1. WELCOME TO GRADUATE SCHOOL

2. Dean’s Welcome Tips for Success in Graduate School General SDSU Information Introduction to Campus Technology SDSU Graduate School Policies & Procedures Q & A Agenda

3. Tips for Success in Graduate School Learn Academic Requirements Conditional Admission Low GPA/Academic Probation Assume responsibility for your success Familiarize yourself with the Graduate Catalog Learn degree requirements Use your advisor Be proactive in completing your degree Obsolete coursework Master’s – 6 years PhD – 8 years Make a Plan of Study Adapted from http://www.career.ucf.edu/Students/Graduate_Students/Tips_for _Achieving_Success_in_Graduate_School_31_417.aspx

4. Campus Information Parking All campus parking lots require a parking tag from 8am-4pm or you risk receiving a ticket Purchase parking tags online through sdstate.edu/parking 605-688-PARK Yaeger Hall Room 103 Student ID Card Photo ID Student ID Number Entry to the Wellness Center Entry to Athletic Events Hobo Dough Meal Plan Card services - Yaeger Hall Be sure to bring a photo ID with you to get your ID card

5. Offices to Know Cashier’s (Admin 136) Student accounts/bills Financial Aid (Admin 100) Loans, grants, work study, loan deferral Graduate School (Admin 130) Any student concerns Records (Admin 100) Petitions Transcripts Student Health & Counseling (Wellness Center) Health appointments One on one and group counseling

6. Offices to Know Wintrode Student Success Center (Wintrode Building) Tutoring Writing Center CAP Center (Medary Commons 120) Resume writing Interview Skills Job postings (part time, full time, on and off campus) International Affairs (Briggs Library 119) Comprehensive home for international students and scholar services

7. SDSU Website www.sdstate.edu/graduate

8. WebAdvisor Webadvisor.sdstate.edu Class registration, payment, course listings, grades

9. MyState Mystate.sdstate.edu Student portal – Jacks email activation, Parking, Student schedule, News & Events, Access to Accounts (Hobo Dough, WebAdvisor, etc)

10. Jacks Email Yourlogin@jacks.sdstate.edu Jacks email accounts are the official email of SDSU, all university news and contact will come via your Jacks account. You are responsible for activating and checking this account. Yourlogin@jacks.sdstate.edu Your password

11. Desire 2 Learn (D2L) d2l.sdbor.edu Online course materials

12. Need Technical Support? eSDSU Laptop Center (Student Union) Free labor Computer support Viruses SDSU Support Desk (Admin 131) 688-6776 or supportdesk@sdstate.edu Support on SDSU systems (Email, WebAdvisor, etc)

13. Registration & Status Transcripts SDSU needs final official transcripts from all previous institutions – failure to submit can block registration Immunization records MMR shots are also required for all students taking classes on campus – failure to submit can block registration Active Status To maintain active status students must be registered for each semester of the academic year (excluding summer). Students who fail to register will be considered inactive and will have to reapply Graduate assistants must register for a minimum of 1 credit (including summer) in order to keep assistantship

14. Advisory Committee Major advisor – chairperson, must have Grad Faculty Status Program representative – from major or related dept. Additional member – major department or related department – can be a professional with outstanding academic record or knowledge of the field outside the university Graduate Faculty Representative – assigned by the Graduate School, from a discipline not closely related to the major/minor. Ensures that rules and regulations are followed, acts as the students advocate Master’s students - first semester or as soon as practical after beginning degree program Doctoral - first semester or prior to twelve (12) semester hours of Graduate work

15. Plan of Study List of agreed upon courses which will complete degree requirements Doctoral students will meet with advisory committee before submitting Plan Submit the first semester of graduate work or prior to 50% of credits towards graduation

16. Plan of Study

17. Scheduling Comps & Orals All Comprehensive and Final Written and Oral exams must be scheduled through the Graduate School Oral exams are required for all programs For Master’s Thesis students, the Oral Exam is the defense For Doctoral Students the final oral exam is the Dissertation Defense

18. Master’s Written and Oral Exams Comprehensive Written Exams are only required by some departments Must be scheduled at least two weeks before final oral Request to schedule orals must be submitted 10 working days before oral exam Oral exam must be complete by date published for graduation during that semester

19. Doctoral Written and Oral Exams Comprehensive written exam is administered after coursework has been substantially completed Comprehensive oral exam is scheduled upon satisfactory completion of written Forms for all exams need to be submitted no more than 10 working days before scheduled exam Oral comprehensive exam must be at least 2 months before final dissertation defense Final Orals complete by published deadline to graduate during the same semester

20. Scheduling Comps & Orals

21. Thesis & Dissertation SDSU Graduate School has set format requirements for binding purposes Available on SDSU’s website Department may also have guidelines specific to your area of study Follow all printed submission dates published by the graduate school each semester Watch for announcements re: Thesis/Dissertation Formatting workshop – Fall 2012

22. Q & A Door prizes Thanks for coming!