Advising and Degree Plans

Advisor
Your letter of acceptance gives the name of a faculty member who has been assigned as advisor. This assignment should be considered temporary but may continue by mutual agreement. Prior to your first registration, you should make an appointment with your assigned advisor to establish a program of study for the degree. You may request a change of advisor if you feel it is warranted by contacting the School of Education Office of Student Services.

• Career counseling
• Professional advice
• Goal clarification
• Answers to substantive questions about education courses
• Course planning and degree plan sign-off

Formal Degree Plan
Before students can sign up to take Comprehensive Examinations, a formal Degree Plan must be approved and signed by the student’s advisor, the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for the School of Education, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Degree plans will not be approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies if they do not meet the requirements specified below, even if signed by an advisor. Students are responsible for developing with their advisor a substantive course of study that is consistent with these requirements. Note that program areas each have course requirements and guidelines that must be followed in planning a course of study. To avoid any misunderstanding students are encouraged to submit a formal Degree Plan as early in their program as possible. Once a formal plan has been approved it can be modified by obtaining the same set of signatures required for initial approval.

Degree Plan Options

• Plan I (Thesis Option)*
  For Plan I (thesis option)*, the minimum number of hours for degree completion is 30 hours of course work beyond the BA or BS, 24 of which must be at the 5000 level or above.  A student must register for a minimum of four (4) and a maximum of six (6) hours of EDUC 6954 (thesis hours).  These hours carry a grade of IP until the thesis is defended and a grade is submitted by the major department.  If a student switches from Plan I to Plan II (non-thesis option), s/he must drop any thesis hours taken and notify the School of Education Office of Student Services and the Graduate School in writing. The Graduate School thesis specifications are on the graduate school web site.
  Students can also continue to request them by emailing gradinfo@colorado.edu.
• Plan II (Non-Thesis Option)
  The MA Plan II requires a minimum of 30 hours of course work beyond the BA or BS, 24 of which must be at the 5000 level or above.