The first step is to read your program’s graduate student handbook located on their website. This will outline any specific degree requirements such as a require coursework, seminars, research proposal, proposal presentation or defense, and written and/or oral preliminary exams. Be sure you are meeting regularly with your advisor, and at least annually with your entire committee.
Program Handbooks: Crop & Soil Sciences, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Food Science, MS in Agriculture
ALL documents are submitted to the Graduate School through your CAHNRS Graduate Academic Coordinator.
Program of Study
The Master’s Programs of Study (save form first) should be submitted in your second term (or, for part-time students, one year before taking your final exam). You may not take an exam in the same semester you submit your Program of Study.
The PhD Programs of Study (save form first) should be submitted in your second semester but no later than your third semester and at least 5 months prior to prelims. An approved Program of Study is required before a student can schedule their preliminary exam.
You are welcome to submit your draft to Deb Marsh marshdj@wsu.edu, your Academic Coordinator for review and feedback, prior to seeking committee approval. Then once your committee has approved, you will need to send the completed and signed form to Deb Marsh for Department Chair/Director approval and submission to the WSU Graduate School.
Once the Program of Study is submitted to the Graduate School, it will take about 3 months for review/approval.
External Committee Members (non WSU / non Adjunct)
If you have included a 4th external (or 5th) committee member in your committee composition (non WSU/non adjunct), please follow the steps below:
- Request their CV.
- Once you have received the CV, send it– along with a brief rationale explaining the value this person will add to your committee– to your Graduate Program Director (your department chair/director, not your advisor). Please cc Deb Marsh marshdj@wsu.edu on this message.
- After completing Step 2, submit the External Committee Member Nomination Form. This form will then route electronically to the Graduate Program Director (your department chair/director, not your advisor) for review/approval and subsequently to your academic coordinator (Deb Marsh). It is important to enter the correct individuals in the form, or the routing will not function correctly.
Transfer Credit Policy and Procedure
It’s always a good idea to get started on transfer credit early in your program.
Chapter 6.7.8 | The Graduate School | Washington State University (wsu.edu)
Courses Taken as a Graduate at Other Accredited Institutions of Higher Learning (Transfer Credit)
In brief, no more than half of the graded credit listed on the Program of Study can be transfer credit (which includes University of Idaho COOP coursework).
Graduate-level courses are transferrable with a B or better, with a few exceptions. Courses taken as an undergrad are not transferrable (except for UI COOP courses taken as a graduate student).
Transfer credits cannot be more than six years old for a master’s or certificate program and ten years old for a doctorate program at the time of WSU graduation. Please note that your degree completion deadline is partly based on the earliest coursework listed on the WSU program of study.
How do you arrange transfer credit? The mechanism to transfer credit is the program of study, where you list the proposed transfer courses exactly as they appear on the original transcript. Transfer credit hours should be reported in semester hours and/or will be converted by the Graduate School. For quarter-to semester credits from domestic schools, multiply the quarter credits by .67, then round down (since only whole numbers can be listed (e.g. 4 quarter credits x .67 = 2.68, so list 2 credits on the POS).
With regard to international transcripts, you will need to include the institution’s catalog description for each course from their University Catalog, as well as a course syllabus. International transfer credit eligibility and conversion determinations can be requested in advance of the Program of Study submission. Be thoughtful in this request and remember only half of the total graded credit on the POS can be transfer credit. To request a review, gather your documents and send your request for proposed transfer credit eligibility and credit conversion review (include your WSU ID#) to the Programs team (Maria Kobets maria.kobets@wsu.edu) at the WSU Graduate School and cc Deb Marsh marshdj@wsu.edu, your Academic Coordinator. Note–the transfer credit will not be formalized until the fully completed and signed Program of Study is submitted and approved by the WSU Graduate School.
PhD Preliminary Examination
Preliminary examinations for doctoral students may be scheduled once the Program of Study is officially approved by the WSU Graduate School, and after completion of most of your coursework. Refer to Guide: PhD Preliminary Exams for more information.