The quality of a graduate education depends in part on the quantity and quality of interactions between students and advisors (and students and students!). Each person’s experience in graduate education is unique, and advising expectations need to be developed through discussions between the student and advisor. This prospectus gives a general view of graduate education, and is intended as a starting point for developing programs that suit each student.
Philosophy:
Graduate education deals with developing knowledge, the ability to use knowledge, and the ability to think with creativity and skepticism. A Masters level education aims to develop a student’s ability to participate in research, typically at the level of applying research (to natural resource issues, for example). A doctoral level education aims to produce researchers (professional or vocational). There are high expectations for student accomplishments, and time invested to help students achieve their goals.
A doctoral program is qualitatively different from a masters program – not just more of the same. Differences include greater rigor for a PhD -- not just in hours expended, but in accomplishments and abilities as a researcher. Students gain knowledge and understanding from many parts of a university -- by hanging out with fellow students, in classes, in journals, and in research projects.
The advisor serves a double role in graduate programs. As a mentor, the advisor supports, encourages and nurtures each student’s development. As a professor, the advisor also judges the accomplishment and potential of each student. Students should expect support from advisors, but this support may sometimes include uncomfortable criticism and challenges. Some students begin graduate work with a vision that turns out not to match the real program – such as the program requiring greater dedication, sharper thinking, broader knowledge, more skills in math, writing, analysis, logic, or chemistry. The advisor is responsible for helping students develop their visions and accomplishments to meet the demands of the program. On rare occasion, the match just doesn’t come, and the student and advisor need to discuss a transition out of the program. (Binkley, Personal Communication)
WORK AND VACATION
Students with half-time research assistantships are required to fulfill a work requirement averaging 20 hours per week. How these hours are spent and to whom they are owed must be worked out between the individual graduate student and your Advisor. Teaching assistantships (not FW6980) normally require 16 to 20 hours per week assisting in the conduct of assigned classes. These hours may include classroom teaching, preparation and clean up for class and or laboratory, grading, office hours, and generally helping out in lectures and/or labs when needed. The specific details of each teaching assignment must be worked out between the teaching assistant and the principal instructor for each course. Students without assistantships owe their time to no one but themselves. However, all students, regardless of whether they have an assistantship or not, are encouraged to associate with other graduate students and to lend a hand when needed. Students on graduate assistantships are not entitled to many fringe benefits, including vacation, which permanent employees receive. However, time off can usually be arranged as needed by proper planning and coordination with their Advisor. In other words – plan ahead! In general, it is best you give your Advisor a copy of your class schedule at the beginning of each semester. It tends to minimize confusion.
ETHICS
Each student will be expected to maintain an ethical conduct throughout his or her graduate program in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. Ethical conduct is conforming to well-accepted and well-established professional standards of conduct. Unethical conduct is considered: (1) cheating on examinations and other assignments; (2) plagiarism, the presentation of ideas and exact words of another person as one’s own (e.g., copying verbatim passages, tables and figures from books and articles); and (3) falsification or misrepresentation of ideas or research data. Copyright laws in the United States allow the use of limited quotes from books and research articles. Students should confer with their Advisor and Advisory Committee for procedures and limitations associated with citing published material. Unethical conduct by a student will be brought to the attention of student’s Advisory Committee and the School’s Dean for disciplinary action.
PUBLICATIONS
With assistance of their Advisor, students are strongly encouraged to prepare papers based on their thesis, report or dissertation to be submitted for publication or for public presentation.
GRIEVANCES
Any student who has a grievance with his or her Advisory Committee or Advisor may do so using established School procedures as outlined in the Charter of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science or by talking with the Dean or Graduate Program Director of the School.
