In some cases, there are sequences of courses that begin with these required courses, and so you would be well advised to take the courses early on. In particular, Q312 and Q314 are prerequisites for more advanced courses. And, if you feel at all uncertain about your understanding of information technology, you will probably want to take Q301 in your first semester. But there is no rule that requires you to finish the required courses before moving on to the rest of your program. Your master's degree must be completed within a period of eight years beginning with the first semester of enrollment in which you are accepted to the degree program.
All students write a comprehensive examination in their last semester.
Students may be eligible to take the examination the semester before graduation upon approval from their advisor and the examination committee. Students can, however, do independent studies and projects as part of their program. Required courses are offered in Columbia, St. Louis, and Kansas City on a regular basis. The agreement allows SMSU to offer required courses on a regular basis. Some courses are available via the Internet.