Departmental Forms and Petitions



Program Requirements Exception Form:  Applies to departmental requirements only. A separate form is required to request a waiver of Graduate Division requirements. The nature of the request will determine which approvals are required. Students should discuss program requirement requests with the Staff Graduate Advisors prior to completing this form.

Advisor Selection Form: Complete this form when selecting a primary research advisor for the first time or when switching from one research group into another. You can return the completed form to the Staff Graduate Program Advisor in Building 232 or via email. The Staff Graduate Advisor can also assist you in completing this form via DocuSign. For additional information, please reference the following document: Advisor-Student Group Selection Agreements.

Teaching Assistant Forms: More information for teaching assistants on forms and policies that must be followed can be found on this page.

First Year Chair's Meeting Questionnaire: All new students meet with the Department Chair, individually, during their first year. Students will provide an updated CV and complete a questionnaire (provided by the Staff Graduate Program Advisor) which describes their overall academic experience, including participating in rotations, selecting a primary researcy advisor, and being a Teaching Assistant, to the Department Chair, for discussion. An essay or personal statement in which all items are addressed is also acceptable. A written statement, from the student's PI, is also provided to the Chair in advance of this meeting.

Proposal Requirement FormA topic and a proposal title must be approved by your Primary Research Advisor. Once the proposal has been written and submitted, this form must be returned to the Area Advisor for final approval and then the Staff Graduate Advisor for filing.

Annual Thesis Committee Meeting ChecklistStudents are required to establish the thesis committee no later than the end of the first year. Students will meet with all thesis committee members collectively at least once per year to discuss and reflect on progress and future plans in the program, receive input and feedback, and present any concerns or potential issues that you may have. 

Annual Thesis Committee Meeting Signature Page: The student is required to obtain the signatures of all committee members present & submit the signature form with progress report, CV, and faculty comments to the Staff Graduate Program Advisor (all components must be submitted for the requirement to be considered complete). The signature and comments of the PI will also be required.

Departmental Exit Survey: Please fill out the Google Form upon completion of degree or final departure from UCSB.