Forms and Planning for Current Graduate Students
The normal time to complete the non-thesis Master's degree is 18 months or, with an extreme course overload, 12 months. The non-thesis Master's degree is not recommended for those desiring research credentials. Please refer to the requirements for the non-thesis Master's program here.
The normal time to complete the Master's degree is 2 years, except for variation caused by your research project. Please refer to the requirements for the Master's program here.
The normal time to complete the Ph.D. is 4 years after the Master's, except for variation caused by your research project. Please refer to the requirements for the Ph.D. program here.
Planning
Interdisciplinary Ecology PhD Plan of Study
IEC PhD students need to have a minimum of 15 hours from SNRE's core curriculum.
Interdisciplinary Ecology MS Plan of Study
IEC MS students need to have a minimum of 15 hours from SNRE's core curriculum.
Interdisciplinary Ecology MS non-thesis Plan of Study
IEC MS non-thesis students need to have a minimum of 19 hours from SNRE's core curriculum.
CALS Graduate Student Professional Development
MS and Ph.D. students working on their Individual Development Plan (IDP) can review this information, and access the form, from CALS. There you will find specific resources to help gain the skills in the IDP core competencies of Research Skills & Knowledge, Communication, Management and Leadership Skills, Effectiveness/Purpose, Professionalism, and Career Advancement.
You must complete this form immediately upon entering the program. You will then revise your plan when you meet with your supervisory committee and after each semester. Please fill out the form and take it to your first supervisory committee meeting. After your supervisory committee members approve and sign it, please submit it to the SNRE office. SNRE will do a preliminary audit to identify any potential issues. You should revise and discuss your plan in subsequent committee meetings as needed. Doctoral students should provide your supervisory committee and the SNRE office with an updated plan of study ten business days prior to your qualifying exam, so SNRE can audit and your committee members can refer to your coursework preparation for the examination (this revision does not need committee signatures). All students should provide the SNRE office with a final plan of study the semester before you intend to graduate (this revision does not need committee signatures). This will provide SNRE staff a chance to identify any deficiencies and give you one last opportunity to remedy unresolved problems.
Qualifying Examination (doctoral students only)
Doctoral students should schedule a date for the qualifying examination at the beginning of their second year in the program and take the exam before the end of their second year. Your goal at this time should be to end your second year with formal course work completed and having been formally declared by your supervisory committee to be a Doctoral Candidate. This will enable you to begin your third year devoting full time to your research.
Please notify our academic advisor, Karen Bray, of your examination at least 2 weeks prior to its scheduled date. Please include the exam date as well as the name and email of your committee chair so that proper forms may be generated in time for your exam.
The purpose of the qualifying exam is to evaluate your academic preparation prior to the research phase of your program. The format of the exam is determined by your committee and committee chair and covers your major and concentration subjects. Normally, the exam covers both the conceptual core of your academic program and the intellectual content of your proposed research.
You must be registered for Advanced Research (7979) when you take your qualifying exam for a minimum of 3 hours in the Fall or Spring term or a minimum of 2 hours in the Summer term. Once you have passed the qualifying exam and advanced to candidacy, you should no longer register for 7979 (Advanced Research). You will instead register for 7980 (Research for Doctoral Dissertation), as indicated in the plan of study.
For additional information pertaining to qualifying exams please contact SNRE staff.
Dissertation and Thesis Submission
Doctoral candidates must request a transmittal form from the SNRE Coordinator before they will be able to make their first submission. Master's students do not need to request this form. All submissions must follow a strict set of formatting requirements. For your convenience electronic thesis and dissertation templates and tutorials are provided through the UF Computing Help Desk.
Make your appointment with the Application Support Center (ASC) consultants early. Students who do not troubleshoot their documents with ASC before making First Submission to the Editorial Office often have their documents rejected. In most cases, only a slight extension may be granted. Complete each of these milestones as soon as possible, but no later than the dates listed below.
Thesis and Dissertation Deadlines
Submission Checklists
Final Examination - defense of thesis, non-thesis project, or dissertation
The timing and format of your defense of thesis, project, or dissertation is up to you and your supervisory committee to manage. However, the Graduate School has several important regulations relating to the defense (Final Examination). Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for details. Pay close attention to the checklist of things to do and the deadlines for doing them.
When you take your final exam, you must be registered for Research for Master's Thesis (6971) or Research for Doctoral Dissertation (7980) for a minimum of 3 hours in Fall or Spring term or a minimum of 2 hours in Summer C term. NOTE: you must be registered in the above hours in your chair/advisor’s department.
Please notify the SNRE staff of your defense/exam at least three weeks prior to its scheduled date. Please include the date of your defense/exam, as well as the name and email of your committee chair so that proper forms may be generated in time for your defense/exam. When you pass your defense, your committee members will fill out and sign these forms and you should return them to the SNRE office immediately so we can complete your records in preparation for graduation.
Forms needed for defense:
- Final Examination Form
- ETD Signature Page
- SNRE Learning Outcome Form
Degree Application
You are required to apply to graduate at the beginning of your final semester. This application notifies the Graduate School and triggers a final academic audit by SNRE staff. See the Graduate School's Degree Application link for further instructions. You need to apply no later than the beginning of the semester you will graduate. Check the Thesis and Dissertation Deadlines for the degree application deadline. Submit an application for degree on ONE.UF under Student Self Service by the published deadline. You must select the college code "College of Interdisciplinary Studies" (not SNRE or CALS) to complete the form correctly. This will cause the correct major code of ECL (Interdisciplinary Ecology) to automatically enter into the system. Print and save a confirmation copy.
In the semester you graduate, you must register for research credits. You need to register for Research for Master's Thesis (6971) or Research for Doctoral Dissertation (7980) for a minimum of 3 hours in the Fall or Spring term or a minimum of 2 hours in Summer C term. However, if you are on a graduate assistantship, please talk to the SNRE staff to determine your registration requirements.
If you are not able to defend in the semester you intended to and have already completed the ONE.UF degree application, please email SNRE staff as soon as possible. She will contact the college on your behalf.
Forms
Emergency Medical Contact Information Form
SNRE requests that you provide emergency medical contact information that will enable us to contact you and/or appropriate persons should a medical emergency arise during your graduate program. Providing this information is voluntary, but doing so is strongly encouraged. This information will be kept confidential and will only be referenced or used in the unlikely event of a medical emergency requiring contact with you and/or the person(s) you have identified.
Degree Candidate Verification Request Form
Use this form if you need official verification that you are completing the degree prior to graduation.
Graduate Transfer of Credit Form
Please contact the SNRE staff so that SNRE can work with you on a transfer of graduate credit request and/or any petitions. This should be done within the first 3 weeks of a semester in which you were admitted and enrolled.
Admission to Candidacy
Please work with the SNRE staff to prepare a Candidacy form for your oral Qualifying exam. Please allow at least 2 weeks prior to your oral exam on this.
International Travel Registration
All students traveling outside the U.S. in conjunction with a UF degree program or on official university business must register their travel.
Graduate Student Travel Grants
You can apply for financial assistance when planning to present your research at professional meetings.