Guidance Committee

A student on regular status, in consultation with the chair of the department in which he wishes to do his major work, selects his major professor who shall serve as chair of the guidance committee. Not later than 2 months after registration, the student, in consultation with the major professor, selects two or three other members of his committee. One member shall represent his minor or supportive field, and the chair and other members shall come from the major field. Membership in the guidance committee shall be limited to graduate faculty members and shall be with the mutual consent of the individuals selected to serve.

Changes in Committee Composition

A student may request a revision in composition of his guidance committee upon endorsement of the department chair and in consultation with the professor concerned for approval by the dean of the Graduate School.

Residence Requirement

A minimum of two semesters of residence are required for the master’s degree. A student is in residence when he is registered for course work on campus, or work in absentia with due approval in advance by his guidance committee.

Course Work Requirements

The Graduate School offers two types of master’s degree programs: without thesis or with thesis.

Master’s Degree Without Thesis

Master of Communication Arts - a minimum of 36 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; 6 units are for core courses; at least 18 units must be in the major field; and at least 12 units must be in the minor field.

Master of Agriculture - a minimum of 36 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; at least 27 units must be for courses above the 200 level; at least 24 units must be in the major field; and at least 12 units must be in the minor field.

Master of Information Technology- a minimum of 36 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; 28 units for core courses and 9 units for elective courses

Master of Forestry - a minimum of 30 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; at least 24 units must be for courses above the 200 level; 18 to 21 units must be in the major field; and 9 to 12 units must be in the minor field.

Master of Management - a minimum of 36 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; at least 27 units must be for courses above the 200 level; 9 units are common to all students; and a 3-unit field study is required.

Master of Professional Studies - a minimum of 36 units of course work and 1 unit of seminar are required; at least 18 units must be for courses above the 200 level.

Master of Public Affairs- a minimum of 31 units of course work, 13 units of which are common for all areas of specializations, 12 units for required courses and six units for elective courses.

Master’s Degree With Thesis

Master of Arts- a minimum of 24 units of course work, 1 unit of seminar, and 6 units of thesis are required; at least 18 units must be for courses above the 200 level; at least 15 units must be in the major field; and at least 9 units must be in the minor field.

Master of Science - a minimum of 24 units of course work, 1 unit of seminar, and 6 units of thesis are required; at least 18 units must be for courses above the 200 level; at least 15 units must be in the major field; and at least 9 units must be in the minor field.

The cumulative units to be credited for courses numbered 290/291 and 299 should not exceed 4 and 2 units, respectively.

English Language Requirement

Foreign students whose English proficiency is Level A as determined from the English Proficiency Examination are required to present a certificate of English proficiency issued by the Arts Language Program and Special Studies of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Graduate School monitors the fulfillment of the English language requirement and this must be satisfied prior to taking the general (for thesis programs) or final examination (for nonthesis programs).

Official Plan of Study

Within the first semester of residence, a regular student must confer with his guidance committee to draw up his proposed plan of study which includes a detailed listing of the courses, and transfer of courses, if any, that he is proposing for the fulfillment of the degree requirements.

A form is available in the Graduate School office. The proposed plan of study must be recommended by his guidance committee and endorsed by the department chair or institute director to the dean of the Graduate School for approval. Once approved, this becomes the official program of study and must be fulfilled in every detail to meet graduation requirements.

(Plan of Study for Master's degree, With Thesis)

Note: Please use long (8 1/2" x 13") green color copy paper.

(Plan of Study for Master's degree, Non-Thesis)

Note: Please use long (8 1/2" x 13") blue color copy paper.

Change in the Approved Plan of Study

A student who needs to revise his official plan of study may file a petition, upon recommendation of his guidance committee and endorsement of the department chair or institute director, to the dean of the Graduate School for approval. Any change in the official program should first be approved before courses to be deleted, added, or replaced are registered.

Grade Requirement

A student must obtain a weighted average of “2.00” or better for all courses prescribed by his guidance committee under the major and minor fields to qualify for the final or general examination, whichever is applicable. He must also obtain “passing grades” in all other courses in which he enrolled.

Course Examination

The course examination for master’s degree without thesis is called final examination while that for the master’s degree with thesis is called general examination.
Specific programs may have additional departmental course examination requirements.

After completing all the academic course requirements with an average grade of “2.00” or better, the student should submit his application for course examination, duly recommended by his guidance committee and noted by the chair of the major department, or institute director, to the dean of the Graduate School for approval at least 1 month before the date of the examination. This examination, which is to be given by the guidance committee, shall test the student’s competence in integrating knowledge in his major and minor fields and shall be based on all courses prescribed for the student. It shall be oral in form to be supplemented, if desired by the committee, with a written examination.

To pass the examination, a unanimous vote of the committee, all present and voting, is required. A student who fails this examination may be given one reexamination upon unanimous approval of the committee, at least 1 month but not later than 1 year after the first examination.

Failure to pass the second examination disqualifies the student permanently from earning the degree.

The chair of the committee shall submit a report of the result in a prescribed form to the dean of the Graduate School within 1 week after the examination.

Master’s Thesis

(For MA and MS degrees only). After earning at least 12 units of courses with graduate credit, a student may be authorized to work on his thesis. A thesis outline must be approved by the guidance committee before actual research may be done. The student shall submit to the Graduate School the approved title and outline of the thesis.

Copies of the completed and editorially acceptable thesis draft shall be submitted to the student’s guidance committee for criticism, evaluation, and suggestions for improvement. It shall be the responsibility of the adviser to ensure that final copies conform to the format prescribed by the Graduate School.

Three (3) copies of the thesis manuscript and a soft copy (CD) in pdf file must be submitted to the dean of the Graduate School not later than the deadline set for submission of all requirements for graduation.

Three (3) copies of the thesis shall be distributed as follows: one copy each for major department, major adviser, and the UPLB Graduate School.

The master’s thesis shall have an equivalent of 6 units and shall have a numerical grade.

Work in Absentia

The thesis of a candidate may be done in absentia with the approval of the guidance committee if his research can be better done outside UPLB. In such cases, the candidate working in absentia shall make periodic reports of his progress to his thesis adviser.

Final Examination

(For MA and MS degree programs only). The student shall be given an oral examination on his thesis by his guidance committee. The thesis adviser shall be the chair of the examining committee.

The candidate may apply for the examination when his thesis is complete and in a form acceptable to his guidance committee as indicated by their recommendation for approval of the application for final examination.

The application for final examination, duly recommended by his guidance committee and noted by the chair of the major department or institute director, and a copy of the final draft of the thesis shall be submitted to the dean of the Graduate School at least 2 weeks before the examination. The candidate must also submit a copy of the final draft of his thesis to each member of his committee.

To pass the examination, the student must receive not more than one negative vote from the committee. A student who fails the examination may be given a reexamination upon unanimous approval of the committee. Failure to pass this second examination shall disqualify the student permanently from earning the degree.

The chair of the examining committee shall submit a report on the result of the examination to the dean of the Graduate School on a prescribed form not later than the working day following the examination.

Time Limit for Earning the Master’s Degree

The maximum time allowed for the completion of the master’s degree is 5 years. The 5-year period begins with the earliest course work listed in the official plan of study, including validated and/or transfer courses.