Programs | Graduate Handbook

How do I register for classes each semester?
Clearance for registration must first be obtained before each student registers for classes. On a yellow registration slip, fill in courses and research hours and have it signed by your major professor. Take the signed form to the Educational Program Specialist, who will clear you for registration.

Each student must be cleared for registration and any classes that require special permission (permission of instructor or department) prior to registering.

A copy of the registration form will be placed in your mailbox once you have been cleared. You will then be able to register through OASIS.

Students must register during the preregistration phase to qualify for tuition waiver.

During spring and fall semesters, 12 hours of courses/research are needed to be considered a full time student; during summer, 9 hours is considered full time.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Master’s Degree:
Your program of study must include at least 30 credit hours. Twenty-one of the 30 must be in classes (not research hours). Of the 21, at least 12 must be in courses open only to graduate students (usually 8000-level courses, but some 6000-level courses can count if there were no undergraduate students in the class). At least 3 of the 30 must be in MARS7000 and 3 must be in MARS7300. You should register for MARS7300 the semester you defend your thesis. You must obtain a grade of C or better for all courses on your program of study; you must maintain a B average for all graduate courses. Marine Sciences graduate core courses MARS 8010, 8020, and 8030 must be included in your program of study. If you do not obtain a ‘B’ or better in each core course, your committee will address the possibility of remedial coursework.

Doctoral Degree:
Your program of study must include at least 30 credit hours. If you do not have an M.S. degree, a minimum of 16 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students (usually 8000-level courses) and 4 hours can be 6000-level courses (20 hours of coursework, total) but these 6000-level courses can count only when no undergraduate students were in the class. If you do have an M.S. degree, 16 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students (8000-level courses only). At least 3 of the 30 must be in MARS9000 and 3 must be in MARS9300. You should register for MARS9300 the semester you defend your dissertation. You must obtain a grade of C or better for all courses on your program of study; you must maintain a B average for all graduate courses. You must take at least 30 credit hours of credit consecutively (not including summers) to meet the residency requirement. Marine Sciences graduate core courses MARS 8010, 8020, and 8030 must be included in your program of study. If you do not obtain a ‘B’ or better in each core course, your committee will address the possibility of remedial coursework.

ESTABLISHING YOUR COMMITTEE

When should I form my advisory committee?
Your advisory committee should be formed by the end of your first year of study for the Master’s and Doctoral degree.

How many members are on a committee?

Master’s Committee: 3 members. Your major professor and at least one of the other members of the advisory committee must be members of the graduate faculty.

Doctoral Committee: 5 members. Your major professor and at least two other members of the advisory committee must be members of the graduate faculty.

For both MS and Ph.D. committees, one member may be from outside UGA (i.e., someone who is not a regular or adjunct member of the UGA faculty) if approved by the Graduate School. The outside committee member must be available for committee meetings, oral exams, and final defense. Alternatively, one member may be a UGA employee who holds the rank of public service assistant, public service associate, senior public service associate, assistant research scientist, associate research scientist, or senior research scientist. To obtain approval in either of these cases, an updated CV of the potential committee member must be submitted to the Education Program Specialist, along with a letter from your major professor (addressed to the graduate dean) explaining the role this person would serve on your committee. Following approval in the department, the materials will be forwarded to the Graduate School along with the Advisory Committee Form.

Where do I find the Advisory Committee Form?
At the Graduate School enrolled student forms website, choose form # 2 if you are a Master’s candidate or form # 3 if you are a Doctoral candidate. The completed form should be given to the Educational Program Specialist.

CHANGING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

How do I change committee members once I have submitted an advisory committee form?
To change your advisory committee, submit a revised committee form. At the Graduate School enrolled student forms website, choose form # 2 if you are a Master’s candidate or form # 3 if you are a Doctoral candidate. Be sure to mark "revised" at the top of the form. The completed form should be returned to the Educational Program Specialist.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

How do I meet the residency requirement?

For Master’s degree the minimum residence requirement is two semesters which do not have to be consecutive.

For Doctoral degree a minimum of three full years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree is required. At least 30 hours of consecutive course work included on the program of study must be spent in resident study on this campus. Undergraduate courses taken either to fulfill research skills requirements or to remove deficiencies may not be calculated in the 30 consecutive hours of resident credit. Summer semester does not break consecutive enrollment.

TEACHING AND FIELD EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Master’s Degree:
None.

Doctoral Degree:
Obtain teaching experience by serving as a Marine Sciences TA for at least one semester. All TAs must complete the TA training course GRSC 7770 and, when appropriate, successfully meet TSE requirements for spoken English competency.

Obtain field experience by participating in at least 14 days of research cruises and coastal (shore-based) research trips. The field experiences must include both ship- and shore-based research (minimum of 1 day in either category). Teaching-related field experience does not count toward this requirement. The 14 days do not have to be consecutive. A Field Experience Form must be submitted to the Education Program Specialist prior to filing for admission to candidacy.

GUIDELINES FOR THESIS/DISSERTATION PROSPECTUS

Master’s Degree
A 3 to 5 page description of your proposed research which has been signed by each member of your committee should be given to the Educational Program Specialist.

Doctoral Degree:
A 5 to 8 page description of your proposed research which has been signed by each member of your committee should be given to the Educational Program Specialist.

PH.D QUALIFYING EXAMS

Written exams should be scheduled for year 3. Each committee member provides written questions (typically taking 1/2 to 1 day to answer). To pass the written exam, a passing grade must be received from all but one committee member. Oral exams should be scheduled after successful completion of written exams. If the written exam is failed, the entire exam must be re-taken, with new questions from all committee members. Only one re-take is allowed.

Notify the Education Program Specialist of the time and place of the oral exam at least two weeks prior to the exam date. To pass the oral exam, a passing grade must be received from all but one committee member. If the oral exam is failed, the entire exam must be re-taken, with new questions from all committee members. Only one re-take is allowed. All committee members must participate in the oral exam at the scheduled time.

Committee members may participate via phone or satellite links.

WHAT DO I NEED TO GRADUATE?

Master's Degree
Committee form, Program of Study form, and Thesis proposal must be submitted. Apply for graduation (see below). Pass an oral defense of your thesis. [Your oral defense must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance with the Graduate School, and your thesis must be provided to committee members at least two weeks prior to the defense.] Follow Graduate School deadlines for thesis check and final submission.

Doctoral Degree
Committee form, Preliminary Program of Study form, Final Program of Study form, Dissertation proposal, Admission to Candidacy form, and Field Experience form must be submitted. Pass written and oral qualifiying exams. Meet residency requirement. Apply for graduation (see below). Pass oral defense of your dissertation. [Your oral defense must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance with the Graduate School, and your dissertation must be provided to committee members at least two weeks prior to the defense.] Follow Graduate School deadlines for dissertation check and final submission.

APPLYING FOR GRADUATION

When should I apply for graduation?
You must apply for graduation the Friday of the second full week (first full week for summer) of classes in the semester of the anticipated graduation date.

How do I submit an application for graduation?
You may apply for graduation online at the Graduate School enrolled student forms website, choose form # 14. After submitting the form electronically, you will receive a confirmation number from the Graduation Office.

Once I have submitted an application to graduate, how do I change that date if I can’t meet that deadline?
At the Graduate School enrolled student forms website, choose form number 15. After filling out and printing the form, submit it to the Graduation Office. This form will not submit electronically. Alternatively, call the Graduation Office and request that the change be made.