Please review the handbook for your particular program: ES, ENRP, or GPES.
Deadlines
There are a number of deadlines that must be met on time in order for you to receive your graduate degree. A variety of documents are designed to keep you on track with your program. Please make sure these are completed and on file with your major professor and, where required, on file with the office of instruction and graduate study.
For example, if you plan to graduate in December this year, the deadline for you to submit a request to schedule your defense of your thesis is September 17 (that may be extended, check the graduate office website for updated deadlines). The final version of your thesis must be submitted to your committee no later than November 12 to meet the deadline for your oral examination of November 26 for graduating in December. After the final version is approved by your major professor and your streering committee copies and cover letters must be submitted to the graduate office by December 3. Getting things done well ahead of the deadlines will avoid a lot of stress for everyone.
By the end of your 2nd semester all masters and doctoral students should complete the 2A form officially appointing your steering committee (major professor and 2 others for MS, major professor and 1 other for MPS). After you've formed your committee you then can complete your Plan Sheet (3B form), which must be completed and approved by your committee no later than the end of your 3rd semester. A copy of the Plan Sheet is in your handbook and available on-line.
Plans of Study
In addition to these college-wide forms Environmental Studies grads (MS, MPS) must also complete a Plan of Study. It is the place where you think and write reflectively about your learning objectives and how you plan to achieve them through coursework and professional experience. The ES Plan of Study is described in the handbook appropriate to your degree. These need to be approved by your major professor and revisited each time before you register for a new semester. You and your advisor should determine if it remains accurate or needs to be updated.
GPES/ ENRP students are not required to complete the Environmental Studies Plan of Study. However, it would be good to do so anyway, to make sure that you and your major professor are in agreement on your goals and how to achieve them.
The Environmental Studies Plan of Study must be approved prior to advising week (typically the beginning of November) of your first year.
MPS Students
If you are an MPS student, your internship or synthesis paper must be approved by your major professor and the department chair before you embark on the work.
Thesis and Dissertation Deadlines for May 2010 graduation
- Request for scheduling defense: late January, 2010
- Last possible day to submit final document to your committee to make May graduation: April 10th.
- Last possible day for defense to meet May graduation: April 24
I will be holding the first "listening session" for all graduate students (ES, GPES, and ENRP) with major professors in the Department of Environmental Studies, Friday, September 4, from 3:30 till no later than 5:00, 105 Marshall.
Jack Manno
