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Professional Practice Graduate Degree Designation

About Professional Practice Degrees

The Graduate College has periodically made exceptions to specific Graduate College policies for specific graduate degrees due to accreditation or professional program requirements. In Fall 2024, the Graduate College created a task force with representation from six colleges to understand how to better serve professional practice degree programs. Through these discussions, stakeholders articulated enhancements to current policies and practices that would better optimize the university’s ability to be competitive in recruiting students and maximizing global collaborations. The task force collected and reviewed additional data from institutional benchmarking (AAU and Big 12 universities) to further understand the policy landscape of the university’s peers. The recommendation of the task force was to create a Professional Practice Graduate Degree designation whereby more inclusive policies would be available to all professional practice designated degrees, increasing transparency and opportunities for programs to be more competitive.

Approved Professional Practice Graduate Degree Programs

  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (NURSDNP)
  • Doctor of Physical Therapy (PTDPT)
  • Doctor of Public Health (PHLDPH)
  • Master of Accounting (ACCTMAC)
  • Master of Business Administration (BNADMBA)
  • Master of Healthcare Management (HMMHM)
  • Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFTMS)
  • Master of Physician Assistant Practice (PAMPAP)
  • Master of Public Health (PHLMPH)
  • MS in Accounting (ACCTMS)
  • MS AI for Business (AIBNMS)
  • MS in Business Analytics (BNANMS)
  • MS in Cybersecurity (CYBSECMS)
  • MS in Economics (ECONMS)
  • MS in Finance (FINMS)
  • MS in Management Information Systems (MISMS)
  • MS in Marketing (MKTGMS)

Approved programs have the option to adopt the following Professional Practice Graduate Degree designation policies[1]:

  • Up to 40% of the minimum number of units required for a master's degree can be transferred from other accredited institutions;
  • For master’s degree programs that require a thesis, the student must have a faculty advisor or co-advisor with Graduate Faculty status;
  • Master's thesis committees must consist of three members with up to two approved Special Members who possess disciplinary, field, or career expertise relevant to the student’s research;
  • All doctoral students must have a doctoral minor and complete a comprehensive exam. The comprehensive examination includes representation from the major and minor areas of study. The faculty advisor (or co-advisor) in the major and minor areas of study must hold Graduate Faculty status. The comprehensive examination committee must consist of at least four members:
    • Major advisor with Graduate Faculty status;
    • Minor advisor with Graduate Faculty status;
    • At least two additional members who may hold Graduate Faculty status or be approved Special Members who possess disciplinary, field, or career expertise relevant to the student’s research;
  • The dissertation committee must consist of at least three members. The chair (or co-chair) must hold Graduate Faculty status. The remaining members may hold Graduate Faculty status be or approved Special Members who possess disciplinary, field, or career expertise relevant to the student’s research.

Applications for Professional Practice Graduate Degree designation are accepted twice per academic year: 

  • March 1 (Fall implementation)

  • October 1 (Spring implementation)

Applications must include the following: 

  • An application letter describing how the program aligns with at least two of the guiding principles underpinning the Professional Practice Graduate Degree designation:
    • The degree is primarily focused on preparation for professional practice;
    • Degree recipients are required to sit for licensure and/or a certification exam in order to practice in the field of study;
    • A professional accrediting body that provides specific criteria for the curricular design required for licensure (include detailed information about the professional accrediting body);
    • Professional accrediting body policies conflict with Graduate College policies for traditional graduate degrees (include detailed information about the professional accrediting body);
    • The program capstone/culminating experience does not require a thesis;
  • Letter of endorsement from the program’s dean or dean’s designee. 

[1] Professional Practice Graduate Degree designation does not include first professional degrees that are currently not under Graduate College institutional oversight (i.e., JD, MD, DVM, and PharmD).