Master of Sciences (MS)
During the first semester in the Master of Sciences program the student will select an advisor, and with the help of that advisor, will form an Advisory Committee to be approved by the program’s Graduate Education Committee. By the end of the second semester, with the aid of the Advisory Committee, the student will file a proposed schedule of course work.
- Course work should include at least one seminar credit (VMSC 698)
- Degree requires a minimum of 24 semester credits, 6 hours of thesis research credits (VMSC 799), and 3 credits of graduate biometrics or biochemistry
- No fewer than 12 credits should be from courses level 600 courses or higher
- No more than 2 credits of Special Problems (VMSC 699) are permitted as part of the 24-credit requirement
- At least 12 credits must me earned in the major subject
Students in the Master of Sciences program must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or better in courses taken for graduate credit. The committee may require remedial courses if the student enters with inadequate prerequisites or deficiencies in the undergraduate program. By the end of the second semester, a thesis research proposal must be approved and filed. The student must present the thesis in a public seminar and pass a final oral examination given by the Advisory Committee. Details on the Graduate School policy on the Master's Thesis Examination may be found in the Graduate School Catalog. The thesis must be submitted to the Graduate School in electronic format after final approval of the document by the Thesis Examining Committee. See the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide for the details of this process. Students with adequate undergraduate training typically complete the Master of Sciences program within two years.
