{"id":8466,"date":"2019-12-12T11:20:32","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T16:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/maf-draft\/?page_id=8466"},"modified":"2026-03-25T12:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T16:33:41","slug":"graduate-milestones","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/maf\/academics\/graduate-milestones\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Milestones"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Graduate School Forms<\/a><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
MAF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\nMMA<\/strong><\/td>\nJOINT\/MMA (RISD,RWU,OCG)<\/strong><\/td>\nMAMA<\/strong><\/td>\nPhD<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical time<\/strong><\/td>\n2-4 semesters<\/td>\n2-3 semesters<\/td>\n4 semesters<\/td>\n6-10 semesters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Core Courses**<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

MAF 511, MAF 521, MAF 577, MAF 651, 434\/534 or EEC 435\/535 (replaces EEC\/REN 514)<\/td>\nMAF 511, MAF 521, MAF 577, MAF 651, 434\/534 or EEC 435\/535 (replaces EEC\/REN 514)<\/td>\nMAF 502, MAF 511, MAF 521, MAF 577, MAF 583, MAF 651, 434\/534 or EEC 435\/535 (replaces EEC\/REN 514)<\/td>\nMAF 502, MAF 511, MAF 521, MAF 577, MAF 583, MAF 651, MAF 650 (x2), EEC 534 or EEC 535 (replaces EEC\/REN 514)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Core courses credits<\/strong><\/td>\n15<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elective course credits***<\/strong><\/td>\n12 – (6 must be in MAF)<\/td>\n6 (3 must be in MAF)6 additional will transfer in from dual degree<\/td>\n12 (9 must be in MAF)<\/td>\nat least 24 (typically transferred credits from previous masters count toward elective requirement)            * Note 400 level courses may not count toward PhD credit requirements<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
major project (MAF 589), thesis credits, or research credits<\/strong><\/td>\n3 (MAF 589)<\/td>\n3 (MAF 589)<\/td>\n6 (MAF 599)<\/td>\n\n
0-27 (MAF 699)<\/div>\n
* Note PhD students may only take 6 credits of MAF 699 before passing comps<\/em><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Notes<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/td>\n6 credits are transferred in<\/td>\n <\/td>\n*(up to 30 may transfer from masters, 6 additional with petition)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total Required Credits<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\n30<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\n30<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\n39<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\n64<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
MILESTONES<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Major advisor selected<\/strong><\/td>\nTypically end of 1st semester<\/td>\nTypically end of 1st semester<\/td>\nTypically beginning of 2nd semester<\/td>\nTypically beginning of 2nd semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Big Picture Meeting<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nDuring 3rd Semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Committee established<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n With or before program of study and\/or proposal approval<\/td>\n With or before program of study and\/or proposal approval<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Committee makeup<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n2 MAF, 1 outside, 1 chair (outside), may have additional members<\/td>\n2 MAF, 1 Outside, (Orals  +1 Outside), may have additional members<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Credit transfers<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n6 from joint program<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nwith Program of Study below<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Program of Study<\/strong><\/td>\nEnd of 1st Semester<\/td>\nEnd of 3rd semester<\/td>\nEnd of 3rd semester<\/td>\nEnd of 3rd semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comp Exam<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nWithin 12 months of completing core courses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proposal approval by committee<\/strong><\/td>\nEnd of 1st semester (major paper proposal)<\/td>\nEnd of 1st semester (major paper proposal)<\/td>\nBefore submission to grad school, typically end of 2nd semester<\/td>\nBefore submission to grad school, typically end of 4th semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
IRB Approval<\/strong><\/td>\nDepends on topic\/methods<\/td>\nDepends on topic\/methods<\/td>\nAfter proposal approved by committee and >6 months before graduating (if necessary)<\/td>\nAfter proposal approved by committee and >6 months before graduating (if necessary)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Proposal Approval by grad school<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nAt least 1 semester before graduation<\/td>\nBefore end of 7th semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nomination for graduation<\/strong><\/td>\nbeginning of final semester<\/td>\nbeginning of final semester<\/td>\nbeginning of final semester<\/td>\nbeginning of final semester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Defense\/presentation<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n~1 month before graduation<\/td>\n1-2 months before graduation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Final copy of Project\/Thesis\/Dissertation<\/strong><\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n~2 weeks before graduation<\/td>\n~2 weeks before graduation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

MAF 651 \u2013 Marine Affairs Seminar (Fall)<\/p>\n

MAF 521 – Coastal Zone Law (Fall)
\nMAF 577 \u2013 International Ocean Law (Fall)<\/p>\n

MAF 583 \u2013 Quantitative Methods in Marine Affairs (Spring)<\/p>\n

MAF 511 \u2013 Marine Science and Ocean Uses (Spring)
\nMAF 502 \u2013 Research Methods in Marine Affairs (Spring)
\nEEC 434\/534 Economics of Natural Resources <\/span>or EEC 435\/535 Environmental Economics<\/span> (Spring)<\/p>\n

** NOTE: For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2025, the following : <\/strong><\/p>\n