Degree Plan – Master's Plan B

By the End of the Second Semester

Establish a Supervisory Committee

• A completed Supervisory Committee Approval form should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies for final approval by the end of the student’s second semester.
• A master’s degree supervisory committee must include at least three faculty members who hold a master’s degree or higher and are members of the Graduate Faculty.
  • At least one member must represent the student’s area of specialization, and at least one must be from outside the specialization area.

Please review the Supervisory Committees page for more information pertaining to supervisory committee policies and procedures.

Finalize a Program of Study

• For more information about a Program of Study, please review the Program of Study section (D6) in the Graduate School Catalog.

Deadline for Submitting a Program of Study

• Master’s Degrees: Master’s students are encouraged to submit a  Program of Study to the School of Graduate Studies for approval before the end of the second semester.
• A program of study is created in DegreeWorks.
  • To finalize a Program of Study, log into Access Banner and enter the list of courses into the “Plans” section of DegreeWorks.
• If a student needs assistance with making revisions to their program of study, they may contact their Graduate Program Coordinator, who will update the courses listed in DegreeWorks and submit a ServiceNow Program of Study request to the School of Graduate Studies for processing.
  • The student’s major professor and department head will receive the Program of Study revision and will follow the same approval procedure.
• Students should not wait until their final semester to submit required forms, as it could impede their ability to graduate in a timely manner.

Successfully Defend a Paper/Project Proposal

• Students should finalize what they will be doing for their final paper or project and present it to their supervisory committee.
  

Obtain Necessary Regulatory Approvals to Conduct the Proposed Research

• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) CITI Training is required for all students funded by NIH, NSF, or USDA-NIFA.
• The training is also available for any master’s students whose committee deems it appropriate for the student’s thesis.
• In addition, all university research involving human subjects, animal subjects, radiation materials, recombinant DNA, biohazardous materials, or certain highly toxic chemicals must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate university committees before the research is started.
• Students should consult with their advisor on which approvals and training are needed for their research and degree.
• For updates on IRB regulations and to determine whether their research requires IRB approval, students can visit the IRB website.

Submit the Thesis/Project Approval Form

• For a Plan B paper or project, the student should submit a Master’s Thesis/Project Approval Form after the committee approves the research plan. 
• This form is also used to document that the student has obtained any necessary regulatory approvals and completed any safety training and should therefore be submitted prior to the student conducting the majority of thesis research. 
•  NOTE: It is recommended that Plan B students submit their TPA form during their second semester, after the Supervisory Committee Approval Form, a successful thesis proposal defense, and all regulatory approvals are in place.  

Students should not wait until their final semester to submit required forms, as it could impede their ability to graduate in a timely manner.

Forms to Submit:

• Supervisory Committee Approval Form (SCAF)
• Program of Study (POS)
• Master's Thesis/Project Approval Form

Preparing for the Defense

Review the Defense Process and Requirements

• It is crucial that a student understands the procedures related to a paper or project defense.

 View Defense Requirements

Determining the Credit Load for the Defense Semester

• Students must be registered for at least 3 credits the semester of their defense.
• To maintain full-time status at 3 credits, students must submit a Full Time at 3 Credits (FT3) form and receive departmental approval.
• NOTE: International Students with questions about Full Time at 3 Credits, may contact the Office of Global Engagement.

Submit an Appointment for Examination Form

• The Appointment for Examination form confirms that all required paperwork is complete, and the student’s committee members have read the thesis/dissertation and agree it’s ready to be defended.
• This should be submitted at least 10 workdays before their final defense.

Forms to Submit:

• Appointment for Examination (AFE) Form
• Full Time at 3 Credits form

 

After the Defense

Make Any Necessary Paper/Project Revisions

• Students should notify their graduate program coordinator (GPC) once their committee and department reviewer have approved all the revisions to the paper or project.

Submit the Plan B Report/Creative Project to the Library

• By submitting the report/creative project to the Library, the student grants Utah State University a non-exclusive license to archive their work and make it accessible to the public.
• · As the author, the student retains ownership rights to the copyright and the right to use it in future works.

Fill Out an Embargo Request Form (if desired)

• An embargo means that the student’s work will be unavailable to read online for 5 years.
  
• If desired, a student may submit an embargo request form.

Ensure All Degree Requirements Have Been Met

• Please review the Reasons Students Will Be Denied for Graduation section (H6) of the School of Graduate Studies Catalog.

Apply for Graduation

1. Complete the graduation application by the university deadline and pay the $15 graduation fee.

Students who do not complete ALL required forms will not be awarded a degree.

Forms to Submit:

• Plan B Report/Creative Project Submission
• Embargo Request (if desired)
• Graduation Application