Course Overview
SAFS offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Science, which requires the preparation of a thesis, and the Doctor of Philosophy, which requires completion of a dissertation. Students who do not hold an M.S. at the time of matriculation will only be admitted to the Master's program. The completion of a Master's Degree is required before students can begin the Doctoral Degree program. In exceptional cases, the student may petition the School to bypass the Master's Degree and move on to the Doctoral Degree program, but only after completing at least one year of study in the Master's program and satisfying all of the applicable M.S. degree requirements (except for the thesis). The procedures and requirements necessary to accomplish this are outlined in the Doctoral Degree program section of this website.