Completing the MA Degree
Advising
Students must meet with the graduate advisor each semester before the enrollment period begins. After advising, the advising hold is lifted in the online registration system.
Each student should make their own copy of the , update it every semester, and share it with the advisor for the advising session.
The graduate advisor can address questions related to:
- Course selection: offerings in Linguistics / Additional courses
- Course substitution(s):
If a student believes any prior coursework satisfies an MA requirement, they can formally request a requirement waiver together with the prior course syllabus. The student must earn an equal number of elective LING course credits for any required MA course that is waived. - Transfer credit: Requests are regulated by the Graduate School. Please see the Graduate School transfer credit instructions and form. Approved transfer credits will appear on the CU graduate transcript and will count toward the requirements for the MA degree.
- Fulfilling the language prerequisite (see below).
Managing elective MA credits
Students must have 15 elective credits to complete their degree, including:
- 4 (min) to 6 (max) thesis credit hours, for students on the thesis plan.
- Up to 6 credits of coursework outside Linguistics with graduate advisor approval.
- Up to 3 upper-division undergraduate course credits with graduate advisor approval, in exceptional cases. Language-learning courses and courses that replicate content offered at the graduate level cannot qualify.
Language prerequisite
Knowledge of a language other than one’s native language is a prerequisite to admission to the MA. This requirement can be fulfilled by:
- passing at least one college-level language course at the third year level or above with a minimum grade of B;
- passing two years of college-level language courses in two different languages with a minimum grade of B;
- passing an evaluation of language skills when proficiency is not the result of formal study.
International students educated in a language other than English may count English as their foreign language for this requirement.
Additional Graduate School requirements and information
- All graduate students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0.
- A minimum grade of C is required for any course to count towards the MA degree.
- Students are responsible for knowing Graduate School requirements and deadlines.
The Graduate School Rules lists all rules and policies governing graduate education at CU (including the continuous registration requirement).