Graduate Student Handbook

Updated 2025.

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New Student Check-In

When you arrive in Pullman you should check in with Samantha Bailey at the Voiland School in Wegner 105. Samantha will help get your appointment setup as well as help get you settled into the program.

Orientation

All new student’s should attend new student orientations provided by the following:

• Graduate School Orientation—covers payroll, insurance, university resources etc.
• Office of International Students and Scholars Orientation (OISS) – for International students only

Visa Check-In (International Students Only)

All International students are required to check-in with the International Programs office upon arrival to campus. The first step to complete this check-in process is to complete the New Student Check-In form via the MyPassport site.

Obtain WSU Student ID card

Your student ID card can be obtained at the Cougar Card Services located in the CUB on the Pullman campus.

Immunization Requirements

Executive Policy 43 requires proof of vaccinations as a condition of enrollment for students at WSU’s physical campuses. Please review the Cougar Health site for a list of required immunizations.

I-9 Form

Students who will employed by WSU either as an RA, TA or Hourly position, must have an I-9 Employment Verification form completed before employment can start. Review Form I-9 Acceptable Documents for acceptable documentation. Federal Law requires us to personally view your documents. Thus, the original document will be needed.

Social Security Number

Students who are to be employed by WSU, must have a Social Security Number in order for employment to be setup. Those who do not have a social security number should apply for one immediately. The nearest Social Security Office is located in Lewiston Idaho. The Lewiston Office, located at 1617 19th Avenue, is open weekdays, phone: (208) 746-2995. Please work with Samantha Bailey on how to apply for a Social Security Number.

Getting Paid

Fall assistantships run from August 16th to December 31st. While Spring assistantships run from January 1st to May 15th. Students on appointment will receive a paycheck every 2 weeks, with paydays occurring on the 10th and 25th of every month. There are two options for receiving pay. Students can opt to have a paper check mailed to them, although this is not advised as it is very common for the document to get lost in the mail. The other option is direct deposit. Students can sign up for direct deposit via their Workday account using the Complete Payment Elections for Direct Deposit guide.

Taxes

All WSU employees are subject to taxes being withheld from their paychecks. However, there some exemptions based on visa status. Please review the Payroll Service site for up-to-date details on this.

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Training

Students awarded an assistantship must take the required trainings before their appointment paperwork can be processed.

• CITI—Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) located at CITI Research Misconduct Training, should be completed every 5 years
• Sexual Misconduct Statement Questionnaire must be completed in accordance with RCW Chapter 28B112. Graduate Students will receive a checklist item in myWSU, and a signed form must be submitted to the Graduate School or gs.finance@wsu.edu. Students are not eligible for an assistantship until this form is submitted.
• Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Prevention is required of all graduate students on assistantships. Web-based training located at Skillsoft Percipio
• Cyber Security Awareness training is required for all graduate students on assistantship. In accordance with the goals of WSU executive Policy 37 (EP37), graduate students are required to complete the training within six months of the date of hire and complete the training annually thereafter. Training is located at: Skillsoft Percipio
• Hazing Prevention training must be completed within the first six months of employment. Training is located at: Skillsoft Percipio

Additional trainings are required by the Voiland School, before work in the lab can begin. These trainings are overseen by the Voiland School Safety Coordinator, Alex Lehman-Chong.

VSCEB Safety Training:

• Hazard Orientation
• Online Training—General Safety
• Online Training—Laboratory Safety (completed annually if working in lab with hazards)
• Supervised Hands-On Lab Training—content is arranged and covered by the PI.
  • Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)
  • Biosafety Manual (BSM)
  • Safety Equipment Relevant to Work Environment
  • Standard Operating Procedures
  • Lab/Workspace Specific Hazards
  • Operational training on uncommon or unique instrumentation

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Tuition/Fees

Student who are appointed an assistantship must live in the state of Washington in order to be eligible for tuition waivers. U.S. Citizens and Permanent Resident students who are considered Non-Resident (do not hold Washington residency) are eligible to receive a Non-Resident tuition waiver for the first year of study only. During their first year, students are responsible for taking the necessary steps to establish legal residency in the state of Washington (see Establishing State Residency). If a student fails to apply for Washington residency during their first year, they will not be eligible for a Non-Resident waiver in their second year and will only receive a Resident waiver, thus leaving any outstanding tuition balance on the student’s account their responsibility.

International students (those who hold a visa status of J-1, F-1) will be considered a Non-Resident for the duration of their studies and will receive both Resident and Non-Resident tuition waivers.

Although the tuition waivers cover the majority of the student’s tuition balance, there is a portion of tuition that is not covered by the waivers. This portion is considered mandatory student fees and the student is responsible for paying them.

Students have the option of paying these fees in full by end of the 2nd week of classes or they may sign up for Payroll Deduction to have these fees and tuition automatically deducted from their paychecks. To sign up for Payroll Deduction, students should go to their Workday account to complete a payroll deduction request. Instructions can be found at Payroll Services. Be aware that in order to have payroll deduction you must be on an Assistantship (RA or TA) and be enrolled in at least 10 credits. Graduate students on appointment will receive medical and dental insurance as a fringe benefit. Those paid on a time slip appointment, do not receive this insurance. Information about purchasing medical insurance in the marketplace.

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Insurance

Health/Dental Insurance

Washington State University automatically pays health and dental insurance for students who have assistantships and provides the Cougar Health clinic on campus. Cougar Health provides medical, minor surgical, urgent care and wellness programs for students who have paid the university health and wellness fee (but not their dependents). Basic visits to the clinic are free, although you may be charged for x-ray, laboratory, and physical therapy services, and for filled prescriptions. For a complete description of HWS services, go to Cougar Health Services Medical Services page.

The Graduate Student Assistant Medical and Dental Insurance Plan is designed to help you pay for expenses you may incur outside of the Cougar Health clinic. Students appointed to a ASE appointment will automatically be enrolled in the WSU Graduate Student Assistant insurance plan. Access to this plan can be found on the Cougar Health Services Graduate Student Assistant Insurance page.

Students who are not appointed to an ASE appointment can sign up for their own insurance plans with the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. International Students are required to have health insurance. If an International student is not appointed to an ASE appointment, they will automatically be enrolled in the WSU ISHIP insurance plan.

For any questions related to the WSU medical services, please contact Cougar Health:

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Vacation and Sick Leave

Vacation Leave

Salaried ASEs with a 50% FTE nine (9) month appointment will receive forty-eight (48) hours of paid vacation time off during a nine (9) month appointment period. An ASE with an appointment of less than 50% FTE and/or of different duration than nine (9) months shall have vacation time off prorated based on their FTE and appointment length. Salaried ASEs will be awarded vacation time off on the effective date of their appointment. Hourly employees are not eligible for paid vacation time off.

There will be no reduction in pay or benefits for vacation time off. Vacation time off does not expire until the end of the annual appointment period. [Annual appointment period for 9 month appointments: August 16 – May 15] Unused vacation time off is not paid at separation and is not eligible for shared leave donation.

Vacation time off is available for ASEs who move in and out of represented positions within an annual appointment period so long as they are within the bargaining unit described herein. Unless otherwise approved, vacation time off must be used in four-hour increments. Vacation time off shall be taken during academic semester breaks, or as otherwise mutually agreed by the ASE and their supervisor.

ASEs will give written notice to their supervisors in advance of requested vacation time. All vacation time off requests must be submitted and approved according to departmental policy.

Sick Leave

A salaried ASE whose appointment is 50% FTE for the academic year (fall and spring) will receive thirty-six (36) hours of paid sick leave per year awarded annually at the start of each appointment period. An eligible ASE will be awarded sick leave on the effective date of the appointment. The amount of paid leave will be prorated for salaried ASEs with appointments other than 50% FTE and/or appointment lengths other than an academic year. The accrual rate for hourly ASEs will be one (1) hour for every forty (40) worked. Sick leave accrues at the end of the month and is available for use the following month.

Once awarded, sick time off is available for use immediately. All sick time off requests must be submitted according to departmental procedures, which shall be described in departmental websites. Unused sick time off is not paid at separation, is not eligible for shared leave donation and, for salaried ASEs, expires at the end of each annual appointment period.

For examples of what sick leave may be used for, please refer to the WSU-UAW contract, article 30.

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Graduate Assistantships

Many students are offered financial support as either a Research Assistant (RA) or a Teaching Assistant (TA). Such financial support, regardless of the type of appointment, should be viewed as a job which requires work in addition to the coursework and research required to complete your degree. Moreover, the work performed on the appointment may or may not be congruent with the work needed to complete the research portion of the degree. Thus, in addition to the research activities needed to complete the degree being pursued, a student appointed on a half-time RA should perform no less than 20 hours per week service for the project supporting him/her. To receive funding, students must ensure that they are enrolled in at least 10 credits of WSU coursework.

A student appointed as an RA will receive 9 months of support for the academic year. The actual salary paid is determined by using a salary step established by the WSU-UAW contract. As noted above, an RA is expected to work on a sponsored research project and to also make normal progress on her/his research project. The sponsored research project that supports the student may or may not be congruent with the research project being completed as part of the degree program.

TA appointments only apply during the 9-month period between August 16 and May 15. As in the case of RA’s, 20 hours/week of service are expected for a 50% FTE TA appointment.

Summer funding is considered a separate contract from the Spring/Fall assistantship. As such, summer funding will be provided at the discretion of the PI, and their availability of funds. As such, some students may be supported for all 3 months in summer, while others could only be supported for 1 or 2 months.

PhD students will receive financial support while completing their degree at WSU. However, continuation of financial support depends upon research aptitude and productivity, maintenance of a satisfactory grade-point average, academic integrity, timely progress toward degree completion, and the availability of funds. PhD students making timely progress toward their degree should plan to complete their degree within 4 -5 years.

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid and Number of Credits Accumulated

The Financial Aid Office continues to implement the new federal financial aid requirements regarding SAP—Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)—in the MyWSU system. The SAP requirements, which involve the total number of credits accumulated and the grading of those credits, are noted below:

Total Number of Credits for the Master’s Degree

Graduate School policy states the following for Master’s degrees: “Most full-time students enrolled in master’s degree programs at WSU require 2-3 years for completion of their program.” Since some master’s programs require 3 years, the Financial Aid Office has set the SAP credit limit at 72 credits for a master’s degree. Once master’s degree students exceed 72 credits, if they are receiving financial aid they will receive a notice that they are not making adequate academic progress, and they will have to appeal to have their financial aid continue. You should ensure that you do not exceed these limits. If your program requirements exceed 72 credits, please contact the Financial Aid Office who will assess whether the additional credits can be accommodated.

Total Number of Credits for the Doctoral Degree

Graduate School policy states the following for Doctoral degrees: “Most full-time students enrolled in doctoral degree programs at WSU require 4-6 years for completion of their program.” The Financial Aid Office has set the reasonable timeframe at 180 credits, which should cover most of our doctoral students. Once doctoral students exceed 180 credits, if they are receiving financial aid they will receive a notice that they are not making adequate academic progress, and they will have to appeal to have their financial aid continue. Again, take steps to ensure you do not exceed this limit.

X” Grade

For financial aid purposes, the “X” grade, along with the “I” (incomplete) “W” (withdrawn) and U (unsatisfactory) grades, indicates that the student is not making satisfactory academic progress toward their degree. As such, the Graduate School recommends that the X grade is not used for students who are making satisfactory academic progress in their research credits. Graduate School policy states that faculty may use the X grade in extenuating circumstances to indicate continuing progress toward completion of program requirements. The “X” grade should be changed to an “S” grade when the faculty determines that the student has successfully met the requirements or to a “U” grade in the event that the student has not met the requirements within the required timeframe. It is important to note that use of the “X” grade indicates that no credit is earned and will negatively impact the graduate student’s eligibility for financial aid.

Students who are not making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and will need to file an appeal with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships in order to continue receiving financial aid.

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Establishing State Residency

Graduate students who are not Washington State residents and are eligible to establish residency must complete a number of requirements soon after their arrival on campus. Some international students are also eligible to establish state residency depending upon their type of visa status. Washington state residency requirements are presented during New Student Orientation and are also outlined below. New students must complete the items in the checklist quickly—including obtaining a Washington State driver’s license or State ID card, registering to vote, registering your vehicle, establishing housing and a bank account in the state.

Tuition is considerably less expensive for in-state Washington residents than for out-of-state students. Residency information, deadline dates, the Residency Questionnaire and a list of required supporting documentation necessary for establishing residency for tuition-paying purposes may be found at WSU’s Residency website.

Decisions on residence status are based on documentary evidence submitted which become a part of a student’s file and are not returned.

Note, U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents should apply for WA Residency as WSU is only allowed to issue a Non-Resident tuition waiver for a maximum of 1 year to student who are eligible for WA residency. If eligible candidates do not apply for WA Residency, they will not receive Non-Resident waivers starting their 2nd year of study and will be responsible for any outstanding tuition balances left on their accounts.

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Policy Clarification On 700, 702 and 800 Credits

Graduate School Policy states:

702 Credit:

“The 702 credit is a Master’s Special Problems, Directed Study, and/or Examination credit. Credits are variable and grading is satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S,U). Credit is awarded for a grade of S; no credit is awarded for a grade of U. The S/U grade does not carry any quality points and is not calculated in the grade point average (GPA). Faculty should set course requirements for each semester that a student is enrolled in 702 credits, and provide an S/U grade at the end of the semester based on the student’s performance in meeting those requirements. In the event of exam failure, a U grade may be recorded for that semester’s 702 credits. Two U grades for 702 credits will lead to dismissal from the program. …”

700/800-Level Research Credit:

“Each graduate program has associated 700- (Master’s) or 800- (Doctoral) level credits for research and advanced study. The 700-level credit is for students working on their master’s research, thesis and/or examination. The 800-level credit is for doctoral research, dissertation and/or examination. Credits are variable and grading is satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S,U). Credit is awarded for a grade of S; no credit is awarded for a grade of U. The S/U grade does not carry any quality points and is not calculated in the grade point average (GPA). Faculty should set requirements for each semester that a student is enrolled in research credits, and provide an S/U grade at the end of the semester based on the student’s performance in meeting those requirements. In the event of exam failure, a U grade may be recorded for that semester’s 700 or 800 credits. Two U grades for 700 or 800 credits will lead to dismissal from the program. ….”

Policy Clarification:

Because 702,700 or 800 credits are associated with students’ work on research projects or special problems/directed study, a formal course syllabus is not required; however, students are still held accountable for meeting the expectations set by the faculty who are guiding their 702, 700 or 800 work, and for the standards of conduct and the academic integrity requirements to which all WSU students are held accountable. Students found responsible for academic integrity violations in their research or special problems/directed study work for 700, 702, or 800 credits may receive a U grade for unsatisfactory progress for that semester.

Credit Expectation Agreement

To comply with Academic Regulation 27, all variable-credit research courses must use a Credit Expectations Agreement. This agreement establishes clear expectations between the faculty member assigning the grade and each graduate student regarding the work required. Key requirements include:

• The agreement template may be adapted to meet program-specific and individual student needs while maintaining term-specific applicability.
• Separate Agreements are required for each student enrolled in research credits.
• A new Credit Expectations Agreement must be completed for each term a student enrolls, cover that term only, and be finalized no later than the end of the second week of classes

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Enrollment in Research Credit

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which accredits WSU, and the federal government has defined a credit hour as:

“an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

1. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of- class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, pracitca, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

The 700, 702, and 800 courses in engineering are instructor-led laboratory experiences in which the instructor will supervise multiple students much like a science laboratory in an undergraduate course, Graduate students will work on appoints which may, or may not, be subsets of their graduate thesis/project work. An undergraduate will typically take 16 credits per semester, but may take as much as 18 credits. Using the Federal Definition of a credit hour, this undergraduate course load would imply that a student should spend 48 – 54 hours per week to complete their coursework, including laboratory work. Graduate students who wish to be successful should work at least as much as an undergraduate. However, those students who receive financial assistance as a TA, or other work which does not advance their thesis research, may not be able to devote this much time to coursework/laboratory work.

Consequently, chemical engineering and engineering science students working with VSCEB faculty should use the following guidelines when determining the number of ChE 700, 702, or 800 credits to enroll in:

If a graduate student is supported via funds (TA or RA) for which the work is not a subset of the student’s the-sis/project work, the student should register for 10 – 12 credits (total) per semester.

If the graduate student is self-supporting, supported by funds with no service requirement, or supported by funds (typically an RA or traineeship) for which the work is a subset of the student’s thesis/project, then the student should register for 16 – 18 credits per semester, in a fashion similar to that of undergraduates.

All students should monitor the total number of credits completed to ensure that completed coursework does not impact financial aid eligibility.

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Graduate Advisor/Research Project Selection

If a direct offer is not made to a student to join a specific lab/mentor, then students in the Chemical Engineering program are employed as Teaching Assistants during their first semester at WSU. This gives you, the student, time to become acquainted with the program and to make an informed selection of graduate mentor and research project. Nevertheless, it is essential that you conscientiously work toward the selection of the mentor with whom you will complete the research portion of your graduate education and the specific project on which you will work. Thus, the following procedure is designed to help you complete steps that will enable you to make a well-informed project selection decision. For those students who are participating in a training program, such as the Protein Biotechnology Training Program sponsored by the NIH, the laboratory rotation requirements of the training program supersede those described below.

These activities help you understand the range of activities in the Voiland School and to have some knowledge of the resources available in the various laboratories on which you might draw as you pursue your graduate degree. Therefore, as soon as possible after you arrive at WSU, you should arrange to meet with each potential mentor. Depending on the faculty member’s preferences, you may be asked to either meet individually with the faculty member, or she/he may arrange a time to meet with new graduate students as a group. In this meeting, the faculty members will discuss their general research program and potential research projects. To ensure that all new students meet with each potential mentor, the “Laboratory Rotation Selection Form” must be initialed by each faculty member listed. After you have visited with all the potential mentors, the form should be turned into Samantha at the end of the second week of the semester. On this form, you should list, in rank order, five faculty members with whom you would like to complete a laboratory rotation with during your first semester at WSU. Three of the five listed, will be selected for rotations. Should you desire rotations with faculty both in Pullman and Richland, every effort will be made to devise strategies to allow you to spend time in laboratories and to interact with faculty on the appropriate campus.

Within two weeks after submission of all rotation selection forms, the potential mentors will meet and determine laboratory rotation assignments. During the laboratory rotation, you will spend at least three weeks working in each of the three faculty laboratories. During this time, you are to participate in laboratory group meetings, learn about general laboratory procedures, become acquainted with graduate students working with the faculty member, and generally become more informed about the faculty member’s research, style, and typical expectations. At the same time, the faculty member and his/her current graduate students will be assessing your work ethic, background knowledge, ability to communicate, personality, etc. to determine your fit within the group.

It is your responsibility to take the steps necessary to learn the time and location for group meetings, to interact with existing group members etc.

After all new students have submitted their list of preferences, the faculty will meet to assign each student a specific project. Every attempt will be made to assign you to your first, second, or third choice. Should this not be possible, the Voiland School Director and select faculty will confer directly with you before assigning you to work on a specific project. Note, however, that only in extreme exceptional circumstances will students be allowed to work on projects funded by the School. This is, virtually all students will be expected to work on projects funded by externally sponsored grants/contracts which will pay student salaries and provide needed equipment and supplies. Alternatively, for new faculty, institutional resources provided to help initiate the faculty member’s successful career (so-called startup funds) may be used to support a student and provide supplies.

To ensure smooth and steady progress toward the degree, it is very important that you begin research as soon as possible. In cases where students delay beginning their research, completion of the thesis often significantly delays graduation.

Please refer to Appendix B in back of Handbook, for commonly asked questions you should think about when selecting your research advisor/lab.

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Establishing Your Graduate Committee

If a student does not join a lab directly, the Voiland School Director will serve as the student’s advisor until a permanent chair is obtained, typically by the end of the first semester. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain a permanent chair and committee members for his/her graduate program committee.

The Advisory Committee, including the permanent chair, is appointed when the program of study is filed. This step should be completed during the student’s second semester at WSU. The graduate committee of each student shall have a minimum of three individuals who are members of the Chemical Engineering Graduate Faculty. A least 2 of committee members must be tenured, tenure-track members of the Voiland School faculty. All committee members must hold a degree of comparable level to the degree sought by the candidate.

The fourth and subsequent committee member(s) who holds the highest appropriate degree and whose special knowledge is particularly important to the proposed program, but is not a member of the Voiland School’s graduate faculty, may also serve on the committee. Such an individual might be a faculty member from another graduate program at WSU or from another university, or an individual from an appropriate government, business or industry organization, who is not designated as an official graduate faculty. Such an individual may be nominated and approved to serve on a graduate student committee on a case-by-case basis upon written request by the Director of the Voiland School to the Dean of the Graduate School. A current curriculum vita must be included with the written request.

Committees may have more than three members; however, members must meet Graduate School policy and program bylaw guidelines. It is imperative to avoid situations which may constitute, or may be construed as, a conflict of interest when forming a graduate student’s committee. The Graduate School has the final approval for all graduate student committees.

Note: Once the committee has been formed, it is strongly encouraged that the advisory committee meet with the student at least once a semester. This is to ensure that regular check-ins are being made with the student to discuss research/degree progress and/or address any concerns that may arise.

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Expectations of Faculty Advisors and Mentors

Successful graduate programs are those with dedicated faculty and systems for advising and mentoring graduate students who need sound advice throughout their graduate career. These students deserve guidance from faculty whose interests go beyond the advisor-director role to one of teacher and mentor. Departments and programs are responsible for encouraging and ensuring effective mentorship for graduate students during the course of their studies.

A mentor assists scholarly development, contributes to intellectual stimulation, and fosters professionally enriching relationships with graduate students. A faculty mentor is a peer-to-be, one who encourages and supports independent development; one who, through insightful guidance, trust, and mutual respect, nurtures a transition from graduate student to colleague. Students should expect that mentors will interact with them on a regular basis, providing the guidance, advice, and intellectual challenge necessary to help students complete their degree programs.

Graduate students should expect that advisors and mentors will do the following:

• interact in a professional and civil manner consistent with University policies governing nondiscrimination and sexual harassment
• create an ethos of collegiality in classroom, laboratory, or studio supervisory relations that stimulates and encourages students to learn creatively and independently
• develop clear understandings about specific research expectations and responsibilities, including timelines for completion of theses or dissertations
• provide verbal or written comments and evaluation of students’ work and progress toward degree in a timely manner
• discuss laboratory, studio, or departmental authorship policy with graduate students in advance of entering into collaborative projects; and acknowledge student contributions to research presented at conferences, in professional publications, or in applications for copyrights and patents.

Per Center for Community Standards—Academic Integrity

WSU’s academic policies are designed to ensure that academic honesty is upheld. Students and faculty have a shared responsibility in upholding the academic integrity policies — students must uphold the principles of academic integrity, and faculty must clarify expectations, create a culture of honesty in the classroom, and report suspected violations.

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Graduate Student Academic Grievance and Appeal Process

Programs and departments should contact the Graduate School for advice on the appropriate office(s) to contact and process to follow regarding graduate student conduct and academic issues. There is no grievance process for applicants denied admission to a graduate program.

Many avenues are available to WSU graduate students to resolve differences that may arise while pursuing an advanced degree. For issues related to academic progress and other complaints by current graduate students, the graduate student complaint and grievance processes may involve several steps depending on the nature of the issue. If a graduate program has its own grievance procedures, they should be followed before using the Graduate School’s grievance procedures. The operational principle that should be followed is maintaining open communication at the most immediate point of access and working upward from there when appropriate. As such, the student should work with the designated major professor or advisor to resolve matters if possible. The next level would be the program director, department chair, or school director. There are, of course, cases in which this isn’t easy. In these cases, graduate students should make an appointment with one of the associate or assistant vice provosts of the Graduate School for further advice. An important role of the Graduate School is to serve as an impartial arbitrator in these matters and provide guidance to students and faculty that would result in the student continuing in good academic standing.

Professional students (D.V.M, D.N.P., M.B.A., M.D., M.H.A.L., and Pharm.D.) should follow the grievance process established by their college. If they believe there were procedural or policy irregularities in the grievance process, they may appeal the decision of the college dean to the dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education. The vice provost will consider only whether the college followed all procedural and policy requirements.

The university seeks fair and expeditious action on academic and conduct issues. Resolutions must uphold the highest standards of academic freedom and integrity while honoring the rights and dignity of all individuals in the university community. This chapter describes policies and guidelines pertaining to academic advancement and related grievance procedures. It provides links to important resources regarding student conduct, academic dishonesty, discrimination, sexual harassment, and drug and alcohol policies.

Further information can be found in the Graduate School’s Policy and Procedures Chapter 12.

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Graduate School Transfer Credit Policy

Courses Taken as a Graduate Student at Other Accredited Institutions of Higher Learning (Transfer Credit).

Graded graduate-level course work (with a grade of B or higher) taken toward a master’s degree at an accredited institution may be used toward a doctoral degree at WSU with the approval of the student’s committee and the program director.

However, graded graduate-level course work (with a grade of B or higher) taken toward a completed master’s degree at an accredited institution may NOT be used toward another master’s degree at WSU. All other graded graduate-level course work (with a grade of B or higher) taken as a graduate student, but not taken towards a completed graduate degree, may be used toward a master’s degree or a doctoral degree at WSU with the approval of the students committee and program director. In all transfer cases, the number of such credit hours is limited to no more than half of the total graded course credits required by the program that is listed on the Program of Study. None of this credit may be applied toward another advanced degree. Individual departments/programs may choose to limit transfer credits to an amount less than what is specified above.

Generally, the student should be admitted as a degree- or non-degree-seeking graduate student at the institution in which the course was taken. Any other enrollment status will be considered on a case-by-case basis as an exception to policy; however, coursework that has been used to meet the requirements of a baccalaureate or professional degree is not transferable.

A maximum of six graduate-level credits (with a grade of B or higher) taken at an accredited institution may be used toward a graduate certificate program requiring 30 or more credits with the approval of the program and the Dean of the Graduate School. Individual certificate programs requiring 30 or more credits may choose to limit transfer credits to an amount less than six.

Transfer credits are subject to the usual time restrictions for master’s or doctoral degrees and certificates, and approval by the academic unit and the Graduate School. Credits cannot be more than six years old for a master’s or certificate program and ten years old for a doctorate program at the time of graduation. Transfer credit is requested formally by listing the courses on the Program of Study, obtaining committee member and chair approval, and submitting it to the Graduate School for review and approval; however, pre-liminary determination will be made earlier upon request to the Graduate School.

Students intending to request transfer credit for their Program of Study will need to submit to the Graduate School all official transcripts from colleges or universities showing such credit. A catalog description of the course must be available either in paper form or on the institution’s website. In some cases the Graduate School may require a course syllabus. The institution from which the credits are being transferred must be accredited by a recognized accreditation association. The Graduate School will review all credits to determine eligibility for transfer.

Online coursework will be considered for transfer credit if it meets the transfer requirements stated in this policy. As with all transfer credit, Program faculty should screen and approve all courses from other colleges and universities before they are submitted to the Graduate School for transfer consideration. Pre-approval for the transfer of online courses will not be given; however, the Program and student may check with the Graduate School to determine if the online course is transferrable before it is taken.

The Vice Provost of the Graduate School and Professional Education is the final authority in determining what constitutes accredited courses or schools, and in determining exceptions to this policy. Exceptions to this policy may be made by the Dean of the Graduate School on a case-by-case basis upon recommendation of the department or program. Substantial justification should be included in the exception to policy request for coursework that exceeds the maximum time limits noted for a graduate degree.

Limitations to this policy include the following:

• Extension courses, continuing education courses, special problems, special topics, thesis, workshops, and correspondence courses will not receive graduate transfer credit.
• Doctoral research credit may be transferable only under special written agreements with other universities as approved by WSU and the Dean of the Graduate School. For necessary interpretations, inquiries should be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School.
• Graduate credit from a non-accredited institution will not be accepted for transfer credit.
• Transfer credits allowed on a doctoral degree under special written agreements with other universities is subject to departmental recommendation and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

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The B.S./Grad Program

The BS/GRAD program provides the opportunity to accelerate towards a graduate degree in chemical engineering after being in the B.S. degree in ChE at WSU.

During the Senior Year

Six credits from ChE or technical electives can be reserved for graduate credit (three each semester), by using the Graduate School’s Request for Reservation of Graduate Credit form. These six credits are then waived by the department as requirements for the B.S. degree. ChE 499 can be taken to fulfill the remaining three credits of ChE electives and the research topic can be the subject of your graduate thesis. This is an opportunity to get started on the graduate research project during the senior year.

Students interested in the B.S. / GRAD program, must apply for admission via the Engineering CAS Application system.

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Conversion Program

Students with a BS in chemistry or other scientific field who desire to obtain an advanced degree in Chemical Engineering are encouraged to consider the conversion program. This program enables such students to obtain a chemical engineering advanced degree with a minimal amount of extra effort.

The Conversion program is designed to accommodate individuals possessing degrees in chemistry. However, the program can also accommodate students with degrees in other scientific/engineering disciplines on an individual basis. Students seeking advanced degrees should complete the equivalent of the following undergraduate courses.

Undergraduate Courses That Satisfy Deficiencies

• Math 315—Differential Equations
• Physics 201— Physics for Scientists & Engineers I (Physics 211—lab is required)
• Physics 202—Physics for Scientists & Engineers II
• Chem 345—Organic Chemistry I (at the discretion of PI)
• ChE 201—Chemical Process Principles & Calculations
• ChE 301—Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics I
• ChE 302—Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II
• ChE 310— Intro to Transport Processes
• ChE 321— Kinetics and Reactor Design
• ChE 332—Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer
• ChE 334—Chemical Engineering Separations

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M.S. Program Requirements

The M.S. programs are broken into 2 programs, the Thesis major and the Non-Thesis major.

The Thesis major is designed to be a mixture of advanced course work and an individual research project. For those students selecting the Thesis option, a major advisor and research project should be selected during your first semester. Within the second semester of your graduate studies, you should select a thesis committee and submit a Program of Study. The primary purposes of the thesis committee is to provide advice about your research project, to examine the thesis, make constructive criticisms of its content and presentation, and to administer the final oral examination. The final oral examination is normally, but not necessarily, limited to a defense of the thesis. The specific requirements for the Thesis M.S. major are below.

The Non-Thesis major consists of primarily coursework. There are more required credits associated with the Non-Thesis major, due to there being no written thesis required for this degree. Students who pursue the Non-Thesis option, will typically be assigned to a lab/advisor, where a small project will be given to them. This allows for the student to gain experience in the lab, but the demand to collect data, write manuscripts and produce a thesis are not required for this major, unlike the thesis option. The final examination for the Non-Thesis major will typically consist of the student writing a project report on the task(s) they completed in the lab. The Non-Thesis committee will then meet privately, to review the report and the student’s transcript to confirm that all the requirements for the Non-Thesis degree have been met. The specific credit requirements for the Non-Thesis M.S. program are below.

Thesis Program (21 graded credits / 30 total for degree completion)

• ChE 510 (Transport Phenomena) – 3 credits
• ChE 596 (Research Methods I) – 2 credits
• ChE 597 (Research Methods II) – 1 credit
• ChE 527 (Thermodynamics) – 3 credits
• CHE 529 (Kinetics) – 3 credits
• 9 additional credits in supporting courses as approved by advisor.
• CHE 598 Seminar (1 credit) every semester.
• CHE 700 (research credit) every semester – credit amount will vary per semester (at least 9 credits be completed to meet graduation requirements.)

Submit program of study within second semester of enrollment.

Non-Thesis Program (26 graded credits / 30 total for degree completion)

• ChE 510 or the equivalent (Transport Phenomena) – 3 credits
• ChE 596 (Research Methods I) – 2 credits
• ChE 597 (Research Methods II) – 1 credit
• ChE 527 (Thermodynamics) – 3 credits
• CHE 529 (Kinetics) – 3 credits
• 6 credits of 500 level CHE courses
• 8 additional credits approved by your advisor
• CHE 598 Seminar (1 credit) every semester
• CHE 702 (research credit) every semester – credit amount will vary per semester (at least 4 must be completed to meet graduation requirements.)

Submit program of study within second semester of enrollment.

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Ph.D. in Engineering Science

Students pursuing a degree in the Ph.D. in Engineering Science who are mentored by Voiland School faculty, should complete a program of study form by the end of their second semester of enrollment. The Engineering Science program requires a minimum total of 72 credits to be listed on the program of study, to be eligible for degree completion. These credits are made up of a minimum of 15 credits of graded coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree, with the remaining credits for seminar and/or CHE 800 research credits. Its recommended that students in Engineering Science, complete one of the following, to meet the program of study requirements:

• Complete 12 of the 15 graded coursework credits, using any course (s) with an engineering prefix, OR,

• Complete 9 of the 15 graded coursework credits, using any course (s) with an engineering prefix, plus 3 credits of mathematics or statistics.

The specific program of study is subject to approval from the student’s Ph.D. committee, and it is possible that the committee could require the completion of more than the minimum number of coursework credits.

When devising the advisory committee for a student who is pursuing the Engineering Science degree, the committee must consist of a minimum of 4 members with majority being approved Engineering Science faculty. A list of current approved Engineering Science can be obtained by contacting the Voiland School Graduate Coordinator.

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Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

15 graded credits / 72 credits total needed to achieve PhD degree:

• CHE 510 (Transport Phenomena) – 3 credits
• CHE 596 (Research Methods) – 2 credits
• CHE 597 (Research Methods) – 1 credit
• CHE 529 (Chemical Kinetics) – 3 credits
• CHE 527 (Thermodynamics) – 3 credits
• 3 additional credits in supporting graduate courses (500 level)
• CHE 598 (Seminar) – 1 credit every semester
• CHE 800 (Research) – variable credit every semester

Submit program of study within the second semester of enrollment.

Admission to Candidacy

A student must satisfy the following two requirements in order to be admitted to candidacy:

• Pass a written qualifier examination (if GPA is below 3.5) based on the graduate courses taken. This examination is taken during the summer after a student has been accepted into the Ph.D. program.
• Pass the preliminary (oral presentation) exam. We expect this exam to be taken before the end of a students 2nd year of graduate enrollment at WSU.

Admission and Qualification

The Voiland School does not administer a qualifying examination for admission into our doctoral program. A student holding a 4 year bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in chemical engineering or a related field is considered qualified for admission. A student who is currently in our M.S. program and who wishes to continue on into the Ph.D. degree, should make his/her intentions know to the School’s Graduate Coordinator (Samantha Bailey). The grad coordinator will help you complete the necessary paperwork to add the Ph.D. to your current academic record. Once the paperwork has been processed by the Graduate School Office and an official acceptance has been awarded, the coursework and examination requirements for the Ph.D. degree will then come into effect.

Course Requirements

The Chemical Engineering faculty, recognize that the Ph.D. degree is a research degree, as such, they have approved for the minimum course requirements to be set by the WSU Graduate School. That is, 15 credits of graded course work beyond the B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and a minimum of 20 credits in ChE 800 (research credit). Students must complete ChE 510, 596, 597, 527, and 529 and one other supporting course approved by the graduate committee. The specific program of study is subject to approval of the student’s Ph.D. committee and it is possible that the committee could require more than this minimum. PhD students should submit a Program of Study by the end of their second semester of enrollment.

Request To Use Transfer Credits

Students who have completed any of the courses listed at other institution(s) may use up to 6 credits of such coursework to be applied to the program of study. Students that plan on receiving credit for courses taken elsewhere must indicate this at the beginning of their residency to the Graduate Coordinator (No later than two weeks prior to the first day of the first semester). The student will bring all available materials to support their request for credit (for example transcript, syllabus, information on textbook used, description of the program where the course was taken, name and e-mail of the instructor) to a meeting with the instructor who was most recently teaching the respective course listed in the program of study, or his/her designee, for an oral review (a designee must be a Faculty member of VSCEB). This meeting will be scheduled by the Graduate Coordinator within two weeks following the student’s request for credit. The instructor or designee will interview the student regarding his/her knowledge and review any materials and information. The instructor/designee may administer a written and/or oral exam at their discretion.

Degree Completion Timeline

Proposal Writing Experience Requirements

Whether continuing in academia or moving to industry, PhD graduates will be expected to write formal research and funding proposals. The faculty has identified a need to provide additional training to PhD candidates in this area. After the student has successfully completed the preliminary exam, the committee chair will identify and communicate to the student one or more opportunities to write either an independent proposal or to collaborate on a proposal. The committee chair can solely determine the required scope and format of the proposal, or the committee chair can further request comments and suggestions from the full committee. Additionally, if the proposal is independently written by the PhD candidate and proposes future work that the student has envisioned as a result of his/her doctoral education experience the it would be appropriate to add the proposal as the last chapter of the dissertation.

Written Qualifier Exam

A written qualifier examination is required for students who have not earned at least a 3.5 GPA in CHE 510, CHE 527, CHE 529 and 1 additional 3-credit 500 level elective course that were completed at WSU within the first three semesters of their admission to the Chemical Engineering program, or credited from graduate courses taken elsewhere (transfer credit). CHE 596 and CHE 597 are exempt from this gpa calculation. The qualifier exam will be given once a year (summer semester). The examination will consist of an open book exam, four hours in length. Candidates will need to answer four of the five questions from the general areas of: 1) Transport Phenomena, 2) Kinetics and Reactor Engineering, 3) Thermodynamics, 4) a topic selected by the student’s research advisory committee and 5) the student’s area of research.

Students must earn a 75% to pass the exam. Those who do not pass the exam may submit an appeal to the Voiland School faculty asking to repeat the exam. The appeal must include an explanation of why the student did not pass the exam, the correct responses to all questions posed on the exam, and a description of how the student will prepare for a second exam. If approved, a second exam will be given no less than 4 months and no more than 6 months after the first exam. Students who do not successfully pass the exam will be dismissed from the PhD program.

Policy For Scheduling Preliminary And Final Exams:

Students can reserve a date for an exam at any time with the permission of their advisory committee. It is recommended that a standard meeting with the advisory committee should occur prior to the Preliminary and Final Exam.

Committees should consider the following before granting permission to a prelim or final exam:

Preliminary Exam

• Confirm that the student is ready to take the preliminary exam
• Verify that the student is on track to complete the program requirements, including course requirements

Final Exam

• Verify that the student is on track to complete all program requirements, including course requirements

Document Expectations

• Preliminary exam —Students must prepare a proposal in line with NIH or NSF formats
• Final exam—Students must prepare their dissertation following the Graduate School guidelines
• Documents (proposal or dissertation) are due to the advisory committee no less than 15 business days before the exam date.
• The student must inform the Graduate Coordinator (Samantha Bailey) via email when the documents have been submitted to the advisory committee. This will trigger the preparation of the required scheduling form. Failure to submit documents on time will delay the scheduled examination and may have an impact on the student’s progress towards degree.

The Graduate School Scheduling form will only be routed for signatures after the necessary document has been submitted to the advisory committee.

• Committee members may only sign the scheduling form after receiving the document (proposal or dissertation).
• In signing the scheduling form, committee members are verifying that the student’s document has received preliminary approval and is suitable in content and format for their field of study (as described on the scheduling form).
  • For Final exams, preliminary approval recognizes that the student will have 10 business days following the final exam to make requested changes.
• If the committee members decide to sign the scheduling form, it must be signed by all committee members no less than 11 business days before the exam date. Failure to submit documents on time will delay the scheduling exam process and may have an impact on the student’s progress towards degree.

The Graduate Coordinator will submit the completed scheduling form to the Graduate School no later than 10 business days before the exam.

Preliminary Exam

Students who have passed the qualifier examination or have earned a 3.5 GPA or higher as defined above and who have completed all coursework outlined on the program of study will be allowed to take the preliminary examination. We expect that all students will complete the preliminary exam before the end of their second year of graduate studies at WSU.

To prepare for the exam, the student is expected to write a proposal that describes her/his planned research in sufficient detail that the work could be understood and implemented by others. This proposal should include a literature review, a hypothesis to be tested or research questions to be answered, a description of the specific aims or objectives, specific measurable outcomes, description of the methods to be used, and expected results and impacts. The proposal may build upon and update documents prepared by the student’s major professor which were used to obtain funding for the research, but should be updated and be more specific to the work to be conducted by the student than are the documents prepared by the major professor. In this way, the student will be able to clarify, take responsibility for, and learn to communicate his/her research program.

The proposal must be written in NSF or NIH format. It is the student’s responsibility to follow recent guidelines. The proposal must exhibit significant differences and advances in knowledge from any funded project proposal under which he/she may be working. The date of the exam will be determined by the dissertation committee members. Typically, this will be no more than 3 months after the student has completed coursework required for the PhD degree, thus receiving a waiver of the written qualifier exam, or the successful completion of the written qualifier exam. The student will then defend this proposal in an oral exam. Variation from this policy will require a written appeal from the faculty advisor and will only be considered in extenuating circumstances.

Students shall pass the exam if the number of affirmative ballots is equal to or greater than the minimum listed in the table below. If the number of ballots exceeds the numbers listed in the table then a minimum of 75% of the ballots must be affirmative for the student pass.

Should the student fail the prelim exam, a second and final attempt may be granted with the approval/recommendation of the student’s advisory committee. A second and final attempt at the prelim exam may be scheduled at least 3 months after the first exam, but no longer than 2 academic semesters. When scheduling a second exam, the scheduling form must be submitted to the Graduate School at least 15 business days in advance of the exam day. A member of the Graduate Mentor Academy will be appointed by the Graduate School and must be present at re-examination. The entire committee must be present and vote.

A student who has failed two examinations will be dismissed from the Graduate School.

Should there be procedural irregularities or extenuating circumstances during the first or second examination, the student has the right to appeal to the Graduate School in the event of examination failure.

What will be evaluated during the preliminary exam?

• The mechanics of technical writing
• The impact of the project summary
• The extent to which the student demonstrates an understanding of the current literature and uses this literature to formulate the hypothesis, aims, and the methods.
• The extent to which the student clearly articulates the hypothesis and/or research
• The rigor and appropriateness of the experimental plan
• The extent to which the experimental plan will test the articulated hypothesis or will answer the research questions
• The student’s ability to describe his/her research in the context of the larger search questions and societal needs
• The committee will consider the student’s performance on the entire exam when determining whether the student has passed the preliminary examination

Students who successfully pass their prelim exam, will have 4 years from the semester the prelim was completed to complete their final defense. The exception to this 4-year rule, is if the student is using older coursework to count towards their degree, then a different deadline will be set, based on the 10-year coursework rule.

Dissertation And Final Defense Requirements

All doctoral programs require that a candidate prepare a dissertation. The dissertation is a scholarly, original study that represents a significant contribution to the knowledge of the chosen discipline. The student must enroll for research (800-level) credits while preparing and defending the dissertation. Approval for use of human subjects, animals, or biohazardous materials in research is required before research is initiated. If the student plans to utilize human subjects, animals or biohazardous materials for research, the student must contact the Office of Research Assurances.

The doctoral advisory committee is responsible for ensuring that the student has followed an appropriate format and that the content is acceptable. The advisory committee members must read and return drafts of dissertations to the student within a reasonable period of time. The Faculty Senate Graduate Studies Committee recommends that advisory committee members hold drafts for no longer than 30 calendar days. For help with formatting and a dissertation template, please visit the Graduate School Forms page.

Washington State University participates in the ProQuest Dissertation Publishing program and submits all dissertations to this organization for publication upon acceptance. No material in the dissertation may be restricted in any way; the dissertation must be made available through the Washington State Libraries and ProQuest for inspection by any interested parties. If copyrighted material is included in the dissertation, written permission must be obtained from the copyright owner to reproduce the material in the dissertation. Such written permission must be submitted to the Graduate School at the time of final acceptance.

A candidate for a doctoral degree must pass a final oral examination. This examination will be primarily a discussion and defense of the dissertation. However, the examination may cover the general fields of knowledge pertinent to the degree.

When Scheduling The Final Exam The Student Must:

• Have completed all graded coursework required by the program or listed on the approved Program of Study
• Be registered for a minimum of two hours of 800-level credits;
• Have passed the preliminary exam at least four months prior to scheduling the final exam. Note: students are expected to complete and defend their dissertation within four years of passing their preliminary exam and advancement to candidacy.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum 3.0 GPA on the Program of Study
• Have submitted an Application for Degree & Graduation via their MyWSU account. The graduation fee must be paid before the final exam is scheduled.
• Submit a Final Exam Scheduling form to the Graduate School at least 10 working days before set exam date.
• Submit a draft of dissertation to the ProQuest site, at least 10 working days before set exam date
• Submit draft of dissertation to advisory committee at least 15 working days before the set exam date

The candidate’s advisory committee is responsible for:

• Approving all aspects of the final dissertation before the student schedules the final exam. The student will only have ten business days after the final exam to make any requested changes to the dissertation.
• Verifying that the student will complete all program requirements by the end of the semester in which the final exam is taken.

Examination Process:

Presentations of dissertation results are public events. All faculty and students, regardless of discipline, are encouraged to attend. Audience members may be allowed to ask questions, but such questioning should not unduly influence the examination outcome.

It is acceptable to conclude the public presentation and conduct a separate examination portion with only members of the advisory committee and program graduate faculty in attendance and asking examination questions.

The examination portion of the oral exam should not exceed two-and-one-half hours.

If any advisory committee members, or graduate faculty intending to ballot, must leave the room or the online session during the examination or balloting discussion, the examination or discussion must be recessed until the faculty member returns.

Examination Outcome:

Student shall pass if the number of affirmative ballots is equal to or greater than the minimum listed in the table below. If the number of ballots exceeds the numbers listed in the table, then a minimum of 75% of the ballots must be affirmative for the student to pass.

Should the student fail the final exam, a second and final attempt may be granted with the approval/recommendation of the student’s advisory committee. A second and final attempt at the final exam may be scheduled at least 3 months after the first exam, but no longer than 2 academic semesters. When scheduling a second exam, the scheduling form must be submitted to the Graduate School at least 15 business days in advance of the exam day.

A member of the Graduate Mentor Academy will be appointed by the Graduate School and must be present at re-examination. The entire committee must be present and vote. A student who has failed two examinations will be dismissed from the Graduate School. Should there be procedural irregularities or extenuating circumstances during the first or second examination, the student has the right to appeal to the Graduate School in the event of examination failure.

Final Submission:

After successful completion of the final exam, students have 10 working days to complete the following.

• Submit final completed dissertation to ProQuest site
• Submit certificate of Earned Doctorates Survey via Service Request within MyWSU
• Submit Hold Harmless form via a Service Request within MyWSU
• Submit Dissertation Approval form via a Service Request within MyWSU

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Annual Review of Graduate Students

In accordance with university policy, all students must be reviewed on an annual basis. It is good for students to have a formal feedback mechanism so that they can gauge the faculty’s perception of the progress that is being made on achieving degree objectives.

Reviews will be completed in summer, with the report being based off of work completed in the previous fall and spring semesters. If the major advisor and/or advisory committee wish to complete a review on a semester basis it is at their discretion. All reviews should be sent to the graduate student coordinator so that the document can be filed in the student’s official file/record.

The elements of the annual academic review include the following:

• Cumulative record: This should include admission and classification information, coursework, research proposals, and all examinations, such as advisory, placement, qualifying, preliminary, and final examinations, as well as progress since the last review.
• Advisory committee meetings: The advisory committee is encouraged to meet with the student at least once a semester and these meetings should be part of the student’s annual academic review.
• Qualitative assessment: Faculty should provide a qualitative assessment of the student ’s progress in research and teaching, as appropriate.
• Progress statement: A statement should be included indicating the rate of progress, classified as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
• Expectations for the next review period: The review should outline expectations for the student’s progress during the upcoming review period.
• Written notification: The chair or director of the graduate program, department, or school will provide each graduate student with written performance notification annually. After consulting with the appropriate faculty, the annual evaluation of students whose GPA is considered deficient must be sent to the dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education to be placed in the student’s official file.
• Unsatisfactory review: If an annual review for a student is less than satisfactory, a written copy of that review should be forwarded to the Graduate School.

Note: Students who have successfully passed their final exam, DO NOT need to complete a review.

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Departmental Policies

Use of the Copier

Your major professor may require that you make copies of journal articles, or for research purposes. VSCEB copier is located in Wegner Hall Room 105. The VSCEB copier may not be used for making personal copies.

Seminar Attendance

Enrollment in the graduate seminar course, ChE 598, is required for all graduate students. Students are responsible for informing the department (prior to the seminar) if they cannot attend seminar for some legitimate reason. Unexcused absences from more than one seminar per semester will result in a failing grade for the course.

Allowable Credit for Electron Microscopy Course – E Mic 586

Students who require the use of the electron microscope in their thesis work often take E Mic 586/587. While students may enroll for as many credits as is necessary, only 2 credits of E Mic 586 can be applied to a student’s graduate program.

Enrollment Policies

All students must be enrolled full-time, which the university considers as 10-18 credits. First-year students will normally take 3 lecture courses each semester (typically nine credits). All students should enroll for ChE 598 (Research Seminar) for one credit. Students should enroll for as many credits of ChE 700 (Master’s Research) or ChE 800 (Doctoral Research) as necessary to reach the total recommended. Students not on appointment as teaching, research, or staff assistants, and enrolling solely for the purpose of completing theses or special problems and taking final examinations, must register for a minimum of two semester hours of 700, 702, or 800 credit at Washington State University during that semester or summer session.

Graduate Course Offerings

Normally the department does not offer graduate courses in the summer. To facilitate the courses, they will be taught using videoconference technologies and delivered to Pullman and the Tri-Cities campuses. Appendix C lists a description of all the departmental graduate level courses.

Ordering Equipment/Supplies

Nothing should be ordered unless approved by your advising professor. Students may obtain pricing information from vendors, but ONLY office personnel may process orders. You will receive an email message when your order arrives. All orders are delivered to the main office, except for very large pieces of equipment and gas cylinders. When ordering large pieces of equipment and gas cylinders, an alternate delivery location should be provided . A packing slip will be attached to the outside of the box when you receive the order, you must sign the packing slip to verify you picked up the package.

Checkout Procedures

Students completing their degrees must report to Samantha Bailey to complete checkout procedures such as submitting a copy of the thesis, returning keys, and equipment, etc.

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Miscellaneous Information

Housing

Students interested in on-campus housing should contact WSU Housing Services at (509) 335-8625. Washington State law requires that graduate students who are university employees (RAs, TAs, etc.) must live in the state of Washington.

Parking

Parking permits are REQUIRED for you to park on campus. Students needing campus parking permits should contact Transportation Services which is located on the corner of Cougar Way and D Street. (509) 335-7275

Mail

Student mailboxes are located in Wegner 334. Official mail, messages, and notices for students will be deposited there. Please check your mail frequently. Personal mail and all publications should be addressed to your residence.

Laboratory Safety

The importance of laboratory safety cannot be overemphasized. Unannounced inspections of departmental labs and shops are conducted periodically and mandatory general meetings dealing with safety problems are held every few months or more often as needed. Students who are uncertain about the hazards of the chemicals, biologics, materials, or equipment they are working with should consult a member of the School Safety Committee. Graduate students are also responsible for maintaining a neat and orderly laboratory. Supervisors/advisors are responsible for providing personal protective equipment, training, and equipment, training, and instruction about the hazards which may be encountered in one’s work. Everyone has a right to know what they are working with and the ability to do so safely. Everyone has the authority to shut down an unsafe laboratory or experiment until the defect can be addressed. Everyone has the responsibility to report hazards, incidents, and near-misses to the School Safety Committee so that we can eliminate preventable accidents and their detrimental impact on personnel as well as School efficiency. For questions on lab safety, please contact our Safety Officer (Alex Lehman-Chong), located in Wegner Hall Room 147.

Commencement Participation

Commencement on the Pullman campus is held every May and December; commencement on the other campuses is held in May only.

To be eligible to participate in commencement:

• Masters candidates must have an approved Program of Study form on file with the Graduate School, as well as a current Application for Graduation on file in MyWSU.
• Doctoral candidates must have an approved Program of Study on file, have passed their preliminary exam and have a current Application for Graduation form on file in MyWSU

All graduates are welcome to return to WSU and participate in a later commencement ceremony if they wish.

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Voiland School Faculty

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Voiland School Staff

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Commonly Used Resources

Counseling Services

WSU Counseling Services offers individual counseling for regularly enrolled WSU students and student couples free of cost. There are also group sessions offered which allow students the opportunity to interact with others who face similar problems and in the process, to receive group support and to develop more satisfying relationships. Some of the groups regularly offered by Counseling Services include an international Chat Group, a Dissertation Support Group, Test Anxiety Workshops and Group, and a Stress Management Group. Information shared with a counselor remains confidential according to Washington law and the ethical code of the American Psychological Association. You can make an appointment at Counseling Services, Washington Building Room 302 or by calling 335-4511. Counseling is available each weekday. Emergency consultations in the evenings or on weekends can be arranged.

Cougar Health Services

Cougar Health offers a broad range of professional services to WSU students. Their clinicians are both care providers and teachers. Not only do they regard each patient encounter as an opportunity to affect your health, attitudes, and behaviors, but they are also involved in the education of paramedical students in a variety of areas. Their Wellness Resource Center offers in-house and outreach programs. The peer-to-peer model is used to address concerns regarding alcohol and drug overuse, sexuality issues, nutrition, and fitness. The close working relationship between Cougar Health Services and Counseling Services permits timely, integrative, and comprehensive treatment when you experience difficulties that require both medical and psychological intervention. Though these two agencies are administered separately, they define themselves as a uniform health care team for the purposes of consultation, referral, and information sharing. Cougar Health Services is located in the Washington Building, phone 335-3575.

Housing

The departments of Housing, Dining, & Residence Life are here to make your university living experience a safe and memorable one. We have a wide variety of housing options to meet our residents’ needs. To make a housing reservation please call 509-335-4577or visit the Housing & Residence life website.

Global Services

The Office of Global Services has a number of resources for international students. Their foreign student advisors are available to help with questions and problems that may be encountered while adjusting to life at WSU. International Programs publishes a handbook containing information specific to foreign students and scholars not included in the general university handbooks. They also provide a number of services that are useful for international students such as those listed below. Their office is located in Bryan Hall room 206 and the phone number is 509-335-2541.

International Students and Scholars Section of the Global Services Office

The primary function of the International Student and Scholar section is to provide relevant support services to foreign students and scholars in achieving their educational objectives; groups in promoting intercultural understanding; and departments in hiring foreign faculty and staff. To assist WSU’s foreign students, scholars, and their accompanying family members in accomplishing their purposes for being at the university, this program provides service in matters other than academic advising. In general, the faculty members furnish of Labor and of State; in understanding U.S. mores and culture; and in obtaining information and support from appropriate sources within and outside the university. To promote intercultural understanding, the International Students and Scholars office works with university and local community groups in arranging opportunities for interaction between Americans and foreign students and scholars. Their office is located in Bryan Hall room 206 and the phone number is 509-335-4508.

Intensive American Language Center (IALC)

The IALC prepares students to communicate in English in order to study in American colleges and universities. The six-level program offers a full-time intensive language study, in which students study the four language skills–speaking, listening, reading, and writing–within a variety of content areas. Another focus of the IALC is to provide students with information about the American people and life in the United States. Located in Kruegel Hall, Room 13. Phone: 509-335-6675

Student Legal Services

Student Legal Services is provided by the ASWSU to make legal advice and information available to WSU students either free of charge or at a reduced cost. Student Legal Services will occasionally sponsor seminars and workshops on judicial processes, provide brochures, books, and journals containing information about legal rights and responsibilities and they may obtain discounts for you with local attorneys. For more information, Call Student Legal Services at 509-335-9539, CUB 305.

Brelsford Visitor Center, Your Gateway to Washington State University

The Visitor Center is a place to interact with exhibits that illustrate the university’s unique history and the many contributions WSU faculty, students, and alumni have made to Washington, the United States, and the world. The friendly staff will help visitors find information to make their visits convenient and productive. At the Visitor Center you can:

• Receive directions to campus locations
• Pick up a campus map
• Purchase a parking permit
• Meet colleagues or hosts
• Leave information for someone else
• Obtain event information
• Visit friends
• Relax before starting your busy day on campus

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Appendix A

Laboratory Rotation Selection Form

This form should be used in submitting your laboratory rotation choices. As you interview each faculty member, obtain his/her initials in the appropriate column. All faculty must be interviewed.

Student Name:

Faculty Name	Office	Email	Initials
Ahring, Birgitte	Tri-Cities / BSEL	bka@wsu.edu
Beyenal, Haluk	Wegner 305B	beyenal@wsu.edu
Cao, Bin	Wegner 309	bcao@wsu.edu
Chang, Qiaowan	Wegner 151	qiaowan.chang@wsu.edu
Dong, Wenji	Wegner 340G	wenjidong@wsu.edu
Ha, Su	Wegner 215	suha@wsu.edu
Kostyukova, Alla	Wegner 340D	alla.kostyukova@wsu.edu
Lin, David	Wegner 211	davidlin@wsu.edu
McEwen, Jean-Sabin	Wegner 257	js.mcewen@wsu.edu
Saunders, Steve	Wegner 213	steven.r.saunders@wsu.edu
Scalise, Dominic	Wegner 313	dominic.scalise@wsu.edu
Schroeder, Wheaton	Wegner 155	wheaton.schroeder@wsu.edu
Van Wie, Bernie	Wegner 311	bvanwie@wsu.edu
Vasavada, Anita	Wegner 209	vasavada@wsu.edu
Wang, Yong	Wegner 153	wang42@wsu.edu
Wu, Di Zhang, Xiao	Wegner 107, Tri-Cities / BSEL	d.wu@wsu.edu x.zhang@wsu.edu
Zhang, Xiao	Tri-Cities / BSEL	x.zhang@wsu.edu

Lab Rotation Choices: Fill in project name and faculty member in ranking order: 1 = first choice……5 = last choice.

Ranking Order	Faculty Name	Project Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Appendix B

Choosing A Research Group

(Information provided by The National Academy of Sciences.)

When a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow is deciding whether to join a research group, gathering information about the group and its leaders is valuable in helping that individual arrive at a good decision. Sometimes this information can be acquired from written materials, from conversations with current or previous students or postdoctoral fellows in the group, or by asking the senior researcher directly. This may help to determine whether you are really interested in the research that the group is or will be pursuing.

Among the useful questions that could be asked are the following:

• Who oversees the work of beginning researchers?
• Will a research adviser also serve as a mentor? If so, what is that person’s mentoring style?
• What role does a trainee have in choosing and developing a project?
• How long do graduate students or postdoctoral fellows typically take to finish their training?
• What are the sources of funding for project, and is the funding likely to be disrupted?
• Do beginning researchers participate in writing journal articles, and how are they recognized as authors?
• How much competition is there among group members and between the group and other groups?
• Are there potential dangers from chemical, biological, or radioactive agents? If so, what training is offered in these areas?
• What are the policies regarding ownership of intellectual property developed by the group?
• Are graduate students and postdoctoral fellows discouraged from continuing their projects when they leave?
• Are graduate students and postdoctoral fellows encouraged and funded to attend professional meetings and make presentations?
• Are there opportunities for other kinds of professional development, such as giving lectures, supervising others, or applying for funds?

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Appendix C

Graduate Courses

Number	Title	Credits	Description
ChE 510	Transport Processes	(3 credits)	Transport of mass energy and momentum; steady states as applied to chemical processing; macroscopic and microscopic analyses.
ChE 527	Chemical Thermodynamics	(3 credits)	Thermodynamic laws for design and optimization of thermodynamic systems, equations of state, properties of ideal and real fluids and fluid mixtures, stability, phase equilibrium, chemical equilibrium; applications of thermodynamic principles.
ChE 527	Chemical Thermodynamics	(3 credits)	Thermodynamic laws for design and optimization of thermodynamic systems, equations of state, properties of ideal and real fluids and fluid mixtures, stability, phase equilibrium, chemical equilibrium; applications of thermodynamic principles.
ChE 529	Chemical Engineering Kinetics	(3 credits)	Interpretation of kinetic data and design of nonideal chemical reactors; fundamentals of heterogeneous catalysis, catalyst preparation, characterization, and theory.
ChE 549	Biochemical Conversion Lab	(2 credits)	Analytical techniques in biomass characterization; bioproduct/biofuel production from renewable biomass including biochemical processes.
ChE 574	Protein Biotechnology	(3credits)	Provides skills, experiences, and knowledge to promote protein biotechnology research, research career preparation, and intellectual property commercialization. Crosslisted with MBIOS 574 and MPS 574
ChE 575	Biochemical Engineering	(3credits)	Application of chemical engineering principles to the processing of biological and biochemical materials.
ChE 581	Advanced Topics in Chemical Engineering	(1-3 credits)	May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 hours. Filtration, reaction engineering, two-phase flow, non-Newtonian fluids, interfacial phenomena, fluidization, novel separations, biomedical engineering.
ChE 585	Interfacial Phenomena	(3 credits)	Chemical and physical nature of the interface including the molecular basis for interfacial forces and resulting macroscopic phenomena.
ChE 596	Research Methods & Communications I	(2 credits)	Establish sound practices for responsible conduct of graduate research and ethics; techniques used for performing thorough literature searches, establishing and testing research hypotheses, and successful presentation of research results
ChE 597	Research Methods & Communications II	(1 credit)	Course prerequisite ChE 596, Establishing sound practices for presentation of research programs and research results.
ChE 598	Research Seminar	(1 credit)	May be repeated for credits. Seminar presentations on current topics in chemical engineering research. S, F grading.
ChE 700	Master’s Research, Thesis, and/or Examination V	(1-18 credits)	May be repeated for credit. S or U grading.
ChE 702	Master’s Research, NON-Thesis, and/or Examination V	(1-18 credits)	May be repeated for credit. S or U grading.
ChE 800	Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination V	(1-18 credits)	May be repeated for credit. S or U grading.

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Appendix D

Student Learning Outcomes

To enable students to develop as successful professionals for highly competitive positions in industry, government, and academia

• To achieve mastery of the knowledge in their fields and the ability to apply associated technologies to novel and emerging problems
• To present research to local, regional, national, and international audiences through publications in professional journals and/or conference papers given in a range of venues, from graduate seminars to professional meetings
• To participate in appropriate professional organizations.
• To broaden their professional foundations through activities such as: teaching, internships, fellowships, laboratory rotations and grant applications

To prepare students to be effective researchers in the field of chemical engineering.

To enhance the national visibility of the doctoral programs in chemical engineering and bioengineering

• To attract, retain and graduate high-quality students
• To enhance doctoral education by offering advanced courses, providing support such as fellowships, research funds, and travel to conferences
• To attract, retain, and advance research-active faculty
• To provide regional, national, and international opportunities for collaboration