FALL 2023 BULLETIN
Degrees and Advanced Certificates
Overview
It is possible to learn without being educated. Learning merely implies the amassing of knowledge. An educated person is much more than a receptacle for facts. He or she is able to present those facts to others with grace and clarity and to manipulate and juxtapose them with a broader base of knowledge in order to gain new insights. Finally, an educated person never ceases to test his or her knowledge against the highest standards of scholarship and develop new ways of thinking about the facts that he or she encounters or uncovers in the course of a lifetime.
Education at the graduate level clearly implies the amassing of knowledge beyond that gained in an undergraduate degree, but the nature of the knowledge and the ways in which it is gained and used are also significantly different. It is expected that graduate students will gain detailed knowledge about a more specialized field than at the undergraduate level. The process of acquiring that knowledge is also much more independent and more reliant upon the initiative of the student. In spite of the necessarily specialized nature of the new knowledge, at Stony Brook graduate students are expected to maintain a broad perspective on their studies, such that they are able to take part in scholarly discourses in the broadest possible range of disciplines. Graduate students are, therefore, responsible for extracurricular self-education within and beyond their own fields of study; the mere satisfaction of the technical requirements for a degree is not sufficient to make one an educated person.
With education comes responsibility. Stony Brook demands the highest level of scholarly ethics from all members of the academic community. Graduate students must make themselves aware of the ethical issues of academia in general, and of their own fields in particular. No degree candidate can be considered fully educated who lacks an appreciation of these values and a dedication to upholding them.
The requirements in this section are the minimal ones mandated by the School of Professional Development; the individual graduate programs may set additional requirements. The School of Professional Development in conjunction with the Dean of the Graduate School in individual instances may choose to waive specified requirements. A petition for such a waiver must be submitted and endorsed by the Graduate Program Director, who shall append the reasons for believing that the requested waiver does not violate the spirit of the regulations.
Any changes in requirements will apply only to students who first matriculate in their particular program after the change is approved and communicated to students at the time of admission. The University reserves the right to alter these regulations without notice.
Advanced Graduate Certificates
The School of Professional Development offers a wide variety of Advanced Graduate Certificates. These can be taken after completing a bachelor’s, master’s, or other advanced degrees. Certificates are designed around specialized areas of focus for targeted study within a field. Certificate programs can be taken concurrently with another program or as stand-alone programs (see program page for details). A certificate is a good option for someone who may not want to complete the full credit requirements for a degree program but would like to develop a solid background and skills in a specialized field.
Master’s Degrees
Master’s degrees are advanced degrees implying the acquisition of knowledge and skills beyond those required for a baccalaureate.
- Some of these degrees may be taken en route to a doctoral degree, while others are terminal.
- All master’s degrees imply the recognition of their holders as skilled practitioners of their disciplines.
- In order to be awarded a master’s degree, it is necessary to demonstrate a grasp of advanced knowledge through coursework and the ability to learn independently and to communicate effectively with one’s peers.
- The granting of the master’s degree is based upon the completion of any special program requirements in addition to the items listed below.
Courses and Grade Point Average
A student must achieve a 3.0 overall GPA in all graduate courses taken at Stony Brook to receive a degree. A minimum of 30 to 60 credits of graduate work is required to receive a master’s degree.
Calculation of the grade point average (GPA) includes all courses numbered 500 and above taken at Stony Brook. Temporary grades (I and NR), missing grades and those grades for which no numerical equivalents are defined (P, S, U, and R) are excluded from the computation.
Grading System: See Academic Regulations/Grading System
A graduate student who has changed primary program may request a restart of GPA in considering possible waiver of academic probation.
The GPA for the new program will be calculated from the beginning of the semester in which the change of program became effective. A graduate student who has graduated and is readmitted into a new degree or certificate program may request a restart of GPA. Program approval is necessary before any restart request is submitted to the School of Professional Development (SPD). Courses taken before the restart of GPA cannot be used towards a second degree or certificate.
Language Proficiency
Although the School of Professional Development does not require proficiency in a foreign language for the master’s degree, programs oversee their own foreign language requirements and the evaluation of proficiency. Students must comply with program requirements.
Degree Application
Students must apply for graduation via SOLAR in accordance with published deadlines. If degree requirements are not met, students must reapply for any subsequent awarding periods using the Change of Graduation Date form found on the Graduation Information page on the School of Professional Development’s website.
Registration
Degree candidates must be registered in the semester they intend to graduate. Students who intend to graduate in the spring or fall must register for at least one graduate credit. Students who intend to graduate in the summer or winter can register for zero credits, but it still must be a graduate-level course.
Program Recommendation
When all program requirements are completed, the graduate program director may recommend to the School of Professional Development that the master’s degree or certificate be granted.
Time Limit
The following guidelines apply to all matriculated students enrolled in the School of Professional Development.
School of Professional Development students must complete all requirements for degrees and post-master’s certificates within five years; advanced graduate certificate students have three years to complete program requirements
In exceptional cases where the program cannot be completed within these periods, students may petition for an extension of the time limit. Request for Waiver of Graduate Time Limit forms are available on the Forms and Publications page on the School of Professional Development website and require the approval of the student’s advisor and graduate program director. Requests for a time-limit extension must be filed before the limit is exceeded and must contain a significant justification. The ultimate decision rests with the - who may impose additional requirements.
These petitions require the approval of the student’s graduate program coordinator or graduate program director. Requests for a time limit extension must be filed before the limit is exceeded and must contain a significant justification. The ultimate decision rests with the SPD’s Director of Admissions and Student Engagement, who may impose additional requirements.
Standards
Appreciation of the ethical questions and adherence to the highest ethical standards of the discipline are required.
Awarding Degrees
Degree candidates must be registered in the semester they intend to graduate. Students who intend to graduate in the spring, fall, or summer must register for at least one graduate credit.
When all requirements have been completed, the Graduate Program Director will certify to the School of Professional Development and recommend that the degree be awarded. Degrees are awarded three times a year: May, August, and December. A formal SPD ceremony, however, takes place only at the May commencement. To be eligible for a degree, a student must have completed all University requirements, all program degree requirements, satisfied any provisional admission requirements, submitted the appropriate manuscripts, obtained all University clearances, and have maintained matriculation according to the regulations outlined under the section “Maintaining Matriculated Status,” elsewhere in this Bulletin.
Degrees Awarded Posthumously
Upon request, the University may award a degree posthumously. Any such request requires the following for consideration:
- The parent, legal guardian, partner, relative or legal equivalent must provide a written request to the University Registrar.
- The student must have been enrolled and in good disciplinary and academic standing at the time of passing.
- Master’s students must have been in their last semester.
- The graduate program director must provide a letter of recommendation in support of the request.
The Vice Provost of Graduate Education will have final authority for the approval and awarding of a posthumous degree.
Waiver of Regulations
The School of Professional Development in individual instances may waive specified requirements. A petition for such a waiver must be endorsed by the Graduate Program Director, who shall append the reasons for believing that requested waiver would not result in a breach of the spirit of the regulations.