General Student Information for Graduate School
Initial Course Selection
Prior to choosing courses, the student should obtain the Graduate Catalog and the Schedule of Courses. The student should then schedule a time to meet with the Graduate Coordinator prior to registering. The Graduate Coordinator will aid in course selection and will serve in the role of major professor until a major professor is selected. Following their selection, the major professor and supervisory committee will provide guidance in course selection.
Selection of a Major Professor
The selection of a major professor and laboratory is one of the most crucial decisions a graduate student makes. The composition of the total laboratory group is important since the vitality and enthusiasm of your fellow laboratory workers will have a great influence upon the direction and character your own research will assume. The ideal laboratory environment should allow you to reach your full research potential by promoting the frequent exchange of views that often lead to a creative mixing of ideas and novel technical approaches to experimental design. It is important that you select a laboratory group with which you will enjoy working and one that has the time and resources to provide you the best possible foundation in your research specialty. The importance of this decision in shaping your future career potential cannot be over emphasized and, therefore, deserves the careful and immediate consideration of each new student.
Individual appointments with each member of the graduate faculty are recommended in order to aid the new student in selecting research areas of interest. These informal meetings should be arranged by each student and completed, if possible, during registration week prior to the start of class. A check-list is provided in this handbook for faculty to initial and this should be returned to the Graduate Coordinator after these visits have been completed. These visits will provide you with the opportunity to learn about the diversity of research programs existing within the department.
New students should select a major professor as early as possible (no later than the end of the first semester of enrollment) and begin working in that laboratory. Alternatively, a student may wish to rotate through several laboratories (6 weeks each) before making a final decision. Rotations of this nature can be arranged at the beginning of the semester in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and the individual faculty involved. The department faculty feel that it is very important for new students to become involved in research as soon as possible.
Supervisory Committee and Plan of Study
Supervisory Committees are selected by the student in consultation with the major professor. These are then nominated by the Department Chairman, approved by the Dean of the College of Agriculture, and appointed by the Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The committee should be appointed as soon as possible after the student has begun graduate work, and, in general, no later than the end of the second semester of full time study.
Supervisory Committees for the M.S. and Ph.D. degree should have a minimum of three and five members, respectively. Members of the Supervisory Committee for the Ph.D. degree must have Graduate Faculty status. One member, the official "external" member, of the Ph.D. committee must be selected from a department different from that in which the degree is being sought.
Following selection of a Supervisory Committee, a Plan of Study must be submitted by the middle of the third semester of enrollment in graduate school. The plan of study lists all of the courses to be taken by the student to satisfy the course work requirements of either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree and must be approved by the supervisory committee. Failure to select a Supervisory Committee and submit a Plan of Study by the end of the second semester will prevent further registration and cause termination of assistantship support until the deficiency is remedied.
Procedure for Changing Major Professors
A student may change their chosen major professor during the first year upon consultation with the Department Chairman and the Graduate Coordinator. Changes during the first year are not unusual and are viewed as a rotation of projects. Students desirous of changing major professors after the first year must submit their request in writing to the Department Chairman. This request should include the reasons for the change request and indicate that the proposed change has been discussed with both the current and proposed major professors. A decision will then be made by the Department Chairman.
Teaching Requirement
The Ph.D. and M.S. Degrees are research degrees. Your career goals may be research or they may be more oriented towards teaching; however, it is widely recognized that a solid foundation in graduate research is also essential for an outstanding teaching or research career in the sciences. The graduate program of this department, therefore, places primary emphasis on the development of the student's research capabilities with opportunity to obtain a limited amount of teaching experience. The minimal amount of teaching required is one semester for Master's students and two semesters for Doctoral students.
Assistantship Responsibilities
Graduate students receiving financial support (½ time) as a teaching or as a research assistant will be required to spend as minimum of 20 hours per week over a period of the appointment on assigned duties in addition to their graduate research.
Teaching Assistantship duties normally will not exceed 9 classroom contact hours or 12 laboratory contact hours. Other assigned duties may include: laboratory preparation, grading, staff meetings, student consultation and required lecture attendance. Research Assistantship duties, not directly related to the students' thesis or dissertation, will be specified by the major professor.
Time commitment and vacation:
Graduate students on assistantships are appointed for 12 months. Students are expected to devote their full time in the pursuance of their degree objectives. This include the time both during the semesters and semester breaks. Outside jobs (including weekends) while enrolled in this department are not permitted. Graduate students are entitled to two weeks or ten working days of vacation in addition to official state holidays. Vacation should be taken when it does not interfere with other assigned duties and with the approval of the student's major professor.
Other Information
All equipment in the department is generally regarded as available for students and faculty. Each member of the faculty is, however, responsible for the use and maintenance of items in their laboratory. Students may use any instrument within the department but only after checking with the appropriate faculty member to insure that the student will not interfere with other work in progress and is knowledgeable of the proper operating techniques. Each user is responsible for adequate clean-up of the instrument and the laboratory area used. Should equipment or an instrument malfunction or break during use, the faculty in charge should be notified as soon as possible. Ultimately, the major professor is responsible for the care of the equipment used by their students.
The department vehicle is to be used only for official department business. Requests for use of the department vehicle must have the approval of the student's major professor. The vehicle is signed out in Room 1019 in the Microbiology and Cell Science building. Drivers must have a valid Florida driver's license.