MS Plan of Study Requirements

M.S. Plan of Study Form
(NOTE: form is for active student use and thus accessible to @vt.edu accounts only;
for a listing of required courses see MS BCSM Degree Requirements Checklist)

Workflow and Submittal Process

Students must take the following steps to obtain approval of their plan of study:

• Develop draft of plan of Study in the above referenced form (follow instructions on first tab on how to use the form)
  • Research Track M.S. students are encouraged to consult first with their academic advisors and committees and second with the Graduate Chair and/or Graduate Coordinator to answer questions regarding courses and requirements for the Plan of Study.
  • Industry Track students should consult first with the Graduate Chair and/or Graduate Coordinator during the semester, and with the Industry Track Advisory Committee at the end­of­semester meetings to address any questions.
• Have Advisory Committee Chair review and approve (signature on printed form) of Plan of Study
• Have the entire student’s Advisory Committee Members approve,
• Send to BC Graduate Chair, for compliance review and approval
• Graduate Chair will forward to Graduate Coordinator and processing in system.

Submission Content Requirements

Plans of Study documents may be submitted in hard copy to the Building Construction Graduate Coordinator, or electronically as a single pdf file. Documentation should include:

• Plan of Study template with appropriate committee signatures.
• Independent study forms and supporting information, if applicable.
• Transcripts to support transfer credits from other institutions, if applicable, along with justifications and course descriptions for courses being transferred.
• Course Justification Request for “old” coursework, if applicable.

If physical signatures cannot be obtained for all committee members, electronic signatures will suffice as long as documentation is provided as evidence to support the committee member’s approval. A printout of an email from the committee member sent to the chair of the committee will suffice in lieu of a physical signature.

The following timelines apply:

Plan of Study Limitations on Elective Courses

All elective courses must meet minimum Graduate School Plan of Study requirements to be included on the Plan of Study, including the following limitations:

• No course less than a 4xxx-level may be included on the Plan of Study
• No more than six (6) hours of 4xxx-level courses may be included.
• The number of credit hours in 5974, 5984, and 6984 courses must be less than or equal to the limits required for the student’s degree type.

Special Considerations for Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate (UG/GR) M.S. Students

• Students admitted to the Accelerated UG/GR program should meet with the BC Graduate Chair as early as possible when considering their plan of study for this program, and must work with the Graduate Chair to complete the Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Degree and Course Designation Form. This form will establish which courses can be double­counted toward both undergraduate and M.S. degrees, and these courses will establish the foundation for the student’s Plan of Study.
• The Graduate Chair will also review the student’s undergraduate Plan of Study and determine which courses in the M.S. BCSM core are redundant for each student. All core M.S. BCSM courses not approved by the Graduate School for double­counting must be substituted with elective courses to meet minimum credit hour requirements.
• During this initial meeting with the BC Graduate Chair, students will choose a track (Research or Industry) and will work with the Graduate Chair to draft a tentative completion schedule that accommodates all track requirements.