OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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Graduate students at Oregon State can pursue a concurrent degree or a dual major within one degree.
A dual major consists of one degree (e.g., M.A., M.S., MPH) and two majors. For example, a student may pursue a MS in Crop Science and Toxicology. Upon successful completion, the student will be awarded one degree. Please review the guidelines for a dual major master's or dual major Ph.D.
A concurrent degree involves pursuing two degree types, such as an M.S. and an MBA, at the same time. Concurrent graduate degrees of any kind must always include a separate program of study, diploma application, preliminary oral and/or final exam, and project or thesis for each degree. Please check with your intended programs before pursuing a concurrent degree.
Students may also pursue a graduate certificate along with a graduate degree. Please review the guidelines for a concurrent certificate with graduate degree.
This section is taken from the Graduate catalog.
Students who earn two master’s degrees at Oregon State University must complete all degree requirements for each degree. This requires:
For more information, please refer to the Transfer Credit section of the Graduate Catalog.
Your examining committee will consist of two Graduate Faculty members from each major and if a thesis is required by either major, a Graduate Council Representative. Learn how to select a GCR.
If both majors require a thesis then only one thesis, which must be acceptable to both majors, is required. This thesis may be directed by one person qualified in both majors or by co-major professors (one from each major). An approximately equal amount of thesis credit must be taken in each major. The maximum total credit for thesis on the program is 12 credits.
If one major requires a thesis and the other does not then the thesis must be directed by a qualified Graduate Faculty member from the major requiring a thesis. Up to 12 credits of thesis from this major may appear on the program. If the other major requires research in-lieu-of-thesis, up to 6 credits of 501 or 506 in this major may be posted on the program.
If neither major requires a thesis, and if a major requires research in-lieu-of-thesis, up to 6 credits of 501 or 506 in a major may be posted on the Program of study. A maximum of 12 credits of research in-lieu-of-thesis may be posted on the Program of study if both majors require research in-lieu-of-thesis.
All other requirements for the master's degree which are not in conflict with the above requirements apply to the dual major master's degree.
You have the option of one or two major professors. If one major professor is selected, this professor must be approved to direct doctoral dissertations in both of the two major fields. If two major professors from the two major fields are selected, each must be approved to direct doctoral dissertations in their field.
Your doctoral committee shall consist of a minimum of two Graduate Faculty members from each major and a Graduate Council representative.
The dissertation must show evidence of originality and a real contribution to knowledge in both of the major fields.
All other non-conflicting rules and requirements governing doctoral degrees apply.
Students may enroll for a second Ph.D. degree if they have previously obtained a Ph.D. from OSU or elsewhere. Concurrent pursuit of dual Ph.D. degrees is not allowed. In the case of a student pursuing a second Ph.D. degree, requirements for the second Ph.D. must be met without overlap with the first Ph.D. degree including, but not limited to:
Courses from the first Ph.D. degree relevant to the second degree may be allowed to transfer between the two degrees. However, the student’s graduate committee must approve all course transfers, should pay particular attention to the relevancy, overlap, and currency of any courses to be transferred from one Ph.D. degree to another, and are advised to proceed conservatively when approving course transfers from a first Ph.D. to a second Ph.D. degree.
Students who earn a concurrent certificate with a graduate degree at Oregon State University must complete all requirements for each certificate and degree. This requires:
For more information, please refer to the degree completion steps and deadlines pages for master’s, doctoral, and certificate students.