General Policies

General Policies and Regulations of the Graduate School

It is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the various requirements of graduate study applicable to them and to satisfy these requirements properly. The following policies and regulations apply to graduate study at The University of Maine. Some graduate programs have additional policies and regulations. Please contact the graduate program coordinator for specific program requirements.

Course Levels
In general, any graduate student working toward a master’s degree will be required to present a minimum of 12 hours (exclusive of thesis) of 500- and 600-level course work to partially satisfy requirements for that degree. However, certain degrees have established additional requirements. The same requirement applies to the Certificate of Advanced Study and Education Specialist. Only courses at the 400-level and above may be used for graduate credit.
 

Grades and Credits
Graduate degree credit will be granted routinely only to students admitted to graduate programs. Only those courses listed in this publication may be counted for graduate credit, and then, only if given by an instructor approved to teach courses for graduate credit. Once admitted to the Graduate School, all courses taken normally count in the graduate GPA, regardless of academic program or degree completion. Courses taken as a non-degree student also count in the GPA if the courses are part of the degree requirements.

Normally, only a grade of A or B is acceptable for course work on a student’s program of study. A grade of C may carry graduate degree credit if a student’s advisory committee so recommends and if the Graduate School approves such an exception. However, no student will be allowed to accumulate more than six hours of C grades on a program of study for a master’s degree, nor more than 12 hours of C grades on a program of study for a Ph.D. or Ed.D. Grades below C are not considered acceptable for any graduate student. Since prerequisite and elective courses, as well as required courses, are part of the program of study, the 6- and 12-hour limits apply to all course work for which a student registers while in a particular degree program. Students receiving hours of C in excess of these numbers (or lower grades) will not be considered as having made satisfactory progress toward completing degree requirements.

Project/thesis/dissertation credits (xxx 699) shall be graded with a P (Pass), I (Incomplete), or F (Fail).

Audited and Pass-Fail Courses are normally not accepted for graduate degree credit.

Incomplete and L Grades, unless made up during the period before the degree is awarded, will remain as I’s on the student’s transcript. Each department offering a course may establish additional requirements for alteration or completion of an incomplete grade. An L grade (stopped attending class) computes as a failing grade. A student may not carry a combination of more than three I or L grades in all enrolled degree programs without permission of the graduate program coordinator(s) and the Graduate School. Any course in which a student earns a grade of I, L, W, or a grade below a C will negatively impact the student’s academic progress, and may impact eligibility for financial aid.
 

Leave of Absence
Graduate students in good academic and financial standing with the University can request a leave of absence for up to three (3) successive terms (one full calendar year) if they are unable to maintain continuous enrollment due to personal or professional reasons. Time spent in on-leave status is not considered part of the time limit for completion of degree. Students who are on leave do not need to reapply in order to continue their studies.

In order to be granted on-leave status, students must complete the On-Leave Form and obtain the signature of their Academic Advisor or Program Coordinator. Those with financial holds must reconcile their outstanding balance with the Bursar’s Office before a leave of absence can be granted. Upon receipt of the On-Leave Form from the student and approval by the advisor, the Graduate School will conduct a review for final approval.

On-leave requests can be extended by the submission of a new On-Leave Form. However, only a maximum of 2 academic years of on-leave status can be granted during a student’s academic career. 

In conjunction with a leave of absence, follow the appropriate links for additional information on how to request financial adjustments and the semester withdrawal policy due to medical reasons. 

Registration
Full-time registration for a graduate student is normally defined as six or more degree hours per semester or summer session; part-time status is five hours or less per year. Full-time students are required to register for a minimum of 6 credits each fall and spring semester to maintain active status. In the case of doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy, 1 credit each fall and spring semester is considered full-time. Part-time students are required to register at least once each academic year to maintain active status. Students who need to switch their enrollment status (full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time) should contact their advisor. Doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy, psychology and human nutrition students on approved internships, and students in their final semester of study may maintain full-time enrollment status by registering for a minimum of one thesis or internship credit. Students who have completed at least 6 thesis credits may substitute UGR 501 for the thesis registration requirement and still be considered full-time.  Registration for a minimum of one thesis credit during the summer session also satisfies the requirement for registration as a graduate student.

The University of Maine and the University of Maine at Machias acknowledge and adhere to the federal definition of a credit hour with respect to courses offered face to face, in hybrid format, and online, as developed in 2010 and published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 34, Part 600.02:

[A] credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than

(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit [ … ] or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution[,] including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours.

(https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ae813138f65c93bd81a17b66d59d067d&mc=true&node=pt34.3.600&rgn=div5#se34.3.600_12)

Transfer Credit
When courses taken at other institutions, outside the University of Maine System, have been accepted toward partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree, only the credit hours (not grades) will be transferred. Evaluation of performance levels and satisfaction of quality standards shall be based entirely on grades earned at the University of Maine.

A maximum of 6 hours of credit in the case of a master’s candidate, and 30 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree in the case of a PhD candidate (30-45 hours in the case of an Ed.D. candidate), may be accepted in transfer (subject to the approval of the candidate’s advisory committee) for appropriate courses completed in residence at other institutions prior to matriculation in the Graduate School at the University of Maine. Courses to be accepted must have been taken at a fully accredited college or university which offers a graduate program, and must be acceptable at that institution in partial fulfillment of its requirements for an advanced degree.

In no case may the number of credit hours transferred into a graduate degree program exceed 50 percent of the student’s entire course work for the degree. (see Residence Requirement below).

Credit cannot be transferred for courses which would not, if taken at UMaine, have received graduate credit, courses in which a grade lower than “B” was received, correspondence courses, courses which are inappropriate for inclusion in the student’s degree program, and courses completed at such a date as to exceed time limits prescribed for a particular degree program.

Up to twelve credit hours may be transferred from appropriate course work taken at UMaine before matriculation in a graduate degree program if no other work is being transferred.
 

Time Limit
All work for a master’s degree Certificate of Advanced Study, and for the Education Specialist must be completed within six years of matriculation.

All work for a doctoral degree must be completed within eight years of matriculation. Students must be admitted to candidacy within four years of registration as a doctoral student; the dissertation must be completed within four years of admission to candidacy.

If requirements for an advanced degree or certificate are not completed within the time specified, they must file a petition for Exemption for Regulation requesting an extension which must first be approved by their department and then by the Graduate School. If the student has broken enrollment and exceeded the time limit of their program, they must apply for readmission before being allowed to continue working toward the degree. Courses exceeding the time limit for the degree may be counted only if revalidated by the instructor. If the application for readmission is approved, the student’s program of study will be revised in view of the work completed and/or revalidated.

Residence Requirement
In the master’s degree, Education Specialist and Certificate of Advanced Study programs, at least 50 percent of course work applied toward the degree must be taken through The University of Maine. An institutional unit graduate committee may increase this minimum residence requirement.

Residence requirements for doctoral students may be found in the descriptions of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education elsewhere in this catalog.

Advisory Committee
The graduate student, in conjunction with their advisor, is responsible for initiating activities to establish the student’s advisory committee, which is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School or designee, as early as possible in the student’s course of study. The student’s major advisor or thesis advisor normally acts as chairperson of this advisory committee. The committee for a master’s candidate is composed of a minimum of three members of the Graduate Faculty; a five member committee is required for a doctoral student. It is highly recommended that one committee member be selected from the Graduate Faculty of a department other than that of the student’s intended major. The advisory committee guides the student on course work and the thesis, and often serves as the examining committee for the master’s final examination and as the core of the examining committee for the doctoral final examination. Advisory committees may not be required for students in professional, nonthesis degree programs. Graduate students should consult with their advisors to clarify this requirement in relation to the degree being pursued.

Program of Study
The program of study is an outline of all academic work to be undertaken by a graduate student, and must include prerequisite and elective courses taken while enrolled in a graduate program. It is planned by the student and his or her advisory committee as early as possible in the course of study, and in order to continue to register for graduate courses, this program must be submitted to the Graduate School before the end of the first year of study for doctorate students holding a master’s degree. Those holding only a bachelor’s degree must file this form by completion of 12 credit hours or by the third registration, whichever comes first.

The entire program of study must be presented on a form available from the Graduate School. When it is approved by the student’s advisory committee and filed in the Graduate School it becomes the student’s required curriculum. Changes in the program of study may be made by submitting a “Request for Change in Program” form approved by the student’s advisory committee. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain approval of major changes in the course of study at the time such changes are made. Minor changes may be made and the “Request for Change in Program” form filed at the Graduate School during the semester in which graduation occurs.

Certain non-thesis programs such as the M.Ed., C.A.S., Ed.S, and  M.B.A., have prepared curricula in photocopied form which satisfy the requirements for a program of study. These are available from the appropriate departmental offices.
 

Foreign Language Requirement
Each institutional unit designates the foreign language requirement, if any, in its catalog description. There is no overall Graduate School language requirement.
 

Final Examination
A final examination is required of all students in thesis programs and in many non-thesis programs. Other members of the faculty may be invited to attend and participate in the questioning, but only members of the committee may evaluate the student’s performance.
 

Application for Graduation
Candidates for degrees must apply for graduation within MaineStreet according to the following schedule: by October 1, for degrees to be awarded at the end of fall semester; by July 15, for degrees to be awarded at the end of summer session; and February 1, for degrees to be awarded at the end of spring semester.

For more information about the application process go to studentrecords.umaine.edu/graduation/.

Graduation Timeline: Each unit performs final certification of degree completion by the specified date established by the Office of Student Records each semester.

Students who apply for graduation but do not meet the minimum requirements will be notified by the unit and/or the Graduate School.
 

Undergraduate Registration in Graduate Course
University of Maine undergraduate students with appropriate qualifications and permission of the instructor may also take graduate-level (500-599) courses for undergraduate degree credit. These credits may not be used to fulfill requirements for a graduate degree unless they exceed the bachelors degree requirements or are taken within an approved accelerated graduate program (see below). 

Accelerated graduate programs: Students in the fourth and fifth years of the Five-Year Program in Pulp and Paper Technology may apply for permission to take part of their course work for graduate credit. Students in approved accelerated undergraduate/graduate programs may begin taking graduate classes with departmental approval in their junior or senior year. Total combined enrollment for the semester may not exceed 15 hours. Up to nine hours of 500 or 600-level degree credit may be applied to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. The credits will be posted on the graduate transcript when the student completes the undergraduate degree with at least a 3.0 GPA and is formally admitted to Graduate School.  The following accelerated programs are currently available at the University of Maine:

4+1 (nonthesis):

Undergraduate program/Graduate program
Biology/Biology (this would also include related options in Plant Science, Zoology and Ecology)
Any Computer Science-related undergraduate program/Spatial Informatics
Any Computer Science-related undergraduate program/Information Systems
Any Computer Science-related undergraduate program/Spatial Information Science and Engineering
Economics/Economics
Electrical or Computer Engineering/Electrical or Computer Engineering
Food Science/Food Science
Forestry/Forestry
History/History
Math/Math
Political Science/Global Policy
Special Education
Business Administration
Mechanical Engineering
Human Development
Intermedia
Students in the fourth and fifth years of the Five-Year Program in Pulp and Paper Technology may apply for permission to take part of their course work for graduate credit.

4+2 (thesis):

Undergraduate program/Graduate program
biology/biology (this would also include related options in plant science, zoology and ecology)
food science/food science
math/math
Students in the fourth and fifth years of the Five-Year Program in Pulp and Paper Technology may apply for permission to take part of their course work for graduate credit.

Faculty as Candidates for Advanced Degrees
Members of the University faculty at the instructor level or above, may become candidates for advanced degrees from any college or school of The University of Maine other than The University of Maine college or school in which they hold faculty appointments.

Requests for Exceptions to Regulations
Students may request exceptions to the Graduate School Policies and Regulations, but must submit convincing evidence the exception is needed and is warranted. Forms for this purpose may be obtained from the Graduate School or from the web site https://umaine.edu/graduate/facultystaff-resources/.

Withdrawal Procedure
To ensure proper posting of their academic and financial records, students who withdraw from graduate study must notify the Graduate School in writing.

Graduate students are encouraged to secure a copy of the Student Handbook from the Office of Student Affairs or at umaine.edu/handbook. Although primarily for undergraduates, this publication contains many of the University’s policies and regulations with which students should be familiar.

Grievance Procedure
Recognizing the highly individualized nature of graduate programs, a student filing an academic appeal is encouraged to request that their thesis advisor or other faculty member of their choice act as a counselor and/or representative at any level of the appeal process which is as follows:

• The student should discuss the concern with the appropriate faculty member(s);
• If the concern persists, the student should follow the department’s written appeal procedures if they exist, or if not, consult with the graduate program coordinator or chairperson/school director, (or the college dean, if there is no department);
• If the complaint remains unresolved, the student should write to the Dean of the Graduate School, outlining the situation, and requesting a review. The Dean of the Graduate School or their designee will discuss the situation with the college dean and/or appropriate members of the department or graduate program. The Dean of the Graduate School or their designee will then meet with the student and attempt to resolve the problem;
• If this resolution is not satisfactory, the Dean of the Graduate School will refer the appeal to the Executive Committee of the Graduate Board for one final review. After hearing from the student and the faculty member(s) involved, the Executive Committee will render its decision, which shall be considered binding. The decision will be communicated to the student by the Dean of the Graduate School.
   

Graduate Certificate
General Requirements: Graduate certificate programs may be earned by students who have completed at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. Graduate certificate programs consist of nine to eighteen credit hours of course work at the 400-level or higher. At least 50% of the course work applied towards the requirements for the certificate must be 500-level or above.

Students who are currently enrolled in the Graduate School and who wish to pursue an approved graduate certificate program simultaneously must apply for admission to the certificate program before one-half of the required credits are completed.

A maximum of 40% of the credit hours towards any certificate program may be accepted as transfer credit. One course in which a grade of “C” was earned may be applied towards the requirements for a graduate certificate. Acceptance of a course towards a certificate or acceptance into a graduate certificate program does not necessarily guarantee acceptance of the same course towards a graduate degree.

The student will be required to complete the certificate program within the time limit specified for the program; if no time limit is specified, it shall be the same as that for completion of the master’s degree (six years).

Students in graduate certificate programs are not eligible for federal financial aid unless also enrolled in a degree program.  However, nonresident students in online graduate certificate programs are eligible for an e-tuition rate of 125% of the Maine resident tuition.

Master’s Degree
The following requirements apply to the degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science: A minimum of 30 semester hours, including credit given for the thesis, is required. The minimum amount of credit for the thesis is 6 hours and in no case may it exceed 15 hours. If more than 10 semester hours are allowed, the candidate must spend at least two academic years in resident graduate study.

A thesis is required of all candidates for the degrees of Master of Science and Master of Arts with the exception of specific non-thesis options. A final copy of the thesis must be presented to the Graduate School in PDF format to be placed in DigitalCommons through the University Library.  Students in thesis programs must have an advisory committee of three members of the Graduate Faculty.  All MS and MA students in thesis programs must complete an appropriately approved Responsible Conduct of Research course (umaine.edu/graduate/students/progress/rcr/) before the commencement of the fourth 699 credit.

A graduate student working toward a master’s degree will be required to present a minimum of 12 hours (exclusive of thesis) of 500- and/or 600-level course work to partially satisfy requirements for that degree.

Departmental or program requirements for master’s students may be found in the program descriptions elsewhere in this catalog.

Awarding of Posthumous Degrees for Undergraduate and Master’s Programs

The following policy is to govern the awarding of degrees posthumously at The University of Maine.

Requirements
A posthumous degree may be awarded if:

• At the time of death the student had completed all requirements of their degree program and would have qualified for graduation; or
• At the time of death the student was enrolled in their final semester, was taking the necessary courses to complete their degree requirements, and their instructors and/or advisor can show that the student was likely to complete the coursework satisfactorily.

Procedure
A request for a posthumous degree is made to the chair of the students department by family, friends, or faculty members who have worked with the student. A death certificate and proof of their relationship to the student must be made available;

• If the above requirements have been met, the request will go to the Associate Dean of the college/Graduate School for approval;
• Provost reviews and makes recommendation to the President
• President has final approval;
• The approved request is forwarded to the Office of Student Records.

Awarding of Posthumous Degree

• The students diploma and transcript will note that the degree was awarded posthumously;
• The students name will appear in the Commencement program, with a note that the degree was awarded posthumously;
• The President, Provost or their designee(s) will hold a private reception with the family and friends of the deceased and present the degree at the reception.
   

Doctor of Philosophy
The Ph.D., the highest of academic degrees, is awarded to candidates demonstrating outstanding achievement in a specialized field of scholarship and primarily for demonstrated ability for independent research in a subdivision of this field.

The following requirements apply to the Ph.D. degree:

Residence Requirement
The minimum residence requirement for Ph.D. programs is met by registering for courses or thesis research through the University of Maine for four semesters beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students entering doctoral programs with a master’s degree must register for at least two semesters of course work or research. Individual institutional units may increase this requirement.  At least 50% of the credits applied to the degree must be earned from the University of Maine.

Tuition Requirement
Doctoral students will be charged tuition based on the number of credit hours for which they register. A full-time student must register for a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester in order to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree, except students who have been admitted to candidacy, students on psychology internships, and students in their final semester, in which case 1 thesis or internship credit may be considered full-time. The total number of credits required is determined by the academic department and the student’s advisory committee. In general, no more than 30 semester hours of transfer credit from a master’s degree will be accepted.

Language Requirement
There is no overall Graduate School language requirement. Each department or institutional unit offering graduate programs designates the language requirement, if any. This may be found in departmental descriptions elsewhere in this catalog. A student must meet the appropriate language requirement before being admitted to candidacy.

Comprehensive Examinations
Comprehensive examinations, which may be written, oral, or both, will be administered by the student’s major department and passed to the satisfaction of the advisory committee. These examinations may not be taken until the student has completed at least one and one-half years, or the equivalent, of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. These examinations are given to determine whether the student’s progress in studies has been satisfactory and whether pursuit of research for the thesis will be profitable and the training requirements for the degree will likely be met.

Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy signifies the student has successfully fulfilled all degree requirements except for completing the dissertation, and the final oral examination. Graduate students in doctoral programs will be admitted to candidacy when the Graduate School is informed the student has successfully passed the comprehensive examination and has met any other departmental requirements. All students admitted to candidacy may maintain full-time status by registering for a minimum of 1 thesis credit. A student must be admitted to candidacy within four years of registration as a doctoral student. All work for a doctoral degree must be completed within four years of admission to candidacy.

Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation must demonstrate the candidate’s mastery of the area of research, and must embody the results of an original investigation in the principal field of study. It must give evidence of an exhaustive study of a specialized field and must be an authoritative statement of knowledge on the subject or produce a new interpretation by rearrangement or reanalysis of existing data. The work must be a definite contribution to knowledge of sufficient importance to warrant its publication. All PhD students must complete an appropriately approved Responsible Conduct of Research course (umaine.edu/graduate/students/progress/rcr/) before the commencement of the fourth 699 credit.

A final copy of the dissertation must be presented to the Graduate School in PDF format to be placed in DigitalCommons through the University Library. While more credits are allowed, doctoral students must register for a minimum of 6 credits of thesis (699).

The Final Examination
After the doctoral dissertation has been accepted by the candidate’s advisory committee, the original copy shall be presented to the Graduate School. The candidate must then appear for final examination by an examining committee of no fewer than five members (usually the student’s advisory committee) appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School upon recommendation of the major advisor. Other members of the faculty may attend and participate in the questioning, but only members of the committee may evaluate the student’s performance.

The final examination, which is oral, is concerned with the subject of the dissertation and with the candidate’s understanding of related matters important to a proficiency in the principal field of study. The examination must demonstrate the candidate’s mastery of the techniques of research and skill in organizing and presenting the material.

The committee vote need not be unanimous for a doctoral candidate to pass the final oral examination; however, only one (1) negative vote will be permitted.

Doctor of Education
The Ed.D. is given primarily for outstanding achievement in educational leadership or higher education, for demonstrated ability in independent research, and in recognition of a significant contribution to education as evidenced by the dissertation. The holder of the degree is expected to have demonstrated a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the foundations of education and proficiency in applying that understanding to the field of specialization.

Admission to Candidacy
A graduate student in the doctoral program will be admitted to candidacy when the Graduate School is informed that the student has successfully completed all examinations and has met any other College of Education and Human Development departmental requirements. All students admitted to candidacy may maintain full-time status by registering for a minimum of 1 thesis credit. A student must be admitted to candidacy within four years of registration as a doctoral student. All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within four years of admission to candidacy.

Residence Requirement
The minimum residence requirement for Ed.D. programs is met by registering for courses or thesis research through The University of Maine for four semesters beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students entering doctoral programs with a master’s degree must register for at least two semesters of course work or research. Individual institutional units may increase this requirement.

Tuition Requirement
Doctoral students will be charged tuition based on the number of credit hours for which they register. A full-time student must register for a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester in order to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree. The total number of credits required is determined by the academic department and the student’s advisory committee. In general, no more than 50% of post-baccalaureate credits will be accepted in transfer credit towards the degree.

Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination will be in the area of specialization and will be administered by the student’s advisory committee. The nature of the examination, and determinations regarding the level of performance, as well as all other aspects of the examination shall be made by the Graduate Faculty of the area of specialization. The final decision as to the student’s performance in the examination shall rest with the advisory committee.

Dissertation
The doctoral dissertation must demonstrate the candidate’s mastery of the area of research. It must give evidence of an exhaustive study of a specialized field and must be an authoritative statement of knowledge on the subject or produce a new interpretation by rearrangement or reanalysis of existing data. The work must be a definite contribution to knowledge of sufficient importance to warrant its publication.  All EdD students must complete an appropriately approved Responsible Conduct of Research course (umaine.edu/graduate/students/rcr/) before the commencement of the fourth _699 credit.

A final copy of the dissertation must be presented to the Graduate School in PDF format to be placed in DigitalCommons through the University Library.

While more credits are allowed, doctoral students must register for a minimum of 6 credits of thesis (699).

The Final Examination
After the doctoral dissertation has been accepted by the candidate’s advisory committee, the original copy shall be presented to the Graduate School. The candidate must then appear for final examination by an examining committee of no fewer than five members appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School upon recommendation of the major advisor. Other members of the faculty may attend and participate in the questioning, but only members of the committee may evaluate the student’s performance.

The final examination, which is oral, is concerned with the subject of the dissertation and with the candidate’s understanding of related matters important to a proficiency in the principal field of study. The examination must demonstrate the candidate’s mastery of the techniques of research and skill in organizing and presenting the material.

Awarding of Posthumous Degrees for Doctoral Programs
Preamble
The University of Maine ordinarily awards undergraduate and graduate degrees only to those candidates who have completed all course work and other requirements necessary to earn the degree. However, given the somewhat extended nature of a graduate students dissertation preparation, occasions may arise in which a student passes away just prior to completing the final doctoral degree requirements. This policy permits the University of Maine to confer a doctoral degree to a deceased graduate student who has been admitted to candidacy and has completed all work except submission of the final dissertation, and who would likely have finished the remaining degree requirements within a year of the death.

Procedure
Upon receiving signed approval from the student’s dissertation committee, the graduate program coordinator and/or department chair forwards a nomination letter to the Dean of the Graduate School expressing support for the conferral of the posthumous doctoral degree. The letter should address how close the student was to completing the dissertation at the time of their death. The nomination packet should also include the students Curriculum Vitae and may also contain letters of support from other faculty members. The Dean of the Graduate School will confer with the Executive Committee of the Graduate Board about awarding the degree posthumously. If the review is favorable, the Dean will forward a recommendation to the Provost and the President that the doctoral degree be conferred posthumously. The President will inform the UMS Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the University’s decision.

Dual Degrees
The University of Maine Graduate School allows students to pursue two graduate degrees under the circumstances detailed below. In all cases, dual degrees should be interpreted to include separate majors within the same degree (e.g., Master of Science), a combination of two different degrees, or a combination of a graduate degree and certificate of advanced study/education specialist. In all cases, students will receive separate diplomas or certificates.

1. Consecutive Degrees. Enrollment in consecutive dual degrees refers to matriculation in a second graduate degree program at the University of Maine after completion of the requirements for a first graduate degree earned at The University of Maine. A student may apply up to 9 credits earned in a graduate degree program at The University of Maine toward a masters degree or a Certificate of Advanced Study or Education Specialist with approval of the students graduate advisory committee and/or graduate program coordinator in the second graduate program. Thesis or research credits from the first program may not be counted toward the requirements of the second program. Additional policies on transfer credit in graduate certificate programs and doctoral programs are included elsewhere in the Policies and Regulations of the Graduate School.
2. Concurrent Degrees. Enrollment in concurrent dual degrees occurs when a student is matriculated in two graduate degree programs simultaneously. A student may not be enrolled in more than two graduate programs simultaneously. In general, a student may pursue concurrent degrees only with approval of the appropriate graduate program coordinator(s) and the Dean of the Graduate School. The student must apply and be admitted to both programs. With approval of the students graduate advisory committee(s) and/or the graduate program coordinator(s), a student may apply up to 9 University of Maine credits earned in one masters degree toward the requirements for a second masters degree or Certificate of Advanced Study. Transfer policy for doctoral degrees is covered elsewhere in the Policies and Regulations of the Graduate School. Generally, students must complete separate theses if required by both programs. Completion of the degree requirements for the two programs need not be at the same time.  If a students tuition is funded by one or more units, it is up to the funding unit to decide if tuition may cover courses taken solely for completion of the second program.
3. Integrated Dual Degrees. Some units have formalized concurrent dual degrees between programs which create an integrated program linking the two disciplines, while continuing to award separate degrees. Generally, these dual degree programs follow the rules outlined above. However, if the formalized dual degree program features further integration, such as a single admissions process, submission of a single thesis, a single advisory committee composed of members from both programs, or more than 9 credits of common courses, the program, including proposed programs of study, must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and the Graduate Board of the University of Maine.

Thesis/Dissertation Preparation

Rules for thesis and dissertation preparation are outlined in a separate publication, “Thesis Guidelines,” which is available at umaine.edu/graduate/students/progress/thesis. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the format(s) acceptable to the Graduate School. The student’s advisor should have the thesis or dissertation about one month prior to the final examination, or at an alternate time specified by the institutional unit concerned.

A complete draft of the thesis, in a form acceptable for examination purposes, must be delivered to the Graduate School in PDF format no later than 24 hours prior to the final oral examination. The advisor must send the “Tentative Thesis Acceptance Statement” via email.  At this time, the format and major components will be reviewed as acceptable or not. A checklist of required changes and the thesis draft will be sent back to the student via email. The student should allow approximately one week for the Graduate School to review the thesis draft. The final copy of the thesis must be submitted in PDF format to the Graduate School.

A checklist of dates for potential graduates is available each semester on the Graduate School website. It is the student’s responsibility to consult this checklist to ascertain appropriate due dates.
 

Doctoral Commencement Eligibility
May doctoral candidates must have successfully completed all degree requirements, including acceptance of dissertation by the Graduate School, prior to the Commencement date. Candidates who are unsure of their academic status should contact the Graduate School (207.581.4217).
 

NOTE: Doctoral students graduating in August may participate in Commencement if the following requirements are ALL met:

• Apply to graduate for August graduation in MaineStreet studentrecords.umaine.edu/graduation/. Applying for May graduation is reserved ONLY for students completing all the requirements.
• Submit a Notice of Oral Examination to the Graduate School (2 weeks prior to the defense).
• Submit the tentative dissertation to the Graduate School office at least 24 hours prior to the defense.
• Successfully present and orally defend the dissertation by the last Friday in April, the established deadline for participation in Commencement.
• Submit a copy of the Final Thesis Acceptance Form demonstrating an affirmative vote of the Committee. The original form with all signatures must accompany the final dissertation and other required forms.