grad_com An electronic newsletter from the BSU School of Graduate Studies
	Vol. 3, No. 1			June 2006
The Process Registration: Grad classes Starting the count of seven years to complete a degree Form 1: Applying for admission to graduate studies Completing 13-16 graduate credits after admission Form 2: Applying for candidacy in a graduate degree program Taking the written exam at the end of course work Form 3: Proposing a research paper or thesis Doing the work and writing the results Form 4: Applying for graduation Submitting the research paper or thesis for review Form 5: Scheduling the oral examination Defending your graduate work Diploma	This month . . . · The Process in Review: Start and Status, Form 1 and Credits, Form 2 and Plan · Q&A: M.Ed. and M.S. in Education – the difference?
	The Process: Start and Status
	Seven Years for All Regardless of status, the seven-year clock for completing a graduate degree starts once you begin taking graduate-level courses. Graduate coursework older than seven years will not count toward a graduate degree; the restriction includes transfer credits.		Your Status Regular – pursuing a master’s degree in a specific field of study. Special – pursuing graduate course work without a planned objective, but with the goal of personal and/or professional enrichment (e.g. licensure). Fill out a Graduate_Special_Student Application to begin taking courses for an indefinite period of time, provided that a 3.00 (B) grade point average is main tained.
	The Process: Form 1 and Transfer Credits
	Form 1: The basics are the same for all regular graduate students: · Fill out the confidential information and Form 1 online · Send the forms and pay the application fee electronically for quick, easy application Or… · Print them, and sign Form 1 · Attach a check for $20 made payable to BSU · Mail or bring them to the School of Graduate Studies					Preliminaries: Plan your progress through graduate studies, conferring with your advisor(s) to be sure you are meeting program or department requirements. Transferring Credits: You may transfer up to 10 credits from an accredited U.S. or approved international college or university. Transferred courses must have been completed within 7 years before the awarding of the BSU master's degree; the courses will be recorded as elective credit only.
Q&A: M.Ed. and M.S. in Education – the difference? Q: What’s the difference between an M.Ed. and an M.S. degree in Education? A: First, the similarities: · Same core courses · Same cognate areas Now the differences: M.S. in Education – research-oriented degree for those who intend to go beyond a master’s degree or want to do scholarly research; a formal paper or thesis is required M.Ed. – applied degree designed for practicing teachers who plan to remain in the classroom and want to improve their teaching knowledge and skills; additional coursework is required, without a formal research paper or thesis You may choose either degree regardless of your future plans.
	The Process: Form 2 and Program Plan
	Form 2: After admission into a specific degree program and completion of 13-16 graduate-level credits, you will need to apply for candidacy and submit a formal program plan to your academic advisor. If you are pursuing more than one degree or program, complete separate applications for each. Minimum Grade Reminder: Students should maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 (B) in order to be eligible for candidacy. See Admission to Candidacy in grad catalog for details.				Program Plan: On page 2 of Form 2, list all the courses you have completed and you plan to take to satisfy degree requirements. Include transfer credits gained within seven years prior to your anticipated graduation date. Submit Form 2 for approval directly to your advisor. Changes: If you need to make changes to your program plan (such as substitutions for required program courses), fill out Form 6, Graduate Petition. Submit the form to your advisor for approval. More than three non-elective courses, or six credits, in substitutions to the approved program require a revised second set of candidacy plans. Reminder: Students should contact their advisor to determine the competency requirements necessary for their selected graduate program. See Competency Requirements in the grad catalog for more details.
	For current forms and information, go to www.bemidjistate.edu/graduatestudies/ and select the Graduate_Forms link.
We want to make grad_com useful for you. Let us know what you would like to see on these pages by contacting the School of Graduate Studies, Decker Hall 110, 218-755-2027 (toll-free: 1-888-386-8464), Grad@bemidjistate.edu