Introduction

Introduction
The College's goal is to offer quality graduate programs while providing effective and efficient administrative support to students, faculty and staff. This Handbook is designed as a practical guide to graduate procedures in the College of Sciences at Old Dominion University. It is intended to bring together in one place a consistent set of information and to serve as a reference for use by faculty and graduate program directors. It does not replace the University Catalog nor any other official University document. Each functional activity in which graduate program directors are involved is briefly described as to which participants are responsible for particular activities. Each section contains the name of a contact person or office to assist the reader in resolving issues or obtaining additional information. Appendices in this handbook contain most of the numerous forms required for graduate student administrative matters. Additionally, university and college policies pertaining to graduate studies are given in the appendices. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the appendices content since this is likely to be the most useful section of the handbook. For your convenience, Appendix A contains a list of information due dates for the dean's office. Graduate study is an integral part of the educational system in the College of Sciences. Each department in the College is responsible for initiation, development, maintenance and quality of its graduate programs. The Dean's Office will assist these efforts whenever possible. Service departments of the university will assist each academic department in the administration of each program. The service units will also provide logistical support in attaining the goal of attracting and producing quality graduates. The department chair is the key administrator for each department's graduate program. A graduate program director is appointed by the department chair to oversee the day to day operation of the program and serve as the key contact person with graduate students and related service departments. The figure above gives the organizational diagram and major routes of information flow for graduate studies in the College of Sciences.

The College's goal is to offer quality graduate programs while providing effective and efficient administrative support to students, faculty and staff. This Handbook is designed as a practical guide to graduate procedures in the College of Sciences at Old Dominion University. It is intended to bring together in one place a consistent set of information and to serve as a reference for use by faculty and graduate program directors. It does not replace the University Catalog nor any other official University document.

Each functional activity in which graduate program directors are involved is briefly described as to which participants are responsible for particular activities. Each section contains the name of a contact person or office to assist the reader in resolving issues or obtaining additional information.

Appendices in this handbook contain most of the numerous forms required for graduate student administrative matters. Additionally, university and college policies pertaining to graduate studies are given in the appendices. Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the appendices content since this is likely to be the most useful section of the handbook. For your convenience, Appendix A contains a list of information due dates for the dean's office.

Graduate study is an integral part of the educational system in the College of Sciences. Each department in the College is responsible for initiation, development, maintenance and quality of its graduate programs. The Dean's Office will assist these efforts whenever possible.

Service departments of the university will assist each academic department in the administration of each program. The service units will also provide logistical support in attaining the goal of attracting and producing quality graduates.

The department chair is the key administrator for each department's graduate program. A graduate program director is appointed by the department chair to oversee the day to day operation of the program and serve as the key contact person with graduate students and related service departments. The figure above gives the organizational diagram and major routes of information flow for graduate studies in the College of Sciences.