CHECKLIST AND RECOMMENDED TIMETABLE
FOR DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE
Year 1
_____ Meet with your Temporary Advisor and with the departmental Graduate Director/Graduate Admissions Committee to determine which courses you should take the first semester and beyond.
_____ Complete ORCBS Hazardous Waste Safety Training (before classes begin in the first semester of your academic program)
_____ Enroll for PLB 800 the first semester of your graduate program.
_____ Take courses advised by your Temporary Advisor or Major Professor
_____ Designate Major Professor (this should be done before the end of the first year in the doctoral program)
_____ Form Guidance Committee (before the end of the first year in the doctoral program). The student should meet with their guidance committee on at least a yearly basis thereafter.
Year 2
_____ File Guidance Committee Report (this should be done before the end of the first semester of the student's second year in the doctoral program). This report includes a list of all the courses that will be required for the student to complete their degree. In addition to the requirements below, the student's guidance committee determines what course are necessary and appropriate for the student.
_____ Finish course requirements (this may not be possible for all students before the end of the second year, but they should be finished as soon as reasonably possible).
_____ PLB 803. Integrative Topics in Plant Biology (2 credits). This may be taken in the first or second year.
_____ One of the following:
1. Take NSC 830, Nature and Practice of Science (1 credit)
2. Complete workshop series offered by the Graduate School: Responsible Conduct of Research.
_____One of the following for at least 1 credit*:
CMB 800. Cell and Molecular Biology Seminar
ENT 812. Graduate Seminar
FW 893. Seminar in Fisheries and Wildlife
GEN 800. Genetics Seminar
GEO 874. Seminar in Geographic Information Science
HRT/CSS/FOR 892. Plant Breeding and Genetics Seminar
PLP 894. Seminar in Plant Pathology
ZOL 891. Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution
ZOL 895. Zoology Seminar
* Or another graduate seminar course, with "seminar" in the title,
in which PLB is not the lead department.
_____ Pass all courses listed in student’s Report of Guidance Committee
Year 3 and beyond
_____ Pass Comprehensive Exam. This exam should be scheduled before the end of the first semester of the student's third year in the doctoral program. The student must:
_____ Pass written exam
_____ Pass oral exam
_____ Present publicly announced seminar involving the student's research proposal and/or research in progress (no credit). This should be done within 3 months of passing the comprehensive exam.
_____ Fulfill Teaching Requirement if you haven't already (two different courses)
_____ Earn at least 24 credits of Doctoral Dissertation Research (PLB 999), complete dissertation research project
_____ Submit Application for Graduation to the University. This should be done near the beginning of the semester in which you intend to graduate, hopefully before the end of Year 5.
_____ Obtain Thesis/Dissertation Submission Packet from the Grad School.
_____ Complete Dissertation, get approval from Major Professor to distribute Dissertation to Guidance Committee. The thesis must be distributed to the Guidance Committee and to the Departmental Representative at least two weeks prior to the Final Examination.
_____ Present a publicly announced Dissertation Seminar to the department
_____ Pass Final Examination, file paperwork.
_____ Turn in final Dissertation and Abstract with all necessary corrections and required forms, with the signature of the major professor
_____ Final Certification
