The program is characterized by flexibility and as such, courses and labs are offered at alternative times and in a variety of formats, including face-to-face, hybrid and online.? The thesis option includes a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours including at least 24 hours within the college, 18 of which must be in a single area or discipline. Three hours each of thesis research and thesis writing are taken above the 18 hour requirement in discipline. Students are required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination (written, oral, or a combination of the two methods) based on their area(s) of study and to defend the thesis.? The non-thesis option requires a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours, including at least 24 hours within the college, exactly 18 of which must be in a single discipline. A maximum of 12 graduate credit hours may be in an area external to the College of Sciences and Mathematics (CoSM).