Comps/Master's Degree
PLEASE NOTE: Graduate students in APS are admitted directly into the Ph.D. program. Master's Degrees can be awarded to students who have completed Comps.
A student must pass Comps at the Masterās level in order to receive a Masterās degree. It is possible to pass Comps at the Masterās level but not advance to candidacy. It is not possible to receive a Masterās by completing the required coursework but not passing the comprehensive exam at the Masterās level. Ā Ā
Take a look at the Ā for more detailed information.Ā
![comps exams](/aps/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/page/comps_step_by_step_003.png?itok=6NsUvqHY)
Graduation requirements are governed by policies of both the Department of APS and theĀ . The basic requirements for attaining a Master'sĀ degree are:
- Complete within 4 years.
- Complete 30 hours of course work with at least a Bā in each class by the end of a studentās fourth year in the program
- Retain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Complete the Comps Exam.Ā
Prepare for Comps:
- Apply to graduate online throughĀ Ā by the posted deadlines.
- File theĀ Candidacy Application for an Advanced DegreeĢż“Ś“Ē°ł³¾ at least two weeks before the Comps exam
- Major: Astrophysical & Planetary Sci
- Status: Active
- Plan Code: ASPS-MS
- Plan II - Master's withouth thesis
- ³§³Ü²ś³¾¾±³ŁĢżMasterās Examination FormĀ to the Graduate School at least two weeks before your comps exam.Ā
- Submit theĀ Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Form to the Graduate School at least two weeks before your comps exam.
The APS department only recognizes Plan II because the Comprehensive ExaminationĀ presentation is also an oral exam (note that a Comprehensive Exam paper is not a āMasterās Thesisā). The Comprehensive Exam serves as both the exam to advance to doctoral candidacy as well as the final exam to earn a Master's degree.
Applying for PhD Candidacy post-compsĀ
Within two weeksĀ of passing the comprehensive exam, students must submit the candidacy application. When the studentās candidacy application has been approved by the Graduate School, their status is changed to D in CU-SIS for the semester following that in which they passed the comprehensive exam.Ā
- Submit a Candidacy Application for an Advanced Degree form and select PhD:Ā /graduateschool/academics/forms-current-students.
- Major: Astrophysical & Planetary Sci
- Status: Active
- Plan Code: ASPS-PHD
- Do not select anything from the āselect one if applicableā section.