Master's Degree Requirements

General eligibility requirements are listed in this section. See the relevant department curricular pages for specific course and degree requirements.

1. Satisfactory completion of all published course credit requirements with a cumulative grade-point average of not less than 3.00, with the exception of MArch and MLA candidates who need a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.

2. Fulfillment of the minimum on-campus residency requirements.

3. Payment of all financial obligations to the College, or arrangements for such payment satisfactory to the College.

4. Filing a Graduation Application by the deadline established in the final year.

5. Graduate Thesis. Typically, the completion of a graduate thesis or degree project is a final requirement for a graduate degree at RISD. The thesis requires basic standards of excellence and a high-quality professional appearance. Note that formats may vary within departments, as criteria must be developed specifically for each student. The thesis is composed in relation to the pedagogy of each department and the nature of the specific thesis work. Each graduate student convenes a thesis committee (generally of three members) in the final year of a degree program. The final bound document must be submitted to the thesis committee for signatures and ready for delivery to the Fleet Library one week before Commencement.

6. Successful completion of the following course credit requirements:

*Indicates that the program begins in the summer prior to the first fall semester.

Changes, substitutions, or waivers to any of the degree requirements must be approved by the student's Department Head (or Graduate Program Director). Students should be in contact with their major departments regarding any such requests.