The Special Master’s Degree is for those students whose educational goals cannot be met by one of the existing master’s degrees offered. Consequently, any proposed Special Master’s Degree program must be interdisciplinary in nature. The various components of a Special Master’s Degree must be integrated so the program presents a well-defined and coherent educational experience. The integration can most appropriately be accomplished through research that culminates in a thesis.

Requirements

• An applicant for a Special Master’s Degree must be a graduate student in full standing in the Graduate College at the time of the application.
• A thesis is required for all Special Master’s Degrees.

Request Procedure

To have a program considered for a Special Master’s Degree by the Graduate Council, a student must submit a completed Special Master’s Degree Application, along with the additional information requested on the first page of the application, to the Graduate Dean before 12 hours of the proposed program have been completed.

• A student wishing to seek a Special Master’s Degree must provide the following information:
  1. a two-page rationale for the program
  2. a proposed degree designation
  3. a list of proposed courses
  4. a research proposal
  5. all previous transcripts, and
  6. an advisory committee statement signed by at least three graduate faculty members who have agreed to serve as the advisory committee. The chair of the advisory committee should be from the discipline in which most courses are to be taken.
     
     
• When this information is submitted to the Graduate College, a committee of the Graduate Council will review the proposal and make a recommendation to the full Council.
• The Graduate Council will then decide whether to approve the proposed Special Master’s Degree program.
• If the Graduate Council approves the proposal, it will constitute the student’s program of study.
• Requests for changes must be submitted to and approved by the Graduate Dean.
• If the Graduate Council does not approve the proposal, the student will remain in the traditional master’s track.
• The final entry on the transcript will show the special title of the program with the proviso that if there is an overlap with an existing program designation on campus, the director/chair of that program must approve the special degree program title selected by the student.
• Subsequent procedures follow the rules of the Graduate College, except that the advisory committee is not constrained to follow the specific degree requirements of a particular school or department.

Admissions Forms Required Prior to Submitting the Interdisciplinary Degree Proposal

Applicants must apply and be admitted to the University of Oklahoma and to the academic unit in which the degree is offered.  For a list of degree codes, see the list of University of Oklahoma Graduate Major Codes. Only after admission into a graduate program, the proposal must then be approved by the Graduate Council before the completion of 12 graduate-level hours.

• U.S. Citizen/Permanent Resident Application
• International Student Application
• OU Graduating Senior Application

Interdisciplinary Special Master's Degree Proposal Forms

Current students whose educational goals cannot be met by one of the existing master’s degrees may propose a Special Master’s Degree program to the Graduate Dean and Graduate Council.  The program must be interdisciplinary in nature and integrate various components which present a well-defined and coherent educational experience most appropriately accomplished through research that culminates in a thesis. Please review the Graduate College Bulletin for important information.

• Special Master’s Degree Proposal Application

How to Apply (details)

After You Have Been Admitted

• Set up OU email
• Go to Current Students Main Page