5.2.3 Time Limits for Completing the Master's Degree

(Approved February 15, 2017) (Amended June 9, 2021)

All requirements for completing the master’s degree must be completed within a period of five years after advancement to candidacy.

Students who must depart NPS prior to the completion of their master’s degree must request a continuation of their candidacy through their academic unit. A candidacy continuation request is required to maintain candidacy regardless of the nature of the degree incompletion (e.g., incomplete thesis or project, incomplete coursework, or change of duty status.)

The student shall submit the candidacy continuation request to their academic unit for approval/disapproval. Continuations may be granted by the academic unit up until the point at which the student has reached the five-year limit on their master’s degree candidacy, after which, a candidacy extension request must be submitted to the Academic Council.

The academic unit will follow one of two procedures to ensure the candidate’s status is recorded with the Office of the Registrar:

1. For an incomplete thesis or capstone project: the academic unit shall annotate approval/disapproval of the candidacy extension in the student’s PYTHON Thesis Extension Form (TEF).

2. For any other form of incomplete degree requirements: the academic unit shall send an email notification of the decision to the Office of the Registrar.