Geography Department > Graduate Study > Masters Program > Time Limits
Time Limits for the M.A. Degree
It is in the interest of all parties to have graduate programs completed with reasonable dispatch so as to make most efficient use of university resources and faculty and student time. Graduate students should be aware of various university and departmental policies which have been instituted to ensure that students maintain a reasonable rate of progress in completing degree requirements.
The program should take 24 months to complete including coursework, field work, and the writing of the thesis. In practice, time taken will vary according to the prior experience of the student and the nature of the thesis research project. The Graduate Division requires students to complete all requirements within seven years of entering the program. Candidates who fail to complete all requirements within the specified time are automatically dropped from the program. Reinstatement for a limited period of time is only possible upon approval of the Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. Recommendation for approval will be made by the Graduate Chair only if the student submits an acceptable degree plan and time line for completion of all degree requirements endorsed by their advisor. Failure to comply with this plan will usually result in the student being dropped from the program.
Students pursuing graduate degrees and not on an approved leave of absence must maintain continuous registration during the academic year or they will be considered to have voluntarily dropped from the program and must petition for re-admission should they desire to return.
