Checklist to Help with Your Progress to Degree

PHD ALT 8-2017

ALT PhD

Checklist to Help with Your Progress to Degree

Department of English

Student Name

We have designed this checklist to help you navigate your progress to degree. Because you are solely responsible for making sure you submit all forms and meet all Program of Study (POS) requirements, we hope this checklist, with its milestones listed within a chronological framework by semester, will be useful.

A few basics:

* Find the full description of all forms, milestones, and degree requirements on the English Department Graduate Programs website: (http://www.engl.iastate.edu/graduate-students/).

* When you have questions, first consult the Graduate POS Manual (https://www.engl.iastate.edu/graduate-students/current-students/resources-for-current-students-faculty/). If you still have questions, consult the Graduate POS Manual. If you need further clarification, ask your Program Adviser/Major Professor next.

* If you don’t know who your Program Adviser is, check your student AccessPlus account first. You may also ask the Graduate Program Staff Assistant (227 Ross or send an email to ).

* Meet with your Program Adviser/Major Professor at least once each semester to discuss programmatic progress.

First Semester
Before the semester begins, take English examinations (nonnative speakers of English only).
·  If English is not your first language, take the English Placement Test before the first semester as a graduate student unless exempted from the exam (http://apling.public.iastate.edu/ept.html).
·  If English is not your first language and you will be a teaching assistant, you must take and pass on Oral English Certification Test (OECT) before the first semester you begin teaching unless you are exempted from the exam. If you will not be a teaching assistant, you are still required as an ALT PhD student to receive a Level 1 pass on the OECT as part of your program requirements unless you are officially exempted from the exam.
Before the end of the 4th week of classes, initiate a first meeting with your assigned Program Adviser.
At this meeting, obtain programmatic advice from your Program Adviser regarding these items:
·  Your Program Adviser will discuss several program items with you. In preparation for this meeting, review appropriate information in the Gradaute POS Manual, bring a copy of the Degree Planning Sheet (DPS), and prepare any other relevant documents.
·  Begin to fill out a Degree Planning Sheet (DPS), which is an internal departmental preparatory tool to ensure you take the right courses to fulfill your program’s requirements.
·  Assess the need to
o  complete a Pre-Requisite Equivalency Petition if you already met program pre-requisites with prior courses,
o  transfer credits from another institution—if you think you might have transfer credits, review the Transfer Credit Petition prior to this meeting, and bring a copy of your transcript(s) (Note: if transfer credits are more than 10 calendar years old, they require approval using the online Expired Course Petition system at the same time as the POSC form no later than your 5th semester.), and
o  complete a POS Waiver/Equivalency Petition.
·  Indicate how you will fulfill your Language Requirement. It will be posted on your official record/transcript by filing the Language Requirement Form, approved by the Program Adviser/Major Professor and the DOGE. Note: This form should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than with the DPS and POS documentation in the fifth semester.
In Week 6 or 7 of this semester, initiate a follow-up meeting with your Program Adviser to discuss the classes you wish to take next semester. Registration for next semester begins in Week 9 (see your AccessPlus student account for the assigned start date and time when you may register for classes).
·  Bring to this meeting your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) filled in with current courses and indicating courses you wish to take in your second semester.
·  Consider taking courses, if possible, from professors you might ask to serve on your POS committee. Your committee will be determined early in the fifth semester, and beginning to think about potential committee members now will be helpful. Regardless of coursework, now is also a good time to attend events in your program and the department to meet the other professors.
Second Semester Second Semester (or for students enrolled part-time without graduate assistantships, upon the completion of 9 credit hours towards the POS)
Before the end of the 4th week of classes, initiate a meeting with your assigned Program Adviser.
·  Obtain programmatic advice from Program Adviser.
·  Complete any POS documentation that was discussed last semester if not already complete.
In Week 6 or 7 of this semester, initiate a follow-up meeting with your Program Adviser to discuss the classes you wish to take next semester. Registration for next semester begins in Week 9 (see your AccessPlus student account for the assigned start date and time when you may register for classes).
·  Bring to this meeting your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) filled in with current courses and indicating courses you wish to take next semester.
Each April students must complete by the deadline an Annual Review (AR) form with required materials to the ALT Annual Review Committee.
Third Semester (or for students enrolled part-time without graduate assistantships, upon the completion of 18 credit hours towards the POS)
Before the end of the 4th week of classes, initiate a meeting with your assigned Program Adviser.
·  Obtain programmatic advice from Program Adviser.
Portfolio Assessment Planning
·  Discuss preparation for Portfolio submission.
·  Begin to prepare Portfolio Assessment documents for submission according to guidelines in the Graduate POS Manual
In Week 6 or 7 of this semester, initiate a follow-up meeting with your Program Adviser to discuss the classes you wish to take next semester. Registration for next semester begins in Week 9 (see your AccessPlus student account for the assigned start date and time when you may register for classes).
·  Bring to this meeting your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) filled in with current courses and indicating courses you wish to take next semester.
Fourth Semester (or for students enrolled part-time without graduate assistantships, upon the completion of 27 credit hours towards the POS)
Portfolio Assessment First Submission
·  Submit to the Graduate Program Staff Assistant via email () by the announced deadline which is the 1st Monday of the semester (first day of classes).
·  Meet with at least two members of the ALT Examinations Committee regarding results. If a second submission is required, prepare for resubmission later in this fourth semester by the announced deadline.
Before the end of the 4th week of classes, initiate a meeting with your assigned Program Adviser:
·  Obtain programmatic advice from assigned Program Adviser.
·  (if applicable) Discuss preparation for second Portfolio submission.
Portfolio Assessment Second Submission (if applicable)
·  Prepare Portfolio Assessment documents for submission according to guidelines in the Graduate POS Manual and instructions from the ALT Examinations Committee and submit to the Graduate Program Staff Assistant () by the announced deadline which is the 12th Monday of the semester.
·  Meet with at least two members of the ALT Examinations Committee regarding results. If a second submission is not successful, discuss with your Program Adviser and the DOGE available options.
In Week 6 or 7 of this semester, initiate another meeting with your Program Adviser to discuss the classes you wish to take next semester. Registration for next semester begins in Week 9 (see your AccessPlus student account for the assigned start date and time when you may register for classes).
·  Bring to this meeting your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) filled in with current courses and indicating courses you wish to take next semester.
·  Begin discussing and preparing to submit required POS forms in your fifth semester.
Each April students must complete by the deadline an Annual Review (AR) form with required materials to the ALT Annual Review Committee.
Fifth Semester (or for students enrolled part-time without graduate assistantships, upon the completion of 36 credit hours towards the POS)
IMPORTANT MILESTONES DUE IN WEEK 6: Your Degree Planning Sheet (DPS), other applicable
POS documentation, and Graduate College online Program of Study and Committee Form (POSC) form are due in Week 6.
These forms and the decisions that go into them take time to complete, so begin the following steps in the first few weeks of the this semester:
·  Complete the appropriate Degree Planning Sheet (DPS) for your program. If not already completed, you must also complete/update any required POS documentation.
·  Complete the Language Requirement Form if not done previously.
·  If necessary, continue meeting with faculty about serving as Major Professor(s). Work with your Major Professor(s) to identify your inside and outside committee members and make appointments with them.
·  Meet with your Major Professor(s). Bring your completed DPS and POS documentation to discuss degree requirements, review forms, and discuss your dissertation proposal and pilot study.
·  Collect appropriate approvals on appropriate POS documentation. Your Major Professor(s) will review the DPS and these documents carefully and should sign approving them only after confirming the paperwork has been completed correctly and degree requirements are being met.
·  Give copies of the completed DPS to Major Professor(s) and committee members. Keep a copy for yourself.
·  Submit the DPS and POS documentation by the department deadline to the Graduate Program Staff Assistant, 227 Ross Hall, for review and DOGE approval.
·  Submit for approval by the department deadline the Graduate College online Program of Study and Committee Form (POSC) in your AccessPlus account. Make sure to match all courses on the POSC Form with what you have indicated on the DPS. Click “Save” often. When you are confident it is filled out accurately, submit it for approval. It will route electronically for approval to your Major Professor(s), all POS committee members, the DOGE and Graduate Program Staff Assistant, and the Graduate College for final approval.
·  If applicable, submit online Expired Course Petition for coursework more than 10 calendar years old at the time/ semester of projected graduation. Your Major Professor and the DOGE will receive emails with links to go and review your petition for their approval if appropriate before Graduate College consideration.
·  The Major Professor(s) will review your online POSC Form against the completed DPS to ensure you are meeting degree requirements. The POSC Form should be approved by the Major Professor(s) only after confirming it has been completed correctly and degree requirements are being met.
·  The POS committee members will review your online POSC Form and record their approval as appropriate.
·  The DOGE and Graduate Program Staff Assistant will review your online POSC Form and record approval as appropriate before forwarding it to the Graduate College.
·  In Week 9, register for next semester’s courses when registration begins according to the registration start date and time assigned in your AccessPlus student account.
Advising HOLDS will be placed on your registration by the Graduate Program Staff Assistant if you have not met the DPS, POS documentation, and POSC Form submission requirements and deadline this semester .
Dissertation proposal and pilot study
·  Begin to generate specific, detailed ideas for dissertation topics and your pilot study.
·  Meet with Program Adviser to discuss how your pilot study could be carried out soon in upcoming semesters.
·  Meet with potential Major Professor(s) and get input regarding potential POS committee members.
·  Draft a dissertation proposal for your pilot study and get it approved by your soon-to-be Major Professor(s).
Letters of Intent (LOI) for assistantship appointments for the next academic term/year will not be issued or tuition scholarships applied until you have submitted correct DPS, POS documentation, and the POSC forms. These appointments require satisfactory academic progress toward degree.
Sixth and Seventh Semesters
Work towards taking the Preliminary Examinations (written and oral):
·  Meet with Major Professor early in each semester to
o  determine if courses you planned to take next semester are going to be available and to ensure program requirements are being met (bring a copy of your completed DPS),
o  determine if revisions to the POS documentation or POSC Form are necessary (coursework changes, committee changes, etc.), and
o  review Preliminary Examination guidelines in the appropriate section of the Graduate POS Manual and talk about the process and timeline for completion of the preliminary exams.
·  The online POSC Form MUST be completed and submitted for approval no later than Nov 1, April 1, or
July 1 of the semester before taking your written preliminary examination if not already completed in order to meet Graduate College deadlines and not delay your exams. These dates allow time for approval by your POS committee, the DOGE, and the Graduate College before the end of the semester.
Dissertation proposal and pilot study
·  Implement your pilot study and/or make arrangements to implement data collection. Submit IRB application if necessary and obtain approval.
·  Write and revise your pilot study and dissertation proposal based on feedback from your Major Professor(s).
·  Submit your pilot study and dissertation proposal to all POS committee members for review and approval.
·  Your Major Professor will inform the Graduate Program Staff Assistant in writing that these two documents meet the requirements, and you will be able to begin the preliminary examination process.
Each April students must complete by the deadline an Annual Review (AR) form with required materials to the ALT Annual Review Committee.
Preliminary Examinations (written and oral):
·  Register for coursework or research (699) credits (reference number for AccessPlus registration obtained by emailing the Graduate Program Staff Assistant )—registration for a minimum of 1.0 credit required in the semester of both the Preliminary Written and the Preliminary Oral Examinations (both semesters if these two exams are not in the same semester).
·  The preliminary written examination is constructed by your POS committee based on your dissertation proposal and pilot study. Talk with committee members about issues that might be topics for exam questions.
·  Your Major Professor solicits questions from your POS committee members and then constructs the final preliminary written examination (which consists of 3 questions for you to answer) using the ALT Preliminary Written Exam template (downloadable on our forms website). Your exam will include the starting and ending dates/times. (You will have a total of 21 days to complete the exam).