Time Limits
Master’s degree students are permitted to continue in a program for a maximum of eight years following their term of admission to the program. Students who have been inactive (not registered for any courses) for two or more years or who exceed eight years following their term of admission are required to apply for readmission to the University and the SSW.
Graduate coursework used to meet master's degree requirements must be satisfactorily completed within a period of eight years immediately preceding the conferring of the degree. The rationale for this limit is to ensure that students earning a master's degree have current knowledge (no more than eight years) in their field. Courses completed in the same term as degree conferral (fall, spring, summer) eight years previously are considered to fall within the eight-year limit (for example, a course completed in fall 2018 would fall within the limit for fall 2024-degree conferral). A course completed more than eight years prior to the term of degree conferral must be revalidated if it is to be used toward meeting degree requirements. Revalidation can be accomplished through the following procedure:
The current instructor of the course determines the method used to revalidate the course. The student may, for example, be required to complete specific activities (such as repeating all or some of the course or completing a set of readings). The instructor then assesses the student’s knowledge of course material (through such means as a written or oral examination, a paper, a project, or some other assessment) and determines if the student’s knowledge is adequate to justify revalidation of the course.
- The instructor submits a description of the revalidation method and results of the assessment to the college or school dean or designee.
- The college or school dean or designee submits a letter describing the revalidation process and supporting the revalidation to the Associate Provost for Graduate Academic Affairs.
- The Associate Provost informs the Office of the Registrar that the course has been revalidated.
Application for Graduation and Awarding of Degrees
All degrees are conferred by the WVU Board of Governors as recommended by the faculties of the various colleges and schools. A degree is granted at the end of the semester or summer term in which a student completes all the requirements of the MSW, provided the student has applied for graduation and the MSW program director or the director of the SSW has certified completion of all degree requirements.
For MSW graduates who are interested in applying for licensure, the SSW submits a letter yearly (typically during mid-late March) to the West Virginia Board of Social with a list of MSW graduates in good standing. This can be used as documentation in lieu of a diploma if the student wishes to apply to take the licensure test prior to the graduation date. Students who are graduating at other times of the year or who are seeking licensure in states other than West Virginia should contact the appropriate state board to determine the required documentation. Students can contact the MSW program director to request any additional documentation that is required.
A student becomes eligible to graduate when they complete the requirements of the University, college or school, and major degree program according to the Graduate Catalog in effect at the time the student first entered WVU, although these requirements are subject to change at any time with reasonable notice provided to students. With the consent of the student's advisor and dean, a student may choose to meet the conditions published in a later catalog. If a student entered WVU more than seven years previously, the student must complete the requirements in a catalog that is no more than seven years old.
Students must observe any program changes that are enacted by the West Virginia University Graduate Council, West Virginia University Faculty Senate, West Virginia University Board of Governors, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, or by local, state, or federal law.
WVU will not issue a diploma or a transcript to any student until payment of all tuition, fees, and other indebtedness to any unit of the University is made.