MS Graduate Student Checklist

Checklist for graduating master's students

Always read through this site for information: https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide/

Main contacts:

Pre Defense

  • Settle on a day and time for your thesis seminar and oral exam with your committee
  • Reserve a Room - you can either request a departmental room (128, 462, 473) by adding it to the room calendar or request a campus room (contact Caitlin, Jillene, or Kathryn) 
  • Optional: If you want to offer a Zoom option, set that up. Add information to flyer if you plan to send that out.
  • Optional: Create a flier to send to Jillene, Caitlin, or Kathryn to distribute
  • If funded as a RA or TA, check with your department administrator regarding payroll & benefits; If funded as student hourly, check with Tricia Check regarding last date of payroll.
  • Declare your intent to graduate in your Student Center

  • Request your warrant at least three weeks in advance:

    • Agronomy Warrant
    • PBPG Warrant
    • Agroecology Warrant
    • Horticulture Warrant
    • Your warrant request will be submitted to your Grad Coordinator. They will use this information to put in a request to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will issue you a degree warrant if you meet the following requirements: 
      • Registered for a minimum of two graduate-level credits (300-level or above for a grade, no audits, or pass/fail) in the semester (fall, spring or summer) you expect your degree.
      • Meet all credit requirements
      • Graduate GPA of at least 3.00.
      • All incomplete, unreported grades, or progress grades in anything other than research/thesis (usually 690, 790, 990) must have been cleared.
      • Students receiving a second (or third) master’s degree from UW-Madison, and students receiving two master’s degrees during the same semester, must submit official lists (on program letterhead and signed by advisors or program chairs) of courses used for each degree. We use these lists to check the 25% overlap rule.
      • You must complete all requirements by the appropriate degree deadline.
    • Your warrant will be available at https://my.grad.wisc.edu/ . Follow these steps to obtain signatures after completing your seminar/oral exam:
      • Select 'My Student Information'
      • Find the warrant in the Warrants section
      • Click the ellipsis in the Actions column
      • Click 'View Committee'
      • Send emails to committee members
      • Once completed, the grad coordinator will submit to the grad school
      • Download the signed warrant.
      • It is your responsibility to ensure everyone signs. You can send follow up emails through the system if necessary.
      • Warrant Signature Instructions 

Post Defense

  • Discuss any corrections/revisions with mentor/committee.  Also discuss planned date for deposit of thesis/dissertation.
  • Email your department administrator to finalize last date on payroll.  This should be done about a month before you plan to end your appointment so that payroll updates can be made in a timely manner
  • Complete Masters Exit Survey online. Must be done prior to submitted signed warrant. You will be emailed instructions once you request a warrant. Also see here https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide/#things-you-need-to-know
  • Remind your advisor to submit a final grade for your 990s. If you are completing your degree before the end of the semester your advisor will have to complete this grade change form https://kb.wisc.edu/registrar/116414
  • Update your Diploma address in MyUW prior to leaving campus. The Registrar’s Office will send your diploma to this address approximately 12 weeks after degree conferral.

  • Student Assessment Forms 

  • Depositing Your Thesis

    • Agroecology -  submit final project/thesis to graduate coordinator
    • Agronomy, Horticulture, and PBPG: 
      • Deposit your thesis at Memorial Library via email (see instructions here: https://grad.wisc.edu/current-students/masters-guide/;)
        • Once a thesis is submitted to the library it becomes available to the public. If you would like an embargo, or delayed release, then you must request one before you deposit from Elena Hsu, the MS Degree Coordinator, in the Grad School. elena.hsu@wisc.edu

Leaving UW? 

  • Request degree completion letter from the graduate school if starting a new job before degrees are conferred (optional) https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/certification-of-graduation/
  • Send your non UW email to the graduate coordinator to get on the alumni email list
  • Return your keys and any other department property
  • You will not have access to certain UW accounts like your wisc mail so make sure to save all files that you need. Information from DoIT here
  • Keep in Touch! 

Continuing on for a PhD?

  • You will need to fill out a program add/change request to move over to PhD. https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/change-program/ the request will go to the graduate coordinator for approval. If you are moving to a PhD program outside of Agronomy, Horticulture, or PBPG you will need to work with that program for admissions/to move over to the PhD. Please work with that program well in advance of when you intend to move to the PhD.
  • If you are changing to a program outside of PAS, please return keys and any other department property.


Keywords:
graduation, graduating, masters, MS, warrant 
Doc ID:
142350
Owned by:
Kathryn J. in CALS PAS
Created:
2024-09-12
Updated:
2024-10-11
Sites:
CALS Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences