Plan of Study

Image: Justin Rowe, "The Kraken"

Each graduate student admitted to a degree program must file a Plan of Study (POS). A formal Plan of Study should be created as early as feasible in the student's career because it guides a student's academic degree progress. A Plan of Study is an academic contract between a student, the faculty members of the advisory committee, and the Graduate School. All departmental and Graduate School policies related to the filing of a Plan of Study must be adhered to explicitly.

Students will file their plan of study electronically. Access to the electronic Plan of Study Generator (POSG) is via the MyPurdue portal. MyPurdue can be found at http://www.mypurdue.purdue.edu. The link for the Plan of Study Generator (POSG) is located under the Academic link. The Graduate School provides access to the POSG.

Once you are in the Academic tab, click on the POSG link. A new browser window will open with the Graduate School links available to you. 

To begin your plan of study, click on the Plan of Study Generator link, and then click on "Create new plan of study" link. Once in the POSG, refer to the Help buttons located on each page to assist you in using the electronic POSG. You do not need to complete the entire form in one sitting; you may save your plan of study and return to it later. You may not bookmark any pages within the Graduate School link. To return to the POSG, you must login to MyPurdue.

When you have completed your plan of study and feel it is ready for review of your advisory committee, submit your plan as a Draft. All plans of study must first be submitted as a Draft before you can submit your plan as a Final. While your plan is in Draft status, review the information with your advisory committee and your departmental coordinator to ensure that it satisfies department and Graduate School policies. Use your draft as a basis to discuss your academic and research goals with your advisory committee members. Once your entire committee has verbally accepted your plan of study, return to the POSG and submit your plan as a "Final." The plan of study form will be electronically routed, reviewed and, if approved, signed by your departmental coordinator, your advisory committee, and the Graduate School. You may check the status of your plan at any time by returning to the POSG and clicking on the Display Submitted Plan of Study link.

Once the Graduate School has approved your plan of study, you should check it every semester to monitor your academic degree progress.

To make changes to the Plan of Study, follow the instructions on the POSG.

To help you complete your plan of study more efficiently, following are some helpful links:

Graduate School Policy and Procedures Manual (refer to section VII)