To Do List

Year One:
1) On-line forms for direct deposit, state & federal tax, & ISA (Information Security Acknowledgement) completed and submitted through MyPack Portal. To access the portal, go to the NCSU homepage and click the tab designated “MYPACK PORTAL.” Under MyPack Login, sign on with unity ID (initials of first and middle name and first 6 characters of last name) and your 8 digit password (last 4 digits of student ID # and number of birth month and birth date). Paper forms such as the New Graduate Student Info Sheet, Patent Agreement, PIF (Personal Information Form) and the I-9 form, are to be completed and returned to Connie Hockaday in 1113 Jordan within the first three days of the semester. All on-line forms and paper forms are to be completed within the first three days of the semester. International students should contact Michelle Anderson @ 515-4370 for assistance in completing tax forms and Nancy Crumpler at 515-4369 is the contact person if assistance is needed for U.S. residents.

2) Obtain key to your assigned office from Christine Epps in 1125 Jordan Hall.

3) Take steps towards establishing NC residency for tuition purposes (US students from out of state) before or early in the first semester. This is not required but is highly desirable both for you and the college. (See Instructions Concerning the Establishment of N.C. Resident Status handout)

4) With aid of initial advisor select and register for courses for the Fall (9 credit hrs per semester are required for those students who are on assistantships in the Fall and in the Spring). Do the same for the Spring semester in the pre-registration period which occurs in mid-Fall. Be sure to register before the end of the first week of class (and if 9 hrs are required you must remain registered for 9 hours for the entire semester to ensure full benefits).

5) By the end of your first semester, secure the agreement of a faculty member to be your permanent advisor who will chair or co-chair your advisory committee. Inform Connie if this is a change from your initial advisor. The initial advisor for students with Research Assistantships has already agreed to serve as chair; these students may change advisors but should be sure that RA support is available from the new advisor.

6) Select a research topic.

7) Start thesis or dissertation research.

8) With the aid of your advisor, select at least 2 (for MS students) or 3 (for PhD students) additional faculty to serve on your advisory committee and secure their consent to serve. At least two members (including your advisor) must be permanent MEAS faculty. Other members may be faculty from other departments or adjunct professors with Graduate Faculty Status.

9) Before the end of the second semester, submit your committee names and Plan of Work (POW) on line. The POW requires the names of committee members and a list of courses taken and to be taken. MS students need a minimum of 30 hrs and PhD students a minimum of 72 past the BS or 54 past the MS.

MS students:
6 hrs of MEA 695 (MS Thesis Research) and 1 hr of MEA 601 (Student Seminar) and at least 18 hours of coursework are required in the minimal 30 hour plan. Note that 6 hours of MEA 695 are the most that can count towards the 30 hour MS minimum. Also while 400-level courses taken outside MEAS can count, 400 level courses in MEAS as well as hours in MEA 699, or any course lower than the 400-level will not count towards the minimal 30 hrs. Also at least 20 hrs must come at the 500-level and above.

PhD students:
Only MEA 801 (Student seminar) is required by the department. Most PhD programs have many hours of MEA 895 (PhD Research); appropriate courses are determined by you and your committee.

10) Once the Plan of Work is submitted, you must meet with your committee at least once a year.

Year 2 and after:
You must register each Fall and Spring until you graduate.
If you take your final oral and/or submit your thesis/dissertation over the summer, you must be registered then as well. Students on assistantships must register for the minimum number of hours given at http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_financialService/pocket_chart.htm (see Pocket Chart handout)

For MS students:
- Take seminar in 3rd semester (4th at the latest).
- Meet with committee at least once each year
- Complete coursework on Plan of Work (POW).
- Complete research on thesis.
- Write your thesis.
- Submit on-line Application for Graduation within first 6 weeks of semester that you anticipate graduation.
- Submit thesis to your committee two weeks before the final exam.
- Take final oral exam (must be scheduled through Connie with 2 weeks' notice).
- Pass exam and get committee signatures on cover page of thesis when each member is willing to approve the thesis.
- Make a PDF of signed cover page and submit this and a PDF of your thesis/dissertation by e-mail to the thesis editor. This submission constitutes your initial thesis review. This review must take place at least about 6 weeks before graduation otherwise the degree is conferred at the next graduation. The deadline for thesis review is announced at the start of each semester. If you miss the deadline for thesis review but do have the review before the start of the next semester, an updated on-line Application to Graduate is required but registration for the following semester is not required.
- Graduate

For PhD students:
- Take seminar in 3rd semester (4th at the latest).
- Meet with committee at least once each year
- Continue coursework on Plan of Work (POW)
- Continue research.
- No earlier than your 4th semester take your written Preliminary Exam that is put together by your advisory committee.
- Prepare a written Ph.D. proposal that is submitted to your committee two weeks before oral exam.
- Take Oral Preliminary Exam (must be scheduled through Connie with 2 weeks notice).
- Complete research.
- Write dissertation.
- Complete course work on POW
- Submit on-line Application for Graduation within first 6 weeks of semester that you anticipate graduation.
- Submit dissertation to your committee two weeks before the final exam.
- Take Final Oral Exam (must be scheduled through Connie with 2 weeks notice).
- Pass exam and get committee signatures on cover page of dissertation when each member is willing to approve the thesis.
- Make a PDF of signed cover page and submit this and a PDF of your thesis/dissertation by e-mail to the thesis editor. This submission constitutes your initial thesis review. This review must take place at least about 6 weeks before graduation otherwise the degree is conferred at the next graduation. The deadline for thesis review is announced at the start of each semester. If you miss the deadline for thesis review but do have the review before the start of the next semester, an updated on-line Application to Graduate is required but registration for the following semester is not required.
- Graduate

Graduate Student Support Plan
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Dr. Gerald Janowitz, Dir. of Graduate Programs - 4148 Jordan Hall, 515.7837
Connie Hockaday, Student Services Assistant - 1113 Jordan Hall, 515.7776

Updated 08/04/09