Tracking your progress with 'Degree Works'

Are you having trouble keeping track of your MS degree requirements as you progress through the program?  As of this year, all degree requirements, including listing of missing coursework, thesis defense requirements, etc. are grouped together inside Degree Works, which you may access via MTSU Pipeline account.  

1. Accessing Degree Works
On the MTSU homepage,  click on 'Pipeline' and log into your FSA using your email and password.  On the panel on the left-hand side click on "Registration & Student Records", circled in red (click image to enlarge;click on "x" in upper right corner to exit).

Another screen will display.  Scroll down.  On the right hand panel, click on "Degree Works", circled in red. Remember to adjust your web browser to permit pop-ups to display.  You may set the restrictions to allow pop ups for all MTSU web applets to show.  The screen that follows will show your progress (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit).

2. Display of Unmet Conditions

In this particular example, the student has met 73% of the program requirements.  Note that the status bar will not show 100% until after (s)he has graduated from MTSU.  There is a listing of completed requirements (checked, green boxes), not complete requirements (unchecked, red boxes), in-progress requirements, and any actions needed in which the student needs to see the advisor.  This student has not yet defended his/her MS thesis (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit).

3. Changing Elective Coursework

A most common mid-course alterating as you are pursuing the MS degree is changing your electives.  Be sure that the total Chemistry elective hours are between 5 and 7 credit hours to stay in financial compliance.  The listing of elective courses can be seen below (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit).

Changing electives for your course must to done using Dynamic Forms (explained in another blog), which eventually must be done prior to getting your degree.

Degree Plans & Revisions with Dynamic Forms

This is an update to the previous blog on creating and revising your degree plan.  All incoming accepted students are now required to submit a degree plan before the start of the first semester at MTSU, even if you don't know who your major MS research advisor is with whom you will complete your independent MS thesis.

Managing your degree plan and navigating within it will all be accomplished using Dynamic Forms which you will generate via your Pipeline account.  The following forms (described more fully below) will need to be generated, approved by your major thesis advisor and then by the MS Chemistry program coordinator (Dr. Charles Chusuei).  If you don't know who your major thesis advisor will be select the MS coordinator for now; this can be changed later in the semester.

Note that you should select a major research professor with whom you will complete your independent research.  You may use the forms in the appendices in the MS Chemistry Handbook (pages 10-11) as worksheets for the Dynamic Forms.  To help us help you track your progress to graduation, be sure to submit your forms in the appendices of the handbook at the recommended semesters to the MS Coordinator.

Click here to access the various Dynamic Forms.  All the needed forms will be located under the "Forms for Current Graduate Students" tab.  

1. Advising Form
The advising form is used to create your degree plan. Before completing this form, you should contact your major research advisor (or MS coordinator) for guidance on elective credit classes, which total between 5-7 credit hours.  Fill out your portion of the form for approval by your major research advisor.  Be sure to correct fill out his/her name and email address along with your information.  Ultimately, note that your "academic advisor" is your "major research advisor,"  the one who will oversee your MS thesis work (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit).

Click "submit" for approval.  After your advisor and coordinator approves, you will be able to register for classes for the first time.

2. Revision Form
If during the course of your study, you need to change your academic advisor (major research professor), you may do so by accessing the revision from under "Revision Form" within the "Forms for Current Graduate Students" tab.  Note that in our MS program, there is no Comprehensive Exam (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit). 

In addition, you may also change in electives using the form. After consulting with your advisor, enter in the reason for the change.  Note that you must take a minimum of 8 credit hours of Thesis Research (CHEM 6640) and at most 19 credit hours.  For reasons mentioned in the earlier version of this blog, exact matching of the credit hours you take with those in your degree plan must exactly match to avoid issues with receipt of financial aid (click to enlarge;click on upper right hand "x" to exit).  
After completing the revision form, click on "submit" for approval from your academic advisor, and MS program coordinator.

3. Intent to Graduate 
All students are required to submit an Intent to Graduate Form during the first two weeks of the semester they plan to graduate. Submitting this form initiates the degree checkout process, including verification of completion of degree requirements.  If the form is submitted after the deadline, the degree may still be conferred, but students may be unable to participate in commencement ceremonies or be published in the commencement program. 

4. Request to Withdraw Intent to Graduate
If you have filed an Intent to Graduate but later realize you will not actually be graduating, you must submit this form to alert the College of Graduate Studies.  Since Intents are due early in the semester, some students realize after filing their Intent that they will not meet the requirements for degree conferral.  If you have submitted an Intent, but do not actually graduate, you will not be able to register for classes again until you file this form.  Once you complete all requirements and are ready to graduate in a future semester, you will need to submit your Intent to Graduate again.

5. Advisory Committee Form
If you are writing a thesis or dissertation, you must submit an Advisory Committee Form to formally establish your committee and chair.  This should be done in the beginning stages of the writing process, before your proposal.  Please see the Thesis and Dissertation website for more information.  See page 10 of the MS Chemistry Handbook for a worksheet for this exercise.

6. Change in Advisory Committee Form
If you have established an Advisory Committee for writing your thesis or dissertation, and you need to make changes to your committee members, you will need to submit this form.  You may use this form to add or subtract members from your committee or to designate a different chair.