New operational procedure for filling out the degree plan to sure fulfillment of both CPoS and financial aid requirements:
The first task you need to do is to fill out hte MS degree plan. [See blog on "Top 11 Things to Know and Do for a Great Start!" and hotlink for the blank degree plan form in point #1 for further details.] You will fill eventually fill out two versions of your MS degree plan. Follow these 3 steps.
Step 1: After you have selected your major MS thesis advisor, consult with him/her to determine what appropriate elective courses would be most helpful for your independent research. These courses constitute the graduate Chemistry elective hours. The combination of these courses will be either 5, 6 or 7 credit hours. If your coursework deviates from the original plan, a revision to the degree plan form must be filed. If you take courses taken outside the degree plan will not be covered by financial aid. There are a variety of approved graduate electives in the MS program. Most of our offered courses have a 3-hour credit. Some courses have 2-hour (e.g., CHEM 6530 "Biochemical Techniques") and 4-hour credits (e.g., BIOL 6380 'Experimental Immunology', BIOL 6290 'Advanced Scanning Electron Microscopy,' etc.). The variable 5-to-7 credit hour range would encompass a combination of two 3-credit hours classes, a combination of 2-credit hour and 3-credit hour courses, or a combination of a 4-credit and 3-credit hour courses.
Step 2: Sign up for 19 credit hours of CHEM 6640 research in your initial plan. Your final degree plan may likely differ. The 19 credit hours will take into account unexpected circumstances that you will result in more time spent than originally anticipated due to the unpredictable nature of independent research. For example, an important piece of equipment breaking down requiring an extended repair time may hamper the timely completion of your thesis work. The 19 credit hours also factors in a potential 7th semester graduate teaching assistantship extension, if needed (click here for details).
Step 3: Close to the end of finishing your degree, fill out a Revision to Degree Plan (click here to access form). In this form, you may delete superfluous CHEM 6640 hours or make changes to elective courses in the event that the original target course(s) could not be offered, or that a new direction in your research is needed.
Additional considerations:
Consult with your major thesis advisor when planning your CHEM 6640 credit hours. There is no "cookie cut" way to register for these hours since by nature, independent research is highly variable. The absolute minimum hours acceptable to the graduate school to maintain the standard teaching assistantship is 6 credit hours for the fall semester, 6 credit hours during the spring semester and 1 credit hour for summer.
You are permitted to sign up for more hours than needed. However, you should take heed that you do not go over the maximum number of allowed CHEM 6640 hours. One suggestion is to sign up for the absolute minimum hours per semester until you reach your terminal semester, and only then, load up on your remaining research hours (again, consult with your major research advisor for your particular case). Going over the cumulative 19 credit hour limit would cause problems with financial aid.
Step 2: Sign up for 19 credit hours of CHEM 6640 research in your initial plan. Your final degree plan may likely differ. The 19 credit hours will take into account unexpected circumstances that you will result in more time spent than originally anticipated due to the unpredictable nature of independent research. For example, an important piece of equipment breaking down requiring an extended repair time may hamper the timely completion of your thesis work. The 19 credit hours also factors in a potential 7th semester graduate teaching assistantship extension, if needed (click here for details).
Step 3: Close to the end of finishing your degree, fill out a Revision to Degree Plan (click here to access form). In this form, you may delete superfluous CHEM 6640 hours or make changes to elective courses in the event that the original target course(s) could not be offered, or that a new direction in your research is needed.
Additional considerations:
Consult with your major thesis advisor when planning your CHEM 6640 credit hours. There is no "cookie cut" way to register for these hours since by nature, independent research is highly variable. The absolute minimum hours acceptable to the graduate school to maintain the standard teaching assistantship is 6 credit hours for the fall semester, 6 credit hours during the spring semester and 1 credit hour for summer.
You are permitted to sign up for more hours than needed. However, you should take heed that you do not go over the maximum number of allowed CHEM 6640 hours. One suggestion is to sign up for the absolute minimum hours per semester until you reach your terminal semester, and only then, load up on your remaining research hours (again, consult with your major research advisor for your particular case). Going over the cumulative 19 credit hour limit would cause problems with financial aid.
