First Semester Students

University and/or agency approvals are needed for research involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, marine mammals, endangered species, public lands, radioactive materials, biohazards, hazardous materials, and other regulated activities. Note that in many cases the approval process is lengthy, so get started early.  

Research Compliance Form - this form is required by all graduate students. 

Develop your Graduate Study Committee in the first semester in the program. 

Within the first semester of study, each student must select a graduate study committee consisting of a minimum of three members (no more than five is recommended). Two of the three members must be full-time, tenure-track faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences or otherwise approved. The committee chair will be the student’s primary research advisor if that person is a full-time UAA faculty member. If the primary research advisor is an affiliate faculty member, the chair will be shared with a full-time UAA faculty member from the Department of Biological Sciences, and both will be designated as co-chairs. To be a co-chair, a non-UAA faculty member must have official affiliate status within the department. 

Together, you and your committee will...

1. Decide, in consultation with the graduate committee chair/advisor, an appropriate topic for research or for your project. 

2. Draft a description of the project and receive committee approval prior to enrolling in the thesis/project credits. 

3.  Schedule an initial meeting with your graduate advisor and committee before the end of your first semester of enrollment, absolutely no later than your second semester. At this meeting, the advisor should discuss your Graduate Studies Plan (GSP) and agree on its content.  GSP’s are entered directly into DegreeWorks. 

Thesis Committee Form