Degree Requirements
 

Master's (MA/MS) Degree
As a general rule, an MA/MS degree program may be completed within two (2) years of residency, i.e., enrolled for at least four (4) consecutive semesters or at least 5 Summer terms. Maximum residency for Master’s degree is 5 years.  Students who overstayed beyond the maximum residency are required to reactivate their course work.
   
 
There are some programs which require that the applicant take some undergraduate (foundation) courses as preparatory courses if the applicant's Bachelor's degree is different from the MA/MS degree he wishes to pursue.
A student for an MA/MS degree not corresponding to his Bachelor's degree should finish at least eighteen (18) units of major undergraduate courses in the area of specialization, subject to the approval of the Discipline Consultant, before proceeding to graduate work.
Those in the MBA and MSC programs whose undergraduate degree is non-Business or Economics, must take 9 to 12 additional units as foundation courses.
   

Doctorate (Ph.D.) Degree
As a general rule, a PhD degree program may be completed in five (5) years, i.e., enrolled for at least ten (10) semesters or at least ten (10) summer terms. The maximum residency for Ph.D. is seven (7) years. Students who overstayed beyond the maximum residency, will be required to reactivate their coursework.
   
 
If a candidate wishes to pursue a PhD degree other than the MA/MS degree already earned, the candidate may be required to get MA/MS courses corresponding to the PhD degree he wishes to pursue as foundation courses.
For this reason, a student who wishes to pursue a doctoral program should have a minimum of twenty-four (24) units of his major in the Master's level equivalent to nine (9) units of Core and fifteen (15) units of Major subjects. Excess units in the Master's program are not automatically credited for the doctoral program.  The Dean, in consultation with the Discipline Consultant, must approve such an arrangement.
   

Number of Units Required
  Masters Doctoral
Pre-requisite 3/6 9
Foreign Language --- (6)
Core Subjects 9 ---
Major Subjects 15 30
Thesis Writing 1 6/3 6
Thesis Writing 2 3 ---
Thesis Writing 3 3 ---
Dissertation Writing 1 --- 6
Dissertation Writing 2 --- 3
Dissertation Writing 3 --- 3
Dissertation Writing 4 --- 3
Total Number of Units 42 60
  Note

 
Please note that the distribution of units in the major and core subjects may vary depending on the requirements of the specific program, however the total number of units required for the master’s and doctoral programs as stated above must be fulfilled.

 

Non-thesis terminal track programs follows a different distribution of units
   

Written Comprehensive Exam (WCE)
The passing grade for WCE is 2.00 for an MA/MS program and 1.75 for a PhD program.
 

A student will be required to take five (5) subjects for the WCE for :

MA/MS – 1 core 4 major subjects

Ph.D.     – 5 major subjects
 
MA/MS: 21 Academic Units Ph.D.: 30 Academic Units
3 units of pre-requisite subjects

6 units of Philosophy Subjects
6 units of Core subjects

24 units of Major Subjects
12 units of Major subjects -
TOTAL: 21 units

TOTAL: 30 units
 

Theses / Dissertations

 
The Honors that will be reflected in the Diploma (either for MA/MS or PhD) is arrived at after getting the average of 1/3 of the candidate's academic performance; 1/3 of the grades for the thesis/dissertation as written prior to the oral defense; and finally, 1/3 of the grades for the thesis/dissertation as orally defended.
 
For those who will be formally enrolled for the first time in AY 1998-1999 the following provisions in the granting of honors to graduating students apply:
  1. a.A graduate student who has incurred a failing mark shall be disqualified to graduate with honors.  Meaning to say, no honors will appear in his transcript of records or diploma.
  2. b.An incomplete grade incurred by the student not completed in one Academic Year, will be considered a failing mark or a non credit grade, hence will disqualify him to graduate with honors.
  3. c.A student who has overstayed beyond the residency limit stipulated below will also be disqualified to graduate with honors:
  • 1)A maximum of five (5) years is given to a graduate student to finish a master’s degree.  This will include all the academic units earned, thesis writing and a successful oral defense of the thesis.
  • 2)A maximum of seven (7) years is given to a graduate student to finish a doctorate degree.  This will include all the academic units earned, dissertation writing and a successful oral defense of the dissertation.
  • A Summa Cum Laude graduate shall receive a gold medal. A student-returnee, who has earned less than twelve units so far, and decides to re-enroll in AY 1998-1999 shall be covered by the provision stipulated in number four (4) above. 
    e.New Grading scale for honor graduates:
     

    General Weighted Average 
    Summa Cum Laude 1.00 - 1.09
    Magna Cum Laude 1.10 - 1.29
    Cum Laude 1.30 - 1.64
    This grading scale for honor graduates takes effect starting 1st semester of AY 1998-1999.
    Students enrolled in the non-thesis/terminal track master’s degree programs are not qualified to compete for honors.

Go to main