Useful Contacts

Department

• Main: http://www.geo.umn.edu
• For current grads: http://www.geo.umn.edu/dept/programs/gradcurrent.html
• For prospective grads: http://www.geo.umn.edu/dept/programs/gradprosp.html
• Computer Resources: http://www.geo.umn.edu/dept/computer/index.html
• Department Fellowships: http://www.geo.umn.edu/dept/programs/Grad-sch.html
• Other Fellowship Resources: http://www-eaps.mit.edu/funding.html  OR  http://www.cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/GRFN/

• Main: http://www.grad.umn.edu
• Catalog: http://www.grad.umn.edu/catalog/index.html
• Forms: http://www.grad.umn.edu/Current_Students/forms/index.html
• Degree Completion Procedures: http://www.grad.umn.edu/Current_Students/degree_completion/index.html
• Graduate School Fellowships: http://www.grad.umn.edu/fellowships/index.html

• Email Activation: http://www.umn.edu/validate
• Email Account Management: http://www1.umn.edu/adcs/info/accounts.html
• Course Information: http://onestop.umn.edu/registrar/registration/courses.html
• Registration: http://onestop.umn.edu/registrar/registration/index.html

Graduate Student Progress Checklist

Masters Program
 
 

4	Procedure	Timing
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 1st year
	Coursework largely completed	By end of 1st year
	Submit Degree Program Form	1st year, after 10 credits;  or no later than the end of the 1st year
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 2nd year
	All thesis credits must have been completed.	Before the defense.
	Final Exam  -Oral Defense for Plan A MS;  -Oral or written exam for Plan B MS)	End of 2nd year

 
 
 

Ph.D.

(students entering program without MS)
 
 

4	Procedure	Timing
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 1st year
	Coursework largely completed	By end of 1st year
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 2nd year
	Submit Names of 4 examiners to GSC for Written Prelims	Fall of 2nd year
	Submit Degree Program Form	Fall of 2nd year (before written prelims)
	Written Prelim Exams	Spring of 2nd year
	Declare Minor/Supporting Program	Before oral prelims
	Submit Research Proposal to DGS	One month before oral prelims
	Submit Research Proposal to each member of his/her committee and a one-page summary to faculty and grad in the department	Two weeks before oral prelims
	Oral Prelim Exams	Late Spring of 2nd year
	All thesis credits must have been completed.	After passing orals and before defense.
	Submit Thesis/Project Proposal to the Grad School/Set-up Final Defense Committee	Spring of 3rd year
	Final Defense	End of 4th year

Ph.D.

(students entering with MS or equivalent)
 
 

4	Procedure	Timing
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 1st year
	Submit Names of 4 examiners to GSC for Written Prelims	End of Fall of 1st year
	Submit Degree Program Form	End of Fall of 1st year (before written prelims)
	Coursework largely completed	By end of 1st year
	Written Prelim Exams	Spring of 1st year
	Declare Minor/Supporting Program	Before oral prelims
	Coursework largely completed	By end of 1st year
	Meet with Advisor & Grad Studies Committee	Beginning of 2nd year
	Submit Research Proposal to DGS	One month before oral prelims
	Submit Research Proposal to each member of his/her committee and a one-page summary to faculty and grad in the department	Two weeks before oral prelims
	Oral Prelim Exams	Late Spring of 2nd year
	All thesis credits must have been completed.	After passing orals and before defense.
	Submit Thesis/Project Proposal to the Grad School/Set-up Final Defense Committee	Spring of 2nd year
	Final Defense	End of 3rd year

 

Ph.D.

(students based in Duluth)

Use appropriate checklist above and include
 
 

4	Procedure	Timing
	Study at Twin Cities Campus	Worked out with student and advisor.
	Meet with DGS Liaison in Duluth	Beginning of 2nd year

Back to Top
 
 

Departmental Seminar Attendance Requirements

for Graduate Students in Geology and Geophysics

Attending seminars on topics outside oneís immediate interest is an excellent way to become broadly educated in Earth Sciences and to keep up with new developments. In recognition of the importance of these seminars to the education of graduate students and to the general intellectual environment of the department, graduate students in the Department of Geology and Geophysics will be required to attend departmental seminars on a regular basis, as defined below. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to attend as well. At the beginning of the semester, students will be given an attendance sheet for the entire seminar schedule. It is the student's responsibility to check-off seminars attended, and then return the form to Sharon at the end of the semester.

Ph.D. Students

Departmental policy on use of the Grad 0999 zero-credit registration option

Graduate students may register for Grad 0999 and therefore meet the Graduate School's requirement for registration in fall and spring semesters to maintain their graduate status. The department's restrictions on use of this registration option are outlined below.

The primary use of this registration option for students in the Department of Geology & Geophysics is for completion of the thesis. For M.S. students, all coursework should be completed. For Ph.D. students, all coursework and preliminary examinations should be successfully completed. In these cases, students may register for Grad 0999 for one semester. Graduate students who have completed all coursework and seek to register for Grad 0999 for a second semester must inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing.

Graduate students who do not meet the above criteria may also register for one semester of Grad 0999, but must inform the Director of Graduate Studies in writing. Students who wish to register for Grad 0999 for a second semester must have permission from their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students must submit a written request to the DGS. In most cases, permission will be given for a second semester.

Two semesters are the department's normal limit for Grad 0999 registration. If any student seeks to register for Grad 0999 for a third semester, he/she must formally apply to the Director of Graduate Studies describing why he/she seeks to maintain active graduate status without being enrolled in courses or involved in research and must include a plan/timeline for completion of the degree. Permission will be given only in unusual circumstances. Students requiring more than 2 semesters of active graduate status without being in residence in the department (participating in courses or research) should consider taking a leave of absence and seeking readmission when circumstances permit their return.

Students should be aware that they cannot register for Grad 0999 if they must be registered to hold a research or teaching assistantship, maintain their visa status, defer students loans, receive financial aid, or obtain credit for research.

Students exceeding the Department's limits for Grad 0999 registration will have a hold placed on their records by the Graduate School.

Back to Top
 

Office Space
This policy is intended to allow graduate students fair and equitable access to the Departmentís limited and disparate office space. Departmental offices will be assigned following the guidelines and procedures listed below. Office space within faculty laboratories is under the jurisdiction of the individual faculty member and not bound by these policies. Students are expected to use their offices on a regular basis. If they do not, other students may apply for a trade in office space, at which point the situation will be investigated by Kathy Ohler to determine if the office should be made available to other students.

Seniority
Priority for office space will be given in the following order:

• Master's candidates 3 years
• Ph.D. after MS elsewhere 4 years
• Ph.D. without MS 5 years
• Ph.D. after MS at U of MN 6 years (total)

After this time, departmentally assigned office space that the student occupies will be available for reassignment.

The time limits apply whether or not a student has spent part or all of the time using office space in a laboratory controlled by a faculty member. Upon exceeding the time limits, such a student's seniority for departmental space will be lower than that of incoming students.

Students assigned office space in research labs will be provided with desk space in Pillsbury Hall only when they have a TA assignment.

Students conducting research or fieldwork elsewhere for a semester during the academic year may retain their office spaces. Students who plan to be gone for more than a semester should notify Kathy Ohler.

Termination of Office Privileges
Students (and their advisors) will be notified of the end of their guarantee to office space during their last semester of eligibility. The student may petition Kathy Ohler for an extension of their eligibility, indicating why they should be allowed to remain in their present office rather than moved into a less desirable office (if one should be available). The studentís advisor must sign this petition. (Students assigned offices under the jurisdiction of their advisor are not bound by this policy, however they will be notified of the end of their eligibility.)

Upon request, Kathy Ohler will investigate cases where office space is not being used on a regular basis. Determination of eligibility will be made after consultation with the student and his/her advisor.

Notification of Office Vacancy
Students planning to complete their degree or relinquish their office space are asked to notify Kathy Ohler one semester prior to leaving.

A notice of a pending vacancy will be sent via e-mail. The office will be assigned to the requester with the most seniority. A lottery will be used in cases where there is a tie in seniority.

Requests
Requests for office changes must be in writing and include the specific offices desired. Requests may be made at any time and are to be given to Kathy Ohler. Offices will be reassigned after the two-week notification or during the summer. Students are advised to make requests for office changes prior to leaving for summer fieldwork. Once approved, students are expected to make the office changes that they had requested.

Petition
Students may petition Kathy Ohler for exemptions from the Office Space Policy.

Graduate student representatives and organizers are needed for the following committees and activities. Duties are explained and assignments are determined after the first seminar of the fall semester.

• Graduate Studies Committee
• Undergraduate Studies Committee
• Analytical Facilities Committee
• Computer Committee
• Library Committee
• Office Space Policy Committee
• COGS (Council of Graduate Schools)
• Faculty Meetings
• Departmental Seminars
• Seminar Refreshments
• Monday Bagel Hour
• OGRES (OnGoing RESearch) Brown Bag Lunch Seminar
• STUPOR (Slides To Unveil Pictures of Our Ramblings)
• Picnics