University, College & Department Rules
University & College Rules
Please see the FSU Graduate Bulletin (hard copy or on-line) for more details.
The following are rules that apply from the college &/or university:
- Students in the thesis master's program or PhD program
must register for thesis/dissertation credits each term in which
a substantial amount of work is being done on the the thesis/dissertation, even if the
minimum of six (6) semester hours of thesis, or 24 semester hours of dissertation,
has already been met. Students who have completed the required course work and who
continue to use campus facilities and/or receive faculty supervision
but who have not made a final thesis/dissertation submission shall include in the
required full-time load two (2) hours of thesis/dissertation.
Students who have left the campus must register for at least
two (2) semester hours of thesis or dissertation credit per term as long as they
are receiving faculty supervision.
- Students must register for at least one (1) semester hour of thesis or dissertation
credit in the final term in which a degree is granted even if ALL the requirements for
the degree have been completed in previous semesters. This is to cover the costs of
manuscript clearance and final degree clearance. Thus, the ONLY students who can register
for one hour of thesis or dissertation are those who have completed everything for the
degree. Any work with the major professor, committee members or use of university
facilities would require registration for two (2) hours of thesis or dissertation.
- Twelve (12) semester hours per semester constitutes a full-time load for graduate students
and fellowship holders in the university. However, nine (9) semester hours is considered
a full-time load in the Computer Science department for students with an
assistantship. During a student's first fall semester, CIS 5935 (2) must be taken; thus
during the first fall semester a full-time load for TAs and RAs is 11 hours. International
students must obtain the corresponding form from International
Studies to be signed to verify this.
- The maximum number of hours which a graduate student may carry without special
permission is fifteen (15). A heavier load requires approval by the dean.
- Students who have been out of school (i.e. not registered for) two or more
consecutive semesters (including summer) must submit an application for readmission to
the readmissions section of the Office of the University Registrar. This application
must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the beginning of the term for which
readmission is desired.
- International students are required to be full-time students fall and spring
semesters but not during summer unless summer is the first semester for which they are on
campus.
- The major professor of a doctoral student in candidacy must submit a PhD progress
report each year. This can be done via the department by completing this on-line document
and submitting it to the CS Director of Graduate Studies. This is completed in January of
each year.
- Once admitted to candidacy, a "Doctoral Supervisory Committee" form
and a "Admission to Candidacy" form must be completed and filed with the
department Graduate Coordinator. Such forms are available from the
Graduate Coordinator or Director of Graduate Studies.
- A doctoral student must be admitted to candidacy at least six (6) months prior to the
granting of the degree.
- The Office of Graduate Studies requires notification of thesis/dissertation
defense two weeks prior to the defense. It further requires that a doctoral student
submit a completed copy of the dissertation to the doctoral committee at least four (4)
weeks prior to the defense.
- An electronic version of a completed thesis or dissertation must be
submitted to the
university.
- During the first two weeks of the term in which a candidate expects to receive a
degree, application should be made for a diploma at the office of the University Registrar.
If a candidate previously filed for a diploma but did not receive the degree, the application
must be repeated.
Additional Department Rules
- The department extends the University policy about thesis/dissertation hours
to include students who are working on a master's project. Thus, a student who is
using University resources or receiving faculty supervision is required to register for at
least two (2) hours of project even if the course requirements are complete.
- Each graduate student is required to meet with his or her advisor at least once
per semester. For course-based MS students, the department advising form is to be completed
at each such meeting and should remain
with the advisor until graduation. At that time, the advising forms are submitted as part of
the graduation check.
- All students are assumed to be full-time unless special permission has been granted to
be considered part-time. The student must submit a "memorandum for the record" obtainable
on the CS graduate web site.
The approved paperwork will then reside in the student's
record.
- Many fellowships have load requirements that are higher than our departmental
requirements. In such cases, the fellowship rules supersede those of the department.
-
It is the responsibility of the student doing a project, thesis, or dissertation
to submit to the director of graduate studies the names of the major professor
and committee members as soon as such committee has been formed. This is
necessary before signing up for project, thesis, or dissertation hours.
- Masters students doing the thesis or project option are usually restricted
from taking Directed Independent Study courses CIS 5900 and CIS 6900.
Rather, such students should take thesis or project hours respectively.
- Those doctoral students who wish to register for a Directed Independent
Study (CIS 5900/6900) must submit to the graduate coordinator a one-page
syllabus signed by their major professor, before such a class is created by
the graduate coordinator.
- A student defending a project, thesis, dissertation or area paper is required
to inform the graduate coordinator of the title and date, time and location
of the defense two (2) weeks prior to the defense.
- It is not required by the department that the chair of Computer Science
sign the signature page of the thesis or dissertation.
- Upon completion of a thesis, project or dissertation, a student must submit
an electronic copy of such to the CS department webmaster. Additionally,
theses and dissertations
must be electronically submitted to the university.
- ALL graduate students must complete an Exit Survey before
graduation.
Copyright © 1999 - 2006
Florida State University
Department of Computer Science
Last modified by L.W. Hawkes, June 2006.
