Staying on Track
One of the best things you can do to ensure your success in graduate school is to STAY ON TRACK!
We have developed CHECKPOINTS to help you keep up! Please make sure you know what forms and tasks you are responsible for at any point in your graduate career. You will need to submit at least Form 0 after every semester you are enrolled.
CHECKPOINTS should be completed and are due for each semester by:
Fall >> January 15 |
Spring >> May 15 |
Summer >> August 15 |
0 | Every Semester You Are Enrolled
Form 0: the ‘every Semester checkpoint’
At the end of every semester, you will need to submit Form 0, a self evaluation. This is your chance to evaluate both your own performance as well as the different aspects of your degree program. If you have any issues or concerns with your program, this is the appropriate place to report those. We want to hear from you!
Submit Form 0 | Self Evaluation
Graduate School website hotlinks
AUBURN UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC CALENDAR Access the Grad Schools’ Forms Directory
Graduate Student Handbook
1 | Two Weeks Before the Start of 1st Semester
CHECKPOINT 1: Statements of Agreement
Read the Graduate Student Handbook (above) and follow the steps below before completing Checkpoint 1.
EXPLORE AU GRADUATE SCHOOL STUDENT WEBSITE REVIEW CHECKLISTS FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL
view Course Prereq Quick Reference Guide Complete Background Courses Worksheet
Meet with your major professor(s) to decide on what courses you will take your first semester.
2 | By End of 2nd Semester Enrolled
CHECKPOINT 2: research/special project & Graduate committee
Work with your major professor(s) to develop research (MS students) or special project (non MS students) topic and to establish your graduate committee.
Learn about DegreeWorks – this is the system that will keep track of your courses and your Plan of Study (Planner).
3 | By End of 3rd Semester Enrolled
CHECKPOINT 3: Plan of Study & Degree Works
Meet with your graduate Committee to discuss, develop and approve your plan of study. You will report your Plan of Study to the Graduate School DegreeWorks. It can be accessed through your AU Access account. You will report your Plan of Study to the CSES Department in Checkpoint 3. Save a copy of your Planner in DegreeWorks as a PDF file in order to submit with Checkpoint 3. You must also notify the AU Graduate School of your committee and Planner submission using the form below.
Create your Planner in DegreeWorks
4 | No later than 4th Semester Enrolled
CHECKPOINT 4: Project Summary and Literature Review
Work with your graduate committee to develop your research or project topic and literature review. Save the literature review as a PDF in order to submit in Checkpoint 4.
Schedule your literature review seminar (for thesis students) with Dr. John Beasley.
5 | By 5th Semester Enrolled
CHECKPOINT 5: Course Completion & Seminar
Complete all courses (if any) that were identified in the Background Courses Worksheet from Checkpoint 1 as well as those included in your Plan of Study. Report any changes to your original Plan of Study.
6 | Semester Before Anticipated Graduation
CHECKPOINT 6: Graduation Preparation
Get ready to graduate! Once you have completed all of your courses and are finishing up your research or project, you will need to submit your Graduation Application to the Graduate School.
7 | Defense Seminar for MS & PhD Students
Checkpoint 7: Graduate School Forms & Thesis Defense
The last step before you graduate is to schedule your defense seminar with your graduate committee. This is the comprehensive exam of your graduate degree program. See the forms from the Graduate School below and then submit Checkpoint 7.
Comprehensive Exam Form {Non Thesis}