Student Handbook

Benefits of a PhD Graduate Assistantship

The standard PhD assistantship provides payment of a basic stipend in nine installments over the academic year (September through May).   PhD students who receive a full stipend are expected to work an average of 20 hours per week for the stipend.  Summer augmentation is also available through the Office of Academic Affairs for students that have successfully passed both comp exams, have formed a committee, and have turned in the necessary paperwork.

A full PhD assistantship covers tuition, mandatory fees, and health insurance for the calendar year.  The assistantship will cover up to 12 credits per semester.

Domestic students may refuse university insurance.  International students, however, are required to have student medical insurance. Questions on student medical insurance should be directed to the Student Medical Insurance Office.

 

Benefits of an MS Graduate Assistantship

The standard MS assistantship provides payment of a half stipend to the student, payable in installments over the academic year (September through May). Graduate students who receive an MS stipend are expected to work an average of 10 hours per week for the stipend. MS graduate assistantships cover half of the tuition, fees, and health insurance.Domestic students may refuse university insurance.  International students, however, are required to have Student Medical Insurance. Questions on student medical insurance should be directed to the Student Medical Insurance Office.

 

The University considers you full-time student if you are enrolled for at least 9 credit hours. If you wish to enroll in fewer than 9 credit hours and you are an international student, you must fill out the Optional Fee Package Petition form .  If you are a domestic student, doing so is optional.  Approval of this form will allow graduate students who qualify to purchase the optional student fee package and be considered a full-time student for the indicated semester for student loan deferment and insurance/government documents.  The package allows access to Student Health Services, UW athletic events, ASUW membership, and access to Campus Recreation facilities/activities.

 

The package is required of part-time students who wish to purchase the UW student medical insurance.

 

To be eligible, a degree-seeking graduate student must be enrolled in fewer than 9 credit hours during the fall or spring semester and be one of the following:

1. Master’s degree student who has 90% of his/her coursework completed, has a program of study on file with the Office of the Registrar, is registered for at least one credit hour, and is working full-time on thesis research or a Plan B paper
2. PhD. student who has passed his/her preliminary exams (and has the appropriate paperwork on file with the Office of the Registrar), is registered for at least one credit hour, and is working full-time on dissertation research

 

Students without an assistantship who are enrolled in fewer than 9 hours will be automatically charged for the Optional Student Fee Package.  If students do not want the full-time student benefits, they must waive this on WyoWeb.  Students with an assistantship who are enrolled in fewer than 9 hours will also be automatically charged for the Optional Student Fee Package. However, if a student wants the assistantship to pay for it, the student must fill out the Optional Graduate Student Fee Package Petition form available on the Graduate Student Resources web site.

The role of your graduate committee is to work with you to design a graduate program that will enable you to succeed in your professional career.

It is required that your committee be nominated and appointed before you file your Program of Study.  Beginning July 1, 2015 you will submit your Committee Assignment form (and Committee Change form if applicable) to Academic Affairs for approval.  It will be forwarded to the Registrar after approval.

Committee Composition:  PhD students must have a minimum of five members on the committee: three members from their academic department, one of whom is the committee Chair; an outside member (a UW faculty member from outside the student’s department); and a fifth member.  MS students must have a minimum of three members on the committee: two members from the department and one outside member.

The Chair of the committee represents the academic department. The outside member serves a dual role. In addition to providing guidance and expertise in the student’s graduate work, this person has a responsibility of monitoring the degree of fairness of the process for both the student and the University.

The Committee Assignment form is available on the Registrar’s Website and the department’s website.

Your Program of Study is, in effect, your contract with your committee and the University regarding what courses are required for the successful completion of your degree. In addition, it is your blueprint or plan of action for your work as a graduate student. It should be submitted no later than the end of your second year for PhD students and by the first semester of your second year for MS students. We encourage you to compare your planned registration each semester with your Program of Study to make sure you are taking the correct courses.  Your Program of Study can be changed due to additions to the curriculum.

The Program of Study form is available on the Graduate Student Resources website.  A list of instructions is printed on the back of each program form. Please follow them carefully.

Please note that your Program of Study form must be typed and must have all the appropriate signatures (including yours) before it can be approved. In addition, if you are including courses from any other institution, you must attach a copy of your transcript from that institution. If the transcript does not show the course numbering system and grading system used at that institution then you must also attach other documentation of that information, such as copies of the appropriate pages from the institution's bulletin.  You can make changes to your program of study by filling out the Request for Change of Program form and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar for approval.

Comprehensive Exams

First-year PhD students will take a Microeconomics and an Econometrics comprehensive exam. They are offered at the end of May and the end of August. Each test may be taken twice. Successfully passing these exams ensures your continuation in the PhD program. The University of Wyoming requires all graduate students to maintain a 3.00 or higher GPA. If a student falls below a 3.00 GPA, they will be placed on academic probation. If the GPA is not raised to 3.00 or higher in the subsequent semester, the student will be placed on academic suspension and asked to leave the university for a minimum of one semester. We will not allow students on academic probation or suspension to sit for the qualifying exams in May or August.

Field Exams

PhD students are required to pass two field exams. These exams may not be taken before the student has an approved Program of Study on file in the Registrar’s Office. The format and conduct of the field exams are determined by the student's committee and department. The exams are normally given in May, August, and/or January.

Admission to Candidacy

PhD students are admitted to candidacy once they have successfully passed the comprehensive exams. The examination results must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar on the Report on Preliminary Examination for Admission to Candidacy form, together with the Committee Assignment form and Program of Study form. Master’s students are admitted to candidacy after the Program of Study has been accepted and approved by their department head and the dean of the College.

Time to Completion

PhD students have four calendar years after the successful completion of the preliminary examination to complete their degree. Master’s students have six years to complete their degrees, beginning with the semester of the oldest course listed on the Program of Study.

It is never too early to start thinking about topics for your dissertation, plan-A thesis, or plan-B paper. Discuss your topic ideas with your committee as soon as you have formed it.

Proposal Defense

PhD students will need to do a dissertation proposal defense. The department expects you to present the beginning stages of your research. This should be done by the end of your third year at the latest. It is in your best interest to receive feedback on your work in its early stages. The amount of work that you need to complete before your proposal is up to your committee chair. You will need to schedule a time and a room with the main office. This should be a time that all of your committee can meet. You are responsible for contacting them and setting this up. You should make sure you have your proposed materials to the committee at least two weeks before your proposal. After your defense, you will have the committee sign a Proposal Defense form that confirms you are ready to proceed with your research.

Final Defense

Your final defense takes place in your last semester. When your committee chair feels that you are ready to defend your dissertation, plan-A thesis, or plan-B paper, you will need to schedule a time and a room with the main office. This should be a time that all of your committee can meet. You are responsible for contacting them and setting this up. You should make sure you have your final paper(s) to the committee at least two weeks before your defense. You will need to take the Report of Final Examination Results form to your defense. The committee will sign to confirm that you have met their expectations. Your defense will need to take place before the Final Examination Results form is due in order to graduate in that semester.

For complete information on Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines please visit the Registrar’s website.

In your final semester, the deadlines are real and must be met. You must be registered the semester you complete your degree. The following are some important procedures to follow during your final semester.

Graduation Packet

At the beginning of your final semester, follow the stipulations of the Graduate Student Graduation Information page on the Graduate Student Resources website.
 

This page includes

• a list of deadline dates (which vary by semester)
• a link to the Anticipated Graduation Date form
• a link to the ProQuest website to which you must submit your thesis
• a link to the NORC survey of doctoral students, which you must complete

 

Graduation List: The Process

The Anticipated Graduation Date form must be completed by all graduate students intending to complete a degree. You are personally responsible for completing this form (including obtaining the signatures of your major professor and Department Head) and submitting the form to the Office of the Registrar. Your Anticipated Graduation Date form must be approved and processed by the Office of the Registrar before you can proceed with your degree check.

If you do not complete all requirements for the degree during the semester for which you submitted an Anticipated Graduation Date form, you must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing during the semester in which you do complete your degree.

Report of Final Examination Form: The Process

Please note that the Report of Final Examination form requires you to do several things, each of which takes time. The following is required:

• A signature and recommendation (to confer or deny conferral of the degree) from each of your committee members. These signatures are usually obtained at or following the final examination or defense.
• A degree check by the Office of the Registrar (make your appointment early).
• Payment of the appropriate fees (must be paid prior to the degree check appointment).
• Approval of your dissertation/thesis format prior to final duplication of your dissertation/thesis.   A detailed Thesis Format Guide is available on the Graduate Student Forms website.
• Submission of your approved thesis or dissertation through ProQuest electronically and to the graduate coordinator electronically.  The Office of the Registrar will check the ProQuest copy and email you directly if there is any problem with it.

These requirements need not be met in the order given above, but all of them must be met before you can take the final step of submitting your Report of Final Examination form to the Office of the Registrar.

 

Final Evaluation Process

After you submit a Report of Final Examination form, the Office of the Registrar notifies the Graduate Faculty Representative that the electronic evaluation is available for completion.  Submission of this form does not affect the graduation of the student; it is for accreditation and other purposes.

Economics Graduate Commencement Policy

Graduate students in the Department of Economics at the University of Wyoming are allowed to participate in the COB Commencement ceremony provided they have successfully defended their thesis or dissertation.  In cases where the defense was successful but minor changes to the thesis or dissertation are required after Commencement, permission to participate in the ceremony will be determined by the student’s primary advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Student Conference Travel Policy

The Department of Economics considers presentation at national conferences an important part of the graduate experience. To encourage graduate students to submit papers and attend national conferences, we have developed the following policy. Please use the checklist below to secure funding for approved conferences in economics or finance.

 

Checklist

Before submitting your paper to a conference, have your advisor, the graduate director, or the department chair approve both the paper and the conference. As a representative of the department, it is important that you choose reputable conferences and submit quality research.

Submit the following to the graduate director:

• the presentation abstract
• evidence from the conference that the abstract has been accepted for presentation
• an e-mail from your advisor indicating approval

Once the graduate director has given approval, visit Travel Funding Request Application Process to begin the application process.  Academic Affairs will award up to $350 for approved expenses.  The department will then contribute another $250 plus $150 for incidental expenses. 

Additional travel awards will be based on (1) the availability of department funds and (2) the quality of the conference and paper, as judged by the graduate director and/or your advisor. Students will be supported for no more than one conference per year.

Doctoral

• submit the Anticipated Graduation Date form
• pay the graduation fee
• resolve any issues that the Degree Analyst might flag
• defend your dissertation
• format your dissertation according to the Dissertation Format Guide (if you use LaTeX, you can use the LaTeX Thesis/Dissertation Template)
• submit the Report of Final Examination form
• submit your dissertation electronically to ProQuest
• complete the NORC survey of doctoral students
• provide the department with an electronic copy of your dissertation by sending it as an email attachment to the graduate coordinator

 

Plan A (Thesis) Master's

• submit the Anticipated Graduation Date form
• pay the graduation fee
• resolve any issues that the Degree Analyst might flag
• defend your thesis
• format your thesis according to the Thesis Format Guide (if you use LaTeX, you can use the LaTeX Thesis/Dissertation Template)
• submit the Report of Final Examination form
• submit your dissertation electronically to ProQuest
• provide the department with an electronic copy of your thesis by sending it as an email attachment to the graduate coordinator

 

Plan B (Non-thesis) Master's

• submit the Anticipated Graduation Date form
• pay the graduation fee
• resolve any issues that the Degree Analyst might flag
• defend your non-thesis paper
• format your paper according to the Thesis Format Guide (if you use LaTeX, you can use the LaTeX Thesis/Dissertation Template)
• submit the Report of Final Examination form

Review the Academic Dishonesty University regulations here

University of Wyoming Regulation (Unireg) 2-114 governs academic dishonesty policy at the University of Wyoming.  Section 7 states that individual colleges may establish additional standards and sanctions for academic dishonesty.  Practice in the Graduate School was to allow individual graduate programs to establish their own policies regarding academic dishonesty.  The Department of Economics and Finance exercises this right to assure the quality and integrity of its graduate programs in part through the following policy.

Review the Student Code of Conduct here

Code of Professional Expectations for Students

The College of Business expects the highest level of integrity from our administration, faculty, staff, students, and alumni.  As students of the College of Business at the University of Wyoming, you are expected to conduct yourselves in a professional manner as described below and to adhere to the ethical principles of this College as well as the University’s Standards as outlined in the University Regulations.

The College of Business Code of Professional Expectations is built on the foundation of respect for others, personal responsibility, the creation and maintenance of trust, and honesty and truthfulness.  The administration, faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the College of Business at the University of Wyoming should strive to set an example of ethical leadership and professional behavior as those traits are essential for good social and business interactions.  Students should exhibit professional conduct,

In the classroom by:

• Turning off cell phones and other potentially disruptive electronic devices unless they are being used for class or emergencies, being on time, staying through the entire class, not reading outside materials, and refraining from disruptive conversations.  (See UNIREG 30, Revision 1)
• Showing respect for colleagues and instructors by listening to others’ points of view, staying attentive, offering one’s opinion in a courteous, respectful manner, and avoiding inappropriate body and verbal language.
• Being prepared (reading the assigned materials and doing the assigned homework on time), taking an active role in cooperative-learning activities, participating in class discussions, and understanding the importance and connectedness of course content.

In all curricular and co-curricular activities by:

• Dressing appropriately and being on time for club and professional meetings, appointments, recruiting events, and job interviews.
• Showing respect for faculty, staff, colleagues, and guests by using appropriate body and verbal language during club and professional meetings, appointments, recruiting events, and job interviews.

In the academic environment by:

• Upholding academic integrity by avoiding intellectual theft of any kind.  Students will adhere to requirements for academic honesty as set forth in UNIREG 802, Revision 2.  Under no circumstances will violations to this regulation be tolerated. 
• Avoiding cheating in any form: plagiarism (if you didn’t write it, cite it), falsification, unauthorized use of educational materials (for example, using a solution manual without permission), and facilitation of another student’s intellectual theft and other violations set forth in UNIREG 802, Revision 2.

Registration for Classes through WyoWeb –

The University of Wyoming Portal

1. Meet with your adviser to plan courses

14. Once posted, your mid-term and final grades will appear in the ‘Student Grades’ channel in WyoWeb

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