Information for Current Graduate Students
Current graduate students should visit the graduate school website at http://www.graduate.ua.edu for general degree requirements.
All current graduate students are expected to attend the Graduate Student Teacher workshop, and international students are expected to attend ITAP (International Teaching Assistants Program) sponsored by the graduate school. Students that do not attend these programs are not eligible for most teaching assistantship positions.
Students on academic warning are not eligible for assistantships of any kind. Students are placed on academic warning if their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0.
Frequently Ask Questions by Current Students
- How do I sign up for QUEST courses?
- I am working on an MSAE QUEST degree and need to take the Comprehensive Exams. What should I do?
- What are the MS Comprehensive Exam topics?
- I want to defend my thesis in the summer. Do I need to sign up for dissertation credit?*
- I was working on the Ph.D. degree, but now want to graduate with an MS degree. Can I convert AEM 699 Dissertation Research to AEM 599 Thesis Research?*
- I have not completed my degree within the time required by the Graduate School. What is the process for extending my program?*
- I took graduate courses several years ago, and I would like to transfer them into my Ph.D. program. Will these courses "expire?"*
- How do quarter-hours transfer into a semester system?*
- I am in the QUEST program, and have been called to active military duty. Can I get an extension of the six year limit for an MS degree from the graduate school?*
- I was admitted with an assistantship for the fall semester, but can not attend the University until January. Will I be able to delay my admission until January?
- I would like to transfer courses--what do I do?
Answers to Frequently Ask Questions
This section contains the questions and responses to questions frequently asked by current graduate students. Items marked with [*] are questions whose definitive answers are determined by the Graduate School.
Top
of Page
How do I sign up for QUEST
courses?
Please contact Academic Outreach Student Services at (205) 348-0089.
Top
of Page
I am working on an MSAE QUEST degree and
need to take the Comprehensive Exams. What should I do?
Please contact the graduate student director for the AEM department (Dr. John Jackson), and provide the following information, or as much as you are able:
- Course numbers and instructors of the core courses that you have taken
- Site coordinator contact information, including telephone and fax numbers
- Which exams you wish to take, and the approximate date that you will take them
This information will aid the AEM faculty in preparing an exam that will best match the content of the specific courses that you have taken.
Top
of Page
What are
the MS Comprehensive Exam topics?
The exams cover the core course areas and related undergraduate level material. Click here
for the current core courses. The core courses change occasionally, or are taught by different instructors, so it is helpful to know which core course you have taken and which instructor you had for the course.
Please see the Graduate Student
Catalog and here
for more general information about comprehensive exams.
Top
of Page
I want defend my thesis in the summer. Do
I need to sign up for dissertation credit?*
Yes. Students must register for thesis/dissertation credit for the semester in which their thesis or dissertation is defended.
Top
of Page
I was working on the Ph.D.; degree, but now want
to graduate with an MS degree.; Can I convert AEM 699 Dissertation
Research to AEM 599 Thesis Research?*
Yes. However, the supervisory committee and the Department
must agree. Once the conversion is made from 699 to 599, it can not
be converted back. Additionally, a memo from the Department to the
Graduate School is required to approved a Ph.D. student to work on an MS
degree.
Top
of Page
I have not completed my degree within the time
required by the graduate school. What is the process for extending
my program?*
The supervisory committee and the Department must first give approval for extending the time to complete your degree. This will only be allowed in extenuating circumstances. If the Department approves, then the case will be put forward to the Graduate School for consideration. If the Graduate School grants a time extension, then the student must complete a plan of study that contains definite progress targets associated with specific dates. When the student has completed the thesis or dissertation, the supervisory committee will establish a plan of re-validation of coursework to the graduate school for approval. Re-validation plans in the AEM Department typically consist of written exams from the supervisory committee. If the student is found to be deficient in any particular courses, the student will be requested to take those courses again before attempting a thesis/dissertation defense.
Top
of Page
I took graduate courses several year ago,
and I would like to transfer them into my Ph.D. program. Will these
courses "expire?"*
From the graduate student catalog:
Acceptable graduate credit, earned in a regionally accredited
institution in which the student was enrolled in the graduate school, may
be transferred and applied to the requirements for a doctoral degree.
Only credit that was earned during the six-year period preceding
admission to the doctoral program may be considered for transfer.
Evaluation of credit for transfer will not be made until the student
has enrolled in the Graduate School of The University of Alabama. Credit
will not be accepted from any institution at which the student failed to
achieve a "B" average on all graduate work attempted. A student initiates
at the Office of the Graduate School the request for evaluation of
graduate credit obtained at another institution. The student must also
ensure that the Office of the Graduate School has an official (not faxed
or copied) transcript of the credit involved.
Top
of Page
How do quarter-hours transfer into a semester
system?*
A four hour quarter course will equate to a 2.66 hour semester course. This is calculated by the Graduate School. The implication of this is that a student will need to meet the minimum hour requirement for graduation (e.g., 33 hours for a non-thesis MS degree), but it is at the department's discretion as to whether or not the departmental course requirements have been met. For example, if one four quarter hour math course is transferred into the MSAE program, then the student will need one more math course, for a total of 5.66 credits in math (pending department approval). The student will meet the requirement for two courses in a minor area, but will need to make sure that the 33 hour requirement is met.
Top
of Page
I am in the QUEST program, and have been called
to active military duty. Can I get an extension of the six year
limit for an MS degree from the Graduate School?*
Yes. You will need to provide the Graduate School with a copy of your orders, showing dates of active duty, and you will get an extension for that period-- pending approval of the AEM Department.
Top
of Page
I was admitted with an assistantship for the
fall semester, but can not attend the University until January. Will
I be able to delay my admission until January?
In general, the AEM Department will try to accommodate the
request. The previous offer letter will be voided, and a new offer
letter of assistantship support must be submitted through the Graduate
School. If the student can not attend the University again in
January, then the student will need to re-apply to the program and be
re-evaluated based on the new applicant pool.
Top
of Page
I would like to transfer courses--what do I
do?
Please see the following link at the Graduate School:
http://graduate.ua.edu/