Dairy Science Graduate Student Information
| Steps in the Graduate Program | Explanation | Documents |
| Student Committee | Every Grad Student in the Dairy Science Graduate Program must have a student committee by the end of the first semester. This committee generally will advise the students on their classes, research and other academic components of the student’s Graduate Program. Details about who may be a member are in the Graduate Handbook. For Ph.D. students a Dairy Science Ph.D. Mentor and Preliminary Examination Committee Form must be completed within the first semester. For MS students a Dairy Science MS Mentor and Examination Committee Form must be completed within the first semester. For a list of Committee Eligibilty refer to the Faculty Eligibility for Dairy Science MS and Ph.D. Committees Form. | Dairy Science PhD Mentor and Preliminary Examination Committee Form Dairy Science MS Mentor and Examination committee Form Faculty Eligibility for Dairy Science MS and PhD Committee Informational Form |
| Course Certification Meeting | Every Graduate Student in the Dairy Science Graduate Program must have their first Committee meeting by the end of the second semester of matriculation into the program. The student should first meet with their advisor, and complete the Course Certification form, and have it signed by their advisor. Then the student should meet with their committee to have the form approved and signed. The completed and signed form should be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator. For the MS Degree Course degree, use the Dairy Science MS Course Degree Certification Form, for the MS Research Degree, use the Dairy Science MS Degree in Research Course Certification Form, for the Ph.D. Degree use the Dairy Science Ph.D. Required Course to be Completed Prior or During Ph.D. Study Form. Refer to the Graduate Handbook for details. | Dairy Science MS Course Degree Certification Form Dairy Science MS Degree in Research Course Certification Form Dairy Science PhD Required Courses to be Completed Prior or During PhD Study Form Dairy Science Graduate Handbook Requirements for MS fillable form Requirements for Ph.D. fillable form |
| Master’s Degree | When students are in their last semester before they graduate from the Master’s Degree Program, they will need to submit a Dairy Science Request For Examination Form to their Committee and the Chair for approval. They will need to give the signed Request for Examination form and a completed AS-DS MS Warrant Request Form to the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks before their defense. They will also need to give their thesis to their Committee at least 10 business days before the defense. Detailed instructions and forms are in the Dairy Science Graduate Handbook. See the Graduate site Completing your Master’s Degree for information on thesis preparation, deadlines, thesis submission and other important instructions. | Dairy Science Request for Examination Form AS-DS MS Warrant Request Form |
| Preliminary | Ph.D. students will take their preliminary exam when all course requirements are met (or the same term that the course requirements will be met). Dairy Science Students must schedule their preliminary by the end of their 4th semester. They must complete a written and oral Preliminary examination by the end of the fifth semester. Students need to consult with their committee about the preliminary exam. Students must give a completed and signed Dairy Science Request for Preliminary Examination Form and a completed Preliminary Examination Warrant Request form to the Graduate Coordinator at least three weeks before the Preliminary Exam. To prepare for the preliminary exam, students should refer to the Dairy Science Graduate Handbook and to their Advisor for detailed instructions. | Dairy Science Request for Preliminary Examination Form Preliminary Examination Warrant Request form Dairy Science Graduate Handbook |
| Dissertator | Once all classes are taken (except DySci 990 and the final graded seminar (Dysci 875), and the student has passed their preliminary, a student will qualify as a dissertator and be expected to take 3 credits a semester of An Sci 990 until they Defend. (When they take their final graded Dysci 875 seminar credit, they should take 2 credits of Dy Sci 990 and one credit of Dy Sci 875.) Three credits will be considered full time for a dissertator. More information about being a dissertator can be found in the Dairy Science Graduate Handbook and here. | Dairy Science Graduate Handbook |
| PhD Final Defense | Ph.D. students need to request give a signed and completed DySci Request for PhD Final Examination Form and a Ph.D. warrant request form to the Graduate Coordinator at least 3 weeks before their final defense. They must also submit their dissertation to their committee at least 10 business days before their final defense. Detailed instructions are in the Dairy Science Graduate Handbook and from the student’s committee. | DySci Request for PhD Final Examination Form PhD Warrant request forms PDF |
| Degree Deadlines | Degree deadlines are the cut-off dates for a degree and dissertation eligibility in each term, and it is important to keep abreast of these dates when planning to graduate. | |
| Graduate Handbooks | Detailed information about the Program requirements is in the Dairy Science Graduate Handbook. | Dairy Science Graduate Handbook |