This manual is intended to convey College of Optical Sciences traditions, common practices, procedures, and policies, and supplement the enrollment, academic and degree completion requirements of the University of Arizona Graduate College. It is your responsibility to know and comply with the College of Optical Sciences and Graduate College Policies. The reference manual is organized alphabetical by topic and includes links to appropriate web sites with more information. If you have questions, please email the Graduate Academic Advisor in the Academic Programs Office, room 403, or call 520.626.0888.
Integrity is expected of every student in all academic work. The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student’s submitted work must be the student’s own. This principle is furthered by the student Code of Conduct and disciplinary procedures established by ABOR Policies 5-308 – 5-403, all provisions of which apply to all University of Arizona students. Conduct prohibited by the Code consists of all forms of academic dishonesty, including, but not limited to: cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. Building Keys and Keyless Building Entry: Graduate students will be provided with keyless building entry. After obtaining your Cat Card and enrolling in courses you will need to complete a Key Request Form and submit it to the Accountant’s Office, West Wing room 641. For building entry, the Associate Dean of Academic Programs must give approval by signing the form. For lab or office key entry, the student’s major professor/supervisor must sign the form. Bursar’s Office at the University of Arizona: The Bursar's Office is responsible for providing student account information, receiving payments for tuition, registration fees and miscellaneous campus charges; collection of delinquent accounts; and delivering refunds and financial aid proceeds. The Bursar’s Office is located in the University Services Building, 888 N. Euclid Avenue. The University of Arizona offers a Tuition Payment Plan fall and spring semesters. For questions about your student account contact the Senior Manager of Academic Programs , room 403. Note: To avoid repayment of the tuition waiver, registration deduction and student health insurance premium, Graduate Research Assistants and Graduate Teaching Assistants must officially graduate, according to Graduate Degree Certification, prior to resigning their position. This can happen anytime during the semester, as long as the official graduation occurs before resignation. The definition of “official” graduation is submission of all degree completion documents to the Graduate College Degree Certification Office. The CatCard is the single, common and recognizable identification card for people who are affiliated with the University of Arizona. Amongst other uses, it is required to obtain keyless Optical Sciences building entry. In addition the CatCard is used for: identification and status, library card, recreation center card, meal plan card, photocopying and printing services, vending machine purchases, paying for parking at Campus Garages, and small dollar purchases at the UA Bookstore and U-Mart Convenience Store. Change of Class Schedule, Dropping and Adding Units: Unlike undergraduates, graduate students are able to make changes to their class schedule up to the last day of class. To make changes students must complete a Change of Schedule Form. Changes include switching to an audit, and dropping a course replacing the course with theses or master’s report units. Please note: An audited course does not meet enrollment requirement for students receiving funding. Graduate Research positions require enrollment in at least 6 units. If you have other financial aid funding, you should confirm the number of units you are required to be enrolled in each semester. Change of Degree Program, MS to PhD: MS graduates students who wish to be admitted to the College of Optical Sciences’ PhD program must complete a Change of Program Form and submit two letters of recommendation to the Academic Programs Office, room 403. The form is also available in the Academic Programs Office, 403. Program change requests are reviewed by the Admissions Committee just like a new application. You do not have to complete the MS degree program requirements to change to the PhD program. Most PhD graduate students complete their MS degree along the way by completing the written and oral comprehensive exam. The University of Arizona and College of Optical Sciences celebrates graduate degree completion twice a year, in December and May. The College of Optical Sciences' Pre-Commencement Ceremony and Breakfast is held prior to the UofA Commencement Ceremony. Invitations and information is emailed to anticipated graduates in mid-October and mid-March. Diplomas are not given out at Commencement. Diplomas are ordered individually for each student after the final degree audit of their academic record is completed. You should receive your diploma about four weeks after the Commencement Ceremony. The diploma will be mailed to the address you have listed on student link as your 'permanent' address. If you do not want it sent to your 'permanent' address you should create a 'diploma' address and it will be mailed there instead. Diplomas are printed and mailed from out of state; therefore students are not able to pick them up here on campus. If you are complete degree requirements early in the semester and need to provide proof of your degree, upon request to the Optical Sciences' Degree Certification Auditor at the Graduate College. Communication and Contact Information: The primary means of communication with students is email. Be sure to set up your optics email account. Please be sure to check your email regularly. In addition to email, each on-campus College of Optical Sciences’ student will be assigned a mailbox at Optical Sciences. The mailroom is located on the 4th floor, room 426. Please remember to promptly submit new contact information (email address, mailing address, campus location, telephone number) to the Academic Programs Office! You will also need to update any change in contact information in Student Link. Graduate students must meet the Continuous Enrollment Policy. Masters and Doctoral students hired on an assistantship must be enrolled in at least 6 units. Auditing a class does not count toward meeting the unit requirement. Students are not required to be enrolled during 1st or 2nd summer semester unless they are graduating in August. If you are unable to enroll in fall or spring semester, to maintain your student status, you should submit a Leave of Absence. If you fail to meet the continuous enrollment policy and do not register, you will need to reapply to the Graduate College and be approved for readmissions by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Students with scholarships or financial aid may be required to be enrolled in more than 6 units. Notice for International Students: Please check with the Office of International Student Programs to be sure you are in compliance with your visa status obligation since you may be required to be enrolled in additional units to maintain your full-time student status. 9 units is considered full-time status for non funded international students. If you would like a student cubicle, you must submit a cubicle request. Cubicle space is not secure and Optical Sciences is not responsible for stolen or lost items. Storage lockers are available on the 1st floor, first come first served. Students are responsible for providing their own lock for the storage lockers. To enroll in an optics distance class (section 910) you will need to register through UofA Continuing Education. Distance class DVD’s are available in the Fred Hopf Library. If you are enrolled in the on-campus section of a distance offered course and you wish to have access via web streaming, you must speak with the professor and be approved to receive online access. Final MS Oral Examination Requirements: For students who select the thesis option, the final is an oral exam based primarily on the content of the thesis. For those selecting the non-thesis option, this oral exam normally is based primarily on the subject matter of the courses taken; however, by mutual agreement between the student and the examination committee, the Master's Report can serve as the focus of the exam. Sample Theses and Master’s Reports are available in the Fred Hopf Library. In planning your degree completion, be sure to meet the Graduate College Degree Certification deadlines. You must be enrolled in the semester you complete your degree. In agreement with your major faculty advisor choose a committee consisting of 3 members, two of them have to be tenured or tenure-track faculty from OSC, the third member can be an “outside” person if approved by the Graduate College in advance. If you decide to have an “outside” person on your committee, a Special Member Form will need to be submitted to the Graduate College. Speak with the Academic Advisor in the Academic Office regarding completion and submission of the form. Once you have chosen your committee, and received a commitment from them for a final exam date, please notify the Graduate Student Academic Advisor in the Academics Office. A conference room will be reserved, an Exam Notice distributed and final degree completion documents will be generated. Please give one week notice to the Academic Office allowing time for form creation. Students should provide light refreshments for final oral exams. Coffee making supplies will be provided by the Academic Office, room 403, upon request. The student should pick up the coffee supplies prior to the exam. Students are responsible for cleaning up the conference room following the exam. Most, but not all the conference rooms are equipped with audio visual equipment for your presentation. Please be sure to confirm the conference room equipment. You can reserve an LCD projector and lap top from the Academic Office, room 403. Grades, Grade Replacement Opportunity and GPA: Only grades of “B” or “A” are accepted toward meeting degree completion requirements. Prior to graduation students may repeat, only once, a graduate level course in which they received grades of “C”, “D”, or “E”. The department, course number, and grading type (i.e., letter grade versus S, P, F) of the repeated course must be identical to those of the course to be replaced. If you wish to retake a class for a higher grade you will need to do the Grade Replacement Opportunity (GRO). Graduate students must maintain a GPA of 3.0. Students who have a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Probationary status may impact current or future funding opportunities. Students whose GPA is below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters will be converted to non-degree status by the Graduate College. Graduate College Theses/Dissertation Waiver: The Graduate College Theses/Dissertation Waiver is a waiver of non-resident tuition only. Students classified as Arizona residents are not charged non-resident tuition. Students on appointment as a Graduate Research Assistant/Associate or Graduate Teaching Assistant/Associate already receive a waiver of non-resident tuition as a benefit of the appointment. To be eligible for a Graduate College Theses/Dissertation Waiver, students must be enrolled at the University of Arizona for not less than one (1) and not more than six (6) units of 900level units only, and not be using university resources (e.g. libraries, computers, labs, faculty time) to any significant extend, except for exams, final defense and some advising. Eligibility is limited to 4 semesters. Special permission from the Associate Dean of Academic Programs is required for awards exceeding the 4 semester limit. The maximum value of a Graduate College Theses/Dissertation Waiver is for 6 units. To apply for a waiver, contact the Graduate Student Academic Advisor in the Academic Office. The deadline for an approved waiver is one week in advance of the Bursar’s Office tuition payment deadline. Immunization Requirement/Health Insurance: Before newly admitted graduate students can register they must submit proof of measles and rubella immunizations. Students enroll in health insurance each semester in Student Link. For Distance Program MS students you will need to submit immunization records prior to your semester on campus. Graduate students are required to enroll for student health insurance in the fall semester. For students who enroll in the fall semester, you will be automatically enrolled for spring semester health insurance as soon as you register for spring semester classes. Note: Graduate students graduating in May who enrolled in the spring semester health insurance are covered through mid-August. Students complete enrollment for health insurance in Student Link. With professor approval the Graduate College Policy allows one year for completion of incompletes. Students must negotiate an incomplete and the length of an incomplete with the professor. Courses graded with an "I" will automatically revert to an "E" at the end of one year unless the professor completes and submits a Change of Grade Form. With approval of the professor/instructor incomplete extensions to allow extra time may be granted, but a petition must be signed the the professor/instructor and submitted to the Graduate College before the end of the semester. For assistance in submitting a Petition contact the Graduate Student Advisor in the Academic Programs Office, 403. It is the student's responsibility to communicate with the professor in regards to meeting the requirements for incompletes. Up to 3 units of approved independent study may be applied toward the MS degree completion requirements. Before enrolling in Opti599, Independent Study, complete an Independent Study Proposal Form and submit it to the Academic Programs Office, 403, for the Associate Dean’s approval. Once approved you will be registered for Opti599. Job Announcements, company presentations, and on-site recruitment interviews are distributed via email to the JobSearchers listserv. Simply send an email to be added to the JobSearchers listserv. Employment opportunities are announced in the OSC weekly newsletter, Watt's Up. In addition, you can access employment opportunities from the home page by following the employment link at the bottom of the page. Students on the JobSearchers listserv will also be notified of Industrial Affiliates presentations and interviews held during the annual Industrial Affiliates Workshop held in February. This plan should be submitted by the beginning of your third semester. The MS Plan of Study for the thesis option must include 24 units of course work (2 of which are lab units). MS thesis option also requires 8 units of Opti910/Thesis. Previously approve transfer courses are listed in the transfer section on the Plan of Study. Completed Plans of Study should be submitted to the Academic Office, room 403, for approval and processing to Degree Certification at the Graduate College. If your coursework changes at degree completion a Change of Study Plan Form will be submitted. A student who elects to withdraw from the University by dropping all classes after having paid registration fees must initiate such a procedure by contacting the Dean of Student's Office. A withdrawal may not be initiated after the last day of classes of any semester and must be completed before the beginning of final examination period. If a student is requesting a Medical Withdrawal and would like a tuition refund, he or she must contact Campus Health and provide medical documentation. If a student withdraws for medical reasons and is beyond a refund period, medical documentation is not required. Optical Sciences requires every graduate student schedule a progress interview with the Graduate Student Academic Advisor, Gail Varin, once every year. Yearly progress interviews should be completed prior to spring break. The purpose is to discuss the student’s goals, keep track of his/her progress, flag potential or actual problems, and help avoid difficulties in the future. Interviews normally last between 15-20 minutes. Stop by the Academic Programs Office, room 403, or email Gail Varin to arrange a progress interview. Following the progress meeting a brief report will be written and placed in the student file. The Associate Dean of Academic Programs will scan these reports to address any problems that may require attention. Student Link is a password-protected service that allows you to access your personal information and student account balance. When accessing Student Link you will need your Student ID Number and PIN. Your PIN on your official University of Arizona Certificate of Admissions. It is important you verify your student account information before the payment deadline each semester. You should verify your account balance each time you change your course schedule. Your account balance must be paid in full by the payment deadline date each semester in order to avoid late payment penalties. Additional penalties are charged on the Census Date-the 21st day of each semester. It is a policy of the College of Optical Sciences that each graduate student will serve as a teaching assistant for at least one semester during the student’s academic program. This policy will not be strictly enforced except in cases of insufficient number of qualified volunteers to support the classes requiring teach assistants. The procedure for obtaining a position as a teaching assistant is to enter name, email address and course desired on the list posted in the Academic Programs Office. The posting of the list will be announced via email at the end of each semester. Generally, PhD students will be given priority over MS students. All else being equal, earlier volunteers will be given priority over later volunteers. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. TA assignments are dependent on course enrollments and generally made a few weeks before the start of the semester. Theses or Master’s Report Option: If you write a thesis, you can find formatting information on the Graduate College web site Theses and Dissertation Manual. And, unless you want to have your thesis microfilmed, you do not submit your thesis to the Graduate College. You should submit one printed final copy to the Academic Office for inclusion in the Fred Hopf Library. The Academic Office will have it bound for the library collection. There are no format requirements for the Master’s report, however, most students will follow the thesis formatting manual. Your report will need a title page and a 1.5 inch left margin to allow for binding. We also maintain copies of bound Master’s Report in the Fred Hopf Library. On the day of the final exam, your major advisor will pick up your file from the Academics Office to take to the exam. It is up to your committee to test you on the contents of your thesis, master’s report and/or your knowledge of the course material. Students should clarify exam expectations with their major faculty advisor. After passing the final exam and submitting the thesis or Master’s report to the Academic Office for the Fred Hopf library, please make an appointment for an exit interview with the Associate Dean in the Academic Office. This interview is an informal meeting to discuss your thoughts on the optics program and your plans for the future. A secondary purpose of the interview is to obtain information on the graduating student’s job search. Individual responses are kept strictly confidential. However, a generalized report of salary information is created from the exit interview responses and made available to students and optics companies. Salary information is available in the Academic Office, room 403. The last step before leaving the Optical Sciences is to fill out a Clearance Form. This form needs to be taken to various offices at OSC to be initialed prior to your departing OSC. After you obtained all the signatures, the form needs to be submitted to our Payroll Office, room 421. Approved courses for transfer are listed in the “transfer” section on the MS Plan of Study. The official transcript must be submitted to Degree Certification. All transfer courses must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Up to 6 units of appropriate graduate courses may be transferred from other universities with approval. Students enrolled in non-degree graduate status are permitted to apply up to 15 units of optics course work once admitted to the MS program. International students should submit a Transfer Evaluation Form and submit English translated transcripts to the Graduate College Degree Certification Office for Graduate College evaluation of course work approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. All students should request evaluation of transfer courses in their first semester. The form is available in the Academic Office, room 403. To obtain wireless internet access you must first register your computer.
University of Arizona Campus Resources and Links Bursar Account. Student accounts, questions about tuition payments, etc. University Services Building, Room 104; 621-3232; bursar-web@listserve.arizona.edu Campus Health. Check-ups, pharmacy, psychological services, etc. Highland Commons, 1224 E. Lowell St, Northwest corner of Highland and 6th Street, 621-6490 Career Services. Career counseling, job postings, interview skills & resume writing. Student Union Memorial Center, Room 411; 621-4224; careerservices@arizona.edu CAPS. Counseling and Psychological Services offering counseling to students to help them cope with personal and family problems. Licensed professionals provide treatment for anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, family problems, food and body concerns, alcohol and drug concerns, and other life crises. Campus Health, 621-3334. Child Care & Family Resources. Provides consultation appointments to assess needs and issues, customized referrals, sick child and emergency back-up care, elder care, financial assistance Curriculum and Registration. Class registration, grades, transcripts, forms, policies; Administration Building, room 210; 621-3113; reghelp@email.arizona.edu Degree Certification. Graduate College Degree Certification Office monitors academic accomplishments, assures University and Board of Regents degree requirements are met, assists in obtaining correct forms and signatures and files exam results keeping you on the right path to graduation. Administration Building, room 316; 621-3609 http://grad.arizona.edu/degreecert/ Disability Resource Center. Facilitates full access for disabled students, faculty, staff, and visitors through the proivsion of reasonable accommodations, adaptive athletic and fitness programs, assistive technology, etc. 1540 East 2nd Street; 621-3268; uadrc@email.arizona.edu Financial Aid Office. Student loans and work study. Administration Building, Room 203, 621-1858; askaid@arizona.edu Housing. Off-Campus Housing provides weekly updated off-campus housing, roommate notices, and Tucson utility contact information International Student Programs & Services. Represents and advocates for international students, provides liaison with academic and other departments as well as state, federal, and foreign agencies; provides immigration and tax advising. 935 North Tyndall Avenue; 621-4627 Legal Services. ASUA provides free, confidential legal advice for students from a trained attorney MAP. Motorist Assistance Program assists vehicle issues including jump start, flat tires and accidentally locking keys in car. Provided free by Parking & Transportation. 621-AUTO OASIS. Works to reduce campus incidences of sexual assault and relationship violence. Old Main, room 228; 626-2051; thaag@email.arizona.edu Ombudsperson. An Ombudsperson can help you deal with problems you might have with the University. Provides informal means of problem resolution if you have University-related dispute. President’s Office, Administration Building, room 712; 626-5589 Parking & Transportation. Provides parking options and promotes transportation alternatives and shuttle routes Residency Classification. Instructions for obtaining Arizona Residency for tuition purposes. Education, room 122; 621-3636 S.A.L.T. Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques. SALT Center provides enhanced, for-fee services for students with documented learning disabilities. 1010 N. Highland Avenue; 621-1242 UofA Police Department. 1852 East First Street; 621-8273; For emergencies dial 911 Women's Resource Center.Organization devoted to providing resources and information about women’s issues. Located among the ASUA offices, 3rd floor of the Student Union next to the bookstore; 621-3919 Veterans Services & Deferment. Offers information and services related to the Montgomery GI Bill benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Administration Building, room 313; 621-9501
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