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FAQs - Current Students

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Frequently Asked Questions from Current Graduate Students

How do I register for classes?

CEE Graduate students are required to have mandatory advising with their faculty advisor each semester before they are able to register. Students should contact their faculty advisor to discuss which courses they should enroll in each semester. This can be done in person or by e-mail depending on what works best for both the student and professor. The faculty advisor should then send the graduate advisor an e-mail which states his/her approval of the courses that the student wishes to take. Upon receiving the approval, the graduate advisor will clear the student’s account so he/she is able to register. An e-mail will be sent to the student to let them know that their account has been cleared. The student can then register by using ASU interactive.

What is a faculty advisor and how do I select one?

Each student is required to have a faculty advisor who will mentor them through the program. This faculty member will be responsible for discussing with the student each semester what courses that they should enroll for. This faculty advisor will also normally act as the chair of the student’s committee. For students who have a research or teaching assistant, your faculty advisor would most likely be the faculty member who you are working under.

How do I select my committee and how many members do I have to have?

A student’s committee must comprise of one chair or two co-chairs and at least have two other faculty members whose research interests match the student’s program of study to act as committee members. At least half of the committee must be tenure/tenure-track faculty within the CEE department. If the student chooses to have someone outside of the department to be on their committee they must be formally approved by the division of graduate studies.

Who can sign on forms that ask for the head of the academic unit?

The Associate Chair of the Graduate Program and the Chair of the department may sign as the head of the academic unit. In the case that both faculty members are not available, the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Program may sign on their behalf.

How many credits do I need to take if I am an RA or TA?

All RAs and TAs must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits for the Fall and Spring semester. They all must be for credit classes. If they are an RA or TA over the summer, they must also register for at least 1 credit for each semester that they are working in.

How many credits do I need to be considered a full time graduate student?

A graduate student is considered full time when they are registered for at least 9 credit hours. However, CEE and the Fulton School of Engineering require that all RAs and TAs be enrolled for 12 for credit hours.

What are the steps that I need to take to schedule my thesis or dissertation defense?

The first step is to contact your Graduate Supervisory Committee to see when they are all available to be present at your defense. You should contact the CEE main office to reserve a room to have your defense in. Next, you must contact the Division of Graduate Studies at least 10 working days in advance to officially schedule your defense with them. The schedule form is available on the DGS website. Lastly, e-mail the graduate advisor the time, date, and location of your defense along with an attached copy of your abstract. A copy will be placed in your file and posted on the CEE website.

Who is allowed to attend my defense?

Dissertation and thesis defenses are open to all members of the university community. In general, it is expected that oral defenses will be held on an ASU campus during regular business hours in order to facilitate student, faculty, and public accessibility. All CEE dissertations and thesis defenses will be posted on the our website.

Where can I find information about CEE policies and DGS policies?

Please refer to the CEE Graduate handbook, the Graduate Catalog, and/or contact the CEE graduate advisor.

Can I take CEE graduate courses during the summer?

Typically, there are no graduate CEE courses that are offered over the summer. However, students can enroll in research, thesis, dissertation, or reading and conference hours with the approval of their faculty advisor.

Who do I go to if I have questions about resources that are available on or around campus?

Stop in to see the graduate academic advisor or contact her by phone or e-mail.