GPD Only

English Language, I-9 Form Help Available to International Teaching Assistants

December 19, 2017 by White, Brian

International graduate assistants paid from Teaching Assistant funds, regardless of assigned duties, are required to attend an English language assessment session.

Sessions are scheduled in January, as follows:

Fri Jan 5, 1:00-4:00, CHHS 280

Tue Jan 9, 9:00-12:00, CHHS 280

Fri Jan 12, 1:00-4:00, CHHS 280

Assistance also is available for completing the I-9 Form, required for non-residents working in the U.S. That session is Friday, Jan. 5, 10:00-12:00, CHHS 370.

For more information and possible additional sessions, contact ITASupport@unc.edu.

Graduate Council Approves Doctoral Fast Track, Time Limit

December 12, 2017 by White, Brian

The Graduate Council this month approved changes to the academic policy that allows some programs to create an accelerated track to PhD for students who enter the program with a master’s degree. The Council action also sets an eight-year time limit for coursework toward a doctoral degree.

The Council’s action was communicated recently in a memo to Graduate Program Directors from Dr. Katherine Hall-Hertel, Associate Dean for Graduate Academic and Students Affairs for the Graduate School. “Some PhD programs do not require a master’s degree for admission,” Hall-Hertel said, noting that programs commonly transfer in up to 30 credit hours for students with a master’s degree. “Beginning the 2018-19 academic year, those programs will have an option to create an accelerated track” for those students.

The accelerated track is optional, and the Graduate School will continue to accept up to 30 hours of transfer credit. However, course credits older than eight years no longer will be accepted.

Proposals for accelerated track should be added to Curriculog by Feb. 1, 2018. For more information, download the Changes to Transfer Credit proposal. For questions, please contact James Birkett.

Vet Assistantships Boost Recruiting

November 16, 2017 by White, Brian

GPD’s, remember you have available to you the competitive graduate assistantships just for military veterans (including serving Guard and Reserve members who have deployed on active duty). Three awards are available each year and provide support for two years. This funding support is over and above traditional GI Bill benefits the veteran student may be entitled to receive.

To be eligible, candidates must have submitted all application materials, the Department must have accepted the candidate, and the Program Director must have nominated the candidate (an e-mail to Dr. Alan Freitag,arfreita@uncc.edu) no later than March 15, 2018.

Please visit the Graduate School Funding site for more information on Assistantships and Employment.

Minority STEM Recruiting Fair Nov. 17

November 06, 2017 by White, Brian

The North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NC-LSAMP) will host a Graduate Recruitment Fair Nov. 17 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in Raleigh.

The recruitment fair is part of the NC-LSAMP Annual Undergraduate Research Conference at the NC State McKimmon Conference & Training Center, 1101 Gorman St., Raleigh.

For registration information, please visit 2017 NC-LSAMP Annual Research Conference.

NC-LSAMP seeks to increase the quality and quantity of students who earn science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degrees and successfully matriculate into STEM graduate programs.

Upcoming Spring 2018 GRAD Courses

October 09, 2017 by Stanchina, Karla

GRAD courses offered by the Graduate School are an excellent way for your students to enhance their professional skills outside their academic discipline. For the Spring 2018 semester, we are offering seven unique credit-bearing courses for the graduate student. From academic writing to leadership development, expert faculty deliver interactive content designed to help round-out graduate student skills, regardless of career path.

“Research shows many graduate students lack the soft-skill basics employers want and need when they graduate,” says Tom Reynolds, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. “Through the Center for Graduate Life, its Faculty Associates, and our partnerships with various campus departments, colleges and the Charlotte community, we are pleased to offer a large selection of courses designed to help meet this need.”

For Spring 2018, we add to the offerings with three new courses:

Intrapreneurship for Non-Business Majors GRAD 6000 (CRN# 27381)
An intrapreneur is defined by American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language as a person within a corporation or organization who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a viable finished product or service through assertive risk-taking and innovation. Through this two-credit course, the graduate student will learn how to create, and develop new ideas, turning them into final products/services.
Academic Writing for Graduate Students GRAD 6000 (CRN# 27382)| GRAD 8000 (CRN# 27383)
Graduate students who seek refinement in their academic writing skills, especially those related to writing about empirical research, will find this this three-credit course beneficial. Through it, students will gain skills needed to effectively produce key parts of an empirical paper: introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis, results, discussion and conclusion. Additionally, students will explore different academic genres relevant to their disciplines, which may include conference proposals, book reviews, and research articles. International students should visit the Courses web page for specific pre-requisites.
Data Analysis and Presentation for Impact GRAD 6040 (CRN# 27164 | GRAD 8040 (CRN# 27173)
In this two-credit course, graduate students learn to gather, organize and present data for understanding and impact in professional settings. This critical skill will help students advance in decision-making, predictive modeling, etc. so they can be successful in their chosen careers.

We encourage you to share this weblink http://gradlife.uncc.edu/what-we-offer/academic-courses with your students, their advisors, faculty and within your department. Registration opens October 30^th and students can do so via my.uncc.edu

How to Use GRAD Full-time Course

September 21, 2017 by White, Brian

The Graduate Council recently approved the establishment of a new course, GRAD 7800/9800 – Full-time Enrollment for Research. This course is now an option for graduate students completing their thesis or dissertation research. Students who have completed all required credit and passed all milestones except the defense are eligible to enroll.

This 3-credit course can be used to elevate the qualifying student to full-time enrollment. Not all graduate students need full-time status, but some do for financial aid purposes or for visa purposes. Tuition and fees paid for this course more accurately reflect the resources students access during this phase of research.

Students working toward their defense should use this course and not the 1-credit residency course, GRAD 7999/9999. That course (GRAD 7999/9999) should be requested only when a student misses the deadline to defend the thesis/dissertation in one semester and must defend in the first four weeks of the next semester to graduate. That student is using few university resources and simply needs to be registered to graduate. When more thesis or dissertation work is needed, the new GRAD 7800/9800 course is appropriate.

When considering whether to request a permit for GRAD 7999/9999, Graduate Program Directors should work with the student to determine whether he or she can schedule a realistic defense date in the first four weeks of the semester. If not, the student should register for GRAD 7800/9800.

Permits are required for both GRAD 7800/9800 and GRAD 7999/9999. Catalog descriptions are available here: 2017/18 Graduate Catalog, GRAD Courses.

It’s difficult to anticipate all the consequences of instituting a policy change, so please help us by sharing your comments in the box below. We want to be sensitive to unique circumstances, but we also want tuition and fee structures to reflect accurately the investment our university is making in our graduate students.

Half-time Enrollment Definition Changed

September 20, 2017 by White, Brian

UNC Charlotte’s definition of graduate school half-time enrollment changed effective with the beginning of the Fall 2017 semester. To help you prepare for questions you may receive from students on the change, please review the following information.

New Definition of Half-Time Enrollment Hours

As of Fall 2017, to be considered enrolled half-time, graduate students must take at least 4.5 credit hours, which essentially means 5 or more credit hours for UNC Charlotte. This has increased from the previous half-time definition of 3 credit hours.
The U.S. Department of Education offers low-interest loans to eligible students to help cover educational costs. Financial need is not required for graduate students to be considered for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Direct PLUS Loan, but they must enroll at least half-time.
Note: The definition of full-time graduate enrollment has not changed. To be considered full-time, graduate students must enroll in at least 9 credit hours.

How this will affect some students:

Federal Financial Aid Eligibility

To receive financial aid from the university, a graduate student must enroll in a master’s, doctoral or certificate program at least half-time.
The Financial Aid office will review applicants’ enrollment prior to awarding financial aid. If they are enrolled in fewer than 5 credit hours, they will not receive federal loans.
In Spring 2017, there are more than 350 graduate students with a federal loan who are enrolled in fewer than 5 credit hours.

Loan Repayment/Deferment

If a student has federal loans in deferment, encourage them to review the terms and conditions of their repayment to consider whether the new half-time enrollment policy will affect them.
Generally, federal loans begin requiring repayment 6 months from the date enrollment drops below half-time, from the date of graduation, or the date a student withdraws from school.

Options Available to Students

They may enroll in at least 5 hours of graduate credit to be eligible for a federal loan (and defer payments on existing federal loans)
They may enroll in the University’s installment Payment Plan
They may apply for an Alternative Loan with private lenders through the Office of Financial Aid

Students with questions may contact the Office of Financial Aid at 704-687-5504 or email their question. Graduate Program Directors may contact Johnna Watson in the Graduate School by email or at 704-687-7231.

Update Enrollment Projections by Nov. 1

September 19, 2017 by White, Brian

Graduate projections for Fall 2018, 2019, and 2020 should be completed in GPDNet by Nov. 1, including the enrollment management plan to achieve those projections.

Base your enrollment and graduate projections and plans on your college’s strategic plan.

To access projections and plans in GPDNet, select PROGRAM DASHBOARD at the top of the page, click on your program, and select from the appropriate tabs to view and enter data, or you may download the spreadsheet Fall 2017 9-8-2017 Official Census Enrollment by Program.

Open Swims will be held in Cato 248 according to the schedule shown below to support planning and respond to questions. If you have questions or need individual assistance, please contact Johnna Watson. To register, please visit the Enrollment Management Planning registration page.

Open Swim Schedule
Graduate School Conference Room, Cato Hall, #248

Wednesday, September 27th, 1-2:30 pm

Friday, October 6th, 1:30 – 3 pm

Thursday, October 12th, 11:30 am-1 pm

Wednesday, October 18th, 10:30 am – noon

Raleigh Meteorologist Greg Fishel to Address Climate Change

September 15, 2017 by White, Brian

Greg Fishel, weather forecaster for Raleigh television station WRAL, will present “Climate Change: My Journey from Ideology to Science,” Nov. 11 at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The presentation, sponsored by the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, examines the scientific, political and religious sides of the climate change debate and explores why a divide exists between scientists and the public.

To register, please visit Sigma Xi.

Sigma Xi also will be sponsoring a Student Research Conference at the event, featuring a poster competition and career development sessions on science communication.

Future Faculty Enrollment Open

September 11, 2017 by White, Brian

NC State’s Building Future Faculty (BFF) Program is accepting applications for the 2018 Program through Nov. 12, 2017.

The all-expenses paid workshop in Raleigh Mar. 14-16, 2018, is designed for diverse graduate students and post-doctoral students who are seeking a career as a faculty member. Workshop topics explore what to expect as a faculty member, a discussion of the wealth of resources available to faculty for teaching and expectations of productivity for faculty engaged in research. Participants will spend time with current faculty and department chairs in their discipline discussing effective strategies to prepare for an academic career.

For more information and to apply, please visit the Building Future Faculty website.

Key Registration Deadlines Coming Up

August 25, 2017 by White, Brian

Students who are not registered must do so by the published deadline to enroll in classes this fall semester. Once the add/drop deadline has passed, students who are not on the class roster should not be allowed to continue in the class.

Here are some key deadlines:

Monday, Aug. 28, 11:59 pm, Second Cancellation for non-payment: The second and final class schedule cancellation is Monday, Aug. 28. The Office of Student Accounts regularly notifies students of cancellation, and the Graduate Admissions staff emails the rosters of students to GPDs to ensure timely payment and prevent schedule cancellation.

Monday, Aug. 28, Deadline to Add/Drop/Register for a Class: Late adds after the Census date (Sept. 1) will be approved only if 1) a student is already enrolled in classes, and 2) faculty can attest that the student can catch up the missed work. Late adds should be submitted through the Graduate Academic Petition.

Tuesday, Aug 29, Deadline to Submit Residency for Tuition Status Application: The due date for graduate students to submit the N.C. Residence and Tuition Status Application with all required documentation is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 29. For more information on residency determination requirements, please contact the Residency Determination Office.

Friday, Sept 1, Official Census: UNC Charlotte loses state appropriations for any student who is added late to classes after the official census date.

Faculty may check their class roster through faculty self-service in Banner. Instructions are located on the Office of the Registrar site.

3MT® Competitions Slated for Nov. 3, Nov. 10

August 25, 2017 by White, Brian

After an excellent first event in spring 2017, 3MT® returns to UNC Charlotte this fall. Developed by The University of Queensland, the 3MT® exercise cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.

Preliminary competition for the UNC Charlotte event is Nov. 3, with finals following on Nov. 10. Cash prizes are awarded for the first place, runner up, and People’s Choice presenters. The first place presenter will advance to the Regional Conference of Southern Graduate Schools 3MT® competition in February.

For more information, videos, and rules, visit the 3MT® Competition page at the Center for Graduate Life.

Nominate Your Best Master Student Thesis

August 25, 2017 by White, Brian

Oct. 9 is the deadline for nominating students for the Graduate School’s 2018 Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award. Faculty may nominate a student whose thesis has been accepted in partial fulfillment of master’s degree requirements during the past two academic years and/or summer sessions.

Winners may also be considered for the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools Master’s Thesis competition.

For more information, please visit Graduate Student Competitions at the Center for Graduate Life.

Updated Portal Focuses on Program Director Needs

August 04, 2017 by Stanchina, Karla

Welcome to GPDNet, an effort to cultivate a richer, more collaborative communications environment among Graduate School staff and Graduate Program Directors, who we view as our most important allies in delivering excellence in graduate education at UNC Charlotte.

Over the summer, we consolidated all the news, information and tools GPDs need into one online portal (integrated into the eGEM platform) that is accessible only to approved faculty and staff.

GPDNet is actually an expansion of the existing eGEM system and allows us to provide information for GPDs in a password-protected place (integrated into the eGEM platform) that is accessible only to approved faculty and staff. It is part of an overall initiative to improve the effectiveness of the Graduate School’s communications.

While the site is still under development, when fully deployed you will be able to select the topics of greatest interest and those will automatically arrive in your email box as soon as the site is updated.

A special thanks to GPDs who responded to our survey earlier this summer. That feedback helped us shape the topics for information updates as well as how we designed the overall portal. We will be counting on your feedback to continuously improve the information we provide and how we provide it.

Balance Advisor and Mentor Roles

July 19, 2017 by White, Brian

Understanding the difference between ‘advising’ and ‘mentoring’ – and applying just the right balance of the two – is a key to helping students successfully navigate graduate studies at UNC Charlotte.

Advising is often procedural, focused on policies, courses and in some cases, funding. Mentoring is more personal and includes emotional support, career advice and role modeling to help students through graduate school and their postdoctoral training. Graduate students need both.

Using University policy as a base, consider these important elements of student success:

Shared Values
- Academic integrity and responsible research
- Respect for others and for their differing view points
- Expectations for professionalism
Shared Goals
- A completion time line
- Expectation for mastery of the content
- Understanding career goals
Shared Responsibilities
- Following University policy
- Meeting deadlines
- Communicating openly with one another

For more resources, visit the Graduate School’s Mentoring and Advising site and DegreeWorks for a useful advising tool.

New Grad Student Orientation Aug. 19

July 18, 2017 by White, Brian

New graduate students will find the Graduate School Student Orientation packed with information designed to get their graduate education off to a strong start.

The program runs Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (registration begins at 9 a.m.). Sessions hosted by students and faculty will cover such topics as:

Advice on the transition from undergraduate to graduate education
How to build and strengthen relationships with peers and academic mentors
Understanding academic expectations
Making the most of library services and other campus resources
Living in Charlotte, including how to get around, living and socializing, and great opportunities for fun.

More information on orientation is located at the Center for Graduate Life’s New Graduate Student Orientation page. Image courtesy of Aaron Cress.

Showcasing Graduate Talent

July 10, 2017 by White, Brian

Two of UNC Charlotte’s outstanding graduate students represented the university at the 2017 Graduate Education Day at the General Assembly in Raleigh, sponsored by the North Carolina Council of Graduate Schools.

The students met with several elected officials, including Rep. Linda Hunt Williams of Wake County, left, to discuss the impacts of their research. Shown with UNC Graduate School Dean Tom Reynolds who hosted the visit, are from left: Rep. Williams, who also holds a Master’s of Public Administration degree from UNC Charlotte; Ben Gordon, doctoral student in Biological Sciences and Kinesiology whose research is focused on lowering blood pressure through isometric exercise; and Nathan Lambert, Master’s student in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science. Nathan’s research encompasses machine vision, optical design, control systems design, and nanoscale precision engineering used in material testing to help maintain the nation’s nuclear weapon stockpile.

3-Article Dissertation Option Available

July 10, 2017 by White, Brian

With the doctoral dissertation formatting deadline coming October 6, graduate students this fall have another formatting option to consider: The Three-Article dissertation.

While not a good fit for every situation, the three-article format may be of interest to graduate students whose field of study and research suggest the possibility of three, connected journal articles rather than the traditional dissertation.

“Students who choose the three-article approach have to pay particular attention to the formatting,” said Katherine Hall-Hertel, Associate Dean for Graduate Academic and Student Affairs, “The articles submitted must be coherent, with clear rationale for how the papers are grouped.”

Download the Three-Article-Dissertation-Guidelines.

Immigration Updates

July 10, 2017 by White, Brian

The International Student Scholar Office (ISSO) maintains a website Read more…

Recruitment Fair Opportunities

June 13, 2017 by Aaron Forsyth

Representatives from the UNC Charlotte Graduate School participate in several recruitment fairs each year. These fairs present great opportunities to connect with prospective students.
Read more…