1 - Program Procedures Applicable to All Students

1.1 - Purpose of the Graduate Handbook

1.1.1 - Policies and Procedures

This handbook is an official source of the procedures and policies related to your graduate studies in Chemical Engineering at Brigham Young University. The handbook is a supplement to the Graduate Catalog (MS, PhD) and to the Graduate Studies Policy Handbook. Please refer to these other sources as appropriate.

1.1.2 - Graduate Student Responsibility

As a graduate student, you are responsible for your education and degree progress. As such, you are expected to know and understand the content of this handbook, and you will be held accountable for the information contained herein. It is your responsibility to inform yourself of all procedures and policies, fulfill all graduation requirements, and meet all deadlines.

1.1.3 - Official Communication

In addition, you will receive official department and university communication via your BYU-issued email address. You are responsible to regularly check this email address and respond promptly to official communications as needed.

1.1.4 - Graduate Program Personnel

There are a number of personnel with whom you should be familiar with that are involved in running the graduate program:

• Graduate Program Manager (GPM): This is the staff member who oversees administration of the graduate program at the department level.

  • Serena Jacobson
  • serena_jacobson@byu.edu
  • (801) 422-2588
• Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC): This is faculty member (professor) assigned to oversee the graduate program at the department level.
  
  • Prof. Douglas Tree
  • tree.doug@byu.edu
  • (801) 422-5162
• Graduate Committee: This is the group of faculty and staff within the Chemical Engineering department who runs day-to-day operations of the graduate program. This committee is chaired by the GPC and includes the GPM.
• Department Chair: This is the faculty member who oversees the chemical engineering department.
  
  • Prof. Dean Wheeler
  • dean_wheeler@byu.edu
  • (801) 422-4126
• Dean of the College of Engineering: This is the faculty member/administrator who oversees the entire college of engineering.
• Dean of Graduate Studies: This is the faculty member/administrator who oversees all graduate programs at the university.

1.2 – Honor Code and Behavior Standards

1.2.1 - CES Honor Code and Dress and Grooming

As a BYU student, you have committed to following both the CES Honor Code and the CES Dress and Grooming Standards. It is the university's and the department’s expectation that each student will abide by these standards.

1.2.2 - Other University Policies Related to Behavior

In addition to the above, as a member of the campus community, you are expected to follow all BYU policies and procedures. These include policies related to:

• Academic Honesty
• Sexual Harassment
• Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity
• Copyrights

It is your responsibility to be familiar with these (and all other relevant) university policies and to comply with them. Violation of these policies could result in your dismissal from the program and/or BYU.

1.2.3 - Intellectual Property

BYU maintains a campus-wide intellectual property policy that includes activities within graduate programs. You should be familiar with the policy.

In summary, it states that all intellectual property developed at BYU, under the supervision of BYU personnel, or with substantial BYU resources belongs to the university unless there is an express agreement otherwise.

1.2.4 - University Resources

There are various resources available to you as a student on campus, depending on your specific needs. These include:

• University Accessibilities Center (for academic accommodations)
• International Student and Scholar Services (for students who are non-US citizens)
• Title IX Office (in case of sex discrimination)

1.2.5 - Student Academic Grievances

An academic grievance occurs when a student believes he/she is being treated unfairly in an academic evaluation. The university has an established procedure for handling graduate student academic grievances. If consulting with the faculty member or primary advisor does not resolve your grievance, you should (i) contact the department chair. If difficulties persist, you should (ii) proceed to contact the dean of the College of Engineering. If neither of these authorities can resolve the issue, you should (iii) contact the dean of Graduate Studies. All academic grievances must be reported within one year of the incident in question. Additional details of these policies are given in the graduate studies policy handbook.

1.2.6 - Artificial Intelligence Tools

The Chemical Engineering graduate program encourages the responsible use of (generative) artificial intelligence (AI) to improve learning and to increase the quality of engineering and research. However, AI can also be abused in serious ways that compromise learning, research, and ethics.

The policies below are stated as general principles that you should follow to avoid the most common and serious abuses of AI.

• You must follow the policies of individual instructors in the courses they teach.
• You must follow the policies of BYU and of the conferences, journals, professional organizations, and funding agencies with whom you interact.
• Your academic products must represent your own work. You must not misrepresent AI-generated results as your own or use AI to produce results that you do not understand and cannot reproduce.
• AI-generated results must be verified. You, not the AI tool, carry the responsibility to ensure the veracity of your work.
• The use of AI must be disclosed where appropriate, and AI-generated results must be cited.
• AI (and all other) results must be reproducible and archival, meaning that others following the same procedures can produce similar results.

1.3 - Admission Status

Your admission status is determined by the Graduate Committee and is indicated on your official admission letter.

1.3.1 - Regular Admission

This admission status carries no conditions or restrictions.

1.3.2 - Conditional Admission

Conditional admission status requires you to complete a requirement before beginning the degree program. The details of this requirement are provided in your official admission letter. For example, it is often the case that an international student must complete their foreign credential evaluation before they can enroll in classes.

1.3.3 - Provisional Admission

Provisional admission status requires you to complete a requirement after beginning the degree program (usually within the first year). The details of this requirement are provided in your official admission letter. For example, a student with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 may need to get greater than a 3.0 GPA their first semester. Another common example may be a student who needs to complete one or more pre-requisite courses.

1.3.4 - Students without a B.S in Chemical Engineering or Students from a Non-Accredited Program

A students without a B.S. degree in chemical engineering or with a degree from a non-accredited program may be admitted with a regular admission or with a provisional admission (see above). Regardless, such a student may need additional coursework to be successful in graduate courses and research. To ensure success upon matriculation, these students are administered a diagnostic exam to help determine their prior preparation. This exam is only administered for information purposes. It covers material that is foundational to the core curriculum, including:

• Math and numerical methods (linear algebra, differential equations, programming)
• Transport phenomena (fluid mechanics, heat/mass transfer)
• Thermodynamics (including multicomponent phase equilibria)
• Chemical reaction engineering

Following this exam, the student, their advisor, and their advisory committee determines a program of study plan that is best for the student to be successful and to satisfy degree requirements. Depending on prior preparation, this will likely include some courses related to the topics above.

A student's prior degree is not directly tied to financial aid. Rather, as with all other students, this is determined by their degree status (e.g., MS, PhD) and by their advisor.

1.4 - Registration Requirements

1.4.1 - University Registration Requirements and Limits

All graduate students must register for:

• 6 total hours credit hours per year
• A minimum of 2 credit hours during the semester in which they defend their thesis or dissertation.

Failure to do so will result in automatic disenrollment by the University. If you are disenrolled, you must apply to resume graduate study (See "Application to Resume Graduate Study" from graduate studies.)

Graduate students should not register for more than 12 credits per semester or 6 credits per term. You may not register for all 18 thesis/dissertation hours in a single semester or term.

1.4.2 - Department Registration Requirements

The department requires all graduate students to enroll in:

• At least two credit hours during the Spring/Summer terms (one credit hour each term)
• Graduate Seminar (691R/791R) each Fall/Winter Semester.*
  
  • If you will be off-campus for the entire semester (e.g., for an internship) then you must receive approval from the Graduate Program Coordinator to waive the requirement to register for ChEn 691R/791R.
  • If you will be on-campus for only part of the semester (e.g., if you are defending during the semester), then you should register and attend while you are still on campus. Your absences will excused following your departure. You must receive approval from the Graduate Program Coordinator and the course instructor to have these absences excused.

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in a marginal or unsatisfactory semi-annual evaluation and possible dismissal.

1.4.3 - Full-Time Status

The university considers 2 hrs to be full-time for graduate students who have completed their coursework (i.e., "all but dissertation"). However, providers of student loans may require you to complete extra paperwork to prove you are still a full-time student in order to delay loan repayment.

1.4.4 - Registration Considerations for International Students

All students who are in the United States on a student visa must register for 9 credit hours per semester until they complete their course work. When you have completed your course work, you may register for fewer hours, provided that the graduate coordinator grants written approval. This approval letter must be submitted to the University International Student Office.

1.5 - Program of Study (Courses)

1.5.1 - Program of Study Plan

The Program of Study Plan is your officially approved course of study for your graduate degree. All courses listed on it must be completed before a degree can be granted.

You should create your Program of Study Plan in consultation with your advisor and advisory committee. Elements to consider when making this plan include:

• Degree requirements (the plan must satisfy these)
• Needs for prerequisite courses before the graduate core
• Timing of the prospectus
• Technical foundation for research
• Your interests.

Completion of this plan is accomplished via the "Graduate Progress" webpage. This can be found by navigating to my.byu.edu and selecting Graduate Progress (gradprog) or through this link. The Graduate Program Manager can help you if you have technical difficulties entering your Study List.

The Program of Study Plan must be approved by your advisor and your advisory committee by the end of your first semester. Failure to do so will result in a hold on your registration for future semesters and a marginal or unsatisfactory semi-annual evaluation, which could result in program dismissal. It is possible to change the courses on your study list after the first semester with the approval of your advisory committee.

1.5.2 - Other Courses

You may take classes unrelated to your graduate work (subject to your advisor's approval), but they should not appear on the Program of Study Plan. Department or advisor funds cannot be used to pay the tuition for courses that are not part of your Program of Study.

1.5.3 - Transfer Credit

It is possible to transfer credit from another university or from your undergraduate degree towards your graduate degree at BYU. The following are the maximum possible credits that can be transferred:

• Senior credit: Up to 10 credits of undergraduate credits that are not applied to the baccalaureate degree.
• Transfer credit: Up to 15 credits of graduate-level courses with a B-grade or higher.
• International credit: Same as transfer credit, if the institution is accredited by the International Association of Universities and the courses are of appropriate content and rigor.

If you intend to transfer credits, you must inform the Graduate Program Manager who will obtain approval from the Graduate Program Coordinator.

1.5.4 - GPA Requirements

You must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for the courses listed in your program of study (PoS). No D credit may apply toward a graduate degree. Courses in your program of study plan may be repeated to improve grades. You cannot graduate with a degree with a PoS GPA less than a 3.0.

First-Year Students:

• If your first or second semester PoS GPA is below a 3.0, you will receive a "marginal" rating on your semi-annual evaluation.
• If you receive a GPA below a 3.0 for two consecutive semesters in your first year, you will receive an "unsatisfactory" evaluation and will be dismissed from the program.
• If at any time during your first year, you have a cumulative study list GPA below a 2.0 or your receive an "E" grade in a required course (i.e., ChEn 531, ChEn 533, ChEn 535, ChEn 601) then you will receive an "unsatisfactory" evaluation and you will be dismissed from the program.

Other Students:

• Any semester with a PoS GPA below a 3.0 is possible grounds for a "marginal" or "unsatisfactory" evaluation. This decision is made by your advisor or advisory committee during the semi-annual evaluation.

1.5.5 - English Coursework

If you scored poorly on the English proficiency exam required for admission (in the case where English is not your native language), you may be required to take additional English coursework. This decision will be made by the Graduate Program Coordinator by the beginning of the first semester. These courses cannot count toward degree credit requirements.

1.5.6 - No-Cost Religion Courses

Graduate students that are registered for at least 2 credit hours in a semester or 1 credit hour in a term are eligible (on a space available basis and with instructor approval) to attend religion courses without incurring any additional tuition costs. TAs and faculty have the ability to add students as a guest in Learning Suite for a course which will grant all the access they need but will not require that a grade be submitted.

1.6 - Research Advisor

1.6.1 - First Semester

The graduate program coordinator (GPC) is your temporary advisor for the first semester. He/she and the graduate program manager (GPM) can help answer questions before you are matched with a permanent advisor. In particular, the GPC and GPM will help you register for classes for the first semester and provide you with the location of a temporary office/desk.

1.6.2 - Research Advisor Selection (Fall admission)

Research advisor selection begins before admission when you investigate faculty research interests and the types of available projects. You should meet at least six faculty members whose research work seems interesting to you. Ask them about possible research projects and available funding. If possible, you should also talk with current graduate students to get an additional perspective. You should conclude this investigative process no later than the end of September of your first semester.

In September, the department will provide you with an electronic form where you will:

• indicate the six faculty members you interviewed, and
• give a ranked list of your top three choices for advisor.

The completed form must be submitted to the GPM by October 1. A corresponding form will be given to faculty advisors, and the department will make the matching decision regarding advisors.

This matching process is designed to make the best possible match between student and advisors. No official commitments between students and faculty can be made outside of this process.

Once you have a permanent advisor your desk assignment will be relocated to an office with your research group, and you can begin formulating a study list and selecting an advisory committee.

1.6.3 - Research Advisor Selection (non-Fall admission)

You must secure a commitment from a research advisor before you can be admitted outside a Fall semester. As such, there is no need for you to not participate in the above process.

1.6.4 - Research Advisors Outside of the Chemical Engineering Department

In order to have a research advisor from outside of the Chemical Engineering department you must:

• Secure permission from the proposed research advisor.
• Secure permission from the GPC and GPM.
• Find a willing faculty member in the Chemical Engineering department who will serve as a co-advisor.
• Complete the "Interdisciplinary Graduate Study Request" form from graduate studies. Completing this form will require approval from the department chairs/deans from both departments/colleges.

1.7 - Advisory Committees

1.7.1 - Advisory Committee Selection

The advisory committee are faculty members who play a critical role in your graduate program. They perform the following functions:

• Technical expertise, guidance, and support for you and your project
• Approval of your Program of Study Plan
• Annual evaluations
• Evaluation and approval of your prospectus
• Evaluation and approval of your thesis/dissertation

Your advisor is the chair of your advisory committee. The remaining composition of the advisory committee depends on your degree program and is described in the Section 2.3 (Ph.D.) and Section 3.5 (M.S.).

With the exception of a department-assigned member, the choice of the members of your advisory committee is up to you, but you should consult with your advisor while making the decision. To organize your advisory committee:

1. Make a direct request (e.g., in person or by email) of the chosen faculty member (it is impolite to skip this step).
2. Enter the committee members into the appropriate form on the "Graduate Progress" website on my.byu.edu.
3. Faculty will approve this selection via the same website.

You should secure approval of your advisory committee before the end of your first semester. Failure to do so will result in a "marginal" rating on your semi-annual evaluation.

Advisory committee members selected by the student may be changed following the first semester, but courtesy dictates that changes should only be made for compelling reasons (e.g., a faculty member on leave or a major change in research emphasis).

1.7.2 - Advisory Committee Members from Outside of the Chemical Engineering Department

You are encouraged to find advisory committee members who are from outside of the department, but the majority of your committee must be Chemical Engineering faculty.

In order to serve on your advisory committee, a person must have “graduate faculty status” (which is given by BYU Graduate Studies to faculty who meet certain requirements requisite for advising graduate students) or you must petition for them to be approved as a "special member" (e.g., they are not BYU faculty).

If they are a member of another BYU department, and they regularly advise graduate students, you do not need to ask the GPC/GPM for permission to add them to your committee. However, if you are unsure if they have graduate faculty status, or if they are not members of the BYU faculty, you must request approval from the GPM.

Note that "special members" of the committee do not count towards the required number of committee members. In other words, they are an "extra" committee member.

1.8 – Evaluation of Degree Progress

1.8.1 - Overview of Semi-Annual Evaluations

Each graduate student receive progress evaluations twice each year, in the Fall and Winter semesters. All semi-annual evaluation results are entered into departmental and university records.

There are three possible outcomes for the evaluation:

• Satisfactory - The student is making satisfactory degree progress.
• Marginal - The student is not making satisfactory degree progress (following a previous Satisfactory rating).
• Unsatisfactory - The student is not making satisfactory degree progress (following a previous Marginal rating).

If the evaluation is Satisfactory, then no further steps will be taken. If the evaluation is less than Satisfactory, then additional procedures will be initiated as described below .

A student cannot receive two Marginal ratings in consecutive semesters. If one receives a Marginal rating, it must be followed by either a Satisfactory rating or an Unsatisfactory rating at the next semi-annual evaluation.

1.8.2 - Procedure for a Marginal Rating

A Marginal rating is akin to academic probation. Each student with a Marginal rating will receive a letter from their advisor (reviewed by the advisory committee and graduate program coordinator) stating:

• that the rating is less than Satisfactory,
• specific expectations that is are not being met,
• the required changes in the student’s performance, and
• specific dates by which the expectations must be met.

The advisory committee will meet at the next semi-annual evaluation (Fall or Winter) to review the student's academic progress in context of this letter. Failure to respond to this letter, or to complete a timely semi-annual review, can result in the withdrawal of financial support.

1.8.3 - Procedure for an Unsatisfactory Rating

An Unsatisfactory rating is grounds for dismissal from the program. In the event that a student receives this rating, the case will be reviewed by the department graduate committee (which is chaired by the graduate program coordinator). Unless there is a compelling and exceptional justification, the student's degree program will be terminated.

Note that termination of a student’s program will affect the visa status of foreign national students as they will no longer be associated with the university. Financial support (tuition payments, etc.) will also be terminated.

1.8.4 - Fall Semester Evaluation

The graduate program manager records an evaluation for each graduate student during the Fall semester. The student is evaluated based on:

• Established milestones and deadlines described in this document (e.g., GPA, timely completion of Program of Study plan, timely completion of prospectus, etc.)
• Consultation with the student's advisor of satisfactory degree progress.

The student will be informed of the results of this evaluation in a timely manner. The advisory committee will not meet with the student during the Fall semester unless:

• The previous evaluation was Marginal (and a meeting is now required).
• The student requests a meeting.

1.8.5 - Winter Semester Evaluation

Each Winter semester the graduate program manager will schedule a progress review meeting (traditionally in March) for each graduate student with his/her advisory committee. A majority of the committee must be present for the evaluation to proceed (2 members for an MS student and 3 members for a PhD student).

Prior to the meeting, the student should note on the evaluation form which milestones have been completed and bring the form to the meeting [Insert Form here]. During the meeting the student will discuss their degree progress (not a lengthy research presentation unless previously arranged) and answer questions from the committee. The meeting is typically expected to last between 15 to 30 minutes, but may be as long as necessary to complete the review. If convenient, this meeting may be combined with research presentations, prospectus defenses, etc.

At the conclusion of the review, the advisory committee members present will indicate whether the student’s progress is Satisfactory, Marginal, or Unsatisfactory, and all advisory members present will sign the evaluation form.

1.8.6 – Individual Development Plan

An individual development plan (IDP) is a plan that the graduate student sets for him/herself (in consultation with their advisor) that will:

• identify existing talents,
• set a plan for talent development,
• evaluate talent development, and
• plan for future career development and employment.

The graduate student will evaluate and develop their own plan, and then meet with his/her advisor at least once a year to discuss the IDP and set goals for the coming year.

The University encourages graduate students in STEM areas to use this IDP form: http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/.

1.9 - Prospectus and Oral Exam

1.9.1 - Written Prospectus

The prospectus is a written proposal describing the research you intend to accomplish for your thesis/dissertation. The prospectus defines the scope of your proposed project, facilitates communication between student and advisor, and fosters understanding and independence. However, the prospectus is not a binding document, and future research directions may change as circumstances dictate.

All graduate students must complete a prospectus, but the requirements for this document differ between M.S. and Ph.D. students. The details of these requirements are provided in Section 2.5 (Ph.D) and Section 3.6 (M.S).

1.9.2 - Relationship with Ch En 601

Chemical Engineering 601 - Directed Graduate Studies is a required graduate class with course outcomes that are highly relevant for writing your prospectus. There are some department policies related to taking Ch En 601 and the written prospectus:

• You should write a draft of your prospectus during this class.
• You should take Ch En 601 either in your first or second year.*
  
  • You will make the decision of when to take Ch En 601 with your advisor and advisory committee when you make your Program of Study Plan.
• Your written prospectus (and oral defense for Ph. D. students) is due at the end of the Spring term (mid-June) following the time you take Ch En 601.
  
  • Advisory committee approval needs to be secured by the end of the term.
• Failure to comply with the above (with exceptions noted) will result in a less than Satisfactory rating on your semi-annual evaluation.
  

  • Exceptions to these policies or extensions to deadlines require a petition to the Graduate Program Coordinator.

*If you matriculated in Winter or Spring instead of Fall, the clock on your "first year" begins the first Fall semester after you enroll.

1.9.3 - Written Prospectus Content Guidelines

The prospectus should describe:

1. The purpose for the research (i.e., "the problem"),
2. The research hypothesis,
3. The current state of the knowledge frontier (i.e., a critical literature review),
4. Relevant preliminary results obtained by the student,
5. The proposed research tasks and methodology, and
6. The potential benefits of the research.

There is no prescribed structure for the document, but prior examples can be obtained upon request. A possible outline might be:

• Introduction
  
  • State the purpose for the research and identifies the outstanding problem.
  • State the research hypothesis.
  • Identify the benefits of completing the proposed research.
• Background
  
  • Provide a brief, critical literature review that identifies key prior work.
  • Describe the "knowledge frontier", i.e., what is known and what is not known.
  • Succinctly introduce the research methods.
• Preliminary Results
  
  • Describe accomplished work that demonstrates the feasibility of your approach.
• Specific Aims
  
  • Describe research tasks, broken into specific objectives and concrete sub-tasks to realize those objectives.
  • Connects the objectives and tasks to the resolution of the problem/hypothesis.

1.9.4 - Prospectus Defense and Oral Exam

In addition to the written document, Ph.D. students are required to orally defend their prospectus and undergo a comprehensive oral exam. This combined defense and oral examination is the "comprehensive qualification exam." There are two possible outcomes:

• Pass and proceed to Ph.D. candidacy.
• Fail and proceed to an M.S.

It is not possible to retake the qualification exam before completing an M.S. However, if a student who fails the qualification exam wants to pursue a Ph.D., they may re-take this exam concurrent with their M.S. thesis defense.

Additional details related to this process are given in Section 2.4.

1.10 - Preparing for Graduation

1.10.1 - Steps to Graduation

You must accomplish several steps in order to complete your degree and graduate. Details for each of these steps are given in subsequent sections. These steps are:

1. Apply for graduation (See 1.10.3)
   
   1. Meet with the Graduate Program Manager.
   2. Formally apply for graduation.
2. Obtain approval of your written thesis/dissertation (See 1.10.4)
   
   1. Complete your thesis/dissertation.
   2. Obtain approval from your advisor.
   3. Obtain approval from your advisory committee.
3. Defend your thesis/dissertation (See 1.10.5)
   
   1. Schedule your final oral defense.
   2. Formally defend your thesis/dissertation.
4. Finalize your thesis/dissertation (See 1.10.6)
   
   1. Make revisions to your thesis/dissertation.
   2. Resolve any outstanding concerns from your advisory committee.
   3. Submit the final version of your thesis/dissertation to the college and university for electronic distribution (ETD).

Students are strongly advised not to begin outside employment prior to submission of the final document to ETD. Doing so is a significant risk to your ability to complete graduation in a timely manner (or at all).

1.10.2 - Graduation-Related Deadlines

There are important deadlines associated with the graduation process. These deadlines are not negotiable; they are department, college, and/or university policy (i.e., Graduate Studies deadlines). They are the absolute final day that these items must be complete. If you exceed these deadlines, your graduation will be delayed until the next semester (or term). This will include the need for your or your advisor to pay tuition for the subsequent period.

Consequently, we strongly recommend that you give yourself adequate time before these deadlines to avoid postponement of your graduation. Unfortunately, students routinely underestimate the time completing these tasks will take and delays are common.

*For those wanting to walk in April convocation the application deadline is 3/10/25.
*Last update: 8/7/24

1.10.3 - Applying for Graduation

This step should happen at the beginning of the semester that you intend to graduate. Before applying for graduation, you need to set up a time to meet with the Graduate Program Manager to review the process and the graduation requirements.

To apply for graduation:

• Log in to the Graduate Progress page on my.byu.edu (https://gradprogress.sim.byu.edu/).
• Click the button on the far left that says “Apply for Graduation”.
• Complete this form.
  
  • Type your name exactly the way you would like it to appear on your diploma (diplomas) including periods and any other needed punctuation such as accents, etc.
  • Review your progress report for any errors. If there are errors, talk with the graduate program manager to resolve them.

To be approved for graduation, you must:

• Have an active ecclesiastical endorsement on file.
• Have completed your program of study (or be currently registered for the final courses).
• Have a 3.0 GPA or above in the courses in your program of study.
• Be registered for 2 credits during the semester you defend (or 1 credit if Spring/Summer term).

If you need to change the semester of your graduation (e.g., to delay your defense to the next semester), contact the Graduate Program Manager.

1.10.4 - Approval of your Written Thesis/Dissertation

Following your application for graduation, you must complete your thesis/dissertation and receive your advisor's approval. Faculty have various standards and procedures for giving approval, so you are strongly advised to communicate with your advisor about this process to avoid delays.

Once complete, you need to obtain approval from your advisory committee. To do so:

• Add your title and upload your thesis/dissertation in the “Ready for Defense” milestone in the Graduate Progress page on my.byu.edu (https://gradprogress.sim.byu.edu/).
• Click the blue button to “send to members to certify.” The system will notify the committee asking them to certify that you are ready to hold your defense.
• Email your committee members and the Graduate Program Manager the document in a format that allows feedback.
  
  • The following formats are acceptable: Word (.docx), PDF (.pdf), or LaTeX.
  • A cloud-shared editable document is also acceptable (in .docx, .pdf, or LaTeX formats).
  • The Graduate Program Manager will perform a review of the formatting.
• Solicit information about the availability of your advisory committee for possible defense times (beyond the mandatory two week review period).
• Committee members must approve your thesis/dissertation in Graduate Progress before you can schedule your defense.
  
  • Committee members usually give approval/disapproval within a few days.
  • If a faculty member perceives that there are major problems with the thesis/dissertation, he/she will return it and request that the student make revisions. This will delay the defense until approval can be obtained.
• After approval, you can confirm a defense date that is acceptable to all committee members.
• You should then work with the Graduate Program Manager to schedule the defense time/date, to secure a room, and to inform the public/department.
• Committee members have a minimum of 2 weeks (after submission and before the defense date) to review the document. You should not pressure committee members to expedite this review.

Because of these above considerations, we strongly recommend that you provide a copy of your thesis/dissertation to the committee more than two weeks before formal deadlines. The deadline listed above is the last day to provide copies to committee members to allow for the minimum two-week review period and still meet the other graduation deadlines. We also recommended that you communicate with faculty about their schedules in advance to ensure their availability for your proposed defense date.

1.10.5 - Schedule and Defend your Thesis/Dissertation

It is your responsibility to work with your advisor and advisory committee to find a date and time for your defense. According to university policy:

• You must be registered for 2 credits during the semester (1 credit for a term) that you defend.
• You cannot schedule a defense during interim periods between semesters/terms.

The defense date must be given to the Graduate Program Manager at least 3 days prior to the defense. This allows the GPM to schedule the defense in the university software (Graduate Progress) and to schedule a room.

The last day to defend (see the table above) is a firm deadline and allows only 3 days to make any changes required by your committee and submit the ETD. As such, we strongly recommend that you defend at least 2 working days prior to this deadline.

1.10.6 - Finalizing your Thesis/Dissertation

Following your defense, you are likely to have revisions to your thesis/dissertation that you must complete before you can graduate. Complete these before proceeding to the next steps.

Once revisions are complete, you need to obtain approval from your advisor. Your advisors formal approval should be noted in Graduate Progress on my.byu.edu. Your advisor must sign off on revisions before proceeding to the final submission (i.e., ETD)

After receiving advisor approval, submit a PDF version of the thesis/dissertation to the "ETD" milestone on Graduate Progress on my.byu.edu (https://gradprogress.sim.byu.edu/). The ETD will receive 3 approvals:

1. University
2. Department
3. College

All approvers may give formatting recommendations. If formatting recommendations are made, you must make all formatting revisions and upload a new copy of the ETD.

The college approval deadline given in the table above is a firm deadline and is not negotiable. The University deadline is the deadline to have all requirements completed and cleared for graduation. Again, it is non-negotiable.

1.11 - Preparing the Thesis/Dissertation

1.11.1 - Formatting and Length Requirements

The thesis/dissertation must conform in form and style with university, college, and department policies. The College of Engineering has prepared instructions and mandatory templates that must be used to prepare your thesis/dissertation:

• https://engineering.byu.edu/thesis-dissertation-guidelines.

The use of these templates will ensure that you have no formatting problems that could delay your graduation. You may also wish to consult the requirements provided by Graduate Studies.

In addition, the department has set length limits to M.S. theses (Section 3.7) and Ph.D. dissertations (Section 2.8) that must be followed.

1.11.2 - Writing Help

The thesis/dissertation must be written in well-composed, grammatically correct English. There are supportive resources on campus to help you revise your writing. Specifically, the BYU Research and Writing Center has writing consultants and thesis/dissertation workshops specifically designed to help graduate students improve their manuscripts.

1.11.3 - Timeline for Writing and Revision

Writing a large scholarly document is not easy. Students often make the mistake of underestimating the time it takes to prepare such a document, placing extra pressure on themselves, faculty members and potential employers.

Depending on the number of existing publications, it may take several months to write a first draft. In addition, the subsequent review, revision and approval process requires significant time. The table below shows an estimate (based on experience with numerous of graduate students) of a reasonable timeline for completing your thesis/dissertation after a first draft is complete.

You should make a similar table for yourself, filling in specific dates as you work backwards from the time you anticipate graduating or starting a job. We recommend carefully reviewing this schedule with your advisor to make sure you are both on the same page.

1.11.4 - Openness Criteria

All work applying toward the degree must be open for University review and publication.

Exceptions to this policy must be obtained by written approval by the Department Chair in advance of any work performed.

It is an expectation of all graduate degrees that the results of research contained in theses/dissertations will be publishable in the open literature.

1.11.5 - ETD Release Options

Student authors select a release option at the appropriate stage on the Grad Progress page:

• Immediate Release allows worldwide access to the entire work through the internet.
• Delayed Release delays release of the entire work for up to one year for publication or other proprietary reasons.
• Secure Access secures/embargoes the entire work for patent OR export control reasons. This secure option requires approval of Graduate Studies.

The level of access should be considered carefully, taking into consideration patent, publishing, and other proprietary issues. Additional details related to ETD release options are available in the Graduate Studies Handbook.

1.11.6 - Including Published Articles in a Thesis/Dissertation

If an article that has previously been published is included in the thesis/dissertation, it must include a complete citation and the following statement: “I hereby confirm that the use of this article is compliant with all publishing agreements.” Nearly all publishing agreements with scientific journals allow for publication in theses/dissertations. You can (and should) review these agreements to be sure. For example, through the use of the website Sherpa-Romeo or directly through the publisher (e.g., the American Chemical Society).

1.11.7 - Copyright of a Thesis or Dissertation

The Copyright Act provides automatic copyright coverage as soon as a work is created in tangible form, whether or not the work is ever published or the copyright registered. This includes theses and dissertations.

• "Publication" consists of the distribution of copies of a work for sale. In this sense, most theses/dissertations are not published.
• "Registration" establishes a public record of the copyright claim, and a copyright that is registered allows the copyright holder certain advantages in the case of infringement suits.
• Copyrighted works do not need to have a formal notice, but most publishers continue to do so to prevent infringement based on ignorance.
  
  • Typical notice consists of the word “Copyright” or the symbol ©, the year of publication, and the name of the copyright owner (i.e., the author).
  • The phrase “all rights reserved” is usually added because it gives some protection in some countries.

Additional questions related to registering a copyright of your thesis/dissertation or using copyrighted material in your manuscript should be directed to the BYU copyright office.

1.12 - Defending the Thesis/Dissertation

1.12.1 - Overview of the Defense Procedure

A thesis/dissertation defense consists of the following elements:

1. An introduction by the chair of the advisory committee (i.e., the advisor),
2. Student presentation of the thesis/dissertation,
3. Questions by the public,
4. Questions by the advisory committee,
5. Advisory committee deliberation and vote,
6. Student notice of defense outcome.

Parts 1 to 3 are open to the public, and parts 4 to 6 are not. Part 4 is restricted to the student and his/her committee, part 5 is done by the advisory committee alone, and the student is returned for part 6. A defense typically takes approximately two hours to complete.

It is expected that all participants, including the student, attend the defense in person. Exceptions are only allowed in cases of significant hardship and require a petition to Graduate Studies.

A custom has developed where students bring refreshments to their thesis/dissertation defense. There is no expectation that you do this.

1.12.2 - Student Presentation and Public Questions

You should prepare a 30-minute presentation of the work you have accomplished and its significance to your field.

Typically, it is not possible for the presentation to cover the entirety of the detailed work that has been performed. As such, you should choose carefully which elements of your research you will highlight/overview, and which you will discuss in detail.

Note that while some broad introductory material is appropriate, the appropriate audience for your presentation is your advisory committee, not the public in attendance.

Public attendees are generally allowed to ask relevant questions during and after the presentation, with the exact format set by the examining committee chairman, who is one of the advisory committee members assigned by the department.

The department also allows a public or departmental seminar given in close proximity to the timing of the second part of the defense to count as the first part of the oral exam, provided the examining committee is present.

1.12.3 - Questions by the Advisory Committee

The second part of the oral defense is closed to the public. Each member of the advisory committee will have the opportunity to ask probing questions about the problem, the methodology, the results, and the thesis/dissertation document.

Responding to these questions constitutes the defense of the thesis/dissertation, and you (not your advisor) are responsible for defending the quality of the work. As such, you should be prepared to answer questions related to any part of your thesis/dissertation. The creation of additional slides beyond those used in your presentation can facilitate communication during this portion of the meeting.

Responding to the committee's questions typically takes between 30 minutes and an hour but is not limited to this timeframe.

1.12.4 - Outcomes of the Defense

At the conclusion of the defense, you will be excused while the advisory committee discusses the results of the exam and holds a vote. In case of a tie vote within the committee, the advisor’s vote breaks the tie.

The outcome of the committee vote may be any one of four grades:

• Pass - The thesis/dissertation is acceptable with has no significant required revisions
  
  • You may be required to satisfactorily resolve minor corrections indicated by committee members. This resolution will be monitored by your advisor.
• Qualified Pass - The thesis/dissertation requires more extensive revisions.
  
  • The chairman of the examining committee must send the graduate school written approval of the thesis when accepted to remove the qualified appellation.
• Recess - There are major flaws with the thesis/dissertation that must be addressed.
  
  • The defense must be reconvened within one month with the same committee members after the flaws have been resolved.
  • Only one recess will be granted to a candidate.
• Fail - The thesis/dissertation is unacceptable.
  
  • In this case, the graduate degree program of the student is terminated.

1.13 - Financial Support

Students can be provided financial support in the form of tuition support and student wages. Official financial support details are given in the acceptance letter provided by the University at the time of admission.

Details specific to Ph.D. students are described in Section 2.10 and in Section 3.10 for M.S. students.

1.13.1 - Support Options

The chemical engineering department provides financial support during their first six months of enrollment.

Following this period:

• A student can secure a research assistantship through their research advisor.
  
  • A research assistantship is tuition support and/or student wages provided in conjunction with a research grant.

• With the permission a research advisor, a student can secure a teaching assistantship and serve as a teaching assistant for a chemical engineering course.

  • A teaching assistantship requires work beyond the the teaching assistant degree requirement.
  • 20 hours per week represents the equivalent of full-time support.

1.13.2 - Method of Administering Support

At the discretion of the advisor, student wages can be administered:

• Hourly (via time-card) or
• Through a semester-long contract.

Wage rates are consistent with annual student salary guidelines determined by the department and are described in Section 2.10 for Ph.D. students and in Section 3.10 for M.S. students.

1.13.3 - Department Commitment to Student Financial Support

Unless otherwise noted in the admission letter, students are admitted with the expectation that the research advisor will provide a research assistantship following the termination of department support.

However, because of the uncertain nature of funding sources and variability in the rate of a student's progress funding cannot be guaranteed for the duration of the degree.

Neverthless, it is a rare occurrence that a student is not supported by one of the above mechanisms.

1.13.4 - Expectations for Students Obtaining Financial Support

A student receiving support from the department, his or her advisor, or both, is expected to

• Devote themselves full-time toward their degree objectives (i.e., abstain from obtaining outside employment).
• Maintain good academic standing (i.e., receive satisfactory semi-annual evaluations).

Violations of the above may result in the removal of financial support at the discretion of the advisor, Graduate Program Coordinator, or Department Chair.

1.13.5 - Loans and Federal Aid

University enrollment services has additional information about student loans and federal aid.

• Short-term loans
• Financial Aid and Student Loans

Important Note: Under federal requirements, the total amount of loan, grant, and scholarship money received by a graduate student each year cannot exceed the estimated cost of education at BYU. If a student borrows money through a federal student loan program and the total amount of financial aid exceeds the established cost of education for that academic year, then the excess financial aid will not be given to the student but instead, be used to pay down the incurred student loans.