• Table of Contents
• The Graduate School Handbook

• Graduate Education
• The Graduate School and the Administrative Board
• Graduate School Staff Directory
• Graduate Education References
• Graduate School Calendar

• General Academic Requirements and Regulations
• Admission and Matriculation
• Eligibility
• Course Credit
• Registration
• Residence Credit
• Graduate Grading
• Assistantships and Fellowships
• Tuition and Other Charges
• Graduation
• Medical or Personal Issues
• Withdrawal from the University
• Policies and Procedures
• Students as Faculty
• Certificate Programs
• Dual Degree Programs
• Generative AI Guidelines

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree

Dual Degree Programs

The Graduate School encourages the development of programs in graduate education that are responsive to changing disciplinary, professional, economic, and social circumstances. Only academic programs have the authority to propose and receive approval for new dual degree programs. Programs should reference the Policy on Transdisciplinary Programs of Study.

Dual degree programs must balance structural efficiency with individual program integrity. They result in the awarding of two degrees from two different disciplines with coordination across the degrees, generally at the master's degree level (exceptions: JD, MD, and MD/PhD programs). Note that a master's degree student continuing on for a PhD in the same academic program is not considered a dual degree student under these guidelines.

Students must apply to and be accepted by both programs individually before beginning in the dual degree program. In a practical sense, this means that students should apply to both academic programs at the same time, or apply to the second program no later than during their first year of the first program. Dual degrees will not be awarded after the curricular requirements have already been met without initial application.

Course credit transfers allowed above the normal 30 Percent Rule are specified in the dual degree program approvals from The Graduate School. Students who do not apply to both programs before beginning the curricular requirements will be subject to the 30 Percent Rule.

Students in officially recognized dual degree programs, other than the MD-PhD program, must apply to graduate for both degrees at the same time, even if the requirements for one degree are completed sooner than the second degree. Dual degree students should ensure they have successfully submitted an application to graduate for each of their intended degree programs.

Academic programs are asked to provide flexibility so students may be able to walk ceremoniously with their cohort even if they do not earn the degree that semester. See Graduation for additional information.

These policies apply only to officially recognized dual degree programs. Students desiring to earn more than one degree simultaneously must meet the requirements of each degree, including admission, transfer credit, and graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to discuss their plans with their degree program director(s) of graduate studies as early as possible to ensure all requirements for their intended degrees can be met within policy.