Plan of Study Guide for AAE Graduate Students

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1. Log onto MyPurdue, then:
   • Click on the Academics tab
   • Click on the "Graduate School Plan of Study"
2. This will bring you to the Purdue University Graduate School "Plan of Study Generator" main page where several linked options may be available:
   • create a new plan of study
   • update a saved plan of study or one submitted as a draft
   • display submitted forms (both plan of study and changes to plan of study)
   • create or update a change request for current approved plan of study
   • modify a rejected plan of study and resubmit
3. Once you have clicked on the "create a new plan of study" link, you will be taken to two separate pages to enter some basic information:
   • campus - comes up automatically
   • department - use the drop down box
   • first semester of graduate study - date drop downs
   • email address
4. Hit the "Process and Continue" button to move on.
   • degree title drop down box -- make sure this is correct
   • Non-Thesis or Thesis option drop down box (PhD plans leave blank)
   • expected graduation date - more date drop downs (estimation is acceptable)
5. Hit the "process and continue" button a second time. You will be taken to the "create a new plan of study main page." This page has several major links, most of which are represented as checkboxes. Note that the first checkbox, student and degree information, is already checked as completed. You can, however, go back and modify this information by clicking on the link.
   • The checkbox links are:
     • Student and Degree Information
     • Research Area and Concentration
     • Course Work
     • Advisory Committee
     • Comments
   • Buttons at bottom of screen:
     • Help
     • Save without Submitting - you can save at any time during the creation process using this button
     • Submit as Draft
     • Submit as Final
     • Delete this Plan (if POS hasn’t been saved, it disappears)
6. Student and Degree Information (covered in section 3, and should be checked at this point)
7. Research Area and Concentration - Click on this link and you are taken to a page where several boxes appear for you to fill in information.
   • In the research area box, indicate your major area of study from the 6 AAE research areas: Aerodynamics, Astrodynamics and Space Applications, Propulsion, Aerospace Systems, Autonomy and Control, Structures and Materials
   • Do not indicate anything under "Concentration" or "Other" you have been approved to be in a specific concentration program. (These spaces are only for those students specializing in computational science and engineering or manufacturing engineering.)
   • Language Requirement - Leave this BLANK. Some have an oral English proficiency requirement (teaching assistants), however, this is not a language requirement.
   • Method to be used to meet requirement - Again, leave this blank.
   • Hit "Process and Continue" when you are done.
8. You should be back to the "create a new plan of study main page." Now click on the "Coursework" checkbox link. This will take you to a courses link page, as follows:
   • Courses currently taken or those previously completed at Purdue University as a graduate student:
     • ​This link takes you to a page where the courses you have already completed and those you are currently taking are displayed. On this screen, you will need to go down the listing of courses and click to do the following:
       • Indicate use - click if you intend to use the course on your plan of study
       • Indicate primary, related, or not applicable - all POS courses are either primary or related. The courses in your major area of study (should be 4 for MS non-thesis students, 3 for MS thesis students, and PhD is appropriate to what you and the major professor have agreed upon) should all be marked as “primary.” All other courses as “related.”
       • Indicate B or better for all “primary” courses (as discussed above)
9. When done, click "Process and Continue." This takes you back to the previous screen, and you can make your next course entry selections, as below.
   • Transfer courses and courses taken as excess undergraduate credit:
     • Once clicked, this link takes you to a screen that allows you to enter transfer and excess undergraduate credit courses
       • To add a course, indicate Primary or related, the subject abbreviation, course number, credit hours, course title, institution name and grade as listed on your official transcript
       • Then use the drop down boxes to indicate session (semester, quarter, other), registration type (transfer or undergraduate excess), and date competed.
       • Make sure to click on the "add" button at the far right edge of the screen!
10. Once the "add" button is clicked, select the following:
    • Courses to be taken in the future at Purdue University:
      • ​Once clicked, this link takes you to a screen where you enter those courses you intend to take.
        • Under "Area" indicate primary or related (do not use "not applicable")
        • Use the drop down box to indicate the subject abbreviation.
        • Type in the course number and credit hours in the appropriate column.
        • Indicate "B" or better if this is a major area (“primary”) course
        • Type in course title
        • Indicate registration type by using drop down box - regular registration, non-degree registration, credit by exam, or other. In almost all instances, you will select the regular registration choice.
        • Use drop down box to indicate semester to be completed.
        • Use buttons to indicate MODIFY, DELETE or ADD.
11. Once you have finished entering your course information, click the "Process and Continue" button, and this will bring you back to the "create a new plan of study main page." Now click on the "Advisory Committee" checkbox link. This will take you to an advisory committee entry page, as follows:
    • This page comes down in two screens - the top entry screen and the bottom faculty search screen
      • First go to the search screen, and use the pull down menu to find our department (in alpha order)--highlight to bring it up, then click the search button.
      • This will bring up the departmental listing of faculty in alpha order. Included in this listing is the department code (AAEN), and a five digit number called the faculty identifier. (C_ _ _ _ ).
      • Once you’ve found your first committee member (I’d start with the chair), enter the department code and five digit faculty identifier for that member - the name will automatically appear in the appropriate box. Keep doing this until your entire committee has been added - then hit the "Process and Continue" button.
      • NOTE:
        • ​You cannot have a chair and a co-chair; it’s one chair or two co-chairs.
        • If appropriate, you can search other departments to find their outside members’ department codes and faculty identifiers.
        • If you (or your major professor) would like someone outside of Purdue University to be a member of your committee, they must be specially certified to serve in this capacity. In this instance, ask to speak with the Graduate Office.
        • At minimum, you must have the following:
          • MS non-thesis plans: one major professor (chair)
          • MS thesis plans: one major professor (chair) and two members, or, two co-chairs and one member
          • PhD plans: one major professor (chair) and three members, or, two co-chairs and two members
12. The last checkbox is the "Comments and Special Notes" link. Clicking on this link allows you to send a note of explanation about your plan. If you use this function, please be aware the note is public - that is, your entire committee, the Graduate Office staff, and some Graduate School staff will be able to view your note. Again, click on the "Process and Continue" button when you are through.
    • MS students, please add a note listing the courses they have chosen to take as their minor courses as well as technical electives (if applicable). Only the subject and course number is necessary, unless for an AAE 590 course please state the title as well.
    • PhD students, please add a note listing the courses you plan to take in lieu of the minor qualifying exam. Only the subject and course number is necessary, unless for an AAE 590 course please state the title as well.
13. You should be back to the "Create a Plan of Study" main page. We strongly suggest that you preview your plan before continuing. This will allow you to view your entire plan of study, and see if there are any changes to be made. Clicking on the return button will bring you back to the main creation page with the checkbox links, and clicking on these links allows you to return to that section to make modifications.
14. Buttons at bottom of the main "create a plan of study" page, and what they mean:
    • Help - not that helpful, but better than nothing.
    • Save without Submitting - you can save at any time during the creation process using this button - this is the option to use if you have not completed the entire form.
    • Submit as Draft - use this option when you are ready for the Graduate Office and your advisory committee to review your plan. Once you submit your plan as a draft, both the Graduate Office and your advisory committee will be notified via e-mail. In draft mode, you will be allowed to edit your plan of study. This is the time to consult with committee members about your plan. Otherwise, the Plan of Study Coordinator will notify you of any changes that need to be made or that you are ready to “Submit as Final."

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure you ASK faculty to serve on your committee BEFORE they receive this e-mail notification.

• Submit as Final - Your plan should be submitted as final only after you have received approval from the Graduate Program Coordinator. At this stage, you will not be allowed to modify your plan; it is exclusively for approval purposes. The only way to change the plan is to have a committee member (or the Graduate Coordinator) reject it. Which is why we first ask you to “Submit as Draft.”
• Delete this Plan - If you delete the plan in draft mode or without saving in draft mode, it cannot be recovered. The plan cannot be deleted in final mode, but it can be rejected.

NOTE: A rejected plan of study (either by Graduate Office, advisory committee, or Graduate Coordinator) CAN be recovered. If your plan of study is rejected at any stage in the approval process, you will have to make the required changes before you will be allowed to continue.

*** Your next semester’s registration PIN will be released at www.engineering.purdue.edu/bannerpin as soon as the Graduate Program Coordinator has signed your final version. ***

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