Graduate | MIS |

Additional Requirements

On this page: GPA | Advancement to Candidacy Comprehensive Examination | Research Paper/Project | Time Limit

In addition, Bowie State University graduate students must meet the following requirements:

GPA

• Achieve a cumulative grade point average of B (3.0) or higher for all BSU graduate course work.

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Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy is a major step in fulfilling the requirements for the master’s degree. The program director will review students’ records to determine eligibility for advancement to candidacy. To advance to candidacy, students must:

1. Being fully admitted.
2. Complete the first 15 credits of courses with BSU with a GPA of at least 3.25. Should the required average not be attained, advancement to candidacy will be denied. Students who fail to advance to candidacy may be granted permission by the program director to repeat one course.
3. Remove all marks of Incomplete (I).
4. Satisfy all undergraduate prerequisites.

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Comprehensive Examination

Students must successfully complete a written graduate comprehensive examination and are encouraged to take the examination as soon as they are eligible. To qualify for the examination, students must have:

1. Completed at least 24 graduate credits of coursework, including five of the following courses: INSS 510, INSS 620, INSS 630, INSS 638, INSS 640, INSS 650, and INSS 720 
2. Advanced to candidacy.
3. A minimum GPA of 3.0.
4. Removed all marks of Incomplete (I).

Students are eligible to take the comprehensive examination twice. Students who fail twice may appeal in writing to the program director for permission to take the comprehensive examination a third and final time. This appeal must be made within 30 days of the notification of the second failure.

Examination dates and deadlines:

The Comprehensive Examination Application can be obtained online from MyUMUC under MyAcademics. When the application to take the examination is approved, students are subscribed to the comprehensive examination electronic conference.

The comprehensive examination is normally scheduled at locations in Europe where graduate classes are offered. If a student is not able to take it at one of these scheduled locations, the student is responsible for making proctor arrangements, following Graduate Programs guidelines.

Research Paper/Project

Successfully complete a research paper/project. Students complete an information systems project in the practicum course (INSS 880 Information Systems Practicum) and an analytical or scientific research paper in the professional seminar course (INSS 890 Professional Seminar).

Time Limit

All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within a seven-year period, as established by the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland. The scheduled time may be computed by noting the date of admission to the Graduate School or by noting the date when credits allowed in transfer were taken, whichever is earlier. The seven-year period is computed on calendar time. An extension will be granted automatically if a required course is not offered during the last term of a student’s seven-year period. For other exceptions, students must petition to the program director.