Carnegie Mellon University

Standard Degree Requirements & Degree Certification

The following academic regulation provides guidance for Carnegie Mellon faculty and staff on standard degree requirements and degree certification. The regulation varies for undergraduate, graduate and integrated bachelor and master's degree programs.

Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education.

Note: This academic regulation will be in effect starting in the 2022-23 Academic Year.

Carnegie Mellon undergraduate students are expected to complete their program of study within eight semesters of full-time enrollment, or 10 semesters for undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) program. The standard undergraduate program of study is grounded in a primary degree and its requirements, and may be complemented by an additional major(s) or minor(s) as part of the student’s academic plan or as a requirement of the primary major. Upon completion of all primary degree requirements within the program of study in the standard number of eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.), the degree will be certified by the student’s academic program in the semester in which the student completes the requirements.

Early Completion

Students who complete their primary degree requirements within their program of study in fewer than eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.) may have their degree certified upon the completion of all requirements in consultation with their academic advisor(s).

Longer-than-Standard Completion

Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program and/or the Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, interruptions of full-time study or progress toward the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unusual or unforeseen circumstances. Students who complete their primary degree requirements within their program of study in more than the standard number of semesters will be certified in the semester in which they have completed their primary degree requirements, pursuant to close and regular consultation with their academic advisor(s).

Additional Guidance for Students

Program of study.  Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with their academic advisor and/or appropriate associate dean.

Financial aid and student account.  Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree in order to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal and state financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. CMU institutional undergraduate grants support undergraduate degree completion and on-time graduation; institutional undergraduate grants for students in undergraduate programs and in integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs are renewable for eight semesters (and 10 for B.Arch.). (See separate guidance regarding integrated bachelor-master’s degree programs.)

Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs.

International students.  Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making normal progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduate-graduate study), should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.

Guidance for Academic Advisors and Deans

Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education.

Note: This academic regulation will be in effect starting in the 2022-23 Academic Year.

Carnegie Mellon graduate students are expected to complete their degree requirements within the standard length of time for their program of study as outlined in the relevant Graduate Student Handbook.  Standard program lengths for graduate students vary significantly – ranging from two semesters for some full-time master’s programs to several or more years for doctoral programs. Upon completion of the graduate program degree requirements, the degree will be certified by the student’s academic program in the semester in which the student completes the requirements.

Early Completion

Graduate students who consider the completion of all degree requirements in less than the standard length of time for their program of study may consult with their degree-granting program or department to determine if early degree certification is allowed and under what circumstances.

Extended or Longer-than-Standard Completion

Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program, interruptions of full-time study or progress towards the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unusual or unforeseen circumstances.

Master’s students who require longer than the standard time to complete their degree requirements are expected to remain in close contact with their graduate program, and will be certified at the end of the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements. Students shall reference CMU Policy on Master’s Student Statute of Limitations (www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/masters-students-statute-of-limitations.html) regarding guidelines and restrictions which place an upper limit on the maximum length of time allowable for master’s degree completion and certification.

Doctoral students who require an extended period to complete their degree requirements must consult with their academic program, and are subject to the CMU Policy on Doctoral Student Status (www.cmu.edu/policies/student-and-student-life/doctoral-student-status.html), specifically the “Time to Degree” section.

Additional Guidance for Students

Program of study.  Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with their academic advisor and/or appropriate associate dean.

Financial aid and student account.  Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree in order to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. (See separate guidance regarding integrated degree completion.)

Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated undergraduate and master’s degree programs.

International students.  Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making normal progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduate-graduate study) should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.

Guidance for Academic Advisors and Deans

Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification processes, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education.

Note: This academic regulation will be in effect for first- and second-year students starting in the 2022-23 Academic Year, and can offer helpful guidance and insights for third- and fourth-year students, as well as fifth-year architecture students.

The integration of bachelor and master’s degree programs (“IBM” programs) benefits CMU students who elect to maximize their use of time and academic energy to blend their undergraduate studies with master’s-level study in close combination, in an integrated program of study at CMU. Some CMU departments and programs have developed integrated options for students in response to student desires for such opportunities and to enliven their graduate programs with students who are well-acclimated to the rigor and demands of the CMU educational experience.

General Information

Carnegie Mellon students in integrated bachelor-master’s programs are expected to complete their degree requirements within a standard length of time for their full-time program of study as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and relevant Graduate Student Handbook. This document describes several standard models for the CMU integrated bachelor-master’s degree programs, some of which involve acceleration of either the undergraduate or the graduate degree component (or both) within the integrated program designs. Each CMU integrated program offers specific, pre-determined model(s) of integrated study reflecting one of the following:

  • 4+0 meaning that a student will complete both undergraduate and master’s degree coursework in eight semesters (four years) of full-time study. This model generally applies when the undergraduate and graduate field of study are the same, such as an undergraduate and master’s degree in Chemistry or Mathematics.
  • 3-1-1 meaning three years of full-time undergraduate coursework, followed by one year of integrated undergraduate and graduate study, and one year of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five years of full-time study. And example would be undergraduate degrees integrated with Heinz College or Tepper graduate degree programs. The undergraduate degree generally is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.)   
  • 4+1 semester meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by one semester of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of four and a half years. The undergraduate degree generally is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.)   
  • 4+2 semesters meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by two semesters of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five academic years. The undergraduate degree is completed in eight semesters of full-time study (or less.)  
  • 4+3 semesters meaning eight semesters (four years) of full-time undergraduate coursework including integration of some master’s level courses, followed by three semesters of exclusively master’s level coursework for a total of five and a half academic years. The undergraduate degree is completed in eight semesters of full-time study. 
  • 5+1 for architecture meaning five years of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) undergraduate coursework followed by two semesters of full-time master’s level coursework for a total of six academic years. The B.Arch. undergraduate degree generally is completed in 10 semesters.

The standard undergraduate program of study is grounded in a primary degree and its requirements, and may be complemented by an additional major(s) or minor(s) as part of the academic plan.  Some students decide to apply for one of CMU’s several integrated degree programs to complement their undergraduate degree with an integrated or accelerated master’s degree. Depending on the model of the integrated program, when an undergraduate student applies to an IBM program, they recognize that the standard for undergraduate study will be eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.), plus one, two, three or four additional semesters of full-time graduate-level study (except for the 4+0 model, above) to complete the master’s degree.

CMU students in most IBM programs are considered to be undergraduates until they have completed the requirements for their bachelor degree at which point they are certified by their undergraduate academic program; this typically occurs at the time determined to be the standard for their integrated program following a successful seven or eight semesters (or 10 for B.Arch.) of full-time enrollment, depending on the design of their integrated program. However, in one rare model, the integrated program design holds the bachelor degree certification to be given concurrently with the master’s degree in the ninth or tenth semester of full time enrollment.

Early Completion of Undergraduate Degree

An IBM student who has completed all undergraduate degree requirements in fewer than the standard number of semesters for their program may request an early undergraduate degree certification from their undergraduate program, in close consultation with their academic advisor(s). This situation, while possible, is not common due to the necessity of staying on track for both undergraduate and master’s degree programs in an integrated manner.

Movement from Undergraduate to Graduate Student Classification

Students in an IBM program who are certified as having completed their undergraduate degree – typically in the number of semesters that is the standard for their integrated program – then will be classified as a graduate student at CMU, and are expected to complete their graduate degree requirements within the standard length of time for their integrated program of study. Students should be aware of and plan for financial implications, including financial aid, and/or F-1/J-1 non-immigrant implications due to the change of level when moving from undergraduate student status to graduate student status at CMU. (See details below.)

Standard for Graduate Component of IBM Student/Program

Upon completion of the graduate program degree requirements in the standard period of study, the graduate degree will be certified in the semester in which the student completes the requirements by the student’s graduate program.

Early Completion of Graduate Degree Requirements

Graduate students who consider the completion of all degree requirements in less than the standard length of time for their program of study must consult with their degree-granting program or department to determine if early degree certification is allowed academically and under what circumstances.

Incomplete Graduate Degree Requirements

In some cases, students in an IBM program may withdraw from the graduate component of the program of study and, therefore, will not be certified or awarded the graduate degree. Any such withdrawal decision also may require close consultation with the undergraduate advisor to determine eligibility for undergraduate degree completion and certification if the undergraduate degree is not already certified.

Extended or Longer-than-Standard Graduate Degree Completion

Longer-than-standard degree completion may occur due to academic interruptions in making progress toward the degree as defined by the academic program, interruptions of full-time study or progress toward the degree due to serious, documented medical issues, or other unusual or unforeseen circumstances.

IBM students who require longer than the standard time to complete their graduate degree requirements are expected to remain in close contact with their graduate program, and will be certified at the end of the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements. Students shall reference CMU Policy on Master’s Student Statute of Limitations regarding guidelines and restrictions which place an upper limit on the maximum length of time allowable for master’s degree completion and certification.

Additional Guidance for Students

Program of study.  Students seeking guidance about their program of study and degree requirements should consult with their academic advisor and/or appropriate associate dean.

Financial aid and student account.  Students are expected to make normal progress toward their degree in order to graduate within the standard timeframe for their program of study. Under U.S. Federal Title IV regulations, student eligibility for federal financial aid is contingent upon enrollment in and successful completion of courses that are counted as credit toward their current degree program. To receive the maximum amount of federal and state financial aid for which they may be eligible, students must enroll each semester in at least 36 units that count toward their current degree level. CMU institutional undergraduate grants support undergraduate degree completion and on-time graduation; institutional undergraduate grants for students in undergraduate programs and in IBM programs are renewable for eight semesters (and 10 for B.Arch.). 

Students should consult with their designated college liaison in The HUB regarding billing and financial aid, particularly for early completion, longer-than-standard completion, or integrated bachelor and master’s degree programs.

International students.  Immigration status for students in F-1 and J-1 non-immigrant status is tied to making normal progress toward completing degree requirements. Therefore, F-1 and J-1 students who are considering completing their degree requirements early, anticipating longer-than-standard completion, or moving from an undergraduate to a graduate student classification (integrated undergraduate-graduate study), should consult with their designated advisor in the Office of International Education (OIE) to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.

Guidance for Academic Advisors and Deans

Advisors and associate deans may direct questions regarding degree certification, norms or exceptions to the University Registrar or to the Vice Provost of Education.