Graduate School Newsblog

Tag: Graduate School

Academic Policies for Graduate Students

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Dear graduate students,

We hope this email finds you well, engaged with your academics, and taking time to take care of yourselves.  We realize that this is a stressful time and that the disruption caused by covid-19, coupled with social and physical distancing may have impacted your ability to be successful this semester.  We’d like to share some information to support your academic success this semester.

Dropping classes

The University is allowing students to drop classes through the Friday of Week 14 (5pm, April 24) with a grade of W.  A W grade is not calculated in your cumulative GPA. There is no refund for dropped classes.

If you are supported as a GTA/GRA/GTI, please contact the Graduate School prior to dropping classes, if possible, to receive permission to be registered for less than 9 credits.

International students may drop below 9 credits in the spring 2020 semester while maintaining their student status.  If you have questions regarding your status, please contact International Programs and Services.

To drop a class, email the Registrar’s Office at registrar@mtu.edu making sure to include both the course information and your M number. The deadline for withdrawing from a single course with a W will be extended through Friday of week 14 (5pm, April 24). Please submit your request no later than 5pm.

Withdrawing

If you would like to withdraw from all of your classes, please complete a Student Withdrawal form no later than 5pm on the Friday of week 14 (April 24).  You will receive a grade of W in all of your courses. There is no refund for your tuition if you withdraw.

If you are supported as a GTA/GRA/GTI, please contact the Graduate School prior to withdrawing, if possible.

International students should contact International Programs and Services to ensure that their student status and I-20 are updated.

Non-graded classes

(EDIT: 4/24/2020. If approved by the administration, pass/fail grades will be allowed for graduate students. Please see the updated information on our blog.)

The University Senate has passed a policy to allow undergraduate students to convert graded classes to non-graded classes (pass/fail). Graduate students will not be able to change the grading mode for their classes.  The Graduate School requires that classes earn a letter grade (A, B, etc.) in order to be used toward a graduate degree.

Each graduate program may allow up to six credits of BC or C grades to count toward a graduate degree. Please consult with your graduate program director to determine the academic standards in your program.

Student support

Our student support coordinator, Anna McClatchy, is available to help you find additional resources for your personal and academic concerns.  HuskyFAN is available to provide emergency food for those in need. Finally, Counseling Services is providing individual services, group sessions, and seminars through remote services and referrals. 

Academic grievances

If you have a grievance about any grades you have received this semester, please use the Academic Grievance policy to address these concerns.

Good standing

(EDIT: 4/24/2020. Senate Proposal 54-20 puts probation and suspension on hold for spring 2020.)

Graduate students must maintain good standing in order to continue pursuing a degree.  In general, this requires a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and making progress in research.  

A switch in academic standing from good to probationary status may occur after a poor academic performance. This is simply an indicator (or warning) that improvement is needed and has no impact on a student’s ability to participate in a degree program in the next semester.

However, if a student is currently on academic probation, continued poor performance would lead to academic suspension.  All students who are suspended are encouraged to appeal this decision so that they can remain active in their academic program.  The Graduate School reviews these appeals holistically and understands that it may have been an extra challenge to return to good standing this semester.

We are here to help.  Please let us know how we can assist you this semester. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Graduate School

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Adjustments to dissertation, thesis, and report deadlines for spring 2020

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Dear faculty, staff, and students,

In response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, the Graduate School will be adjusting deadlines for completing a dissertation, thesis, or report for spring semester.

To successfully complete a research degree, students must complete the following items by deadlines established by the Graduate School:

  1. Pass their final oral examination (“defense”)
  2. Submit the Approval of a Dissertation, Thesis, or Report form
  3. Submit a committee-approved dissertation, thesis, or report to Digital Commons
  4. Submit a committee-approved dissertation or thesis to ProQuest (reports do not submit to ProQuest)

For the spring semester, the following deadlines will apply for the above items:

  1. To complete a degree in spring, the deadline is 4pm on April 27, 2020.  This is a one week extension from the normal deadline.
  2. To complete a degree in summer – at no additional cost – the deadline is 4pm on May 27, 2020.  This is a three week extension of the regular “grace” period. For students with a terminal degree who submit by this deadline:
    1. The Graduate School will enroll them in UN5951 – a 0 credit, no fee, no tuition course
    2. The Graduate School will request that students are coded as “off campus”
    3. No fees – for this semester – will be due when the document is accepted
    4. A provisional certification indicating degree completion can be provided.  Students request this on the Approval form.

Students unable to submit by May 27 who wish to complete their degree in the summer must register for at least one credit.  They will have until 4pm on August 10, 2020 to complete their defense and submit their document and associated paperwork.

Defenses should still be scheduled two weeks in advance and must include a public presentation. These presentations may be held using an online platform of the committee’s choice and the URL provided for public access will be publicized by the Graduate School.   Based on feedback we have received, we offer the following suggestions for your defense using Zoom:

  • The IT Knowledge Base on Conferencing includes answers to many of your questions. Contact IT if you need additional assistance (906-487-1111, it-help@mtu.edu)
  • Set up your meeting to have a co-host so that a second person can start the meeting, mute participants with audio issues, or act as a moderator.
  • Set up your meeting to mute participants automatically when they join.
  • Set up your meeting to turn off video for participants to preserve bandwidth.
  • Share your slides and present as usual.
  • There are several options for asking questions during a Zoom webinar:
    • Participants can be encouraged to type questions in the chat window.  These can be answered in real-time or saved for the end.
    • Participants can “raise your hand” and then ask via chat, audio, or video.  It is helpful to have a friend or committee member be a moderator for this.
    • Participants can “unmute” themselves and simply ask their question. This is easier with a smaller group.
  • The “on-hold” feature may be used to exclude a participant from the audio and video feed, for example, while the committee is deliberating about the defense.

We hope that these adjustments will allow all students to complete their degree in a timely manner with less stress about registration and fee payment.

We are here to help.  Please let us know how we can assist you.

Sincerely,

Graduate School

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Graduate School Announces New Tradition to Celebrate PhD Students Achieving Doctoral Candidacy

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Advancement to candidacy is a major milestone for doctoral students. PhD students who have advanced to candidacy are deemed to have completed all formal requirements of their program, except the dissertation. Advancement to candidacy is an acknowledgment that the student is ready to undertake independent dissertation research and has the potential to successfully complete their PhD program. Formal requirements vary by program, they generally take two to three years after starting the program and include coursework, qualifying exams, and research proposal. To celebrate this milestone, the Graduate School at Michigan Tech has introduced a new tradition to recognize, applaud and celebrate doctoral students who attain this feat.

This new tradition will take the form of a ceremony that brings together candidates, their advisors and their families in celebration of students who have advanced to this stage in their studies. Candidates will be presented with certificates at the ceremony.

Commenting on this new tradition, Graduate School Dean Pushpa Murthy said, “The advancement to candidacy is a major milestone in PhD programs, it is an acknowledgment by the program that the PhD student has acquired the necessary advanced knowledge of the subject and demonstrated the ability to conduct research necessary for a dissertation.”

To be eligible for participation in this ceremony, doctoral students should have submitted the Petition to Enter Candidacy form. This form is submitted once the student has fulfilled the following requirements:

  • Submitted an approved degree schedule • Completed all relevant courses and course credits
  • Completed Basic and Advance RCR Training
  • Passed qualifying exams
  • Passed research proposal exams
  • Formed an advisory committee

Planning for the debut ceremony, which is scheduled for Feb. 26, is ongoing. More information about the new tradition and ceremony will be coming soon.

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Parental Accommodation for Graduate Students

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Having a family and pursuing a PhD is balancing act. I’ve given birth to 3 precious girls while pursuing my PhD. The parental accommodation policy at Michigan Tech has helped me embrace and enjoy my personal life without feeling pressure to finish my degree. I will finally graduate this semester!

Being a graduate student is challenging.  When coupled with becoming a new parent, that challenge can be overwhelming.  To assist graduate students who are new parents, the Graduate School has a parental accommodation policy;  in place since 2010.  This policy grants eligible students:

  • a six-week excused absence from classes,  
  • a one-semester extension for a student’s time-to-degree limit, 
  • a one-semester extension for completion of a qualifying exam,  
  • a one-semester extension for completion of a proposal defense, and 
  • guarantees that no student will be penalized financially during the period of accommodation.

This policy applies to graduate students who:

  • have new childcare or related responsibilities due to a recent or upcoming birth or placement of a child under four years of age in the home for the purposes of adoption
  • are the primary caregiver for the child or children new to the home
  • are enrolled full-time at Michigan Tech
  • are in good academic standing
  • have completed at least one full-time semester at Michigan Tech.

Funding may be available from the Graduate School to Department Chairs, School Deans, Graduate Program Directors, and Principal Investigators who must hire a temporary replacement for a student who has been granted an excused absence under the parental accommodation policy.

The Parental Accommodation policy has been in place since 2010. Graduate students who have availed themselves of this benefit have found it to be very helpful at a critical period in their lives.  

One student said, “Returning to work and school right after having a baby is not an easy job. This opportunity to have 6 weeks of parental leave helped me to cope well with my new status. Especially because it provides excused absences in which one can ask to extend course completion which is the peace of mind. Without having this leave, I cannot imagine how I could continue my studies with no complications. I appreciate MTU graduate school to provide this accommodation for new parents. And I encourage all grad students who are considering to become parents to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Another commented, “Having a family and pursuing a PhD is balancing act. I’ve given birth to 3 precious girls while pursuing my PhD. The parental accommodation policy at Michigan Tech has helped me embrace and enjoy my personal life without feeling pressure to finish my degree. I will finally graduate this semester!”

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Summer 2020 Finishing Fellowship Nominations Open

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Applications for summer 2020 finishing fellowships are being accepted and are due no later than 4pm, March 4, 2020 to the Graduate School. Please email applications to gradschool@mtu.edu.

Instructions on the application and evaluation process are found online. Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Must be a PhD student.
  2. Must expect to finish during the semester supported as a finishing fellow.
  3. Must have submitted no more than one previous application for a finishing fellowship.
  4. Must be a PhD candidate eligible for the research mode tuition rate at the time of application.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan. The Graduate School anticipates funding up to ten fellowships with support ranging from $2000 to full support (stipend + tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

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Smart Start Seminar – January 15, 2020

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New graduate students to Michigan Tech are invited to Smart Start.  In Smart Start, we’ll introduce students to resources and policies to assist them to have a successful start to their graduate career. It will be especially useful for students in their first year, but all students are welcome to attend. The seminar will be streamed for off campus students and recorded.

The seminar will be on January 15, 2020 beginning at 2:05pm in MUB Ballroom A.  Please register online to receive streaming information and reminders to attend.

It will be taped and available online for those unable to attend in person.

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Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis, and Report Process

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Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis, or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents, and submitting their documents.  In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion! Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend. Attend the entire event, or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

  • When: Wednesday, January 22, 2020, 1 – 5pm (see detailed schedule below)
  • Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission
  • Where: MUB Ballroom A; (register to attend online and receive participation instructions)
  • Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus.

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting, and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

Detailed schedule

  • 1 – 2pm – Submission 101
    Learn what is required to submit your document to the Graduate School and the deadlines for the upcoming semester.  Best for students who are completing their degree this semester or next semester.
  • 2 – 2:45pm – Formatting 101: Using the Guide and Word Template
    Learn how to find what you need in the Guide and use a Word template to create a perfectly formatted document the first time. LaTeX resources will be referenced, but not emphasized.
  • 2:45 – 3pm: Break
    Enjoy snacks and network with other attendees
  • 3 – 3:45pm: Formatting 102: Checking and fixing your document
    Learn how to use Adobe Acrobat to check your document to ensure it meets our formatting requirements and correct it without recreating the PDF.
  • 3:45-4:45pm: Formatting 103: Copyright for your dissertation, thesis, and report
    Learn how to use copyrighted materials in your document, including papers you have published as well as materials created by someone else.
  • 4:45 – 5pm: Final questions
    Have a question that hasn’t been answered yet? We’ll be available to answer any additional questions you have.
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Formatting Workshops for Fall 2019

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Are you working on formatting corrections for your dissertation, thesis, or report? Do you need help? Are you unsure where to submit your dissertation, thesis, or report?

Join the Graduate School (gradschool@mtu.edu) for group work hours. These workshops are provided at no charge to students working on a dissertation, thesis, or report. Staff will be able to help with the changes required by the Graduate School for these documents in MS Office. Assistance will also be available for converting documents to PDF from Word and how to make simple corrections and check your document in Adobe Acrobat. The workshops will be in rooms with PCs with University software, or you may bring your own laptop. Distance students may contact gradschool@mtu.edu about remote assistance during these times via web conferencing.  If you need additional help outside of these times, please contact the Graduate School.  On a limited basis, one-on-one assistance may be available.

Last day to submit a post-defense document to successfully complete your degree in fall is December 9, 2019 by 4pm EST!

All workshops will be held on the following dates at the mentioned time:

  • Monday, November 11, 2019 | 12:05pm – 01:55pm  | Library 0242
  • Monday, December 02, 2019] | 12:05pm – 01:55pm  | Library 0242
  • Friday , December 06, 2019 | 10:05am – 11:55am  | Library 0242
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Spring 2020 Finishing Fellowship Nominations Open

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Applications for spring 2020 finishing fellowships are being accepted and are due no later than 4pm, October 24, 2019 to the Graduate School. Please email applications to gradschool@mtu.edu.

Instructions on the application and evaluation process are found online. Students are eligible if all of the following criteria are met:

  1. Must be a PhD student.
  2. Must expect to finish during the semester supported as a finishing fellow.
  3. Must have submitted no more than one previous application for a finishing fellowship.
  4. Must be eligible for or in Research Mode at the time of application.

Finishing Fellowships provide support to PhD candidates who are close to completing their degrees. These fellowships are available through the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. They are intended to recognize outstanding PhD candidates who are in need of financial support to finish their degrees and are also contributing to the attainment of goals outlined in The Michigan Tech Plan. The Graduate School anticipates funding up to ten fellowships with support ranging from $2000 to full support (stipend + tuition). Students who receive full support through a Finishing Fellowship may not accept any other employment. For example, students cannot be fully supported by a Finishing Fellowship and accept support as a GTA or GRA.

Continue Reading →

Submission and Formatting 101: Master the Dissertation, Thesis, and Report Process

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Students who are completing a dissertation, thesis, or report are invited to join the Graduate School to learn about the resources available to them to assist in scheduling their defense, formatting their documents, and submitting their documents.  In one afternoon, you can learn everything you need to be successful and complete your degree in a timely fashion!  Faculty and staff who assist students with submissions are also welcome to attend.  Attend the entire event, or stop in for the seminar that interests you.

  • When: Wednesday, September 11, 2019, 1 – 5pm (see detailed schedule below)
  • Who: Students completing a dissertation, thesis or report; faculty and staff who assist students with submission
  • Where: MUB Alumni Lounge; (register to attend online and receive participation instructions)
  • Registration: Please register to receive handouts via email or attend online. The seminar will be available online as well as on campus.

If you are unable to join us, the event will be taped and available online after the event. The previous semester’s seminars are always available online.

Information on submitting, formatting, and more can be found online for dissertations and theses or reports.

Detailed schedule

  • 1 – 2pm – Submission 101
    Learn what is required to submit your document to the Graduate School and the deadlines for the upcoming semester.  Best for students who are completing their degree this semester or next semester.
  • 2 – 2:45pm – Formatting 101: Using the Guide and Word Template
    Learn how to find what you need in the Guide and use a Word template to create a perfectly formatted document the first time. LaTeX resources will be referenced, but not emphasized.
  • 2:45 – 3pm: Break
    Enjoy snacks and network with other attendees
  • 3 – 3:45pm: Formatting 102: Checking and fixing your document
    Learn how to use Adobe Acrobat to check your document to ensure it meets our formatting requirements and correct it without recreating the PDF.
  • 3:45-4:45pm: Formatting 103: Copyright for your dissertation, thesis, and report
    Learn how to use copyrighted materials in your document, including papers you have published as well as materials created by someone else.
  • 4:45 – 5pm: Final questions
    Have a question that hasn’t been answered yet? We’ll be available to answer any additional questions you have.
Continue Reading →