Differences in Degrees

The College of Graduate Studies operates active graduate programs in most areas, providing a broad research base upon which graduate programs have been built.

Here are a few things to keep in mind regarding matriculation.

Dissertation
Submitted in support of candidature for a degree or professional qualification, the Ph.D. dissertation is the culmination of a candidate's research. Submission of the dissertation represents the completion of the final requirement for the doctoral degree and its submission mirrors the procedures explained in the section Submission of the thesis found below.

Master’s Degree
The thesis submitted as part of the requirement for a master’s degree is usually much shorter than the dissertation submitted as part of a Ph.D.

Submission of the thesis
By the final deadline, the student must submit a complete copy of the thesis to the appropriate body within the accepting institution, along with the appropriate forms, bearing the signatures of the primary supervisor, the committee members and, in all cases, the head of the student's department and college discipline’s dean. Other required forms may include library authorizations (giving the university library permission to make the thesis available as part of its collection) and copyright permissions (in the event that the student has incorporated copyrighted materials in the thesis).

Failure to submit the thesis by the deadline will result in delay of graduation and granting of the degree. Once all the paperwork is in order, copies of the thesis will be made available in the main university library. Specialist abstracting services exist to publicize the content of theses beyond the institutions in which they are produced.

Non-thesis option
The master’s degree with non-thesis option generally requires 30 to 36 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. It requires an exam, portfolio, presentation or paper as a capstone project. This option varies from department to department and requires in-depth consultation with your adviser, faculty and administrative staff.

The Specialist Degree
The specialist degree is usually awarded for study beyond the master's degree but below the doctorate. Schooling usually involves one to three years of course work and practica, followed by a one-year internship. An Ed.S. program typically requires about 60-70 semester hours beyond a bachelor's degree, or about 30 hours beyond a master's (making it approximately the same workload as a second master's).

Education Specialist Degrees
The University of Idaho awards the degree of Education Specialist for students who want an organized program of graduate studies beyond the master’s degree, but who may not wish to pursue a doctoral program.

Capstone Projects
Capstone projects vary widely. Accounting students, for example, must typically pass an exam as their capstone project while music students must pass a recital. For a more detailed understanding of your own capstone requirements, consult your department at an early date so that you can make adequate preparations for success.