Physics & Astronomy graduate student forms sequence (v. 2026 April)
Meeting these deadlines is expected if a student is to be considered "making satisfactory progress"
General note: you must register for at least 9 credits each semester and 1 credit in summer to be a full-time student.
You may take up to 12 credits without an exception from the Department Head or your advisor (someone has to pay that extra tuition!).
Starting as early as the first year, take PHYS5980 Dissertation credits if you need research credit, 1 in the summer, up to 9 during semesters; you'll need 30 of these to graduate. Do not take 5860 Independent Study. Take PHYS5960 (Masters thesis credits) only if you are doing a Plan A masters (with thesis!).
You need 30 credits of formal coursework for a plan B masters.
You need 42 credits of formal coursework for a PhD, plus 30 credits of Dissertation credits for a total of 72 credits.
In your final three semesters you should use the optional fee petition package to be eligible to register for as few as 2 credits and still be a full-time student. Don't take more than 72 credits lifetime if you can help it (someone, like your advisor ends up paying all that extra tuition).
- First year students, by end of spring semester
- Change of major form, online This allows you to pick up a master's on the way to your PhD. (skip this if you already have a masters and don't want a second one)
- Check "Add a dual degree"
- Select "Current Degree" as "Other"
- enter "Current Major" as "PhD"
- Select "Proposed Degree" as "Other"
- List proposed major as 'PhD + MS' so that you can file for a masters at the end of your coursework
- Department Head and College Associate Dean will sign online
- Second year students, by start of spring semester
- Program of study for MS (PDF)
- submit this AFTER Committee Assignment has been approved
- If Plan A Masters (thesis option), take exactly 4 credits of 5960 Thesis Research and include at least 26 credits of official coursework (real classes but including journal club)
- If Plan B Masters (non-thesis option), do not take Thesis credits but include at least 30 credits of official coursework (journal club may be included)
- Second year students, 2 weeks prior to END of spring semester
- Third year students, by END of fall semester
- PhD Committee Assignment Form (PDF)
- Must have a minimum of 4 (as of spring 2026) members. One member from outside department who must not be a junior faculty member or FTRC instructor. At least three (including advisor) from inside the department. Additional internal or outside or external to UW members may be added.
- signatures are done online
- Program of Study for PhD (PDF)
- Complete AFTER committee assignemtn form is approved
- Must have (at least) 42 credits of official coursework plus credits of 5960/5980 Thesis/Dissertation that add up to 30 hours
- Research credits are typically 9 per semester (1 in the summer) in order to be a full time student, but you don't need to list these per semester, just as a lump sum
- Have signed by Head and College Associate Dean
- Third year students, BEFORE start of year 4, take preliminary oral exam
- Fourth or Fifth year students within 3 semesters of graduation
- Optional student fee package petition
- use this to take as few as 2 credits in your final three semesters so that you can be considered a full-time student but reduce the number of credits that your advisor/department needs to pay for
- Fifth/Sixth year students near graduation
Additional Forms you may need
- anytime you need to change a committee
- Graduate committee change form (NOW Electronic!) Log into your UW account and go to WyoRecords, then navigate to "Forms and Petitions" located underneath Quick Links.
- use this if you need to make a change in your committee
- anytime you need to change a program of study
- Catch-all form for exception requests
- Other forms