Mathematics

1
Mathematics Statistics Graduate Orientation
2010-11

• Piotr Kokoszka, Graduate Director
• grad_at_math.usu.edu

2
On Tap for This Afternoon

• The forms
• The deadlines
• Connecting with an advisor
• Other important points

3
Forms Overview

• Supervisory Committee official record of your
  advisor and rest of committee
• Program of Study plan for completion of
  necessary classes
• Appointment for Examination schedule defense of
  your thesis

4
Supervisory Committee Approval Form

• Major professor (advisor) and committee (2
  others for MS, 3 others 1 external for PhD)
• Due within first two semesters
• Requires signatures by committee members
• and department head

5
Program of Study Form

• Due within first two semesters
• List classes you propose to take for your degree
• Graduate school checks
• Sufficient grades credits
• Only courses on form eligible for tuition waiver
• Department uses to help schedule classes
• Requires signatures from committee, department
  head

6
Appointment for Examination Form

• Informs department and grad school when and where
  the defense of your dissertatation/thesis (A or
  B) will occur
• Due two weeks before the defense
• Requires signatures of entire committee
• Requires defendable copy of manuscript given to
  committee two weeks before you want their
  signature

7
Early Deadlines

• Supervisory Committee Program of Study
• Complete before end of second semester
• NO FORMS, NO TA NEXT YEAR
• Qualifying Exam (if required)
• First attempt before beginning of third semester
• Last attempt in third or fourth semester
• ONLY TWO ATTEMPTS ALLOWED

8
Later Deadlines

• To have name in commencement program all
  requirements must be completed four weeks before
  finals
• Deliver defensible thesis to committee four
  weeks before defense (about two months before
  end of semester)
• Proposal defense (plan A, PhD), PhD candidacy
  form gt 3 months before defense ( Early Dec for
  Spring graduation)

9
Spring 2009 Case Study

• Commencement May 2
• Last graduation paperwork due May 1
• For posting degree to spring semester
• Library binding receipt, grad fee payment, alumni
  card,
• letter from department, changed grades
• Last Day of Classes April 24
• Last day to defend April 17
• Can go through commencement
• Appointment to Schedule Defense April 3
• Committee signs, agrees ms defensible
• Thesis to Committee March 20
• Penultimate draft
• Proposal Defense (PhD/Plan A) Dec. 4

10
The Virtue of an Advisor NOW

• Begin research early enough to publish (most
  faculty complain that students start too late to
  get a good thesis done)
• Professional mentoring and advice about program
  of study (and signatures!)
• Opportunities for research assistantships
• Advocacy within the department and university

11
Finding an Advisor

• What excited you when you studied it? Ask the
  professor about research in that area.
• Which faculty interested you personally? Ask
  them about their scholarly activity.
• What are other students doing? Ask them about
  their thesis.
• What posters/papers in the department catch your
  eye? Ask the author(s) a question about it.
• Almost all scholars like talking about their
  work!
• Nobody is offended if you dont work with them.

12
Decision Points

• Are you comfortable with the person?
• Are you interested in the potential research?
• Can you see a clear track to completion?
• Does the foundational coursework fit with your
  educational history and interests?
• Is the research relevant to your career goals?
• Jobs in private sector
• Jobs in public sector
• Future doctoral programs/postdocs
• Is there funding available (summer, RA, travel)?

13
Points to note

• If you drop a class too late (or get C-) tuition
  must be repaid (check deadlines)
• Upgrading to full TA GPA 3.6 and letter from
  advisor
• TAs are for one year and are not automatically
  renewed
• Poor grades, poor teaching, no promise of timely
• graduation -gt TA will not be renewed
• MS two years of support PhD four years