this page).

Continuous Enrollment Rule For Thesis/Dissertation students. All graduate students enrolled in thesis or dissertation credit hours (599 or 699) must maintain continuous enrollment, excluding summer terms, from the first semester of registering in these credit hours through the semester of graduation. Students who miss one or more semesters must obtain approval for a formal leave of absence; if students miss one or more semesters without an approved leave of absence, they must file for readmission as described below. Without a formal leave of absence approved in advance, the time a student is not enrolled counts against the time to degree limit.

Students in good standing who miss one or more semesters of continuous enrollment without obtaining an approved leave of absence in advance must file for readmission and pay the applicable application fee current at the time of readmission. (No waivers are granted under such circumstances.) When the student applies for readmission, the graduate unit processes the application through the Office of Admissions (Applications for readmission may be processed off-cycle, but the graduate unit must make its admission decision prior to the beginning of the semester in which the student re-enrolls).

Readmission is at the discretion of the department. There is no guarantee that a student who leaves the program without an approved leave of absence will be readmitted. In addition, students are readmitted under the terms of the UNM Catalog in place at the time of readmission; to be readmitted under their original Catalog requirements students must submit a Petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Note: Students on leaves of absence and students who drop out of continuous enrollment for one or more semesters informally do not have access to university resources outside of those provided for use by the general public.

Leave of Absence

If extenuating circumstances require an interruption to the student’s studies for one or more semesters, the student must request in advance from the home graduate unit and Graduate Studies a formal leave of absence. Leaves of absence may be granted to students in good standing in cases of illness, emergency, family exigency, and employment or professional opportunities. Leaves of absence are granted on a semester-by-semester basis and generally are limited to a maximum of one calendar year. With a formal leave of absence approved in advance, the time a student is on leave does not count against the time to degree limit.

Program of Studies (Master’s Degrees and Transcripted Certificates)

A student seeking a master’s degree or a transcripted certificate should prepare and submit a Program of Studies indicating the courses that are to be counted toward the degree or certificate. The Program of Studies should be approved by the student’s advisor and the program director prior to being submitted to Graduate Studies.

Application for Candidacy (M.F.A.-Ph.D.-Ed.D.)

A student seeking an M.F.A., Ph.D. or Ed.D. should prepare and submit an Application for Candidacy form (a list of all courses counted toward the degree, including any transfer credit hours) during the semester in which the comprehensive examination is passed.

Notice of Intent to Graduate

Students must inform their graduate unit in writing of their intent to graduate. The graduate units must submit their proposed graduation list to Graduate Studies no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the semester immediately preceding the semester of graduation.

Grade Requirements for Graduation

To earn a graduate degree at the University of New Mexico, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in graduate-level courses taken in graduate status at the time of degree completion as well as a grade point average of at least 3.0 for courses listed in their Program of Studies or Application for Candidacy.

Students may not graduate with Incompletes or unrecorded grades (NR) pending in any graduate course, nor may they graduate while on probation.

Courses taken to meet undergraduate deficiencies/prerequisites cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements nor are they calculated into the graduate grade point average. It is expected that the student earn at least a B (3.0) in each of these courses. If a grade of less than "B" (3.0) is earned in any of these, the major department may deem that the prerequisite has not been satisfied.

No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or "CR" (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation.

Graduate Credit

In general, courses numbered 5xx and 6xx are available for graduate credit. Additionally, some 3xx or 4xx courses are available for graduate credit; these courses are marked with a single or double asterisk preceding the course number, as described in the Symbol Key Map section of this Catalog. Only students in graduate or non-degree graduate status automatically receive graduate credit for these courses. Graduate credit cannot be earned by examination as in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Limitations to this policy are given below.

Selected programs offer courses that are only available for graduate credit for students outside the discipline. These courses are marked with a double asterisk. A graduate student who is enrolled in the degree program offering the course must obtain a Program Override from their department.
Undergraduate students who are either within 10 credit hours of earning the baccalaureate degree and have an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 OR already have a completed baccalaureate degree may receive graduate credit for a graduate course by processing the Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization form. A grade of “B” or better must be obtained in the courses in order for them to be accepted for graduate credit. No more than 9 hours of graduate credit taken in undergraduate status may be applied to a graduate degree at the University of New Mexico.
For undergraduate students with a minimum of 3.5 overall cumulative grade point average, up to 6 credit hours can be shared for both graduate and undergraduate credit by processing the Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization form. A grade of “B” or better must be obtained in the courses in order for them to be accepted for graduate credit.

NOTE: Undergraduates may not enroll in graduate “problems” courses for undergraduate degree credit.

Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization Form

The Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization form (formerly known as the “green card”) is used to override level restrictions and/or add or delete graduate credit from a course. This form must be filed with the Records and Registration office by the last day of the fourth week of classes during the regular semester, by the end of the first week of class during four-week sessions, or by the end of the second week of class during eight-week sessions. Students are responsible for obtaining all signatures and for submitting the Graduate Credit Authorization to the Registrar’s Office by the above deadlines. Additional information and samples are available on the Graduate Studies Web site.

Retroactive Graduate Credit

A graduate student wishing to change enrollment in a course to add graduate credit after the course has been completed may submit a written petition to the University Registrar along with a memo from the instructor of record stating that the student completed all of the course requirements to receive graduate credit. Students are only allowed to add graduate credit for a course up to one year after the course has been completed. See "Grading: Grade Petition Procedure" in the Student Services Information section of this Catalog.

Graduate Grade Replacement Policy

The Grade Replacement Policy for graduate students applies only to required core courses, which have a program established and published minimum grade as a graduation requirement that has not been met. This policy limits graduate students to a maximum of 9 credit hours of replacement grades in the course of the student’s graduate career and requires signature approval by the course instructor, the student’s advisor, the unit Chair and Graduate Studies.

A required core course may only be repeated once (two instances). The grade from the first instance may be replaced with the repeated grade (second instance), if the student follows the grade replacement procedure.

The original grade remains on the student’s transcript. However, the higher grade is used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average and earned credit hours.

Only students in graduate status are eligible to use this policy, although the student may have been in non-degree graduate status when the course was taken. Only courses taken Summer 2007 forward are eligible for grade replacement.

The process is not automatic. The student must initiate the process by completing a Graduate Grade Replacement form. The course number and title must be identical except where equivalencies or a change has been noted in the University of New Mexico Catalog. No substitute courses are acceptable. Forms are accepted after the second instance in the course has been completed and a grade has been assigned.

Once a grade replacement has been approved, the process cannot be reversed or changed. No grade may be replaced once a degree has been awarded.

Transfer Credit

Students who have completed graduate-level coursework at an accredited institution other than the University of New Mexico, whether they were in graduate or non-degree status, may request that these credit hours be used toward their degree program. Such credit hours may be transferred into a degree program by listing them on the Program of Studies or the Application for Candidacy, within the limits described in the Catalog sections on Master’s, Master of Fine Arts and doctoral degrees.

The student must have earned a grade of "B" or better in the courses for which transfer credit hours are requested. Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis and/or courses taken as extension credit at other universities are not accepted for graduate credit at the University of New Mexico.

The number of transfer and/or applied (including non-degree) credit hours used toward a program may not exceed fifty percent of the required coursework for the degree; departments may impose even more restrictive limits on transfer and/or applied credit hours.

NOTE: Coursework that has been counted toward a previous degree may not be counted again toward any other degree except master’s coursework for a doctoral degree.

Applied (including Non-Degree) Credit

Courses taken by students at the University of New Mexico while in non-degree, undergraduate, or professional degree status may be applied toward a graduate program degree if they meet the following conditions:

The courses must have been taken for graduate credit, and the Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization form must have been filed with the Registrar's office (see the "General Academic Regulations and Catalog Requirements: Level Restriction/Graduate Credit Authorization Form" section of this page);
A grade of "B" (3.0) or better must have been earned;
The course must meet all other degree requirements, including time to degree limits;
A maximum of 9 credit hours of approved graduate level courses taken in undergraduate status may be applied; and
To apply credit hours taken in a professional degree program to a graduate program degree, the student must petition the Dean of Graduate Studies, unless the credit hours were taken as part of a formal Dual Degree program.

The number of transfer and/or applied (including non-degree) credit hours used toward a graduate program may not exceed fifty percent of the required coursework for the degree; departments may impose even more restrictive limits on transfer and/or applied credit hours.

NOTE: Undergraduate and graduate coursework already applied toward another degree at The University of New Mexico, or at any other institution, may not be applied again toward another graduate degree. The only exception is coursework that was applied to a completed master’s degree or M.F.A. degree may be counted toward a doctoral degree, if it is logically related to the doctoral program and approved by the student’s graduate unit. For applying credit hours to certificates, see certificate section.

NOTE: Coursework completed while in graduate status at UNM in a Masters or M.F.A. degree program may be applied to a doctoral program at UNM regardless of grade earned ("C" or better).

Double-Numbered Courses

Double numbered courses (3xx/5xx or 4xx/5xx) are considered equivalent courses and repeat rules are enforced. Exceptions may be allowed on a case-by-case basis through a petition process initiated by the student and supported by the faculty member teaching the graduate-level course.

Variable Credit

Students registering for a variable credit course need to consult with their program advisor or the course professor concerning course requirements and expectations for variable credit hours. Students may also review variable credit course information at program-specific Web sites.

Short Courses and Workshops

The Dean of Graduate Studies must approve all short courses and workshops offered for graduate credit. Short courses and workshops must equal at least 13.3 hours of student contact time per credit hour over a specific period of time.

Correspondence Courses

The University does not accept correspondence credit toward its graduate degrees.

Graduate Credit for Experiential Learning

In extraordinary circumstances, a student with extensive graduate-level learning obtained through experience may be awarded graduate credit through the submission of a prior learning portfolio. The student should first identify those graduate courses (maximum of 6 credit hours) for which credit is being requested. The student must then submit to the department Chair/graduate advisor a written request to prepare a prior learning portfolio through a faculty advisor within the graduate unit. If the department supports the student’s request, the student develops a prior learning portfolio with the help of the advisor and Graduate Studies. The portfolio is submitted to an evaluation committee consisting of three faculty members appointed by the graduate unit. The committee is composed of faculty who have expertise in the requested areas and at least one member is the instructor of record in courses relating to the student’s request. If the committee recommends full or partial approval, the college graduate committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies reviews the request. Disapproval at any level terminates the process.

If approval is granted, the student must register for the course(s) previously identified and pay tuition at the current rate. Credit hours awarded through this process are recorded as “CR” and are not computed into the cumulative grade point average.

Limitations on Applying Courses Towards Multiple Programs

Students are allowed to apply a course toward no more than two programs. For example: a course can count towards a dual degrees program but cannot then be applied toward a graduate certificate.

Academic Standing and Grade Requirements

Academic Standing

To remain in good academic standing students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit after admission to a graduate degree program at the University of New Mexico. A student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for courses listed on their Program of Studies/Application for Candidacy.

Incomplete (I) Grades

The grade of “I” is given only when circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent completion of the coursework within the official dates of a semester or summer session.

According to academic policy, incomplete grades must be completed before a student is eligible to graduate from the University of New Mexico. Students should not re-enroll or re-register (for credit) in a course in which an incomplete has been received in order to resolve the “I” (incomplete) grade. If an instructor requires the student to repeat the class in order to resolve the Incomplete, the student must register for the course on an audit basis.

Incomplete grades received must be resolved no later than one year (twelve months) from the published end day of the semester in which the grade was assigned. Incomplete grades not resolved within the time frame stated in this policy are converted automatically to a F (failure) grade.

Students resolving Incompletes in their semester of graduation must have the process completed (including the reporting of the grade to the Records and Registration Office) by the appropriate deadline. Students are responsible for informing instructors that they are graduating and that the grade(s) must be reported by the appropriate deadline. Failure to complete the process as described could result in the postponement of graduation until the following semester.

The instructor of record reports the final grade for the course in which the Incomplete was assigned to the Records and Registration Office.

Extension of Incomplete

A student may apply for an extension of the time allowed to complete the required coursework removing the “I” grade. Students must submit the Extension of Incomplete form with all required signatures to Graduate Studies by the applicable deadline dates (November 15 for Fall, April 15 for Spring, July 15 for Summer). For the student who re-enrolls in residence, a one-semester extension may be granted. If an extension is granted, it is the student’s responsibility to remove the “I” grade by the date indicated.

Grade Point Average

Graduate Studies checks the student’s grade point average at the end of every semester and summer session for as long as the student is in graduate status. All students whose academic standing is deficient after receiving grades for 12 attempted credit hours or two semesters, whichever comes first, are placed on probation or suspended, according to the university regulations and those of their graduate unit (see the Student Services Information section of this Catalog).

The grade point average is calculated using all grades earned in graduate coursework while a student is in graduate status. Grades earned at other institutions or in non-degree status are not calculated in a graduate student’s grade point average. The University of New Mexico extension courses (those offered by the Extended University) taken prior to admission to a graduate program are not included in the graduate cumulative grade point average; however, the University of New Mexico graduate extension courses taken while a student is in graduate status are included.

The grade point average is calculated by dividing the total number of quality grade points earned (see the Student Services Information section of this Catalog) by the total number of credit hours attempted, and truncated by two decimal places. Grades of CR, W, NC and PR are excluded from the cumulative grade point average calculation. Grades of NC and IF may have an adverse impact on a student’s academic standing, financial aid and assistantship eligibility.

Change of Grade/Academic Record

The instructor of a course is responsible for any grade reported. Once a grade has been reported to the Records and Registration Office, the instructor may change it by completing the Change Student Grade process through LoboWeb. Only the instructor who issued the original grade (instructor of record) may submit a change. Grade changes submitted more than 30 days after the end of semester are reported to the offering College Dean. Any change in grade must be reported within 12 months after the original grade was issued and prior to graduation. Grade changes may be referred to the Admission and Registration Committee of the Faculty Senate for approval.

The University of New Mexico does not make modifications to the student’s academic record once a student has completed the academic requirements for a graduate degree or certificate and has received the diploma and appropriate notations on the official UNM transcript.

Academic Probation and Consequences

Students who do not maintain good academic standing are placed on academic probation by Graduate Studies. There are three types of probation.

Type 1: Grade Point Average

A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 for grades earned in graduate-level courses taken while in graduate status are placed on Type 1 academic probation. The student is suspended from graduate status if the cumulative grade point average does not reach 3.0 after completion of an additional 12 credit hours of graduate coursework or four regular semesters in probationary status, whichever comes first. Students on Type 1 probation are not eligible to hold assistantships, nor are they allowed to take master’s examinations, doctoral comprehensive examinations, defend theses or dissertations, or graduate.

Type 2: NC-F-IF-INC Grades

Students who earn any combination of two grades of NC, F, INC, and/or IF in graduate courses taken in graduate status, even if their cumulative grade point average remains above 3.0, are placed on Type 2 academic probation. The student is suspended from graduate status if a third NC, F, INC, or IF grade is earned. Students on Type 2 probation are not eligible to hold assistantships, nor are they allowed to take master’s examinations, doctoral comprehensive examinations, defend theses, dissertations or graduate. When students on Type 2 probation are ready to take final exams or defend theses or dissertations in order to complete graduation requirements, they must petition the Dean of Graduate Studies to end their probationary status so that they may complete their requirements and graduate. Students on Type 2 probation who maintain a GPA of 3.5 for two consecutive semesters have the sanctions (ability to hold an assistantship, take culminating exams and graduate) waived and written notification thereof from Graduate Studies.

NOTE: A student who is placed on Type II probation after a semester has begun and holds an assistantship for that semester must resolve their probationary status within that semester to maintain the assistantship for future semesters. Example: A student who is notified during spring semester of being on Type II probation must resolve the probationary status to be eligible to hold an assistantship for the following summer and/or fall. Grades of WF, WNC from 2012 and prior may have an adverse impact on student's academic standing.

Type 3: Incomplete Grades

A student who receives 6 or more credit hours of “Incomplete” grades in graduate-level courses is placed on Type 3 academic probation. Type 3 probation ends when the credit hours of “Incompletes” drop below 6. However, if the student fails to complete the necessary work, or if the final grade is low enough, the student may become subject to Type 1 or Type 2 probation. Students may not take masters’ examinations, doctoral comprehensive examinations, defend theses or dissertations, or graduate while on Type 3 probation. They may provisionally hold assistantships for one semester, if their semester GPA is 3.0 or higher.

Suspension

By Graduate Studies

A student who is suspended from graduate status is removed from graduate student status at the University of New Mexico. A student may not apply for readmission to graduate status for one year after being suspended. The student may apply for admission to non-degree or undergraduate status at any time after being suspended from graduate status, but no class taken during the year in which the student is suspended from graduate status can be counted toward requirements for a graduate degree.

By a Degree Program

If in the opinion of the graduate unit a student shows little promise of completing the degree program or if the student has committed an academic violation (e.g., plagiarism), the graduate unit notifies the student and the Dean of Graduate Studies in writing that the student is suspended from further work in that unit. Suspended students are not eligible to apply for readmission to any other graduate degree program for a period of one year from the effective date of the suspension.

Readmission after Suspension

If after a period of one year, a suspended student wishes to apply for readmission to graduate studies at the University of New Mexico, the student must follow the readmission procedure delineated earlier in this Catalog.

If a graduate unit decides to readmit a student after academic suspension, it specifies the conditions required by the student to re-establish good standing. The period of suspension is included in the time limit to complete the degree.

Students who have been suspended or who withdrew from the University while in probationary status are placed in probationary status when readmitted to the University. Students suspended for low grade point average (Type 1 probation) have 12 credit hours or four regular semesters (whichever comes first) to establish a grade point average of at least 3.0. A student who fails to achieve the minimum grade point average within the allotted time is permanently suspended from their graduate program. Students who have been suspended for earning three grades of NC and/or F and subsequently readmitted are permanently suspended from their degree program if a fourth grade of "NC" and/or "F" in graduate-level coursework is earned.

Petitions to Modify Academic Requirements

Graduate students may submit a Petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies for an exception to any of the university-wide policies or regulations specified in the UNM Catalog. Petitions are intended to allow students the opportunity to deal with unusual or extraordinary events, particularly circumstances beyond their control that would penalize them unfairly. It should be kept in mind, however, that a hallmark of fairness is the uniform application of the same standards and deadlines to all students.

Petitions must be submitted in the sequence listed below:

The student must first submit the petition to the instructor of record (for grade changes only) or graduate advisor (for all other academic petitions). The advisor/instructor should indicate whether they endorse the student’s request and why.
The petition must next be submitted to the student’s graduate unit-the faculty graduate director, the Chairperson or the departmental graduate committee, depending upon the practice in the particular unit. The student may choose to submit the petition to the graduate unit even if the instructor/advisor does not endorse it. The unit should also indicate whether it supports or does not support the student’s request and why.
This petition should then be forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The student may choose to submit the petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies even if the academic unit does not support it. Additional information may be requested by the Dean of Graduate Studies prior to review of the petition. In certain cases, the Dean or the Dean’s designee may ask the Senate Graduate and Professional Committee, serving in an advisory capacity, to review the petition and offer its recommendation for approval or disapproval. The decision of the Dean is final.

A petition, in the form of a memo or letter addressed to the Dean of Graduate Studies, is initiated and signed by the student. It should clearly state the specific nature of the exception or special consideration being requested and provide a complete but concise justification. If the request involves the extension of a deadline, a proposed new deadline date should be indicated. Before considering a petition, the Dean may require that the student have either an approved Program of Studies or Application for Candidacy on file at Graduate Studies. If this has not already been submitted, the documents may be turned in simultaneously, with the petition attached to the front.

A written response to a complete petition usually is mailed to the student within two weeks from its receipt by Graduate Studies and a copy is sent to the academic unit (this period may be extended to allow for University holidays or other periods when the University is not in session). The original petition is retained in the student’s file at Graduate Studies. Petitions that are lacking required documentation are not considered until all documentation has been received.

NOTE: A graduate student seeking retroactive withdrawal, enrollment or disenrollment; extension of time for removal of an incomplete grade; a grade option change; or other academic record changes involving exceptions to the rules governing registration and academic records that are set forth in the UNM Catalog must submit a petition to the University Registrar. This petition process does not cover disputes involving academic judgments. Petitions must include the student’s current return mailing address.

Graduate Student Academic Grievance Procedures

The Graduate Student Academic Grievance (GSAG) procedures have been established to address complaints, disputes, or grievances of an academic nature initiated by students enrolled in graduate degree programs at the University of New Mexico. Although conflicts that on occasion occur between students and faculty or administrators may be resolved through formal adjudication, a more informal and productive kind of resolution–one that is mutually agreed upon by the parties involved–is strongly encouraged.

The GSAG procedures are available for the resolution of a variety of possible issues related to the academic process. These may include, but are not limited to, issues related to progress toward a degree and allegedly improper or unreasonable treatment, except that grievances based upon alleged discrimination or sexual harassment should be directed to the office of Compliance Ethics and Equal Opportunity (CEEO). The grievance procedures may not be used to challenge the denial of admission to a degree program nor to appeal the refusal of a petition by the Dean of Graduate Studies for an exception to university-wide degree requirements, policies or procedures.

Students seeking to file a grievance are referred to the Faculty Handbook, Section D176: Graduate and Professional Student Conduct and Grievance Procedures.

Graduate Student Recognition and Awards

Recognition of Distinction

To recognize exceptional performance, “Passed with Distinction” may be placed on the transcripts of students who pass the master’s examination, final examination for the master’s thesis, doctoral comprehensive examination, M.F.A. comprehensive examination and/or final examination for the doctoral dissertation. This status is determined at the time of the examination through agreement of the examining committee members, with final approval given by the department Chairperson, and results forwarded to Graduate Studies. The examining committee considers any oral, written, and exhibition work related to the examination when deciding whether or not a student passes with distinction. Individual graduate units may choose to set specific guidelines for determining “Passed with Distinction.”

NOTE: Only examinations completed Fall 2001 or later are eligible to be considered for this designation.

NOTE: Honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) are not awarded at the graduate level.

The Tom L. Popejoy Dissertation Prize

Each year a cash prize is awarded to the author of the outstanding dissertation in one of three major research areas, selected in rotation: (1) Humanities and the Arts; (2) Biological and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics; (3) Social Sciences, Psychology, Business, and Education. This prize was established as a permanent memorial to Tom L. Popejoy, President of the University from 1948 to 1968, to encourage excellence at the highest academic level. Awards are made based on nominations from departments. For more information, see the Graduate Studies Web site.

Faculty Approval for Committee Service

Graduate Studies must approve all members of student committees prior to appointment to the committee. Request approval by completing the Committee Service Approval form and submitting it to Graduate Studies, with curriculum vitae when appropriate. The Committee Service Approval form should be submitted to Graduate Studies a minimum of two weeks before the student’s committee is announced.

The categories of faculty approvals for service on student committees (with the approval of the unit faculty and Graduate Studies) are as follows:

Category One: UNM tenured or tenure-track faculty or UNM-National Laboratory Professors. Role: Chair or a member of any master’s or doctoral committee in any discipline, regardless of the Faculty member’s FTE status.
Category Two: Tenured or tenure-track faculty at other institutions. Role: external member on dissertation committee.
Category Three: Individuals whose primary employer is UNM and who hold the titles of research professor, research
associate professor, research assistant professor; clinician educators with the rank of professor, associate professor assistant professor or faculty hired onto the flex track or “V” category in the School of Medicine. Role: Co-Chair or member of master’s or dissertation committee; may only chair committees if the appointment is within the student’s major.
Category Four: Others who are considered experts in the field. Role: voting member of the committee.
Category Five: Emeriti/Emeritae faculty may continue to chair existing committees for up to one calendar year from the date of their retirement if the graduate unit approves. They may not be appointed Chair of any new committees once retired. Role: Chair, Co-Chair, or voting member of the committee.
Category Six: After the first year of retirement, Emeriti/Emeritae faculty may continue to serve on committees if the graduate unit approves. Role: Co-Chair or voting member of the committee.

Emeriti Faculty: The department must notify Graduate Studies when a faculty member who is chairing a thesis or dissertation committee retires. If the graduate unit approves, Emeriti/Emeritae faculty are allowed to continue to chair existing thesis/dissertation committees for up to one calendar year from the date of their retirement. They may not be appointed Chair of any new thesis/dissertation committees once retired but may serve as Co-Chair. If the student has not completed the thesis/dissertation within one year of the Chair’s retirement, the retired faculty member may continue to serve on the committee as a Co-Chair or member of the committee. The approval is subject to renewal.

Faculty Resignations: The department must notify Graduate Studies when a faculty member serving on a committee in Category 1 or 3 leaves the university for another position. The graduate unit may submit a Committee Service Approval Form for Categories 2 or 4. In addition, they may serve as Co-Chair of existing student committees for which they served as Chair.

Note: All expenses incurred for member services on a Dissertation Committee are the responsibility of the student.

Committee Compositions

Master’s Exam and/or Thesis Committees: The role of the examination committee is to approve the exam questions, conduct the exam/defense, evaluate the student response, and report the results. Each committee must consist of a minimum of three members approved by Graduate Studies.

Two members must be Category 1 OR one member can be Category 1 and one member may be Category 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major;
The Chair of the exam committee must be Category 1, 5, or 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major;
The third member can be any Category 1-6;
A Co-Chair can be from any Category 1-6 as long as the other Co-Chair is a Category 1 or 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major.

No more than one voting member can be in Category 4. Departments can impose a more restrictive structure for exam committees.

Doctoral and M.F.A. Comprehensive Exam Committees: The role of the examination committee is to approve the exam questions, conduct the exam, evaluate the student response and report the results. Each committee must consist of a minimum of three members approved by Graduate Studies.

Two members must be Category 1 OR one member can be Category 1 and one member may be Category 3 if his/her appointment is within the student’s major
The Chair of the exam committee must be Category 1, 5, or 3 if his/her appointment is within the student’s major
The third member can be any Category 1-6
A Co-Chair can be from any Category 1-6 as long as the other Co-Chair is a Category 1 or 3 if his/her appointment is within the student’s major.

No more than one voting member can be in Category 4. Departments can impose a more restrictive structure for exam committees.

Doctoral and M.F.A. Dissertation Committees: The role of the dissertation committee is to supervise a doctoral candidate’s dissertation activity. See appropriate sections of this Catalog for additional information. Each committee must consist of a minimum of four members approved by Graduate Studies; 2 of the 4 members must have Category 1 approval.

Chair must have approval as a Category 1, 5, or 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major
The second member must have approval as Category 1 or 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major
The third member (external/outside) must have approval as Category 2 if selected from the faculty of an institution other than UNM, or Category 1 if a UNM faculty member outside the student’s department
The fourth member can have approval as Category 1-6
Co-Chair (optional) must have approval as a Category 1-6 as long as the other Co-Chair is a Category 1 or 3 if the appointment is within the student’s major

No more than one voting member may be in Category 4. Departments can impose a more restrictive structure for exam committees.

Transcripted Graduate Certificates

A graduate certificate is a prescribed course of study consisting of a collection of graduate courses that, when completed, affords students a formal record of accomplishment (i.e., transcripted) in either a single or interdisciplinary area of study. Graduate certificates may be offered in conjunction with master’s or doctoral degree programs, or they can be offered as stand-alone programs. Only units/programs that offer academic degrees and that have faculty with graduate approval are eligible to offer graduate certificate programs. A graduate certificate is not a concentration within a degree program. Contact the academic programs and Graduate Studies for additional information. Certificates may have financial aid limitations: students are advised to consult with a financial aid advisor prior to applying for a certificate, and certificate programs should publish information about financial aid eligibility.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to a graduate certificate program must comply with the graduate admission processes and policies described earlier in this Catalog.

General Requirements

To meet general requirements for a graduate certificate a student must:

Complete a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours of graduate coursework, of which at least six (6) credit hours must be 500-level or above;
Fulfill any additional requirements established by the certificate program;
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0;
Have a Program of Studies approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies;
At least 50% of the coursework required for the certificate must be completed after admission to the certificate program, unless further restricted by the graduate certificate program;
No more than one-third of the courses applied to the certificate may be “topics”;
No more than one-fourth of the total coursework credit hours required for the degree may be graded C, C+ or CR (see the "Academic Standing and Grade Requirements: Grade Point Average" section of this page);
Must complete 75% of the coursework credit hours required for the certificate at UNM; and
Must be enrolled at the time certificate requirements are completed.

Time Limit for Completion of Graduate Certificate

All work used to meet requirements for a stand-alone graduate certificate must be completed within a three (3) year time period immediately preceding awarding of the certificate. Graduate units may impose a stricter limitation on the time limit for a graduate certificate. Requirements for certificates taken in conjunction with a graduate degree must be completed within the time limits for the graduate degree.

Program of Studies

A graduate certificate student must file a Program of Studies with Graduate Studies by October 1 for Spring graduation, March 1 for Summer graduation and July 1 for Fall graduation. The Dean of Graduate Studies must approve the Program of Studies.

Shared Credit Hours Between Graduate Certificates and Degrees

As long as courses taken for a graduate certificate fall within the prescribed time limits for a graduate degree, the University allows for shared coursework between a graduate certificate and a master’s or doctoral degree. Programs may have additional restrictions on the number of shared coursework credit hours between graduate certificate and degree programs.

If the certificate is a stand-alone program, completed before the student is admitted to a graduate degree program, the student may use 100% of the coursework credit for the certificate toward a future graduate degree.

If the student completes the certificate in conjunction with a graduate degree program, the student may use 100% of the certificate coursework toward a graduate degree.

Coursework from a completed graduate degree may count for up 50% of the coursework required for a graduate certificate.

The Master's Degree

General Requirements

To meet general requirements for a master’s degree a student must:

Complete the coursework requirements of a Plan I, II, or III program within the identified deadline dates (described below);
Fulfill any additional department or graduate unit requirements (e.g., language other than English or skill requirement, practicum, etc.);
Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
Have a Program of Studies approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies;
Complete at least 50% of required coursework after admission to the graduate program, unless further limited by the graduate program;
No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or "CR" (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation.
Pass the Master’s Examination and/or Final Examination for Thesis except for the Plan III program, which is coursework only;
Meet the time limit for completion of degree requirements.

Requirements specific to individual degree programs are described in the appropriate sections of this Catalog.

Master’s en route to Ph.D.

Students admitted directly to a Ph.D. without a master’s degree may earn a master’s degree en route to the Ph.D. (same major/subject code) by seeking approval from the doctoral program. The student must then follow the master’s degree requirements as outlined in the Master’s Degree: General Requirements section of this page. With prior approval by the program faculty and Graduate Studies, a doctoral comprehensive examination may serve as the master’s examination for students pursuing a master’s en route to the Ph.D. (same subject code). With prior approval by the program faculty and Graduate Studies, a doctoral qualifying examination may serve as the master’s examination provided that the committee composition fulfills the requirements for the master’s examination.

Time Limit for Completion of Degree

All work used to meet degree requirements for a master’s degree, including transfer credit, must be completed within a seven (7) calendar year period immediately preceding the granting of the degree. Coursework older than seven years cannot be used to meet requirements for the master’s degree. Graduate units may impose stricter limitations on the time limit for completion of degree requirements.

Plans I (Thesis), II (Non-Thesis), and III (Coursework only) Options

Master’s degree programs at the University of New Mexico are completed under one of three plans, as described below. These are referred to as Plans I, II, and III. Some programs offer students the option of following any of these three plans, while others offer only one or two. In addition to the general requirements listed above, the following specific requirements apply:

Plan I Requirements

A minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework, with a minimum of 15 credit hours in the major field.
A minimum of 6 credit hours of 500-level coursework.
A maximum of 6 credit hours in “problems” courses and a maximum of 5 credit hours of workshop credit.
Six credit hours of Thesis (599) credit.
Completion of a master’s thesis.

Plan II Requirements

A minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework, with a minimum of 18 credit hours in the major field.
A minimum of 12 credit hours of 500-level courses.
A maximum of 12 credit hours in “problems” courses and a maximum of 8 credit hours of workshop credit.
Completion of a master's project and/or master's exam.

Plan III Requirements

A minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework, with a minimum of 18 credit hours in the major field.
A minimum of 12 credit hours of 500-level courses.
A maximum of 12 credit hours in "problems" courses and a maximum of 8 credit hours of workshop credit.
No final examination is required.

Master’s Examination

All candidates for the Plan I and Plan II master’s degrees must pass a master’s examination. The examination, drawn from the major field and from minor or related fields as appropriate, may be written, oral, or both, depending upon the requirements of the graduate unit.

The examination is conducted by a committee of a minimum of three members approved for committee service. Two members must be in Category 1 or 3; the Chair of the committee must be in Category 1, 5, or 3 if within the student’s major; one member must be from Category 1; and no more than one voting member can be in Category 4 (see the "Faculty Approval for Committee Service" section of this page).

The master’s examination may be taken only after the Program of Studies has received approval by the Graduate Dean and only if the student is in good academic standing. In the case of Plan I students, the thesis defense may be considered as the master’s examination; for these students, the thesis Chairperson usually serves as Chairperson of the master’s examination committee (see the "The Master's Degree: Required Enrollment" section of this page).

The student must notify Graduate Studies of the scheduled examination date by electronically submitting the appropriate announcement form. The announcement form must be filed at least two weeks before the master’s examination, and no later than the published deadline dates (November 1 for Fall, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for Summer). Barring extraordinary circumstances, the graduate unit notifies the student and Graduate Studies of the results of the examination no later than two weeks from the date on which it was administered. Should such circumstances arise, the unit informs the student in writing of the reason for the delay and lets the student know when notification can be expected. The results of the examination (pass or fail) must be reported to Graduate Studies by November 15 for Fall graduation, April 15 for Spring graduation or July 15 for Summer graduation. If a student fails the examination, the graduate unit may recommend a second examination, which must be administered within one calendar year from the date of the first examination. The master’s examination may be taken only twice. A second failure results in the student’s termination from the program.

Conditional Pass: Having evaluated the materials required for the examination, if the Committee feels that, although the student has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the field, it is not quite sufficient to justify a grade of “pass,” the committee may assign the grade of “Conditional Pass” and require that the student meet additional conditions before a grade of "pass" is awarded. The student must meet the conditions noted on the Conditional Pass by the end of the subsequent term. However, students who plan to graduate in a specific term must resolve a Conditional Pass by the posted deadline for submission of examination results. The committee notes the conditions that need to be met by the student on the examination form. Once the committee indicates the student has met the conditional pass criteria, they submit a memo to Graduate Studies.

Report of Examination Approvals and Signatures: Each committee member with a UNM netID is required to record their decision through the electronic Report of Examination for each examination. Committee members without UNM netIDs are informed that they will give their proxy decision through the Chair of the committee who will record their decision.

Program of Studies: A master’s degree student should file a Program of Studies with Graduate Studies as soon as the student has planned a program of studies for the degree in consultation with the major advisor. The Program of Studies must be approved by the graduate unit and submitted to Graduate Studies by the following deadlines: October 1 for Spring, March 1 for Summer and July 1 for Fall. It must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies before a student may take the master’s examination.

Within Plan I, Plan II, or Plan III, the student and the major advisor may design a program of studies in which work is done only in the major graduate unit, in the major and a minor graduate unit, or in the major and one or more related graduate units. The following regulations must be observed:

Each Program of Studies must be approved by the student’s major graduate unit and by the Dean of Graduate Studies;
After a Program of Studies has been filed, a student may change between Plans I, II, and III only with the approval of the major graduate unit and the Dean of Graduate Studies and must submit a new/revised Program of Studies;
No more than half the graduate program’s minimum required coursework hours, exclusive of Thesis/Project, may be taken with a single faculty member;
When a master’s student elects a transcripted minor, the student must consult with the Chairperson of the minor graduate unit in the planning of the program of studies. A faculty member from the minor graduate unit must be included on the student’s master’s examination committee unless this right is waived by the Chairperson of that unit (see Transcripted Minors, below);
Application/Transfer of Graduate Credit: The application or transfer of graduate credit to a program of studies is never automatic. With the approval of the student’s graduate unit, a maximum of 50% of the coursework requirements for a master’s degree may consist of a combination of applied/transfer credit hours, assuming they meet the restrictions specified earlier in this Catalog. In addition, applied/transfer credit must meet the following criteria:
• The coursework was taken at an accredited institution and is judged by both the graduate unit and the Dean of Graduate Studies to be appropriate to the student’s degree program;
• The coursework is graded at least a B and was completed within the required seven-year period; and
• Any additional restrictions that may have been imposed by the particular graduate unit have been fulfilled.

NOTE: Coursework that has been counted toward a previous degree may not be counted again toward any subsequent degree with the exception of a master’s degree for a doctoral degree.

Transcripted Minors

A master’s degree student may declare a transcripted minor in a different graduate unit.

Transcripted minors must be fully approved through the UNM curricular process. A list of approved minors is available on the Graduate Studies Web site.
The student must submit a Transcripted Minor for the Master's/Doctoral Degrees form to Graduate Studies, approved by both the major and minor units, with the Program of Studies.
Approved minors have a minimum of 9 credit hours of coursework, or more if the department requires.
The minor must be outside the student’s major code.
The student’s master’s examination committee or thesis committee must contain one faculty member from the minor field, unless this requirement is waived by the minor department on the Transcripted Minor form.

Required Enrollment

Master’s students in either Plan I, II, or III must be enrolled for and complete at least 1 graduate credit in the term they sit for an examination or complete degree requirements. In order to qualify to sit for a master’s exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester.

Graduation Courtesy Policy

University regulations require that the student must be enrolled and complete a minimum of one credit hour of graduate credit in the term the student completes degree requirements. Should the student miss the graduation deadline (July 15 for summer graduation, November 15 for fall graduation, April 15 for spring graduation), but completes all degree requirements on or before the last day of that term, the student is not required to register for the next (graduation) term. The degree program must submit the student’s name on the proposed graduation list for actual term of graduation.

Notification of Intent to Graduate

The Master’s Thesis

Each candidate for a Plan I master’s degree must submit a thesis that demonstrates evidence of the ability to do sound research. The student’s thesis committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies must approve the thesis. The student is responsible for providing each member of the committee with a complete draft of the thesis in ample time for review prior to the defense.

The Thesis

Credit: Plan I students must complete a minimum of six credit hours of thesis (599) credit and only six credit hours may be applied to the program of studies. Once students have enrolled in thesis (599) courses, continuous enrollment (Fall and Spring semesters) in thesis (599) is required until the Dean of Graduate Studies accepts the thesis. Students who complete degree requirements during a summer session must be enrolled in a minimum of one thesis credit hour. This rule applies whether or not the student is concurrently enrolled for other credit hours.

Students who have enrolled in 599 and subsequently stopped enrollment for one or more semesters (not including summers) must follow the procedures listed under the” Continuous Enrollment Policy” above. Procedures for readmission are available on the Graduate Studies Web site.

Grades: Semester grades available for thesis (599) credit hours are PR (progress) and NC (no credit). At the time of graduation, the student’s transcript indicates either 6 credit hours of thesis (599) or credit (CR) earned.

Report of Examination Approvals and Signatures: Each committee member with a UNM netID is required to record their decision through the electronic Report of Examination for each examination and thesis or dissertation defense. Committee members without UNM netIDs are informed that they will give their proxy decision through the Chair of the committee who will record their decision.

Language of Thesis

Students who want to write a thesis in a language other than English must petition and receive advanced approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A thesis submitted in a non-English language must be accompanied by an abstract in English that has been approved by the thesis committee.

Announcement of Final Exam for Thesis

At least two weeks before the final examination is held, and no later than November 1 for Fall, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for summer, the student must notify Graduate Studies of its scheduled date by electronically submitting the appropriate Announcement of Examination.

Member Attendance at Thesis Defense

All members of a student’s thesis committee must be present at the manuscript defense. Although physical presence is strongly encouraged for all members, synchronous participation by telephone/video conference is allowed when necessary.

90-Day Time Limit

A Plan I master’s student must submit the thesis to the Dean of Graduate Studies within ninety (90) days of passing the final examination for the thesis. If the thesis is not submitted within that time, the student must schedule and complete a second final examination for the thesis. In all cases the results of the thesis defense must be submitted to Graduate Studies no later than two weeks after the announced date of the thesis defense.

Thesis Preparation

UNM accepts both traditional and non-traditional (hybrid) theses. If a graduate unit accepts both thesis options, the student, in consultation with the thesis committee, must decide which format is appropriate.

A traditional thesis is a single written document, authored solely by the student, presenting original scholarship. A non-traditional (hybrid) thesis, as defined by the graduate unit, consists of a collection of related articles prepared/submitted for publication or already published. Each thesis must include “introduction” and “conclusion” sections. The student must meet the general manuscript format criteria set forth in the UNM Catalog/Web site on manuscript guidelines. Students must adhere to copyright policies for obtaining permission to use a previously published manuscript.

The student is responsible for preparing a thesis in proper format (traditional or non-traditional), which is of high quality and free of grammatical and typing errors. Guidelines on thesis format are detailed and should be carefully followed. Students are urged to print current manuscript guidelines and forms from the Graduate Studies Web site, and may want to consult with the Graduate Studies manuscript reviewer.

Electronic Submission of the Master's Thesis

All UNM Master’s students must submit their theses to Graduate Studies electronically for filing in the UNM Digital Repository , an electronic, open-access database where their work is accessible to Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo. Open access allows scholars and researchers around the world to access the results of research and scholarship with the click of a button. Thus, open access accelerates and broadens the dissemination of scholarly and creative work. Theses filed in open access at the UNM Digital Repository are fully copyrighted and are afforded the same intellectual property protections as those submitted in print versions.

In some cases, students in consultation with their committee Chair may find it appropriate to submit a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies to embargo—to delay the release of—the electronically submitted thesis or dissertation (ETD). An embargo is a period of time during which researchers cannot access an ETD from external online search engines. Embargos may be appropriate for authors 1) who are seeking patents, 2) who want to publish their work through a traditional press that considers open access publication to be equivalent to prior publication, or 3) who need to protect sensitive data or information.

The default embargo period for the embargo is two years. Upon expiration of the embargo period, the ETD is moved into open access, although authors may request an extension of the embargo by petitioning the Dean of Graduate Studies. Authors of embargoed theses and dissertations must petition for renewal at least three months prior to the expiration date of the embargo in place at the time.

The Dean of Graduate Studies reviews all requests for embargos and embargo extensions, with the goal of balancing students’ requests with the need of the scholarly community for broad and open access to scholarly and creative work. Even when an embargo is granted, the title, author, and keywords associated with the thesis or dissertation are available through open access. In all cases, a former UNM student may terminate the embargo at any time.

Master's students must submit their theses, with an abstract of no more than 350 words, to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval by November 15 for Fall graduation, April 15 for Spring graduation or July 15 for Summer graduation. If the thesis is not submitted by these deadlines, the student is not able to graduate that semester. While Graduate Studies accepts dissertations in electronic (pdf) form, graduate units may also require paper copies (check with the graduate unit).

Accompanying Forms

The following forms, which must be submitted along with the manuscript, may be obtained from the graduate unit or the Graduate Studies Web site:

A “Certification of Final Form.”
An “Information Cover Sheet”
“Embargo Request Form” (if requesting an embargo).

NOTE: The student’s graduate unit may require paper copies of the thesis and forms.

The Master of Fine Arts

The M.F.A. is the terminal degree in the studio and performing arts. As such, its primary emphasis is on the creative aspects of an individual’s work. The M.F.A. usually requires at least three years of intensive study and research beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Although the number of formal requirements for the M.F.A. is in some respects comparable to doctoral degrees in other fields, the scope and objectives of the M.F.A. degree are uniquely different. The M.F.A. degree represents strong creative achievement in the arts, an assured grasp of an area of study, a sound knowledge of critical and historical thought about the arts, and a demonstrated expertise in conceiving and executing a significant body of creative work. Thus, as with the doctoral degree, its achievement is no mere matter of meeting requirements.

General Requirements

A minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate credit coursework (programs may require more credit hours).
At least 24 credit hours of graduate credit coursework must be completed at the University of New Mexico.
At least 18 credit hours of graduate credit coursework must be completed at the University of New Mexico after admission to the M.F.A. program.
A minimum of 18 hours of graduate credit coursework must be earned in the University of New Mexico courses numbered 500 or above.
No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or CR (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation.
No more than 50% of the required course credit hours at the University of New Mexico may be taken with a single faculty member.
A minimum of 6 credit hours of dissertation credit hours (699) is required for the M.F.A.
M.F.A. candidates must be enrolled the semester in which they complete degree requirements, including the summer session.

Time Limit for Completion of Degree

M.F.A. candidates have five (5) calendar years from the semester in which they pass their M.F.A. comprehensive examination to complete the degree requirements. The final requirement is generally the acceptance of the student’s dissertation by the Dean of Graduate Studies, or completion of the final project, whichever is appropriate to the student’s program.

M.F.A. Committee on Studies

Each M.F.A. student is strongly encouraged to assemble a Committee on Studies to assist in planning a program of studies. This program should be designed to foster a fundamental knowledge of the major field, both in depth and in breadth. The Committee generally includes three University of New Mexico faculty members approved by the student’s graduate unit. The Chairperson is usually the student’s major advisor. If the Committee on Studies also serves as the M.F.A. comprehensive examination committee, they must meet the requirements listed in that section.

The basic role of the committee is to plan, with the student, an integrated individual program of study and research meeting general University and specific graduate program requirements. The Committee may also establish prerequisites when needed, recommend transfer of credit, certify proficiency in a language (other than English) or alternative skill, approve significant changes in the program of studies, and may serve as the core of the M.F.A. comprehensive examination committee and/or dissertation committee. See the "Faculty Approval for Committee Service" section of this page.

Appointment of the Committee usually involves the following steps:

the student arranges for an appropriate faculty member to serve as Committee Chair;
the student and the Committee Chair agree upon the remaining members of the Committee;
the Committee must be approved by the graduate unit Chairperson or graduate unit advisor, as evidenced by his/her signature on the student’s “Application for Doctoral Candidacy.”

M.F.A. Comprehensive Examination

An M.F.A. student must pass a comprehensive examination in the major field of study. This examination, which may be written, oral, or both, is not limited to the areas of the student’s coursework but tests the student’s grasp of the field as a whole. It is strongly recommended that the Application for Candidacy be completed and approved by the graduate unit before the student takes the comprehensive examination. The administration of this exam is governed by the following guidelines:

The student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the time of the examination.
At least two weeks prior to the date of the examination, the student must request approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies to hold the exam by electronically submitting the appropriate announcement form. It may not be conducted until the appropriate examination announcement is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and returned to the unit.
The M.F.A. comprehensive examination committee (usually the student’s Committee on Studies) consists of a minimum of three members approved for committee service. Two members must be in Category 1 or 3; the Chair of the committee must be in Category 1, or 3 if within the student’s major; one member must be from Category 1; and no more than one voting member can be in Category 4 (see the "Faculty Approval for Committee Service" section of this page).
The student must be enrolled in a minimum of one credit of graduate coursework the semester in which the student takes the doctoral comprehensive examination. In order to qualify to sit for the M.F.A. comprehensive exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, the graduate unit notifies the student and Graduate Studies of the results of the examination no later than two weeks after the date on which it was administered. Should such circumstances arise, the graduate unit notifies the student in writing of the reason for the delay, and lets the student know when notification can be expected. The results of the examination must be reported to the Dean of Graduate Studies on the “Report of Examination” form within the appropriate timeframe.
If a student fails the examination, the comprehensive examination committee may recommend a second examination, which must be administered within one calendar year from the date of the first examination. The M.F.A. comprehensive examination may be taken only twice. A second failure results in the student’s termination from the program.

Conditional Pass: Having evaluated the materials required for the examination, if the Committee feels that, although the student has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the field, it is not quite sufficient to justify a grade of “pass,” the committee may assign the grade of “Conditional Pass” and require that the student meet additional conditions before a grade of “pass” is awarded. The student must meet the conditions noted on the Conditional Pass by the end of the subsequent term. However, students who plan to graduate in a specific term must resolve a Conditional Pass by the posted deadline for submission of examination results. The committee notes the conditions that need to be met by the student on the examination form. Once the committee indicates the student has met the conditional pass criteria, they submit a memo to Graduate Studies.

Application for Candidacy for the M.F.A. Degree

Each M.F.A. student must submit an Application for Candidacy (AC) listing all the courses that apply to the degree. The AC form should be filed the term the student passes the comprehensive examination and no later than the last day of the term before the student intends to graduate. If a language or a skill requirement is a criteria of the degree program, meeting this requirement should be noted on the AC form where indicated. If the language/skill requirement is not noted on the AC form, a “Certification of Language or Research Skill Requirement” form must be submitted before the student is advanced to candidacy.

M.F.A. Applied (including Non-Degree)/Transfer Credit Hours

The following regulations apply to the application or transfer of credit hours toward a M.F.A. degree:

Course must have carried graduate credit.
Coursework must be from an accredited institution.
Student must have obtained a grade of “B” or better. A maximum of 6 credit hours of thesis from a completed master’s degree or other coursework graded Pass or Credit (CR) is transferable.
The number of transfer and/or applied (including non-degree) credit hours used toward a graduate program may not exceed fifty percent of the required coursework for the degree; departments may impose even more restrictive limits on transfer and/or applied credit hours.
Course must be approved by the M.F.A. Committee on Studies and the graduate unit.
Course must be listed on Application for Candidacy form.
All courses must have final approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies.

M.F.A. Language or Alternative Requirement

There is no University-wide language requirement. Graduate units may require a demonstration of competence in one or more languages (other than English), or in some area of skill related to scholarship or research in the particular discipline. Students should consult the graduate unit itself or its particular section in this Catalog regarding the details of this requirement.

Advancement to Candidacy for the M.F.A. Degree

A key requirement that must be satisfied in order to earn the M.F.A. degree is Advancement to Candidacy. The student is Advanced to Candidacy (often referred to as “all but dissertation or ABD”) by the Dean of Graduate Studies in the term when all the following criteria have been met:

The doctoral comprehensive examination has been passed;
Graduate Studies has approved the Application for Candidacy;
Language/skill requirement (if appropriate) is satisfied.

The M.F.A. Dissertation

Each M.F.A. candidate must prepare a dissertation or final project. The dissertation for the degree of Master of Fine Arts must demonstrate ability to do independent creative work as well as competence in research and knowledge of the field. Each dissertation is composed of two parts: a public display of work completed specifically as a final project for dissertation and a written work whose format and exact relation to the finished creative work is determined by the graduate unit. An approved dissertation committee administers a final, oral examination of the candidate.

All M.F.A. students submitting dissertations must adhere to all dissertation formatting requirements and submission procedures described in the "The Doctoral Degree" section of this page.

Committee: The dissertation committee (whose members often include those on the Committee on Studies) is charged with the supervision of an M.F.A. candidate’s dissertation activities, including the review and approval of the student’s research proposal. M.F.A. candidates initiate the process of selecting the dissertation committee by first arranging for a qualified faculty member to serve as the Director/Chair. The faculty director and the candidate jointly select the remainder of the committee.

Credit Hours: During the course of their dissertation work, M.F.A. candidates are required to enroll in a minimum of six credit hours of dissertation (699) credit. Enrollment in 699 should not begin prior to the semester in which the student takes the M.F.A. comprehensive examination. Only those credit hours gained in the semester during which the comprehensive examination is passed and in succeeding semesters can be counted toward the six credit hours required. A student who fails the comprehensive exam cannot apply any 699 credit hours toward their program of studies until the semester in which the comprehensive examination is retaken and passed.

M.F.A. students may enroll in dissertation (699) for three, six, nine or twelve credit hours per semester, with nine credit hours the maximum in Summer session. Minimum enrollment in 699 for one semester is three credit hours. Once enrollment in 699 begins, students must maintain continuous enrollment according to the guidelines stated in the “Continuous Enrollment Policy” delineated above. Graduate units may require a higher minimum enrollment in dissertation credit hours each semester.

Grades: Semester grades available for dissertation (699) credit hours are PR (progress) and NC (no credit). At the time of graduation, the student’s transcript indicates 6-12 credit hours of dissertation (699) or credit (CR) earned, depending on the program.

Final Examination for the M.F.A. (Defense of Dissertation)

The M.F.A. final oral examination is the last formal step before the degree is awarded and is conducted with due respect to its importance as such. The focus of the final examination is the dissertation and its relationship to the candidate’s major field. Its purposes are:

to provide an opportunity for candidates to communicate the results of their research and creative work to a wider group of scholars;
to afford an opportunity for the members of the examination committee, as well as others (faculty, students, staff, etc.), to ask relevant questions;
to ensure that the research and creative work reflects the independence of the thought and accomplishment of the candidate rather than excessive dependence on the guidance of a faculty member; and finally,
to ensure that the candidate is thoroughly familiar not only with the particular focus of the dissertation, but also its setting and relevance to the discipline of which it is a part.

The student is responsible for providing each member of the dissertation committee with complete copies of all written materials and/or creative work in ample time for review prior to the examination.

At least two weeks before the final examination is held, and no later than November 1 for Fall graduation, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for summer, the student must notify Graduate Studies of its scheduled date by electronically submitting the appropriate announcement form.

The presentation and examination phases of the exam are open to the University community and are published in various sources; the deliberation phase is only open to the committee. At the conclusion of the examination, the dissertation committee members confer and make a recommendation to accept or reject the candidate’s work. The committee then submits the “Report of Examination” to Graduate Studies communicating the examination results.

NOTE: In order to qualify to sit for an exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester.

Member Attendance at Dissertation Defense: All members of a student’s dissertation committee must be present at the manuscript defense. Although physical presence is strongly encouraged for all members, synchronous participation by telephone/video conference is allowed when necessary.

Report of Examination Approvals and Signatures: Each committee member with a UNM netID is required to record their decision through the electronic Report of Examination for each dissertation defense. Committee members without UNM netIDs are informed that they will give their proxy decision through the Chair of the committee who will record their decision.

Graduation Courtesy Policy

University regulations require that the student must be enrolled and complete a minimum of three credit hours of dissertation in the term the student completes degree requirements. Should the student miss the graduation deadline (July 15 for summer graduation, November 15 for fall graduation, April 15 for spring graduation), but completes all degree requirements on or before the last day of that term, the student is not required to register for the next (graduation) term. The degree program must submit the student’s name on the proposed graduation list for actual term of graduation.

M.F.A. Notification of Intent to Graduate

The Doctoral Degree

The doctorate is a degree representing broad scholarly attainments, a deep grasp of a field of study, and expertise in conceiving, conducting, and reporting original and individual research. As such, its attainment is no mere matter of meeting requirements. Those requirements described below should be viewed only as a minimal formal context in which the student is expected to grow to the professional stature denoted by the doctoral degree. Consult the appropriate departmental section of this Catalog for the particular requirements of individual programs.

General Requirements

A minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate credit coursework (certain graduate programs require more credit hours).
Must be enrolled in at least one credit hour of graduate credit in the semester in which the doctoral comprehensive examination is taken.
At least 24 credit hours of graduate credit coursework must be completed at the University of New Mexico.
At least 18 credit hours graduate credit coursework must be completed at the University of New Mexico after admission to the doctoral program.
A minimum of 18 hours of graduate credit coursework must be earned in the University of New Mexico courses numbered 500 or above.
No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or "CR" (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation (see Grade Requirements for Graduation policy).
No more than 50% of the required course credit hours at the University of New Mexico may be taken with a single faculty member (coursework that has been completed for the master’s degree is included in this limit).
A minimum of 18 credit hours of dissertation credit hours (699) is required for the doctorate.
Doctoral candidates must be enrolled the semester in which they complete degree requirements, including the summer session.

NOTE: Detailed information on doctoral graduation requirements are available on the Graduate Studies Web site.

Transcripted Minors

A Ph.D. degree student may declare a transcripted minor in a different graduate unit.

Transcripted minors must be fully approved through the UNM curricular process. A list of approved minors is available on the Graduate Studies Web site.
Approved minors have a minimum of 9 credit hours of coursework; the program may require more.
The student must submit a “Transcripted Minor” form to Graduate Studies, approved by both the major and minor units, with the Program of Studies.
Approved minors may use no more than 25% of the coursework required for the Ph.D. degree.
The minor must be outside the student’s major code.
The student’s comprehensive exam committee must contain one faculty member from the minor field, unless the minor department on the Transcripted Minor form waives this requirement.

Eighteen credit hours of coursework must remain exclusive to the Ph.D. degree.

Time Limit for Completion of Degree

Doctoral candidates have five (5) calendar years from the semester in which they pass their doctoral comprehensive examination to complete the degree requirements. The final requirement is generally the acceptance of the student’s dissertation by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Doctoral Committee on Studies

Each doctoral student is strongly encouraged to assemble a committee on studies to assist in planning a program of studies. This program should be designed to foster a fundamental knowledge of the major field, both in depth and in breadth. The committee generally includes three University of New Mexico faculty members approved by the student’s graduate unit. The Chairperson is usually the student’s major advisor. If the committee on studies also serves as the doctoral comprehensive examination committee, they must meet the requirements listed in that section.

The basic role of the committee is to plan, with the student, an integrated individual program of study and research meeting general University and specific graduate program requirements. The Committee may also establish prerequisites when needed; recommend transfer of credit; certify proficiency in a language (other than English) or alternative skill; approve significant changes in the program of studies; and may serve as the core of the doctoral comprehensive examination committee and/or the dissertation committee. See the "Faculty Approval for Committee Service" section of this page.

Appointment of the Committee usually involves the following steps:

The student arranges for an appropriate faculty member to serve as Committee Chair;
The student and the Committee Chair agree upon the remaining members of the Committee;
The Committee must be approved by the graduate unit Chairperson or graduate unit advisor, as evidenced by their signature on the student’s “Application for Doctoral Candidacy.”

Doctoral Comprehensive Examination

A doctoral student must pass a comprehensive examination in the major field of study. This examination, which may be written, oral or both, is not limited to the areas of the student’s coursework but tests the student’s grasp of the field as a whole. It is strongly recommended that the Application for Candidacy be completed and approved by the graduate unit before the student takes the doctoral comprehensive examination. The administration of this exam is governed by the following guidelines:

The student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 at the time of the examination.
The student must be enrolled in a minimum of one credit of graduate coursework the semester in which the student takes the doctoral comprehensive examination.
At least two weeks prior to the date of the examination, the student must request approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies to hold the exam by electronically submitting the appropriate announcement form.
The doctoral comprehensive examination committee (usually the student’s Committee on Studies) consists of a minimum of three members approved for committee service. Two members must be in Category 1 or 3; the Chair of the committee must be in Category 1, or 3 if within the student’s major; one member must be from Category 1; and no more than one voting member can be in Category 4.
In order to qualify to sit for a doctoral exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, the graduate unit notifies the student of the results of the examination no later than two weeks after the date on which it was administered. Should such circumstances arise, the graduate unit notifies the student in writing of the reason for the delay and lets the student know when notification can be expected.
The results of the examination must be reported to the Dean of Graduate Studies on the “Report of Examination” form no later than two weeks after the date of the examination.
If a student fails the examination, the Committee on Studies may recommend a second examination, which must be administered within one calendar year from the date of the first examination. The doctoral comprehensive examination may be taken only twice. A second failure results in the student’s termination from the program.

Applied (including Non-Degree)/Transfer Credit

The following regulations apply to the application or transfer of credit hours toward a doctoral degree:

Course must have carried graduate credit.
Coursework must be from an accredited institution.
Student must have obtained a grade of “B” or better. A maximum of 6 credit hours of thesis from a completed master’s degree or other coursework graded Pass or Credit (CR) is transferable.
Course must be approved by the doctoral Committee on Studies and the graduate unit.
Course must be listed on Application for Candidacy form.
All courses must have final approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies.

NOTE: Coursework that has been counted toward a previous degree may not be counted toward any subsequent degrees, with the exception of master’s degree to a doctoral degree.

Language or Alternative Requirement

While there is no University-wide language requirement, most graduate units require a demonstration of competence in one or more languages (other than English), or in some area of skill related to scholarship or research in the particular discipline. Students should consult the graduate unit itself or its particular section in this Catalog regarding the details of this requirement.

Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degrees

Each doctoral student must submit an Application for Candidacy (AC) listing all the courses that apply to the degree. The AC form should be filed the term the student passes the comprehensive examination and no later than the last day of the term before the student intends to graduate. If a language or a skill requirement is a criteria of the degree program, meeting this requirement should be noted on the AC form where indicated. If the language/skill requirement is not noted on the AC form, a “Certification of Language or Research Skill Requirement” form must be submitted before the student is advanced to candidacy.

Advancement to Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree

A key requirement that must be satisfied in order to earn the doctoral degree is Advancement to Candidacy. The student is Advanced to Candidacy (often referred to as “all but dissertation or ABD”) by the Dean of Graduate Studies in the term when all the following criteria have been met:

The doctoral comprehensive examination has been passed;
Graduate Studies has approved the Application for Candidacy;
Language/skill requirement (if appropriate) is satisfied.

The Dissertation

Each doctoral candidate must prepare a written dissertation. The requirements for the Ph.D. and Ed.D. dissertations are described below.

Ph.D. The dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must demonstrate ability to do independent research and competence in scholarly exposition. At an advanced level, it should present the results of an original investigation of a significant problem and should provide the basis for a publishable contribution to the research literature in the major field.

Ed.D. The dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Education must demonstrate ability to do independent research and competence in scholarly exposition. A dissertation may be a professional project, such as the development of a curriculum or an account of the results of an educational innovation. A professional project must involve scholarly research, and the dissertation must demonstrate knowledge of theories, experiments, and other rational processes pertinent to the project.

UNM accepts both traditional and non-traditional (hybrid) dissertations. If a graduate unit accepts both dissertation options, the student, in consultation with the dissertation committee, must decide which format is appropriate.

A traditional dissertation is a single written document, authored solely by the student, presenting original scholarship. A non-traditional (hybrid) dissertation, as defined by the graduate unit, consists of a collection of related articles prepared and/or submitted for publication or already published. Each dissertation must include “introduction” and “conclusion” sections. The student must meet the general manuscript format criteria set forth in the UNM Catalog/Web site on manuscript guidelines. Students must adhere to copyright policies for obtaining permission to use a previously published manuscript.

Committee: The dissertation committee (whose members often include those on the Committee on Studies) is charged with the supervision of a doctoral candidate’s dissertation activities, including the review and approval of the student’s research proposal. Doctoral candidates initiate the process of selecting the dissertation committee by first arranging for a qualified faculty member to serve as the Director/Chair. The faculty director and the candidate jointly select the remainder of the committee.

Note: All expenses incurred for member services on a Dissertation Committee are the responsibility of the student.

Credit Hours: During the course of their dissertation work, doctoral candidates are required to enroll in a minimum of eighteen credit hours of dissertation (699) credit. Enrollment in 699 should not begin prior to the semester in which the student takes the doctoral comprehensive examination. Only those credit hours gained in the semester during which the comprehensive examination is passed and in succeeding semesters can be counted toward the eighteen credit hours required. A student who fails the comprehensive exam cannot apply any 699 credit hours toward their program of studies until the semester in which the comprehensive examination is retaken and passed.

Ph.D. students may enroll in three, six, nine, or twelve credit hours of dissertation (699) credit hours per semester, with nine credit hours the maximum in Summer session. Minimum enrollment in 699 for one semester is three credit hours. Once enrollment in 699 begins, students must maintain continuous enrollment according to the guidelines stated in the “Continuous Enrollment Policy” delineated above. Graduate units may require a higher minimum enrollment in dissertation credit hours each semester.

Grades: Semester grades available for dissertation (699) credit hours are PR (progress) and NC (no credit). At the time of graduation, the student’s transcript indicates either 18 credit hours of dissertation (699) or credit (CR) earned.

Language of the Dissertation

Prior to writing a dissertation in a language other than English, students must receive written approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A dissertation submitted to Graduate Studies in another language must be accompanied by an abstract in English approved by the student’s dissertation committee.

Graduation Courtesy Policy

Notification of Intent to Graduate

The Final Examination for the Doctorate (Dissertation Defense)

The doctoral final oral examination is the last formal step before the degree is awarded and is conducted with due respect to its importance as such. The focus of the final examination is the dissertation and its relationship to the candidate’s major field. Its purposes are:

To provide an opportunity for candidates to communicate the results of their research to a wider group of scholars;
To afford an opportunity for the members of the examination committee, as well as others (faculty, students, staff, etc.), to ask relevant questions;
To ensure that the research reflects the independence of the thought and accomplishment of the candidate rather than excessive dependence on the guidance of a faculty member; and finally,
To ensure that the candidate is thoroughly familiar not only with the particular focus of the dissertation but also its setting and relevance to the discipline of which it is a part.

At least two weeks before the final examination is held, and no later than November 1 for Fall graduation, April 1 for Spring or July 1 for Summer, the student must notify Graduate Studies of its scheduled date by electronically submitting the appropriate announcement form. In order to qualify to sit for a doctoral exam during the intersession, the student must be registered for the following semester. The student is responsible for providing each member of the dissertation committee with a complete copy of the dissertation in ample time for review prior to the examination.

The presentation and examination phases of the exam are open to the University community and are published in various sources; the deliberation phase is only open to the committee. At the conclusion of the examination, the dissertation committee members confer and make one of the following recommendations, which must be agreed upon by at least three of them:

That the dissertation be approved without change;
That the dissertation be approved subject only to minor editorial corrections: or
That the dissertation be rewritten or revised before approval.

If either the first or second recommendation is made, the committee may decide that no further meetings are needed. In the second instance the director of the dissertation is responsible for seeing that all necessary corrections are made before the dissertation is submitted to Graduate Studies. If the third recommendation is made, the full committee may elect to meet again to determine that their concerns have been addressed.

Report of Examination Approvals and Signatures: Each committee member with a UNM netID is required to record their decision through the electronic Report of Examination for each dissertation defense. Committee members without UNM netIDs are informed that they will give their proxy decision through the Chair of the committee who will record their decision.

Quality of the Dissertation

The responsibility of the dissertation committee (especially the director) includes the evaluation of the substance and methodology of the dissertation as well as an assessment of the candidate’s competence in scholarly exposition. The dissertation should reflect a high level of scholarship in the conduct and presentation of the study. If serious questions concerning substance, methodology, or exposition arise through a review of the “Report on Thesis or Dissertation”
forms, the Graduate Dean may seek the counsel of the dissertation committee, graduate unit Chairperson, and/or other scholars with particular competence in the field of study before the dissertation receives final approval.

Dissertation Preparation

The student is responsible for preparing a dissertation in proper format that is of high quality and free of grammatical and typing errors. Guidelines on dissertation format are detailed and should be carefully followed. Students are urged to print current guidelines from the Graduate Studies Web site before defending their dissertations. The general manuscript format guidelines and most required forms are available on the Graduate Studies Web site.

The dissertation defense is scheduled once the student and the major advisor have agreed that the manuscript is in its final form. Doctoral students must submit their dissertation to the Dean of Graduate Studies within ninety (90) days of passing the final examination for the dissertation. If the manuscript is not submitted within that time, the student must schedule and complete a second final examination for the dissertation. In all cases the results of the dissertation defense must be submitted to Graduate Studies no later than two weeks after the announced date of the dissertation defense.

Electronic Submission of the Dissertation

All UNM M.F.A. and Ph.D. students must submit their dissertations to Graduate Studies electronically for filing in the UNM Digital Repository, an electronic, open-access database where their work is accessible to Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo. (Note: M.F.A. students in Creative Writing are automatically opted out of open access, although they still must submit an electronic (pdf) version of their work to the Dean of Graduate Studies. M.F.A. students in Creative Writing may at any time choose to opt in to open access by notifying Graduate Studies.) Open access allows scholars and researchers around the world to access the results of research and scholarship with the click of a button. Thus, open access accelerates and broadens the dissemination of scholarly and creative work. Theses and dissertations filed in open access at the UNM Digital Repository are fully copyrighted and are afforded the same intellectual property protections as print manuscripts and publications. Ph.D. students must also file their dissertations with ProQuest.

In some cases, students in consultation with their committee Chair may find it appropriate to submit a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies to embargo—to delay the release of—the electronically submitted thesis or dissertation (ETD). An embargo is a period of time during which researchers cannot access an ETD from external online search engines. Embargos may be appropriate for authors 1) who are filing for patents, 2) who want to publish their work through a traditional press that considers open access publication to be equivalent to prior publication, or 3) who need to protect sensitive data or information.

M.F.A. and Ph.D. students must submit their dissertations to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval by November 15 for Fall graduation, April 15 for Spring graduation or July 15 for Summer graduation. If the dissertation approved by the full committee is not submitted by these deadlines, the student is not able to graduate in that semester. While Graduate Studies accepts dissertations in electronic (pdf) form, graduate units may also require paper copies (check with the graduate unit).

Accompanying Forms

The following forms, which must be submitted along with the manuscript, may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Web site:

A “Certification of Final Form”
An “Information Cover Sheet”
A “Survey of Earned Doctorate”
The ProQuest UMI Dissertation Electronic Submission is required for Ph.D. doctoral students to the ProQuest repository (submission not required of M.F.A. and Ed.D. graduate students).
Embargo Request Form (if requesting an embargo).

Catalog 2022-2023

The Graduate Program

The Senate Graduate and Professional Committee

Graduate Teaching Academy

College and School Graduate Committees

Graduate Unit

Master’s Degrees

Master of Fine Arts Degree

Doctoral Degrees (Ph.D. and Ed.D.)

Transcripted Graduate Certificates

Admission Processes and Policies

Basic Requirements

Academic Record

Prerequisites

Admission for Doctoral Study

Special Admission to Graduate Study–Domestic Students Only

Readmission Process

Admission Moratoria

Application Process – Domestic and International Applicants

Application Fee Waiver Policy

Application to More Than One Graduate Program

Application Deadlines

Reapplication Process

International Applicants – Admission Process

Graduate Admission Requirements for International Students

Undergraduate Education Requirement

Academic Preparation

Demonstrated Proficiency in English

Financial Resources

Health Insurance

Application Deadlines for International Admissions

International Applicants – Required Documents

International Students – Reapplication Process

Admission Decisions

Provisional Admission

Deferring an Offer of Admission

Dual Degree Programs – Graduate and/or Professional

Dual Degree Programs – Individual

M.F.A./M.A. Dual Status (Concurrent Enrollment):M.F.A. and First or Second Master’s (Different field/major code)

Obtaining a First Master’s Degree while in a Doctoral Program (same field/major code)

Dual Status (Concurrent Enrollment): Ph.D. and First or Second Master’s (different field/major code)

International Articulation Agreements

Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

Regional and/or Targeted Programs

New Mexico/Western Regional Graduate Programs

Project 1000

Financial Assistance and Support Programs

Fellowships

Scholarships

Loans

Work-Study Opportunities

Assistantships

Eligibility for Assistantships

Background Checks

Required Training

Stipends and Payments

Resident Tuition and Tuition Waiver Awards

Health Insurance Benefit

Assistantship Workload

Assistantship Reappointments

Termination of Assistantship Before End of Appointment Period

Medical Leave While Holding an Assistantship

Absence Without Leave

Procedures for Petition for Assistantship Awards

Grievance Procedures for Students Holding Assistantships

Graduate Research and Scholarship Stipulations

Use of Classified Material in Research

Human Subjects in Research

Animal Subjects in Research

Use of Copyrighted Material in Research and Scholarship

General Academic Regulations and Catalog Requirements

Deadlines

Semester Course Loads

Continuous Enrollment Policies

Leave of Absence

Program of Studies (Master’s Degrees and Transcripted Certificates)

Application for Candidacy (M.F.A.-Ph.D.-Ed.D.)

Notice of Intent to Graduate

Grade Requirements for Graduation

Graduate Credit

M.F.A./M.A. Dual Status (Concurrent Enrollment):
M.F.A. and First or Second Master’s (Different field/major code)