The University Senate of Michigan Technological University

ADDITION OF COURSEWORK ONLY (NO ORAL EXAM) MASTER’S DEGREE PLAN
(Proposal 7-06)

Background

MTU currently offers three Masters Degree plans:

• Plan A: Thesis and course work
• Plan B: Report and course work
• Plan C: Course work only (with an oral exam)

Proposal

It is proposed that a fourth degree plan be added so that the university can better serve students who are interested in ‘professional’ Master’s degree programs. Professional Master’s degree programs are typically designed to add value to students’ total educational portfolio by providing training in areas that will enhance their competitiveness in the workplace. Professional Master’s degree programs are not intended to feed a Ph.D. program.

The proposed new fourth degree plan would be identified as “Plan D: Course Work Only” in university publications and on students’ transcripts.

The following items are also proposed:

• The current “Plan C: Course work only” degree plan should be renamed “Plan C: Course work and oral exam”.
• If a degree program chooses to offer the “Plan D: Course work only” degree plan, it cannot also offer the “Plan C: Coursework and oral exam” degree plan.
• Minimum GPA rules for students in the “Plan D: Coursework Only” degree plan option are the same as those for other graduate students at MTU.
• None of the credits counted toward a “Plan D: Coursework Only” degree can be in courses identified as ‘research’ in the MTU Graduate Catalog.
• Each degree program that intends to use the “Plan D: Course Work Only” degree plan must obtain approval from the Dean of the appropriate academic College or School and the Dean of the Graduate School prior to offering the degree plan to its students.
  
  

Introduced in Senate: 30 November 2005
Adopted by Senate: 18 January 2006
Approved by Administration: 30 January 2006