Graduate Plan of Work

The Graduate Plan of Work (POW) is a document that serves both as a guide to successful degree completion and a contract between students and their programs. In this way, it serves to reduce the potential for misunderstandings about degree requirements and outlines the expected academic progress students should make. It is especially helpful when it is evaluated on at least an annual basis by students with their advisor(s), and, where applicable, their advisory committees, with any needed modifications recorded at that time. It should be viewed as a “living document” that reflects changes that may occur as students continue to develop and refine their academic programs.

At the time of final submission Graduate Plan of Work must include:

1. a list of the coursework to be undertaken
2. accurate information about any transfer credits to be used for the degree. Any request to include transfer credit should be submitted to the Graduate School prior to the start of the student’s graduate program or no later than before the end of the first semester
3. the thesis or dissertation topic (except in non-thesis master’s programs)
4. the name of the student’s major professor
5. the members of the student’s advisory committee

As the Graduate Plan of Work serves as a guide to promote successful progression through a given graduate program, it is important that various components of it be completed in a timely manner. Failure to complete the various components of the Graduate Plan of Work may result in a registration hold being placed on a student’s record.

1. All Graduate Students: Course Component of the Graduate Plan of Work
   By the end of their first term, and preferably earlier than that, students in all graduate programs must submit at least a preliminary course schedule using “place holders” where necessary, defining the specific courses or, at a minimum, courses in a curricular area, including electives, required to fulfill the degree requirements for their respective degree programs.
2. Thesis Master’s/Doctoral Students: Committee and Other Milestone Components of the Graduate Plan of Work
   By the completion of 18 hours, but no later than the third term of enrollment, those graduate students enrolled in master’s programs that require a thesis or in doctoral programs must submit additional elements of the Graduate Plan of Work that include the topic of their thesis/dissertation research, their committee chair(s), committee members, and estimated completion times for important milestones, such as the preliminary and final oral examinations. Students in Option B master’s programs requiring projects should also submit their topic and the name of their project advisor.
3. Submission of Final Graduate Plan of Work
   The final version of the Graduate Plan of Work must be submitted before a master’s student’s final examination and before a doctoral student’s preliminary oral examination. For Option B students, this should be submitted prior to the completion of their Application to Graduate in their final semester.

Please go directly to the Plan of Work page in the Graduate Handbook for requirements and process.