Online M.S. in Entomology Program Milestones and Deadlines

The following document provides some important procedures and deadlines to help you complete everything required for your degree. You may wish to keep a copy of this as you move through the program!

  1. One Drive
  2. Memorandum of Courses
  3. Required Courses
  4. Comprehensive Exams
  5. M.S. Project
  6. Incompletes
  7. Milestones


  1. One Drive (a Microsoft cloud storage product) is available for each student with a checklist, MOC, and other forms to help you organize and track your progress through the program. Visit https://portal.office365.com/ to and use your huskers.unl.edu email address to access it. If you are a new student and don’t have a folder, contact Erin at ebauer2@unl.edu.
  2. Memorandum of Courses (MOC) This is a list of courses you plan to take during your program and should be submitted after 4 credits hours of coursework. It should be submitted it to Erin. Students only need one MOC. After it is approved, if you change any courses you take, this will be noted on paperwork submitted before graduation.
  3. Required Courses for program A. Insect ID (ENTO 818) B. Insect Phys (ENTO 801) or Insecticide Toxicology (ENTO 820) C. MS Project (ENTO 888)
  4. Comprehensive Exams

    Two exams are required for graduation: Online departmental multiple choice closed exam (take at least one semester before planning to graduate can take once a semester until passed with a 70%); taken on Canvas. Students can also take the BCE exam from the Entomology Society of America instead of the departmental online exam. Take home written open exam sent through email; have a week to complete once open.

    Contact Erin when ready to take the exams.

  5. M.S. Project
    It is highly recommended that you finish your project at least one semester before semester you intend to graduate. This website gives detailed instructions: https://entomology.unl.edu/ent888

  6. Incompletes
    Under extenuating circumstances (serious illness, family death, etc.), students can request to take an incomplete in a course for that semester. Students will need to contact their instructor to request the incomplete, which can be finished during a later semester. Ideally this is during the following semester, if this works for the instructor, or it may be during the next time the course is given. Incompletes should be finished  no later than two years after you originally took the course.

    Students do not have to pay again to take the course, so should not re-enroll in that course. Instructors will be able to add you into the appropriate online course when you are ready to complete the course requirements. Please note that incompletes may affect the number of credits required to receive

    Financial Aid: Please check with the UNL financial aid office to ask about their policies before requesting an incomplete. If an event comes up early in the semester, consider withdrawing from the course rather than taking an incomplete. Please keep in mind that all incompletes must be finished before you graduate.

  7. Milestones
    Program must be completed within five (5) consecutive years. Coursework older than 10 years expires and cannot be used toward degree. Fill out MOC after 4 credit hours. All deficiencies need to be completed within first year (Chemistry, Biology, Math, Intro to Entomology)

    Comprehensive exams and MS Project must be completed 3 weeks before Final Exam Reports are due of the semester you plan to graduate. (See this site for Milestone dates each semester: https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/academics/degrees/masters).

    This is why it is recommended that you complete the MS Project prior to the semester you need to graduate, otherwise your time to complete a project is significantly less (Example: if you are going to graduate in the Fall, your project is due in mid-October rather than in December to allow time to complete paperwork needed to clear you for graduation.) The deadline to apply for graduation via MyRed for the semester you plan to graduate can be found on https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/academics/degrees/masters.