Is publishing a graduation requirement in many master's programs?
I've never heard of a publication requirement for a masters degree in the USA or UK.  There is not even a novelty requirement for a masters dissertation, that's what makes it different from a PhD.  Obviously publishing is a good idea if you want to continue on to a PhD, it makes your CV look much stronger and shows your promise as a researcher.  But frankly, in the UK at least there is no time to publish before you finish your dissertation (Masters degrees are very compressed one year degrees) and most publications follow the formal completion of the degree.