Masters Program
Also see the Graduate School's Minimum Degree Requirements and the Food Science Department's Criteria for Satisfactory Progress.
The master's degree is conferred only upon completion of a coherent and focused program of advanced study. To obtain the M.S. degree in Food Science, a student must complete the courses required by this department, prepare a satisfactory thesis or paper for publication, and pass a comprehensive examination given by a committee consisting of the major professor and two other faculty members. Course requirements may be obtained from this department upon request.
Minimum Credit Requirement
The Graduate School recently voted to abolish the residency requirement and to replace it with a minimum credit requirement. Master's Degree candidates must take at least 16 UW-Madison graduate level credits (300 or above) in order for the degree to be considered a UW-Madison degree.
Second master's degree
The 16 credit requirement must be met for each degree earned. No more than one-fourth of the credits being offered in satisfaction of the requirements of one master's degree can have been used for satisfaction of the requirements of any other master's level degree.
Examination
Many departments require that the student pass a comprehensive examination as part of the master's program. At the option of the department, the exam may be oral or written or both. Eligibility for admission to the examination is determined by the Graduate School office and a warrant will be issued if the student's record is clear of Incompletes and the minimum credit requirement will be satisfied by completing the work of the semester.
Thesis
At the option of the major department, a candidate for the master's degree may be required to prepare a thesis. It must be type-written or printed, approved by the major professor under whose guidance it has been produced, and filed in the Memorial Library not later than the deadline published each semester by the Graduate School.
Time limit
A candidate for a master's degree who does no graduate work for a period of five or more consecutive years will be considered to have lost all credits which have been earned toward fulfillment of the minimum credit requirement.