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Program Description

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers a broad fundamental graduate education that emphasizes the creative and analytical skills necessary for the advancement and protection of the world’s infrastructure and environment. CEE graduate students will be tasked with supplying clean water, controlling pollution, and designing and building resilient and sustainable transportation and public works infrastructure to support the growing world while meeting the challenges imposed by natural hazards and climate change. Students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds will be needed for their unique perspectives in developing viable solutions to our infrastructure and environmental challenges. The CEE graduate program provides the opportunity to work with faculty members who specialize in various areas. We prepare our graduates to take full advantage of diverse job opportunities that support infrastructure and other engineering development, and maintenance of the built environment.

Program/Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Our CEE graduates will have:

1. An ability to apply engineering research and theory to advance the art, science, and practice of the discipline.
2. An ability to design and conduct experiments as well as to analyze, interpret, apply and disseminate the data.
3. An understanding of research methodology.

Graduate Degrees and Tracks Offered

The CEE Department offers the following degree programs:

• Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  
  • Thesis option (Plan A)
  • Non- thesis option (Plan B)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Graduate Director and Contact Information

The CEE graduate director oversees all aspects of graduate education within the department. Some of the graduate director’s activities include:

• Overseeing (a) the admissions process; (b) ensuring admission of highly qualified applicants with due consideration given to CEE graduate admission requirements; and (c) requesting and justifying admission of applicants not meeting minimum University and CEE requirements;
• reviewing and approving programs of study and the composition of advisory/examining committees;
• reviewing and approving acceptance of transfer credits;
• graduate student recruitment and promotion of the graduate program; and
• mediating in conflicts between graduate students and their advisor.

Contact information of the CEE graduate director:
Gokhan Pekcan, Ph.D.
Professor, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering
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1664 N. Virginia St., MS 0258
Reno, NV 89557
Phone: (775) 784-4512
e-mail: pekcan@unr.edu

Note:
This handbook lists graduate program academic policies and procedures. It includes information on graduate school policies, degree requirements, timeline for degree completion, committee selection guidelines and comprehensive exam/thesis requirements. Every effort has been made to make this handbook accurate as of the date of publication; however, this handbook does not constitute a contractual commitment. Graduate programs may not offer all of the courses as described, and policies are subject to yearly review and changes with program director and Graduate Council approval. All forms referenced in the handbook are summarized with direct links in Section 12.

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Degree Requirements

M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering

The CEE Department offers an integrated course of study covering the theory, implementation, and design for those seeking the degree of M.S. in CEE. Graduate students seeking the M.S. degree are given the opportunity, with the help of a graduate advisor, to perform research through the “thesis” option (Plan A) and/or to take coursework focused on an area of specialization; the latter can be achieved through the “coursework only” option (Plan B). The credit requirements for each option are provided below.

While it is not necessary for students to immediately decide which option to take, it is important that the students pursuing either option meet frequently with their graduate advisor to seek advice and consultation as they proceed in their endeavors. If an assistantship has been assigned, the person who is responsible for your assistantship is often the graduate advisor (equivalent to the Thesis Committee chair). Those without an assistantship or Plan B students should also select a graduate advisor (Examination Committee chair) from their chosen subarea of specialization. By the end of second semester the student should submit – Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form to the Graduate School.

Students should meet with their graduate advisors prior to every semester to select courses that fulfill the requirements of the programs of study. The core and elective courses vary depending on the subarea of specialization selected within the CEE Department, and students should consult the catalog listing for their selected area of specialization. The graduate advisor will help with the selection of those courses. More details on the timeline of various activities that need to be undertaken are described in Section 4.0 and summarized in Appendix A.

For both options of M.S. degree, the following University polices/requirements apply: (1) Maximum of 6 credits may be taken as S/U grading; (2) Maximum of 12 credits (including transfer credits) may be completed prior to admission to the graduate program; (3) All requirements (credits) for degree (including transfer credits) must be completed within six years immediately preceding the awarding of the M.S. degree; and (4) Students should be continuously enrolled with a minimum of 3 graduate course credits in each of the fall and spring semesters.

The student should work with their graduate advisor to select an Examination Committee and submit a Program of Study by the end of the semester prior to graduation. Details on the composition of the Examination Committee and its role are presented in Section 5.0.

M.S. Plan A: Thesis Option

This option requires a minimum of 26 credits that includes:

• minimum 20 credits from coursework, of which, no more than 2 credits are from CEE 750, and
• 3 - 6 thesis credits

To comply with the Graduate School's requirements, students must take:

• minimum 9 course credits at the 700-level
• minimum 18 credits earned at the Â鶹ӳ»­

M.S. Plan B: Courses-only Option

This option requires a minimum of 26 credits that includes:

• maximum 2 credits of CEE 750
• enrollment in CEE 795 for 0 credits in final semester of study

To comply with the Graduate School's requirements, students must take:

• minimum 12 credits at the 700-level
• minimum 18 credits earned at the Â鶹ӳ»­

The CEE Department requires that students pass an oral comprehensive exam in the final semester of study conducted by the examination committee. The details of the Comprehensive Exam are described in Section 6

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil and Environmental Engineering

A Ph.D. degree emphasizes an advanced knowledge of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The CEE Department offers an in-depth, cutting-edge curriculum for those graduate students seeking the Ph.D. degree. Students are involved in substantial original research, and in advancing scientific knowledge in specific areas.

It is important that the students pursuing a Ph.D. meet frequently with their graduate advisor (Ph.D. Committee chair) to seek advice and consultation as they proceed in their endeavors. If an assistantship has been assigned, the person who is responsible for your assistantship is often the graduate advisor (Ph.D. Committee chair). Students without an assistantship also should select a graduate advisor from their chosen subarea of specialization. The student should work very closely with the graduate advisor when selecting the needed courses and proceeding with the requirements of the program of study.

Ph.D. Credit Requirements

The credit requirements for the doctoral program in CEE are the following:

A Ph.D. requires a minimum of 62 graduate credits beyond a B.S. degree and the requirements include:

• minimum 38 credits from coursework; and for the coursework credit, maximum of 22 graduate credits (grade B or better) from a completed master’s degree program or previous post-baccalaureate work may be applied towards the program (including grad special and transfer, the total cannot be more than 22 credits). There is no limit on the number of units transferred when students earn their master’s en route to Ph.D. in a University doctoral program.
• minimum coursework shall include a maximum 2 credits from CEE 750
• minimum 18 course credits at 700-level. As many as 18 of these credits may be used from a master’s degree program.
• minimum 24 dissertation credits

For Ph.D., the following additional University requirements apply: (1) Full residency requirement that specifies two consecutive semesters (fall/spring or spring/fall) of at least 6 graduate credits each; (2) All requirements (credits) for degree, excluding prerequisite graduate course work or master’s degree, must be completed within eight years immediately preceding the awarding of the degree; and (3) Students should be continuously enrolled with a minimum of 3 graduate course credits in each of the fall and spring semesters.

Elements of Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program has important elements that include: (1) Qualifying exam; and (2) Comprehensive exam. The Qualifying exam is administered by the subarea faculty and varies according to the chosen specialization. The student should work with the graduate advisor and complete the Ph.D. Qualifying exam, preferably within the first year. The student's Ph.D. Dissertation Committee should be formed after the successful completion of the Qualifying exam and after the completion of about 12 credits. Details on the composition of the Ph.D. Dissertation Committee and their role are presented in Section 5. The Program of Study form should be completed in the final semester of graduate coursework, and before completion of the Comprehensive exam. The Ph.D. Comprehensive exam is described in detail in Section 6. The Ph.D. program concludes with a public dissertation defense, the details of which are described in Section 7.
For easy review and follow up, all program requirements and milestones are summarized in CEE M.S. and Ph.D. / Graduate Program Guidelines presented in Appendix A

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Transfer Credits

Transfer credits are credits transferred from another institution. Credits completed at the University in another program or as a graduate special do not need to be transferred. Transfer credit is requested on the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request form available at the Graduate School website and must be signed by the student, major advisor, and graduate director. Only courses with a grade of "C" or better may be transferred to a master's program; only courses with a grade of "B" or better may be transferred to a doctoral program. Transfer credits applied to a master’s program must comply with the time limitation on master’s program (6 years). Thus, if a student took a course five years prior to admission, they would have to complete the degree within one year for the course to apply to the degree. Credits from a completed master’s degree will be exempt from the 8-year time limitation for those students pursuing a doctoral degree. No more than 12 credits completed either prior to admission to a graduate program or transferred from another institution may be applied to a master's degree. For doctoral programs a maximum of 22 credits from a previously completed master's program or other post B.S. degree program may be applied.

Students must list each course for which they wish to receive transfer credit on the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request form. In the column labeled “Required Course,” if the transfer course is intended to substitute for a core or required course, list the course number. Otherwise, list 600 elective or 700 elective. All credits used to satisfy degree requirements for the master's degree, except thesis credits, may be eligible for transfer.

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Timeline for degree completion

The following is a summary of the major degree completion milestones, forms to be completed, and suggested timelines for completion.

• If one has not been assigned, select and meet with your graduate advisor no later than the end of the first semester to select courses. Students in M.S. programs are strongly recommended to seek informal advising prior to course selection in the first semester.
• If applicable, complete the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request form.
• Ph.D. students: complete the Qualifying exam in the first year (recommended) and no later than the second year. There is no formal documentation of the Qualifying exam to the Graduate School.
• Complete the Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form.
  
  • For M.S. students, completed form must be submitted to Graduate School by the end of the student’s second semester.
  • For Ph.D. students, completed form must be submitted to Graduate School by the end of the student’s third semester.
• Complete the Program of Study form.
  
  • For M.S. students, completed form must be submitted to Graduate School by the end of the student’s third semester.
  • For Ph.D. students, completed form must be submitted to Graduate School by the end of the student’s fourth semester.
• Ph.D. students: after completing course requirements, conducting some original research, and developing a research plan, take the Comprehensive exam. Submit the Doctoral degree admission to candidacy form
• In the final semester, apply for graduation. Follow the instructions in Graduation Application and My Â鶹ӳ»­. The application deadlines are as follows.
  
  • For spring graduation: March 1
  • For summer graduation: June 1
  • For fall graduation: Oct. 1
• Complete the thesis defense (M.S. Plan A), oral comprehensive exam (M.S. Plan B), or dissertation defense (Ph.D.), and submit the Notice of Completion. See the University’s Graduate School website for submission deadlines corresponding to target completion semester.
• See Graduate School forms and policies. Specifically:
  
  • Notice of Completion: Master’s Degree form. Note: student should input the exam date as well as the thesis title if applicable.
  • Notice of Completion: Doctoral Degree form.
• If applicable, submit your final M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation along with the Master’s Final Review Approval form or Doctoral Final Review Approval form.
• Complete the Exit Survey after all degree requirements have been completed.

The above forms are regularly updated and they can be accessed through the University’s Graduate School website. A pdf version of each form is available for inspection, but the Docusign version of the form must be used for official submission to the Graduate School. Note that on all forms, the “program” should be declared as Civil and Environmental Engineering (not the subarea specialization).

To facilitate easy review and follow up, above information is included in the summary sheet titled CEE M.S. and Ph.D. Graduate Program Guidelines and is presented in Appendix A.

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Committee Selection Guidelines

M.S. Thesis Advisory Committee

For the thesis option (i.e., Plan A), the advisory committee should consist of at least 3 members and the committee must be formed no later than at the end of third semester. The M.S. Advisory/Examining committees should consist of members of the graduate faculty. A listing of eligible graduate faculty can be obtained at the website Graduate faculty listing policies and procedures. Of these, 2 faculty members — who do not have to be from the student’s department — represent the student’s area of specialization, and 1 faculty member is selected to serve as the Graduate School representative.

The Graduate School representative must be from outside the candidate’s department, not necessarily outside the college. For each member of the Graduate School faculty, an affiliated department(s) is listed and the faculty member may not be the Graduate School representative for the candidate’s department.

Students may request the appointment of a committee member from the faculty of another university or from a relevant discipline or profession, provided the prospective member has achieved a record of distinction. They are approved as an “additional inside member.” Any member outside of the University may not serve as the Graduate School representative. Formal approval of the student’s advisory/examining committee is made by the Graduate dean.

In the case of interdisciplinary/inter-department degree programs, the committee may consist entirely of faculty from that interdisciplinary/inter-department provided that the role of the Graduate School representative can be filled by a graduate faculty member who holds an academic appointment in a department different from that of the chair of the committee.

The Advisory/Examining Committee approves the student’s program of study and guides the students through their graduate program. The students should maintain close contact with their committee, keeping them informed of the progress and allowing them ample time to review drafts of the student’s thesis. The students should be aware of their schedules when trying to arrange committee meetings and thesis defense. Note that it is the student’s responsibility to make these arrangements.

M.S. Plan B Advisory Committee

The Graduate School does not require assembly of an Advisory Committee for M.S. Plan B students. However, the CEE Department requires assembly of a minimum 2-member committee to administer the Oral Comprehensive exam. The committee consists of the Graduate advisor (committee chair) and one other faculty member, both of whom must be eligible Graduate faculty. Some of the programs (areas of specialization) may have additional requirements. The committee must be formed no later than the semester prior to graduation.

Ph.D. Advisory/Examining Committee

Advisory/Examining committees for Ph.D. students consist of at least 5 members of the Graduate faculty and they are: the committee chair/ primary advisory; at least 2 faculty members from the student’s major department; at least 1 faculty member from a department in a field related to the student’s major; and 1 Graduate School representative. The Ph.D. Advisory/Examining committees should consist of members of the Graduate faculty. A listing of eligible Graduate faculty can be obtained at the website Graduate faculty listing policies and procedures.

The committee must be formed no later than end of fourth semester. For students going directly from the bachelor’s degree to the Ph.D., the Advisory/Examining Committee should be formed prior to the completion of 24 units in graduate courses. Students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree should form the Advisory/Examining Committee within the third semester of enrollment.

The Graduate School representative must be from outside the candidate’s department, not necessarily outside the college. For each member of the Graduate School faculty, an affiliated department(s) is listed and the faculty member may not be the Graduate School representative for the candidate’s department. For a doctoral degree, the “faculty member from a department in a field related to the student’s major department” could be from the CEE Department but must be outside the candidate’s subarea of the CEE Department.

Students may request the appointment of a committee member from the faculty of another university or from a relevant discipline or profession, provided the prospective member has achieved a record of distinction. They are approved as an “additional inside member.” Any member outside of the University may not serve as the Graduate School representative. Formal approval of the student’s Advisory/Examining Committee is made by the Graduate Dean.

The Advisory/Examining Committee approves the student’s program of study and guides the student through his or her graduate program. The student should maintain close contact with his or her committee, keeping them informed of the progress and allowing them ample time to review drafts of the student’s dissertation. The student should be aware of his or her schedules when trying to arrange committee meetings and thesis defense. Note that it is the student’s responsibility to make these arrangements.

For easy review and follow up, above information is included in the summary titled CEE M.S. and Ph.D. Graduate Program Guidelines and presented in Appendix A.

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Qualifying and Comprehensive Exams

M.S. Plan B Comprehensive Exam

M.S. Plan B students must pass an oral comprehensive exam in their final semester. The exam is administered by the Advisory/Examining Committee (see Section 5). The exam can cover topics in any/all of the courses that the student has taken; however, questions are likely to be weighted toward topics taught by members of the Examining Committee. Students can request guidance for preparation from the Examining Committee members. 

Students should enroll in CEE 795 for 0 credits in the final semester and list CEE 795 on their program of study. Students are responsible to schedule the exam, and are advised to contact their graduate advisor no later than Nov. 1 for fall graduation and April 1 for spring graduation to select a date and time. Once students have successfully completed their comprehensive exam, they should submit a Master’s Notice of Completion found on the website Graduate School forms and policies. 

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The Ph.D. Qualifying exam is generally taken within the first year, administered by program areas as follows: 

1. Content: Core program areas with questions from appropriate program faculty (determined at discretion of primary advisor). 
2. Format: 1-day (8 hours), open book/notes, passing score ≥ 70% for each section; only 1 re-take allowed with passing score ≥ 75% required for failed sections. Programs may recommend additional preparation steps to develop competency. 

Students should inquire about requirements for each program specialization area.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam

The Ph.D. Comprehensive exam should be taken after completing course requirements, conducting some original research, and developing a research plan. It is recommended that the Comprehensive exam be taken at least one year before final defense and completion of degree, to allow more opportunity for the committee to be involved in the dissertation work. The Comprehensive exam consists of both a written and oral component, which are described as follows:

1. Written – The Ph.D. Committee Chair (Primary Graduate advisor), working with the Ph.D. Dissertation Committee, selects one of the following options: 
   
   1. Dissertation Proposal – The proposal provides the committee with a comprehensive presentation of the dissertation objectives, background and justification, the work completed to date, and a plan for future work. 
   2. Written Exam 
      
      1. Content: Core program areas with questions from examining committee and program faculty (determined at the discretion of primary advisor); 
      2. Format: 7-day, open book/notes, passing score ≥ 70% for each section; for sections with a grade < 70%, remedial work or additional requirements determined by the examining committee; only 1 re-take will be allowed on sections of the exam with grades < 70%; student must receive > 75% on the re-take sections. 
   3. Research Proposal – An original research proposal developed and written by the student that has been prepared for an agency. 
   4. Research Paper - An original research paper developed and written by the student for a journal or conference where the paper will be reviewed. The paper may be part of the student’s Ph.D. dissertation. 
2. Oral
   1. Presentation of dissertation proposal (May be open to the public)
   2. Questions on dissertation proposal and area of general study (Committee members only) 

After successful completion of the Comprehensive exam, the Ph.D. student is eligible for advancement to candidacy. According to University regulations, admission to candidacy confirms that a student has successfully completed the departmental course requirements and University residency requirements. In order to gain admission to candidacy, a student must also maintain a minimum 3.0 average in all graduate coursework. 

The Doctoral Degree Admission to Candidacy form needs to be submitted to the graduate school with the approval of the student’s advisory committee, graduate director of the program and the Graduate Dean must approve the form.

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Thesis requirements (and/or non-thesis option)

M.S. Thesis and Defense

When Plan A is chosen, an M.S. thesis must be written and defended. A thesis can also consist of professional papers either previously published or being published concurrently with the submission of the thesis. CEE Guidelines for thesis using papers option is presented in Appendix B. A defense must be held as a public oral examination, which is announced via posting or electronic mail at least one week in advance. The announcement must include the title and abstract of the work, the date, time and place of the exam, and the names of the student and of the committee chair.

Students should consult the thesis and dissertation filing guidelines prior to writing the thesis. Once students have successfully defended their thesis, they should submit a Master’s Notice of Completion found on the website Graduate School forms and policies. Upon final submission of the thesis, students should submit the Master’s Final Review Approval, signed by the graduate advisor.

Ph.D. Dissertation and Defense

A dissertation involving original research in CEE completes the Ph.D. program. A dissertation can consist of a number of professional papers either previously published or being published concurrently with the submission of the dissertation. CEE Guidelines for dissertation using papers option is presented in Appendix B. A dissertation defense must be held as a public oral examination, which is announced via posting and electronic mail at least one week in advance. The announcement must include the title and abstract of the work, the date, time and place of the exam, and the names of the student and of the committee chair. A successful dissertation defense is reflected by no more than one negative vote from a member of the Advisory/Examining Committee. If two negative votes are cast – regardless of the total number of committee members – the defense is unsuccessful. At the discretion of the committee, the candidate may be permitted one additional attempt to conduct a successful defense.

Students should consult the thesis and dissertation filing guidelines prior to writing the dissertation. Once students have successfully defended their dissertation, they should submit a Doctoral Notice of Completion found on the website Graduate School forms and policies. Upon final submission of the dissertation, students should submit the Doctoral Final Review Approval, signed by the graduate advisor.

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Graduate assistantship

Graduate assistantship positions are offered through various programs and are paid by grants or state funds. During the time of the evaluation of your graduate study application you will be automatically considered for a possible assistantship (TA or RA) based on the relative merit of your application. Factors such as: strength of credentials, relative merit with other applicants, funding need, alignment of interests with program scope or research opportunities will be considered. Currently, the GRE is not required, but encouraged for students who are seeking an assistantship. The CEE department does not offer any other opportunities such as internship or partial support, etc.

Students interested in TA or RA positions can also contact the CEE faculty for specific requirements. Most assistantship offers are made directly by individual faculty. Frequently, students are interviewed in advance of the application deadline and encouraged to apply. However, positions that become available after the application cycle are often filled from among the application pool. Information on CEE faculty’s research areas is available on the department's website. The Graduate School is responsible for approval of graduate assistantships after a department has requested the initiation of a contract. Note that an application can be evaluated with unofficial transcripts but students will need to provide official documents prior to being formally admitted. Unofficial GRE scores are accepted since the department no longer requires GRE for admission. All positions are contingent upon available funding.

Graduate assistants perform a variety of duties from teaching undergraduate classes to grading papers, to conducting research. Teaching assistants receive special teaching-skills training through mandatory GRAD 701S course. Further resources for excellence in teaching, including support for technology, course design and delivery, and online learning are offered and maintained by the Office of Digital Learning.

All graduate students holding an assistantship (teaching GTA or GRA) are considered Â鶹ӳ»­ residents for tuition purposes. Depending on the appointment number of hours per week, a portion of the registration fees and health insurance are waived. Students are still responsible for fees, including a College of Engineering differential fee of $100/credit. Non-resident tuition is only waived for the duration of the assistantship. To be eligible for an assistantship, students must be admitted to a degree-granting program and be in good academic standing. The student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and must be continuously enrolled in at least 6 graduate level credits (600-700) throughout the duration of the assistantship.

State-funded assistantships (GTA/GRA) may be held for a maximum of: three (3) years for master’s degree students and five (5) years for doctoral degree students.

Please also refer to the most updated information on graduate assistantships from the Graduate School website on graduate assistantships and the Graduate assistant handbook.

Graduate Employment: Rights and Responsibilities

Graduate assistants play an invaluable role in the University’s instruction and research endeavors. In their roles as graduate assistants, graduate students are treated with respect as junior colleagues, and receive guidance in the performance of their duties as necessary. Graduate assistants are classified as professional employees, as such they do not work according to the clock, but rather, according to performance of a specified job. Graduate assistants work on average 20 hours per week for a 0.5 FTE employee.

Rights

Graduate students have the right to fair and equitable treatment as employees (. Graduate assistants have the right to discuss and clarify the conditions of their employment and expected workload with their supervisor. Graduate assistants have the right to expect the work requirements to be consistent with professional expectations. Consequently, graduate assistants should not be assigned, as part of their employment, inappropriate work tasks as house-sitting, babysitting, etc. by their supervisor.

Responsibilities

As professional employees, graduate assistants should conduct themselves appropriately (dress, collegial relations, punctuality, dependability, etc.) in the work situation. As professional employees, graduate assistants will strive to fulfill the agreed upon work obligations. As professional employees, graduate assistants have the responsibility to report inappropriate work expectations or working conditions to the associate dean of the Graduate School and/or other appropriate campus entities.

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Health insurance

All domestic degree seeking graduate students, who are enrolled in six or more credits (regardless of the course level) in a semester, will be automatically enrolled and billed for the University sponsored health insurance for each term they are eligible (fall & spring/summer). If a student has other comparable coverage and would like to waive out of the student health insurance, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the prior to the deadline. If approved, a health insurance waiver is good for the current academic year only. A new waiver must be submitted each academic year. All international graduate students are required to carry student health insurance, and the cost will be automatically added to your student account. Any international graduate students with insurance questions must contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) resource webpage directly.

See also: Information on Graduate health insurance

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Policies

Academic Status 

All graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0. If their GPA drops below 3.0 they are either placed on probation or dismissed. Undergraduate courses will not count towards graduate GPA. 

• Probation: students whose cumulative graduate GPA is between 2.99 and 2.31 are put on probation. Students are placed on academic probation for one semester. If they fail to raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 by the end of one semester, they are dismissed from their graduate program. Thesis, dissertation, S/U graded credits, and transfer credits have no impact on a student’s GPA. 
• Dismissal: students whose cumulative graduate GPA is 2.30 or lower are dismissed from graduate standing. Dismissed students are no longer in a graduate program but may take graduate-level courses as a Grad Special. Students wishing to complete their degree must obtain approval to take graduate-level courses, raise their graduate GPA to at least 3.0 and then re-apply to a graduate program. Any courses taken to raise their GPA will be included in the graduate special/transfer credit limitation (12 credits for master’s degrees). 
• Please review the Graduate School’s Academic Standing and Dismissal Policy.

Continuous Enrollment 

To maintain “good standing” all graduate students are required to enroll in a minimum of three (3) graduate credits each fall and spring semester until they graduate. International students may be required to enroll in nine graduate credits each fall and spring semester depending on the requirements of their visa. All students holding assistantships (whether teaching or research assistantships) are required to enroll in a minimum of six (6) graduate credits each semester they hold the assistantship. 

Enrollment Limitations 

In each fall and spring semester graduate students may not enroll in more than 16 graduate credits. In each summer session graduate students may not enroll in more than 6 graduate credits. In each semester they hold an assistantship, graduate assistants must enroll in at least 6 and may not enroll in more than 12 graduate credits. 

Leave of Absence 

Students in good standing may request a leave of absence by completing a Leave of Absence form during which time they are not required to maintain continuous registration. Usually, a leave of absence is approved for one or two semesters. The leave of absence request may be extended by the student filing an additional leave of absence form. Students applying for a leave of absence should not have any “incomplete” grades which could be changed to “F” and have a detrimental impact on their cumulative GPA. Requests for leave of absences must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the leave is to begin. Time spent on an approved leave is included in the time allowed to complete the degree, i.e. six calendar years for the master’s degree and eight calendar years for the doctoral degree. That is, the clock doesn’t stop. 

Reinstatement 

When a student has been absent for one semester or more without an approved leave of absence, he or she may request reinstatement via the Notice of Reinstatement to Graduate Standing form. This form allows the program the option to recommend the student be re-admitted to their graduate program based on their previous admission, OR require the student to re-apply for admission which would require students to submit a new application for admission and pay the application fee. The Notice of Reinstatement to Gradate Standing must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the reinstatement is to begin. 

Good Standing 

Each graduate course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better for the credit to be acceptable toward an advanced degree. In addition, students must maintain good standing with an overall graduate credit GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. 

Getting an M.S. while Pursuing a Ph.D. 

If a student who is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program wants to earn an M.S. en route then the student needs to complete a master’s degree program of study. The graduate director will then send a memo to the grad school informing them of this request and the student can then apply for graduation. For either option (thesis, non-thesis) students will only be able to use 26 credits towards the Ph.D. If they take the thesis option (i.e., Plan A), the 6 thesis credits cannot be used towards dissertation credits. 

Completing Two Degrees Simultaneously 

Students may choose to complete two master’s degrees at the same time, or complete a master’s degree while working on a doctoral program in a different discipline. Students may not complete two doctoral programs simultaneously. When completing two master’s degrees at the same time, the student must apply and be accepted to each graduate program; must submit a separate program of study for each degree; must form two separate advisory committees with no more than one member in common; and have no more than 9 credits in common with each program of study. 

Changing Advisors 

It can happen that your research interests change over time or that the relationship with your current advisor has changed. Any student is free to change advisors, but changing earlier in your career is generally easier than later. If you are thinking about switching advisors, you can accomplish this the best if you adopt an attitude of respect for the person who initially advised you or recruited you to come to the University. 

The following are general guidelines for switching advisors: 

1. Talk to the graduate director. The graduate director represents the interests of the graduate students and s/he can help you make a better decision whether switching advisors would be good for you. The graduate director can also try to mediate between you and your advisor and help you better understand the pros and cons of changing advisors. This advice is especially important if you are attempting to change advisors near the final phase of your graduate program. 
2. Decide whether you want to switch advisors (do not approach other faculty before deciding). 
3. Decide whether you could work with two advisors. 
4. Try to work through any differences with your current advisor. Express to your advisor why you are considering a change, discuss whether his/her expectations of you are realistic, and whether they are open to adjusting. 
5. Carefully consider the pros and cons of switching advisors as this may involve: 
   
   1. You can lose your RA or TA position. Switching advisors is not a guarantee you can maintain your TA position. 
   2. You may need to find a new research topic as continuing your existing research with a new advisor is only acceptable with permission of your old advisor. 
   3. You may receive an unsatisfactory on thesis/dissertation credits that you are currently taking or a failing grade on an independent study with your current advisor if you do not complete your advisors’ expectation for that semester. 
   4. If you are a Ph.D. student and you have enough credits you may consider graduating with a M.S. degree on your old research topic before starting a new research topic with a new advisor. 
6. After your decision, approach another faculty member about being an (co-) advisor for you. 
   
   1. Frame your approach with positive information, such as new interests and new possibilities. Be professional at all times. 
   2. Focus discussions on your interests and goals and not on negative incidents or difficulties. 
   3. Avoid doing or saying anything that could have negative ramifications for your future career. 
7. Notify your current advisor and discuss and arrange a timeframe for completing any remaining work with your current advisor before the switch takes place. 
8. Arrange a meeting with your new and old advisor to discuss your new topic of research and or overlap on publications in your thesis/dissertation. 
9. Regarding Intellectual property claims, carefully consider the University’s intellectual property policy. 
10. Complete or update any formal paperwork that contains information about your advisor, e.g., advisory forms etc.

Academic Dishonesty 

In order to maintain an academic climate conducive to each member's success in the pursuit and transmission of knowledge, the University has established a set of policies and standards for all of its members to adhere to. For student members of this community, enrollment at the University carries certain obligations related to activities in the academic setting, including behavior inside and outside the classroom. Specific details can be found on the Student Code of Conduct Website. 

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Graduate Student Association

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) represents all graduate students and promotes the welfare and interests of the graduate students at the University. The GSA works closely with appropriate University administrative offices, including the Graduate School and Student Services and reports to the president of the University. The GSA government functions through the Council of Representatives, Executive Council and established committees.

Graduate students have the right to form clubs and organizations within their programs, departments, colleges, ethnicities, shared interests, or any other constituencies, for the purposes of academic, professional, or social networking, sharing, and advocacy. The GSA offers a number of awards and scholarships for which students can apply). To be eligible for these opportunities, students must have completed the annual general scholarship application located in the supplemental forms section of their MyNEVADA account by February 15 for the subsequent academic year.

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Graduate School forms

The majority of Graduate School forms referenced throughout this document are available in a central location on the Graduate School website. They can be identified by the titles used in this document.

See Graduate School forms and policies.

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Acknowledgments

Parts of this handbook’s text have been taken and adapted from the University’s Graduate Student’s Guide to University, the University Graduate School website, and the University Graduate Student Association website.

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Appendix A - CEE M.S. and Ph.D. Graduate Program Guidelines and Timelines

NOTE: The above University Graduate School forms are regularly updated and they can be accessed through University’s Graduate School website Graduate School forms and policies.

Forms are identified by names used below and throughout this handbook, and must be submitted electronically through Docusign.

M.S. Degree

Plan A - Thesis

26 total credits - 6 thesis and 20 course credits (maximum 2 credits CEE 750), minimum of 12 course credits at 700 level

1. Meet advisor about courses (select permanent advisor by end of 1st semester) – Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the end of the second semester.
2. Establish Advisory Committee – necessary for Program of Study form.
3. Submit Program of Study form (no later than the 3rd semester and 1 semester prior to graduation).
4. Complete courses and research requirements.
5. Apply for graduation in MyÂ鶹ӳ»­ (early in final semester).
6. Defend thesis (during final semester), submit Master’s Notice of Completion form.
7. Submit thesis and the Master’s Final Review Approval form.

Plan B – Course Work Only

26 total course credits (maximum 2 credits CEE 750), minimum of 12 course credits at 700 level

1. Meet advisor about courses (select permanent advisor by end of 1st semester). Submit the Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form (no later than the end of the second semester and 1 semester prior to graduation).
2. Establish Examining Committee (after completion of 12 credits) – necessary for Program of Study form.
3. Submit Program of Study form (no later than the third semester and 1 semester prior to graduation).
4. Complete course requirements.
5. Apply for graduation in MyÂ鶹ӳ»­ (early in final semester).
6. Register for CEE 795 for 0 credits in the final semester. Complete oral comprehensive exam during final semester, work with Advisor to schedule. Submit Master’s Notice of Completion form.

Ph.D. Degree

62 total credits – 24 dissertation and 38 course credits (maximum 2 credits CEE 750), minimum of 18 course credits at 700 level, maximum of 22 transfer credits.

1. Complete Ph.D. Qualifying exam within first year (inquire about requirements for each program specialization area).
   
   1. Content: Core program areas with questions from appropriate program faculty (determined at discretion of primary advisor).
   2. Format: 1-day (8 hours), open book/notes, passing score ≥ 70% for each section; only 1 re-take allowed with passing score ≥ 75% required for failed sections. Programs may recommend additional preparation steps to develop competency.
2. Establish Advisory/Examining Committee (after completing step 1 and completion of 12 credits) – Declaration of Advisor/Major Advisor/Committee Chair form must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the 3rd semester.
3. Submit Program of Study form (no later than fourth semester).
4. Complete Comprehensive Exam for admission to candidacy (after completion of courses, independent research, and development of a research plan), a written and oral portion is required. Submit the Doctoral Degree Admission to Candidacy form.
5. Complete research requirements.
6. Apply for Graduation in MyÂ鶹ӳ»­ (early in final semester).
7. Defend dissertation (during final semester), submit Doctoral Notice of Completion form.
8. Submit dissertation and the Doctoral Final Review Approval form.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam

Written

The Ph.D. Committee chair (advisor), working with the Ph.D. Committee, selects one of the following options.

1. Dissertation Proposal – The proposal provides the committee with a comprehensive presentation of the dissertation objectives, background and justification, the work completed to date, and a plan for future work.
2. Written Exam
   
   1. Content: Core program areas with questions from Examining Committee and program faculty (determined at discretion of primary advisor)
   2. Format: 7-day, open book/notes, passing score ≥ 70% for each section; for sections with a grade < 70%, remedial work or additional requirements determined by Examining Committee; only 1 re-take will be allowed on sections of the exam with grades < 70%; student must receive > 75% on the re-take sections
3. Research Proposal – An original research proposal developed and written by the student that has been prepared for an agency.
4. Research Paper - An original research paper developed and written by the student for a journal or conference where the paper will be reviewed. The paper may be part of the student’s Ph.D. dissertation.

Oral

1. Presentation of dissertation proposal (may be open to the public)
2. Questions on dissertation proposal and area of general study (committee members only)

Composition of Graduate Committee

Master of Science

Advisory/Examining committees consist of at least 3 members of the Graduate faculty. Of these, 2 faculty members, not necessarily from the student’s department, represent the student’s area of specialization and 1 faculty member is selected to serve as the Graduate School representative.

Doctoral Degree

Advisory/Examining committees consist of at least 5 members of the Graduate faculty and they are: the committee chair/ primary advisory; at least 2 faculty members from the student’s major department; at least 1 faculty member from a department in a field related to the student’s major; and at least 1 Graduate School representative.

For students going directly from the bachelor’s degree to the Ph.D., the Advisory/Examining Committee should be formed prior to the completion of 24 units in graduate courses. Students entering a Ph.D. program with a master’s degree should form the Advisory/Examining Committee during their first semester of enrollment.

Committee Members

The Graduate School representative must be from outside the candidate’s department, not necessarily outside the college. For each member of the Graduate School faculty, an affiliated department(s) is listed and the faculty member may not be the Graduate School representative for the candidate’s department. For a doctoral degree, the “faculty member from a department in a field related to the student’s major department” could be from the CEE Department but must be outside the candidate’s subarea of the CEE Department.

Students may request the appointment of a committee member from the faculty of another university or from a relevant discipline or profession, provided the prospective member has achieved a record of distinction. They are approved as an “additional inside member.” Any member outside of the University may not serve as the Graduate School representative. Formal approval of the student’s Advisory/Examining Committee is made by the Graduate Dean.

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APPENDIX B - CEE Guidelines for M.S. Thesis and Ph.D. Dissertation using Papers

1. The Introductory chapter of the Thesis/Dissertation should include: (1) Introduction to Thesis topic, objective and justification; (2) Brief Literature Review that puts the work in the context of past work; (3) Brief Description and Methodology; (4) Clearly indicate the status of the papers; (5) Contribution of the student should be clear and substantial (preferably as a percentage above 65 or so) for those papers that have multiple authors; and (5) Discussion of the “Connecting Theme” as to how the papers are interrelated and at the same time are distinct in their nature of the contents (i.e., limited overlap) of the papers.
2. It is recommended that a subsequent chapter be included that provides a complete literature review, description of methodology, and as needed further details of “Connecting Theme”.
3. All published and submitted papers should be either Peer-Reviewed Journal or highly-regarded “Complete Paper Peer-Reviewed Conference” publications. These papers shall be included as individual chapters of the thesis/dissertation. Papers shall have a submission date after the admission to University Grad School. All papers must have been submitted for review at the time of thesis/dissertation submission. The order of the authors is not relevant, but the level of contribution (indicated by percentage of contribution) by the student is important.
   Total number of papers should be at least three for Ph.D., of which one of them must have been published or accepted in a Peer-Reviewed Journal. The other two should have been submitted.
   For the M.S. Thesis, total number of papers should be at least one and it should have been submitted.
   The Student’s Graduate Thesis Committee must approve the Journals and highly-regarded Peer-Reviewed Conferences to which the papers have been submitted. The committee needs to appraise the quality of unpublished papers and the overlap.
   When applicable, responsibility for follow-up, revisions, etc., should be identified in a section at the end of such papers and this should be agreed upon by the student, co-authors involved, and the Thesis/Dissertation Committee members.
   In the case of Ph.D., the Graduate Dissertation Committee should be informed by dissertation advisor (chair) about the plan to submit the dissertation using the papers (preferably during the comprehensive exam time) along with the CEE Guidelines relative to this approach. If there are any changes, the committee should be informed by the primary advisor.
4. As noted above, the M.S. or Ph.D. Thesis/Dissertation Committee needs to approve the quality of the published and submitted papers. The needs to be submitted to CEE graduate director when seeking signature on the Notice of Completion of Graduate Program Form.

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