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:

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

READ CSES Distance GRAD STUDENT HANDBOOK

CHECKPOINT 1: Statements of Agreement

Read the Graduate Student Handbook (above) and follow the steps below before completing Checkpoint 1.

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).

Learn About DegreeWorks Here

CHECKPOINT 2

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

Report Planner and Committee to Grad School

CHECKPOINT 3

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.

CHECKPOINT 4

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. 

CHECKPOINT 5

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.

Submit Graduation Application to Grad School

CHECKPOINT 6

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}

Comprehensive Exam Form {Thesis}

CHECKPOINT 7

CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS

You deserve it! Completing your degree at Auburn will be a milestone accomplishment for your education and your career.