This page contains brief summaries of common graduate student procedures. For detailed information about Master’s and PhD program plans, committees, and degree requirements, please see the CSE Graduate Handbook .
In the first semester of graduate study, consult with your advisor to form a Master’s program plan . Submit your plan using the Graduate Tracking System.
Within one year of entering the program, consult with your committee to form a PhD program plan. New PhD students starting in Fall 2012 should submit plans using the new GradPlan web site. Students who started earlier than Fall 2012 who have not yet created a program plan should also use GradPlan. PhD students who already have a program plan within the Graduate Tracking System can continue to use GTS. If you entered with an MS degree and were able to waive some of the 30 required credits from your PhD program plan, do NOT include the waived credits on your official PhD program plan. They are not officially part of your PhD program plan but are simply waived from the 30 required credits. If you are using Grad Plan, you can include information about these waived courses in an additional notes section. You can consult this user guide for more information about Grad Plan.
Our PhD program requires 30 credits of graduate level coursework. If you enter the PhD program with an MS degree, the department can waive up to 24 credits from the 30 credit requirement based upon coursework you completed for your MS degree. Note that such courses will NOT appear on your PhD program plan.
To apply for the waived credits, you must bring the following with you when you arrive at MSU. These materials must be translated into English if they are not originally in English.
Add and delete courses to your current plan using the Graduate Tracking System or Grad Plan. Do not select "create a new program plan" if you are using GTS.
Master’s Students do not form guidance committees unless they are doing a Thesis option. Once students are ready to enroll in thesis credits, they are then required to form a guidance committee.
PhD students form a PhD guidance committee within one year of entering the program. The committee form is filed together with the PhD program plan.
Consult with your advisor to form a guidance committee. If you are an MS student, log on to the Graduate Tracking System to make an official record of your committee members and generate a form. This form must be signed by all committee members and submitted to Linda Moore. See the CSE Graduate Handbook for more information.
If you are a new PhD student, you will enter your committee information using Grad Plan.
Consult with your advisor to change your guidance committee. Log on to the Graduate Tracking System or Grad Plan to record changes.
Consult with your current advisor and also the graduate director. When the change is approved, send formal notification to Linda.
Generate a new guidance committee form using the Graduate Tracking System or Grad Plan. You must obtain approval (and signatures if using GTS) from the entire guidance committee.
A PhD program consists of three levels of status: Primary Status, Qualified Status, and Candidate Status.
Primary Status
Notify the department of when you intend to complete the PhD Defense.
Apply for graduation via the MSU Registrar's office. You must apply within the first week of the semester you intend to graduate to have your name included in the commencement program announcement.
Your advisor must send an e-mail request to Norma Teague. When the key is ready, Norma will send you an email. You may then go to the CSE main office and pick it up. Return the key prior to graduation to avoid having a hold placed on your degree.
There are a few places you can request travel funds from on campus. One is COGS. See the COGS funding page.
You can also request funding from the department, college, and Graduate School. If you are traveling internationally, the Office of International Studies and Programs may also provide matching funds. Most sources will provide funding one time during your graduate student career. To request this funding, complete the following PDF form and submit the completed form to Linda Moore who will then route as appropriate. Your advisor typically must provide some funds in order to receive matching funds from the department and college.
Note that you must submit a brief letter that indicates the following:
Note that this travel funding will be awarded in the form of a fellowship. If you have Stafford or other needs-based loans/aid, the amount of your award may cause a reduction of your loan(s) or other financial aid. If you know that this is your situation, please provide a copy of your receipts as soon as possible. We can work with the Office of Financial Aid to try to make sure your loan/aid amount will not be affected.
Always fill out a travel authorization form and save all receipts!
Obtain a travel authorization form from the department office. There is a list of required documentation attached to the travel authorization form; this is for you to take with you.
Obtain an account number from your advisor. It is good to talk with Norma
about travel regulations before you book flights, hotels, etc...
If you are flying internationally see Norma prior to booking any flights!
Students traveling abroad should visit the Travel Smart Web site before their trip. When students appointed as TAs or RAs travel outside the U.S. to conduct required thesis or dissertation research or to collaborate with investigators conducting research abroad, the department or research grant supporting the work will be required to pay for all needed vaccinations and or medications (e.g., anti-malarials) as determined by the MSU Travel Clinic. Students may include those costs in applications for funds from the Research Enhancement or Travel Grant programs administered by the Graduate School.
Obtain a travel authorization form from the CSE department office as soon as you know you will be traveling. This must be done
Your advisor must sign the travel authorization form. Submit travel authorization forms to Norma no later than one week prior to travel.
Save all receipts and submit them as soon as you return from traveling. Receipts include all documentation for transportation (airfare, car rental, bus, taxi, etc.), lodging, meals, and other authorized expenses.
