General Requirements
To be awarded the MA degree, the candidate must have:
fulfilled the credit requirements;
passed an oral or written examination as required by the department; and
completed a master's thesis when required.
Special departmental requirements and regulations governing the awarding of the MA degree are described in the appropriate department sections of this Bulletin.
Course Requirements
A candidate for the MA degree in anthropology, economics, historical studies, liberal studies, philosophy, political science, psychology, or sociology must complete at least thirty credits. The department in which a candidate is majoring will determine the minimum number of credits to be taken in the major and, when required, in one minor. The candidate must obtain a GPA no lower than 3.0 to be awarded a degree.
The candidate must also fulfill the specific course requirements of the department in which he or she is pursuing the degree. Information on these can be obtained from each department and appears in the appropriate department sections in the Academic Programs section of this website.
Time Limit
Students have five years to complete all requirements for the master’s degree. An extension of time must be granted to continue MA studies beyond five years. Additional information regarding time limits and extensions of time may be found in "Time Limits & Extensions of Time" under Degree Requirements and Academic Policies in this website.
Transfer of Credit
Transfer of credit, not exceeding three credits, may be granted toward the thirty-credit MA degree. This credit must be based upon graduate work completed within the ten-year period immediately preceding matriculation with The New School for Social Research. A minimum of twenty-seven credits must be completed with The New School for Social Research to meet the thirty-credit MA degree requirements. Upon satisfactory completion of six credits with The New School for Social Research in the student’s major field of study, the student is eligible to apply for transfer credit toward the MA. The form for this procedure can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.
MA Oral or Written Examination
When required, this examination is intended to test the candidate’s knowledge in his or her major field. The examination must be taken on dates set by the department. No oral examination may be scheduled from May 17 to October 1 except by special permission of the Dean at The New School for Social Research. Please note that any students who do take exams after the May 17 date cannot be guaranteed conferral of a May degree.
Written application for MA examinations must be made by the student to the departmental student advisor two months in advance. The candidate who fails the examination once may have a second examination within two years of the date of the first examination. Students who engage in academic dishonesty on an exam may be subject to dismissal. Candidates for the MA written examination or PhD qualifying examination should refer to the academic calendar in the Registration section of this website.
