Graduate Program Handbook

The Student Services Office provides information and resources that are intended to assist students during their studies and to clarify some of the necessary bureaucratic demands of the Graduate Division by acting as a liaison.  It is easy to confuse the roles of this office versus those of the Graduate Division.

Graduate Division has the official word on whether a student has completed all the degree requirements for graduation and students are required to adhere to its policies (found at http://grad.berkeley.edu/policy/).    The Graduate Division is also in charge of admission to the University.  They can withhold admission if any documents (i.e.: transcripts, application fee, etc.) are not in order.  They can also deny admission to anyone who does not meet the Graduate Division admission requirements, even though the department has recommended admission.

More details regarding the Graduate Division’s roles can be found here:  http://grad.berkeley.edu/about-us/about/.

The Student Services Office is responsible for:

• Processing admission applications
• Processing petitions and forms.  We also advise on, and disseminate information regarding, degree requirements and policies.
• Being students’ primary liaisons to the Graduate Division
• Maintaining student records
• Administrating fellowships
• Organizing and administering Preliminary Exams
• Administratively supporting Qualifying Exams
• GSI and Reader application processing/administrating their appointment process
• Advising students on progress towards the completion of their degrees

In general, the Student Services Office acts as a resource for information and/or referral to other University organizations when appropriate.

Please note that our office comes quite hectic from January through March due to application processing, which has strict deadlines that must be met.  Though we will endeavor to help you with any requests you may have in a prompt and efficient manner, we would greatly appreciate your patience during this time period.

Each Major Field Group has a designated a Major Field Adviser (MFA) and every student in the department is assigned to a Major with the exception of 5th Year Students whose MFA is the Vice-Chair of Graduate Study. The most current list of MFAs is always posted on the bulletin board outside the Student Services Office. You should meet with your MFA to discuss your class schedule before the beginning of each semester – unless you have completed all of your coursework, you will need the MFA to sign off on your Confirmation of Class Schedule. S/he is responsible for advising you on what courses to take each semester and to monitor your academic program and progress towards the completion of your degree. Once your MFA and you have agreed on your class schedule you may bring your form to the Student Services Office, receive your adviser code and register through TeleBEARS.

In addition to advising you on your program of study, the MFA is responsible for:

• Approving courses for given semester by providing their signature on the Course Confirmation Form.
• Recommending action to be taken on various petitions you may initiate
• Serving as a general source of advice and counsel on all matters pertaining to your relationship with the College and the University

If you have a problem that your MFA cannot resolve, please come to the ME Student Services Office.

A current list of MFAs can be found at here.

Choosing your Research Adviser will be one of the most important decisions that you will make during your Graduate career.  Who your Adviser will be will have a profound influence on your academic and post-graduate career.

Research Advisers are different than Major Field Advisers (MFAs) who generally represent their research area as a whole (though your Research Adviser and the MFA for your group may be the same person in any given semester).  You will normally have a much closer personal relationship to your Research Adviser than to your MFA.

In addition to supervising your research, s/he is your main point of contact for the all of the following:

• Academic Mentoring – S/he will be able to advise you on what Minor courses you should take with regards to research interests and will help shape and expand your interests
• Committee Recommendations – Though it is likely that your Research Adviser will be your Thesis Committee Chair, s/he can recommend other members for various thesis and examination committees.
• Career Mentoring
• Financial Support Issues

It is best that you select your Research Adviser during your first year – the earlier the better.  It is a mutual process and it would behoove you meet with faculty in person (at least a few times) to better ensure that s/he matches both your personality and research area before you both make a decision.  To get a better idea of a faculty member’s current research and style, you may elect to talk to their current graduate students, to read their recent papers, to go to any seminars they may be offering, and/or visit them during office hours.

To be officially registered at UC Berkeley you must meet three criteria:

1. You must be enrolled in at least one class.
2. Your tuition and fees must be paid either in full or the first installment of the Fee Payment Plan.
3. You must not have holds against your registration

You must be officially registered to access campus services such as library privileges, the Recreational Sports Facility, University Health Services, etc.

Incoming graduate students, including those who completed their undergraduate programs at UC Berkeley, begin their enrollment process in July.

Registered Students:

• Must register for 15 units (with the exception of the M.Eng and 5th Year Program students who are required to enroll in 12 units.)
• May take classes
• May graduate
• Have access to the Recreation and Sports Facilities (RSF) and Libraries
• Are covered by GSHIP (Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan)
  The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is a comprehensive major medical insurance plan, providing medical, counseling, prescription, vision and dental services.  For more information, please see https://uhs.berkeley.edu/ship.
• May hold GSR, GSI and Reader appointment(s)
• Eligible for all student services and privileges

4.1.1 – To Enroll

1. Review Graduate Division’s Registration and Enrollment site for deadlines and regulations: https://registrar.berkeley.edu/registration/enrollment.
2. Review courses on the Online Schedule of Classes, located at http://classes.berkeley.edu/.
3. Refer to the list of core and recommended courses in Chapter 7.  Though this list is intended for PhD students, it can be very helpful to Masters students as well.
4. Complete the Confirmation of Class Schedule (this is a writable form-please do not complete by hand).  When you arrive on campus, take a printed copy of this form and meet with the appropriate Major Field adviser (MFA) to go over your course selections.
5. Once you and the MFA are in agreement, and the Confirmation of Class Schedule is signed, bring the Confirmation to the Student Services Office in 6189 Etcheverry Hall.  We keep the form in your record.  Though you can enroll in courses before you meet with your MFA, after meeting with him/her, you may want to make changes.
6. Please note that students usually take 3 courses and the rest of the units are usually ME 299 or ME 298 (these last two are independent study courses).  If you do not have a research adviser, please discuss independent study units with your Major Field Adviser.  5th Year MS students generally sign up for 4 courses and do not add research credit.  If you are unable to enroll in your desired courses because they are full, be sure to place your name on the waitlist and attend the first lectures.  Instructors have the ability to request that you be moved automatically from the waitlist into the course if there are available resources.
7. The department requires students to take at least 15 units a semester unless you are in the 5th Year MS or M.Eng Programs, both of which require 12.  Failing to do so can result in the recision of any fellowships and/or fee remission as well as incur other penalties.
8. If, after meeting with the MFA and turning in your Confirmation, there are changes to be made to your schedule, you will be able to login to CalCentral and make the changes yourself until the end of the 3rd week of courses.  If you are drastically changing your schedule, it is recommended you revisit your MFA to discuss the changes.
9. You have until the end of the 5th week of classes to be enrolled in the final 15 units of coursework necessary to be considered a full-time registered student.  However, please keep in mind that most instructors will not take new students after the 2^nd or 3^rd weeks.  It is best to get instructor permission for late adds.
10. To make changes after the first 5 weeks, fill out the Petition to Change Class Schedule Form (instructions can be found at https://registrar.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/ADPetGrad.pdf), obtain the MFA’s signature, and turn it in to 6189 Etcheverry Hall.  Please note each change occurring after the first 3 weeks will incur fees.  If you are not enrolled in a course, you will not receive credit for it.
11. When you have finalized your schedule, make sure that you check your schedule on CalCentral to ensure that all changes have been made.  Ultimately, you are in charge of your own schedule, making sure you are making adequate progress towards your degree, and meeting all deadlines.
12. If you are registered in a class that you did not request, YOU MUST DROP IT.  Otherwise, you will receive an F for non-attendance.

4.1.2 – To Pay Fees

For information on how to pay your bill, please see http://studentbilling.berkeley.edu/.

Students who have ME Department support, such as a GSI, Reader or GSR appointment, or who have been granted fellowships, may have partial or full fees paid by their Research Adviser’s grant or by the department.  Some students on external fellowships such as the NSF or NDSEG will also have their fees paid.  Appointment percentages dictate the level of payment.  Please see http://grad.berkeley.edu/financial/appointments/ under “Fee Remission” for details.

Details of your fee payment status can be found in CalCentral under “My Finances.”