Graduate Student Resources

If you have questions about anything to do with your degree, don’t suffer in confusion! Check out the resources below, and also feel free to reach out to any of:

• your thesis advisor
• Tracy Tiedemann, Graduate Program Coordinator
• Ryan Porter, Chair, GLG Graduate Program
• Rebecca Best, Chair, ESP Graduate Program
• Nick McKay, Chair, PhD Graduate Program
• John Fegyveresi, Director, CSS Program
• Grad student leaders from your program can also help you find the right person to talk to for your issue and comfort level

Find scholarships and community resources specifically to support SES students from diverse backgrounds.

Find clubs and funding programs through NAU DiSCO, the Diversity in STEM Co-operative.

See also this Resource Map assembled by the NAU URGE Pod (Unlearning Resources in the Geosciences).

• MS Geology and MS Environmental Sciences & Policy Handbook
• MS Climate Science & Solutions Handbook
• PhD Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability Handbook

All PoS forms are managed by the OGPS; a full list for each year is here. You may use the PoS from any of the years when you are in your program (e.g., the year you started or the year you are graduating). Note to MS GLG and ESP students: you can find additional guidance on completing your PoS in your Handbook.

• MS Geology: 2024-2025
• MS Environmental Sciences & Policy: 2024-2025 | SEE ALSO a large list of relevant classes
• MS Climate Science & Solutions: 2024-2025
• PhD Earth Science & Environmental Sustainability: 2023-2024

• MS students in a thesis program
• PhD students

See deadlines and instructions on the OGPS website. Typically the deadline is December 1 for Spring graduation.

1. Carefully read through all deadlines and procedures set by the OGPS here and review the guidelines and timelines for thesis submission in your program Handbook.
2. Contact the SES Graduate Program Coordinator to verify that your desired defense time does not conflict with another SES defense, and to book a room. The Coordinator will add your defense to the SES Events, Defenses, Deadlines google calendar.
3. Create a pdf file that can be emailed to the department and students that includes the following information:
   • Title
   • Date/day of defense
   • Time
   • Location
   • Thesis committee chair and members
4. Send announcement to: SES.Admin@nau.edu 7-10 days before your event, so it can be emailed out. INCLUDE THE TITLE of your defense IN THE BODY AND SUBJECT OF THE EMAIL as well as the pdf attachment. This will ensure that interested faculty and students hear about your project. Please cc your advisor and all committee members on the email.
5. At your defense, your committee will fill out the Oral Defense Form Part 1 and your advisor will turn it in.
6. When your required thesis edits are completed, your advisor (and possibly committee members) will fill out and submit the Oral Defense Form Part 2.
7. You can then submit your thesis!

Managed by the School:

• Graduate Assistants Request for Approved Leave
• PhD Written Comp Results
• PhD Oral Comp Results

Managed by the OGPS:

Full list here.

• Thesis/Dissertation Defense Form Part 1
• Thesis/Dissertation Defense Form Part 2
• Candidacy application
• Dissertation committee recommendation
• Dissertation defense scheduling