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STUDENT INFO

FACULTY INFO

Graduate School Search:

1. The Graduate School webpage

The Graduate School webpage (www.ndsu.edu/gradschool) has the information and forms that students need to complete all steps from graduate school application to degree conferral.

2. Programs offered
40 doctoral programs

55 master's programs

Education Specialist degree

6 certificate programs


3. Student standings

1. Non-degree students: These graduate students are not admitted to a specific graduate program. Up to 10 credits that are taken under this classification may be used on a Plan of Study if a student gains admittance to a program. Non-degree students may not receive financial aid, assistantships, or tuition waivers.
2. Conditional: Students are admitted to a program with conditions. After the conditions are met, the student may request a change to full standing. Twelve credits may be taken while at conditional status.
3. Full standing: Students have met all program requirements for admission; this status is required in order to receive a degree.
4. Academic warning: If a graduate student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, he/she is placed on warning. Students admitted conditionally because of their undergraduate GPA are automatically placed on warning.
5. Academic probation: If the GPA does not improve the next semester after being put on warning, the student is put on academic probation. Students on probation need the Graduate Dean and their program administrator's (chair, head, or director) permission to register for classes; this permission will only be granted after a plan to return to good standing within one semester is proposed by the program. Students on probation may not have assistantships/tuition waivers.
   
   
1. Assistantship requirements
   For an overview of requirements for international students to be teaching assistants, see http://www.ndsu.edu/International/admission/bulletin/app_admis_procedures/english_proficiency.shtml
   1. English Language Proficiency for Teaching Assistants
      North Dakota State University has established a process for verifying communication skills for all personnel whose appointments include classroom instruction.
   2. These policies as they apply to graduate students are as follows:
         i. Requirements for written communication proficiency
            All potential teaching assistants must provide evidence of their proficiency in written communication skills by
            submitting evidence of one or more of the following:
              1. Completion of one or more courses in English Composition at an accredited institution of higher learning
                  in the United States with a grade of B or better.
              2. Completion of an advanced English writing course, e.g., technical writing, at an accredited institution of
                  higher learning in the United States with a grade of  B or better.
              3. Completion of the TOEFL iBT Writing subscale with a score of 23 or higher or a score of 7 on the IELTS
                  Writing subscale.
              4. Completion of the Language Proficiency Test (LPT) administered by the NDSU Center for Writers with a
                  score of 5 or higher.
              5. Completion of the Test of Written English (TWE) with a score of 5.0 or higher for teaching assistants
                  whose first language is not English and who do not meet any of requirements a, b, or c above.
              6.  Completion of North Dakota State University's Intensive English Language Program for teaching assistants
                  whose first language is not English and who do not meet any of requirements a, b, or c. The program is designed
                  to improve the participant's four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. See index under
                  Intensive English Language Program for pages in this bulletin that give the details of this program.
              7. Completion of English 112-122 (Writing for Non-native Speakers) with a grade of B or better for teaching
                  assistants whose first language is not English and  who do not meet any of requirements a, b, or c.
        ii. Comprehensive English Proficiency
            All potential teaching assistants whose first language is not English must provide a Test of English as a
            Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of not less than 100       (internet- based test), 600 (paper-based test), or
            243 (computer-based test) to The Graduate School or a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS.
       iii. Requirements for spoken communication proficiency
           Potential teaching assistants whose first language is not English must demonstrate spoken communication
           proficiency by one of the following methods.
              1. Potential teaching assistants whose first language is not English must obtain a minimum score of 26
                  on the TOEFL iBT Speaking  subscale or a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS Speaking subscale.
              2. Potential teaching assistants whose first language is not English must obtain a minimum score of 50 on the
                  Test of Spoken English (TSE). This examination assesses oral language proficiency in English as spoken in
                  North America . It evaluates a person's overall comprehensibility, pronunciation, grammar, and fluency. A score of
                  50 indicates that the individual is generally comprehensible to Americans who are not used to listening to speakers
                  whose first language is not English. This exam is administered by the North Dakota State University Department of 
                  Modern Languages in August, November, and April.
              3. Graduate assistants who are serving as a tutor must obtain a minimum score of 25 on the TOEFL iBT Speaking
                  subscale, a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS Speaking subscale, or a minimum score of 48 on the TSE.
              4. Graduate assistants who are serving as a grading assistant must obtain a minimum TOEFL score of 79
                  (internet-based test), 550 (paper-based test), or 213 (computer- based test) or a minimum score of 6 on the IELTS.
      
      
2. Credit load for full-time status
   1. 5 credits with 20 hr/week assistantship*.
   2. 9 credits without an assistantship.
      Federal law requires all international students with an assistantship to carry at least 6 credits for full-time status.
      
3. Supervisory Committee Requirements
   1. At least 4 members (adviser, full or associate graduate faculty member, faculty member or qualified expert, and graduate appointee from outside student's program).
   2. Committee member responsibilities
      1. Adviser: Oversees Plan of Study and chairs committee.
      2. Graduate appointee: Ensures that Graduate School policies and procedures are followed.
         
         
4. Plan of Study
   1. Submit within one semester of forming the supervisory committee.
   2. Signatures needed: All committee members and program chair.
   3. Degree requirements vary slightly by department (minimum 30 credits for master's and 90 credits for doctoral degree).
   4. Time limits: 7 years for master's and 10 years for doctoral degree.
   5. Continuous enrollment policy
      1. Students must enroll for all fall and spring semesters from the date when they start their degree program until they complete their final defense unless they request a leave of absence.
      2. If continuous enrollment is not maintained, additional credits (up to three) will need to be taken at the time of final defense.
         
         
5. Dissertations, Theses, and Papers
   IRB, IBC, and/or IACUC requirements
   1. If a student's research involves humans, animals, and/or biohazards, he/she must have approval from the Institutional Review Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and/or the Institutional Biosafety Committee. Submit to The Graduate School a copy of the letter(s) sent to you/your advisee by IRB/IACUC/IBC when the research project was approved. The editor will not review the disquisition until it is confirmed that the project was approved by IRB/IACUC/IBC. Approval cannot be granted retroactively.
   2. Questions about IRB, IBC, and IACUC should be directed to Sponsored Programs Administration.
   2. Guidelines for the Preparation of Dissertations, Theses, and Papers
      1. Available at http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/gradschool/dissertation/index.shtml
      2. Students should read Guidelines before writing their dissertations, theses, or papers.
   3. Committee responsibilities
      1. Ensures that the document adheres to Guidelines.
      2. Approves content of the document.
      3. Ensures that the document follows the grammatical, citation, and style requirements of the discipline.
   4. Graduate School review process
      1. Step-by-step guide at http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/gradschool/dissertation/dissertation.shtml
      2. Dissertations, theses, and papers are reviewed in the order that they are received.
      3. Completion package fee must be paid before The Graduate School can review the dissertation, thesis, or paper.
         
         
6. Graduate Council
   1. Approves new courses.
   2. Approves individuals for associate graduate faculty status.
   3. See http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/gradschool/graduate%20council/index.shtml
      
7. Forms that students need to submit to The Graduate School
   1. Most forms are available at http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/gradschool/forms/index.shtml
      1. Plan of Study: Should be submitted within one semester of forming the supervisory committee.
      2. Request to Schedule Examination: Should be submitted to The Graduate School two weeks before the exam.
      3. Request for Change of Admission Status: Used to change from conditional to full standing.
      4. Request for Change (to Plan of Study or committee), if applicable.
      5. Report of Preliminary Examination: Should be submitted to The Graduate School immediately after the exam.
      6. Report of Final Examination: Should be submitted to The Graduate School within seven days of the exam.
      7. Request to Participate in Commencement: Due March 15 (for May ceremony) and October 31 (for December ceremony).
      8. Checklist for Theses, Papers, and Dissertations: Should be submitted with the completion package fee receipt when the thesis, paper, or dissertation is submitted to The Graduate School for review.
         
         
8. State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) Scholarships
   1. Applications due 15 days prior to the semester start.
   2. Requirements to receive SBHE scholarship
      1. North Dakota resident.
      2. Completed 10 credits and in good standing.
      3. Adviser recommendation.
         
         
9. Commencement
   1. Submit the Request to Participate in Commencement form by the deadline.
   2. Take and pass the final examination before classes end for the semester.
   3. Have the Report of Final Examination submitted to The Graduate School at least one week before the ceremony (the last day of classes).
   4. Commencement is a ceremony. It is not the date a degree is conferred.
      
      
10. Degree posting
    1. Registration and Records only posts NDSU degrees in May, August, and December.
    2. Degree date is based on the date when final copies of the thesis, paper, or dissertation are submitted to The Graduate School.
       
       
11. Additional questions?
    1. Call The Graduate School at 231-7033.
    2. Visit The Graduate School in Old Main 201.