Program Requirements
Advisory System (Committee)
The formation of your advisory committee is typically done during the first year. In addition to research guidance, your committee members must approve (in most cases) and sign all paperwork that is sent to the Graduate School for approval. This typically includes, but is not limited to, the Plan of Study and Final Exam form. Additional information about the Advisory System can be found on this Graduate Catalog page. There is no form for this step.
The committee should include a minimum of three members. The major advisor must be a UConn Graduate faculty member in Oceanography (from the department). The advisory committee must include at least two associate advisors, one of whom must hold a current appointment to the UConn Graduate Faculty. The third member can be a faculty member from UConn or another institution, and must have suitable academic or scientific credentials in the field of study.
Plan of Study. The plan of study should be submitted after the first year of studies and no later than the beginning of the term you plan to complete your degree requirements. If revisions are needed for the plan of study, you must submit a Request For Changes In Plan of Study form (please do not submit a revised plan of study). Note that all information on your plan of study must match your transcript, though not all courses on your transcript need to appear on your plan of study. Plan A requires a minimum of 15 credits of content course work, 9 credits of GRAD 5950 or 5960, and completion and defense of a thesis. Plan B requires a minimum of 24 credits of content course work and a final exam. No more than 6 credits of 3,000 and 4,000 level grades can be included. Grades lower than a C- cannot be included on the plan of study. Additional information can be found on the Standards & Degree Requirements catalog page and the Master’s Degree Program page. The Plan of Study and the Request For Changes In Plan of Study forms can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
Final Exam. The final exam should be scheduled after consultation with your advisory committee. Students should thoroughly review the various Graduate School pages and subpages for thesis specifications, thesis frequently asked questions, and thesis information. The Final Exam form can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
Advisory System (Committee)
The formation of your advisory committee is typically done during the first year. In addition to research guidance, your committee members must approve (in most cases) and sign all paperwork that is sent to the Graduate School for approval. This typically includes, but is not limited to, the Plan of Study, General Exam, Dissertation Proposal, and Final Exam forms for the Doctoral program. Additional information about the Advisory System can be found on this Graduate Catalog page. There is no form for this step.
The committee should include a minimum of three members. The major advisor and at least one associate advisor must be UConn Graduate faculty members in Oceanography (from the department). The third member can be a faculty member from UConn or another institution, and must have suitable academic or scientific credentials in the field of study.
Plan of Study. The plan of study should be submitted after the first year of studies and before the first part of the general exam. If revisions are needed for the plan of study, you must submit a Request For Changes In Plan of Study form (please do not submit a revised plan of study). Note that all information on your plan of study must match your transcript, though not all courses on your transcript need to appear on your plan of study. The plan requires 30 credits of content coursework beyond the baccalaureate (or its equivalent) or at least 15 credits of content coursework beyond the master’s degree in the same or a closely-related field of study (exclusive of any required Related Area), as well as 15 credits of GRAD 6950 or 6960. Usually no more than 6 credits of 3,000 and 4,000 level grades can be included. Grades lower than a C- cannot be included on the plan of study. Additional information can be found on the Standards & Degree Requirements catalog page and the Doctor of Philosophy Degree page. The Plan of Study and the Request For Changes In Plan of Study forms can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
General Exam. The written part of the general exam should be taken in the winter after the first year of studies and no later than the second year of study. The second part of the exam that is given by the advisory committee can vary (typically during year 2-3), but should be completed prior to the start of the work on the dissertation proposal. The General Exam form can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
Dissertation Proposal. The dissertation proposal process should begin following successful completion of both parts of the general exam. This process typically begins in year 3-4. The department has a review process that is outlined here. Additional information can be found on the Doctor of Philosophy Degree page. The Dissertation Proposal form can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.
Final Exam. The final exam should be scheduled after consultation with your advisory committee. Students should thoroughly review the various Graduate School pages and subpages for dissertation frequently asked questions, dissertation information, and dissertation specifications. The Final Exam form can be found on the Graduate School Forms page.