DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
GRADUATE STUDENT MANUAL

Members

An Advisory Committee (AC) must be established by each student during the first two semesters of residence.

For M.S. students (both plans), the AC at minimum will consist of two members from the Department of Entomology (the major advisor, and one other faculty member) plus one member from outside Entomology (total of 3 members). For Ph.D. students, the AC will at minimum consist of three members from the Department of Entomology (the major advisor and two other faculty members) plus one member outside Entomology (total of 4 members). Inclusion of additional member(s) is left to mutual consent of student and major advisor.

The AC will help the student define a research area, work out a list of courses that should be included in the degree proram, acquire technical skills, and serve as a sounding board for ideas or problems - all at the student's request.

Members of the AC may change during the student's first three semesters as the student's research direction develops. However, all changes should be final by end of the third semester, excluding summer. The Director of Graduate Studies is responsible for seeing that all students have ACs.

Members of this committee will be the departmental nucleus of subsequent committees that conduct the oral prelim, read the thesis or project reports, and conduct the final oral exam. Substitutions may be necessary because of sabbatical leaves, retirements, or emergencies.

Functions

For M.S. students

See: http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/degree_completion/masters/index.html for all forms and other pertinent information from the Graduate School.

The AC will meet with the student during the first year, preferably during the first semester, to discuss the student's background and career goals.  A provisional course list will be assembled to satisfy the Graduate School and department's requirements, including courses in related fields.  The student's Degree Program Form should be filed by the end of the student's first year in residence.  The form will list the courses and nominate the AC members to conduct the final oral examination.

The written prelim will not be conducted by the Advisory Committee, as such.  The AC, however, will conduct the oral prelim and report findings to the Director of Graduate Studies.  After both prelims are passed, the student will submit the thesis or reports for review by the AC.  After they certify it is ready, the thesis will be presented in a seminar (Plan A only) and defended in the final oral examination.

For Ph.D. students

Please refer to the University of Minnesota Graduate School website: http://www.grad.umn.edu/current_students/degree_completion/doctoral/index.html for all forms and degree requirements and deadlines from the Graduate School.

The AC's first official function is to convene an informal meeting within the student's first year of residence, preferably the first semester.  The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the student's background and career goals, and to explore possible research topics.  Working together, the student and committee should produce a provisional course list for the student's degree program.  The selected courses should fit the student's background and interest, and also satisfy requirements for content and credits, both inside and outside the department, as set by the department and by the Graduate School.

The AC's next function will be to help the student finalize the degree program.  This should be accomplished by the end of the 3rd semester in residence.  The degree program, along with a thesis title and names for the oral prelim exam committee (the AC), will ultimately be submitted to the Graduate School using the Degree Program Form.

After the written prelim has been passed, the AC's next function will be to serve on the Graduate School's oral prelim examination committee.  The final two official functions of the AC will be to serve as thesis readers and to administer the final oral examination.  Someone other than the student's major advisor must chair the final oral exam committee as per the Graduate School.