YES! The Graduate College will implement an electronic (online) thesis and dissertation submission process beginning Fall 2011! This means only one paper copy will be provided to the Graduate College for a format check. A final copy will be submitted online following defense.

This represents a cost savings to thesis and dissertation students of as much as $400, depending on departmental requirements. Look for Graduate College emails in late summer and early fall announcing a new website containing detailed instructions.

The Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS) is pleased to announce the 2011-2012 WAGS Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award competition. This award recognizes distinguished scholarly achievement at the master’s level. See http://www.nau.edu/gradcol/WAGS11-12.doc for details.

WAGS also announces the 2011-2012 WAGS/UMI Innovation in Technology Award. This $1,000 award may be given either to a master’s thesis or to a doctoral dissertation and is intended to recognize the innovative application of technology to scholarship. See http://www.nau.edu/gradcol/Tech.doc for details.

Each submission requires a written nomination by the Graduate Dean.  NAU may submit one nomination for each award. A nominee must have earned the master’s or doctoral degree within the period of July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. 

Internal NAU deadline for submitting materials to the Graduate Dean is July 25, 2011.

CGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Awards are presented for outstanding dissertations written by scholars who earned their doctorate in the previous two years. Awards are given in two broad fields, this year in (1) Biological and Life Sciences and (2) Humanities and Fine Arts. NAU may nominate one individual in each broad field. The effective date of degree award, or the completion of doctoral degree requirements and dissertation, must fall in the period of July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2011, inclusive.

The nominated dissertations should represent original work making an unusually significant contribution to the disciplines. Both methodological and substantive quality will be judged. Please consult the CGS website for the nomination form and information on the award. 

June 15, 2011 is the internal NAU deadline for submitting materials to the Graduate Dean.

Graduate students are invited to the end-of-the-year GSO Bowling Party:

Where: Starlite Lanes, 3406 Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
When: Sunday, May 8, 2011
Time: 3 pm
Cost: FREE to the first 35 grad students!

Contact Athena Hagerty, GSO Vice President at athena.hagerty@gmail.com with questions.

In September and April of each year, The Graduate College e-newsletter lists NAU graduate student accomplishments in its Accolades column, creating a record that lets the entire university community know what excellent work NAU graduate students are doing.

Please take the time to send details of your regional, national, and international awards, grants, scholarships/fellowships, peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and other special recognition since April 2011 to Melissa.Riggs@nau.edu for publication in the September newsletter. Chicago Manual of Style is preferred for bibliography citations (for presentations and publications). You can send your news at any time up to August 26, 2011.