Graduate Students Office
Administrative and academic matters are handled through the Graduate Students Office. The Secretariat is responsible for enrolling students, registering students for courses at the beginning of each semester, issuing certificates concerning the academic status of the students and addressing their requests.
The office is open Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 to 16:00.
Tel. 08-6596733 (internal phone no. 96733).
E-mail: dschool@bgu.ac.il
Tel. MSc Studies 08-65663402.
Tel. PhD Studies 08-65663401.
Academic Status
Students are admitted to the School for a trial period. Continuation of studies in the second year depends on the satisfactory completion of the first year's academic requirements.
The requirements to obtain an M.Sc./M.A in Desert Studies or Hydrology and Water Quality are:
• 42 credit points including 12 research project credit points.
• A cumulative average of at least 65.0 in the coursework.
• Submission of a preliminary research plan within 3 months from the date of provisional admission.
• Submission of a research proposal within 9 months from the date of provisional admission.
• Submission of a progress report within 15 months from the date of provisional admission.
• Submission of the first draft of the thesis within 20 months from the date of provisional admission.
Duration of Studies
The M.Sc./M.A. Program in Desert Studies is a two-year program. Students are strongly encouraged to finish their studies during this period. Extensions to this period will be considered, but the School will not provide stipends or housing after two years.
Vacations and Conferences
A student who plans to interrupt his/her studies by taking a vacation or by attending a conference should notify his/her supervisor in advance and get his/her approval. The student should submit to the Graduate Students Office a letter from the supervisor indicating this approval. The student must contact the Graduate Office when s/he returns.
No stipend will be paid for a vacation period that exceeds a total of two weeks in one year.
Composition of the final grade for the Master's Degree
Average course work grade 40%
Thesis 40%
Oral Exam 20%
Preliminary Research Plan, Research Proposal, Progress Report, Thesis and Oral Examination:
General
The aim of the research project is to enable the student to acquire knowledge in a specific scientific area. The student should be able to construct a specific research question, select appropriate research methods, analyze results independently and derive conclusions.
Preliminary Research Proposal
The aim of the research project is to enable the student to acquire knowledge in a specific scientific area. The student should be able to address a specific research question, select appropriate research methods, analyze results independently and derive conclusions.
The preliminary research proposal is a one-page statement describing the project that the student will work on. It should be submitted to the School Office within three months of the date of admission after being approved by the student's supervisor and the chairperson of the Teaching Committee of the student's department.
The preliminary research proposal must include:
• Subject of the research project
• Scientific background
• Research objectives
• References
For the cover page, please refer to the relevant Appendix A1 form. The cover page should be signed by the student's supervisor/s and the supervisor/s and the chairperson of the teaching committee of the student's department.
Research Proposal
The research proposal must be submitted to the teaching committee after being approved by the student's supervisor and the accompanying committee of the student within nine months of the date of admission of the student to the program. The Research
Proposal should not exceed six printed pages in length.
The research proposal must include:
• Subject of the research project
• Scientific background
• Research objectives
• Research methods
• Preliminary results
• Timetable for the entire project
• References
For the cover page, please refer to Appendix A2 . The cover page should be signed by your supervisor/s and the chairperson of the teaching committee.
Students enrolled in the ECOLOGY OF DRYLANDS specialization should submit the following forms in addition:
• The Recommended Members of the Attendant Committee form.
• Each member of the Advisory Committee should complete the Assessment of the Research Proposal form.
Progress Report
The progress report should not exceed three printed pages in length.
The progress report must be submitted to the School Office within 15 months of the date of admission after being approved by the student's supervisor and the chairperson of the teaching committee of the student's department.
The progress report must include:
· Introduction
· Research objectives
· Achievements
· Conclusions and future work
· References
For the cover page, please refer to Appendix A3. The cover page should be signed by your supervisor/s and the chairperson of the teaching committee.
Students enrolled in the ECOLOGY OF DRYLANDS specialization should submit the following forms in addition:
Each member of the Advisory Committee should complete:
• The Assessment of the Progress Report form.
Thesis
The first draft of the thesis, composed according to the "Instructions for Submission of Thesis," should be submitted to the supervisor no later than 22 months from the student's date of admission (see:Appendix B - Instructions for Submission of Thesis; Appendix C1-C4 - Chapter Headings). If this is not possible, a detailed explanation must be submitted to the teaching committee.
the student must submit to the School Office three unbound copies of the thesis, approved by his/her supervisor/s for the examiners' review within 23 months from the date of admission.
the student must submit at least six bound copies of his/her final version of the thesis to the School Office, signed by the student, his/her supervisor/s and the Director of the School:
one copy for the supervisor (if the student has more than one supervisor, s/he should submit one copy for each supervisor).
• two copies for the Main Library at the university's Beer-Sheva campus.
• one copy for the Jane Schapiro Library at the Sede-Boqer campus.
• one copy for the National Library in Jerusalem.
• one copy for the student.
In addition, students should submit one CD with their thesis to the Main Library in Beer-Sheva and one CD to the Jane Schapiro Library in Sede-Boqer.
The CD for the Main Library should be accompanied by the Thesis Deposit Form, either in Hebrew or English.
Oral Examination
Regulations regarding the assessment of the thesis:
• The final draft of the thesis should be submitted to the supervisor. The supervisor must review and
approve the thesis within two weeks.
• After approval by the supervisor, the thesis will be submitted to the Graduate Students Office and
distributed to the referees for assessment.
• The referees' assessments and grade must be reported to the Graduate Students Office within 30
days.
• The Graduate Students Office will convey the relevant comments to the supervisor and the student.
The orall examination will be held only after the student fulfills all the requirements for the degree of Master of Science or Master of Arts and after the thesis is approved by the referees.
The final examination will include the student's presentation of the thesis and its defense in response to referee questions.
Degree Honors of cum laude and summa cum laude
Students who graduate in the top 20% of their class each year (determined by the cumulative average of grades, thesis and final exam) will be awarded the honor of cum laude.
The top 20% of the students eligible for cum laude honors whose average course grades and thesis grades are 92 and above will be awarded the honor of summa cum laude.
M.Sc./M.A. Diploma
The diploma will be granted by the University Senate after the student has fulfilled all the requirements for the degree of Master of Science or Master of Arts and passed the examinations as required.
Graduates will receive an original diploma and a certified copy signed by the university authorities. Any student wishing to receive additional certified copies of his/her diploma is requested to apply for them through the university's Academic Secretariat.
Acknowledgment
The thesis and all other published material must include a statement acknowledging the support of the foundation that provided your scholarship, as shown in the example below:
“This work was partially supported through a scholarship made available through...... "
(Please get the full name of your supporter from the AKIS office).
Appendix A1
Preliminary Research Proposal
Appendix A1 Desert Studies Preliminary Research Proposal
Appendix A1 Ecology Preliminary Research Proposal
Appendix A1 Hydrology Preliminary Research Proposal
Appendix A1 Physics Preliminary Research Proposal
Appendix A2
Research Proposal
Appendix A2
Appendix A3
Progress Report
Appendix A3
Appendix B
Instructions for submission the Thesis
Appendix B
Appendix C1
Thesis Cover Page - English
Appendix C1
Appendix C2
Thesis Title Page - English
Appendix C2
Appendix C3
Thesis Cover Page - Hebrew
Appendix C3
Appendix C4
Thesis Title Page - Hebrew
Appendix C4
