Plan of Study

• Degree-seeking master’s and specialist’s students must submit the GS2 committee selection by the middle of their second semester of study.
• Doctoral students must submit the GS2 committee selection no later than the beginning of their fourth semester of study.
• Deadlines for submitting GS2 form.

1. Go to the iROAR portal and select “Already have a Clemson account?” login option (login required).
2. Click the “iROAR SSB” button located under the “Dashboard” heading.
3. Click the “Student” button.
4. Select the “Student Records” tab that appears just below the student button; you should now see several options, including the GS2 links.

Here you can access both the GS2 Committee Selection and to the GS2 Plan of Study. Please review the helpful hints and policies below (listed in full in the Graduate School Policies & Procedures Handbook) before you filling out your forms.

More detailed instructions for each form:

• Committee selection form instructions (PDF).
• Plan of Study form instructions (PDF).

The total number of graduate credits required for the degree is determined by your advisory committee, consistent with the specific program guidelines and Graduate School policy. These credits constitute the core of your graduate degree curriculum. All transfer courses listed on the GS2 must conform to the policies on transfer courses. These documents may evolve throughout the course of your degree program — any changes should be reviewed and approved by your committee, and a new GS2 form submitted whenever a change occurs.

If a faculty member is not listed on the Graduate Faculty list, contact your department’s administrative staff. Your department controls who can be added to the list.

Your advisory committee:

• Approves your degree curriculum.
• Supervises your graduate program.
• Administers the final oral examination or defense (if required).
• Initiates the recommendation for the awarding of the degree.

In addition, the advisory committee may administer qualifying (or preliminary) or final comprehensive examinations. One member of the committee is designated as chair (or major advisor) and normally directs your dissertation or thesis, if required.

Every student enrolled in the Graduate School must form an advisory committee no later than the middle of their second semester after matriculation into a master’s or specialist’s degree program, or no later than the beginning of the fourth semester of their doctoral program. Individual programs that require a standing exception to the timeline for curricular reasons may appeal for an alternative timeline to be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

A minimum of three faculty members must be selected by a student seeking a master’s or specialist’s degree; a minimum of four faculty members must be selected by a student seeking a doctoral degree.

All members of an advisory committee must be current members of the graduate faculty. The majority of the advisory committee, including the chair, must include full-time Clemson University Regular or Administrative faculty as defined in the Faculty Manual. Special faculty may serve as co-chairs or committee members as long as the chair is a permanent faculty member appointed to the graduate faculty and the special faculty member(s) are members of the graduate faculty.

The chair, co-chair or at least half of the committee must have a primary appointment in the program offering the degree. If the student declares a minor, this area must be represented on the committee. Committee members of interdepartmental programs are to be appointed according to bylaws (formulated by the program faculty and endorsed by the academic unit housing the program).

For additional details about faculty qualified to serve on your advisory committee, see the Graduate Advisory Committee topic in the Graduate School Policies & Procedures Handbook.

1. When selecting your committee, discuss the process with your Program Coordinator or the department chair before approaching individual faculty. Your first task is to find a committee chair. Then speak with faculty members about their willingness to participate on your committee. Once you have their verbal agreement, complete the Committee Selection Workflow in your SSB portal. When all committee members have accepted the request to be on your committee, then you may prepare the Plan of Study.
2. It is recommended that you enter the Committee Chair first and then enter your remaining committee members.
3. Before sitting down to enter your GS2 Plan of Study, have a completed list of courses that your committee members have tentatively agreed will satisfy your academic course requirements.
4. Not all departments require the term that you have taken or will take a course, so check with your program coordinator about departmental preference.

5. If you are pursuing the non-thesis master’s option, make sure you have discussed with the program coordinator any other requirements that may need to be completed; for example, will a GS7 form be required?
6. Transfer work can be listed by selecting courses numbered 6999, 7999 and 8999, then adding an explanation in the transfer block.
7. Remember, once you hit submit, you will not be able to make any additional changes to your GS2 until everyone has approved or someone has denied your plan.
8. Note the two blocks at the bottom of the page when entering any information. You MUST click the update box before submitting it for approval.
9. If you have technical issues with your GS2, please use the contact form. Most Graduate School staffers do not have access to students’ Plans of Study.

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