Key Steps, Deadlines, and Forms
| Action | Deadline | Signatures | Copies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete graduate advising with advisors | for registration every semester | advisor, advising comm | D*** |
| Complete add/drop of classes | consult advisor if after drop/add week | grad, advisor | D |
| First Years (before scheduling preliminary exam) | |||
| Select research advisor | first summer–2nd year | ||
| Pass qualifying exam | by 4th semester | ||
| Submit Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit | varies by semester; approval before Plan of Study |
none | GS, D |
| Submit Outline of PhD Program (Plan of Study) (The final version of this form must be submitted electronically, initiated by the dept office) | by semester of 30 earned hours | advisor, chair or grad dir | D, (GS) |
| Preliminary Exam & Advancement to Candidacy | |||
Take prelim exam:
|
by end of 7th semester, after core courses completed |
grad, comm, chair; prelim report signed by comm chair | DD |
Apply for Plan II Master’s degree: (see “Prelim report” above)
|
immediately after prelim passed (date) |
grad, chair or grad dir; Application for Degree signed by chair | GS,DGS,D |
| Complete Appoint / Change Doctoral Dissertation Comm online procedure | start of sem after prelim passed | comm, chair or grad dir | GS,D |
| Submit Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree (after prelim and coursework complete, may be submitted before or after doctoral committee form) (please fill out this form and submit it to the physics office to initiate the electronic process)**** |
soon after prelim passed, not after 1st week of graduating sem (date) |
grad, comm | 4GS,D |
| Candidates (before scheduling defense) | |||
| Enroll in at least 3 hours per semester of PH 699: Dissertation Research |
every semester after prelim | ||
| Meet with dissertation committee | annually after prelim passed (comm can request more freq) |
||
| Dissertation Defense, Submission & Graduation | |||
| Submit application for degree (through myBama*) | 1st week of graduating sem (date) | ||
| Schedule dissertation defense | >10 weeks before graduation | ||
| Submit dissertation to committee | >2 weeks before defense | ||
| Announce defense: Provide your title, abstract, time, and location to the department office via email for a departmental email announcement and provide that same information to the graduate school via the web form for public notice of dissertation defense. (Once processed your defense will appear on the graduate school-wide schedule.) |
>2 weeks before defense | D, GS | |
| Complete dissertation defense and submit information for defense electronic approval process to the department office (committee members, date of defense, and concurrence or dissent with decision for each member)**** | >8 weeks before grad | D, GS | |
| Submit information for dissertation approval electronic form to department office (example “offline” form showing needed information)**** | after dissertation defense, >6 weeks before graduation |
1) comm, chair or grad dir 2) after revision: grad, comm chair |
GS, D |
| Submit approved dissertation to grad school,
see submission process and preparation manual |
6 weeks before graduation (date) | ||
| Pay diploma fee to Office of Student Receivables | 1 month before graduation | ||
Notes
* Email or call the UA graduate school to notify them that you are picking up an MS degree on the way to PhD and need to add the MS degree program as a secondary program in order to do so; After following the graduate school’s instructions, which may require other steps, having the degree program on your UA record will make it possible to apply to graduate (receiving your MS degree but continuing in the PhD program), the next step. (Note that you should not have to pay any application fees or submit any materials or letters. If you are required to submit a statement of purpose, it can just consist of the statement “I am receiving a MS en route to PhD.”)
** After notifying Grad School that you are picking up MS on the way to PhD, apply for MS degree through myBama: myBama > Student tab > Student Services > Student Records > Apply to graduate
*** D = department; GS = Graduate School
**** These forms are approved electronically via email by each committee member.