ALL SEMESTERS

• Enroll in courses in consultation with your advisor. Typical load is 6-9 credits of graded graduate course work per semester in addition to research credits.
• If you have a TA, reach out to the department to ensure you are in contact with the appropriate instructional staff.
• You are expected to attend at least half of all departmental colloquia.
• Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

YEAR 1

Semester 1: Advisor Selection; Begin Coursework

• If you were admitted with a default advisor(usually the graduate director), discuss your research interests with faculty; ideally, you will settle on a research advisor early in the first year.

Semester 2: Coursework; Start Research

• In general, focusing on breadth courses in your first year will provide the best groundwork for advanced study. In particular, the department strongly recommends takingCSE5500 in the first year. (If you already have a research advisor, discuss with them your plans for course selection.)

Form an Advisory Committee in Consultation with Your Advisor

• Typical advisory committees consist of two additional faculty. See the full guidelines at https://gradcatalog.uconn.edu/grad-school-info/advisory-system/
• Complete breadth requirements.

Submit Plan of Study to the Graduate School

• After 18 credits of coursework, submit Plan of Study to the graduate school. (This is non-binding, and can be changed in the future.) https://grad.uconn.edu/forms/
• Begin preparing a dissertation proposal; ideally, plan to defend your proposal early in Year 3.
• File your annual departmental progress report.

YEARS 3+: