As described in section 2.3.2 of the MSU Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities (GSRR), graduate students have the right to be governed by written academic regulations and are responsible for informing themselves of university, college, and department requirements. The purpose of the graduate handbook is to inform students, faculty, and staff of the requirements for successfully completing graduate studies in engineering at MSU, including: course and program requirements; standards for professional conduct; timelines for key milestones, like selecting a faculty advisor and forming a guidance committee; examination and graduation requirements; and policies for academic progress, probation, and dismissal.
The first chapter of the handbook describes university and college requirements, while the remaining chapters describe department/program specific requirements. These requirements are hierarchical in that university and college requirements, policies, and information apply to engineering graduate students in all programs – but within an individual department there may be more specific requirements, policies, and information that apply only to students within those programs.
Graduate students are responsible for understanding and meeting all requirements outlined in the handbook, along with applicable university, college, and department policies that may be referenced in this handbook. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to download a copy of the graduate handbook that was in effect in the semester of their matriculation (first enrollment) into their current graduate degree program. When requirements change, graduate students may be offered the opportunity to choose whether to follow the new rules or to meet the original specifications from the time of their matriculation. However, this choice may not be possible in all circumstances (e.g., safety concerns, changes in federal requirements, etc.).