Who We Are
The Graduate Division is the student service office that oversees your progress from the time you are admitted until you complete your program. We’ll guide you through the various steps required for your degree and provide you with information and advice on such matters as finding financial support, teaching a class, and writing a dissertation. We’re here to make sure you not only complete your degree but do so successfully.
The Graduate Council, a committee of the Academic Senate, is responsible for all academic matters related to graduate education on campus. The current Graduate Dean is Joseph Cerny, and he works closely with the Council in developing new policies and procedures related to graduate education. One of the major duties of the Council is to conduct periodic reviews of all graduate programs for their quality and appropriateness.
Many of the questions you may have about your graduate studies can best be answered in your department, school, or graduate group. To help answer those questions, the Graduate Division provides your department’s graduate assistant with a guidebook called Easing the Way for Graduate Students and your department’s graduate advisers with the Graduate Adviser’s Handbook.
You may also come to us directly with your questions. Even if you don’t have a problem, come see what resources we have to offer, such as fellowship directories, teaching materials, and handouts on topics ranging from finding a mentor to writing a grant proposal.
Where We Are
Our offices are located on the third floor of Sproul Hall. We’re open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
If you would like to drop something off after hours, you may leave forms and correspondence for Graduate Division offices in Box 2, located in the basement of Sproul Hall near the Bancroft Way entrance. Materials that are placed in the box will be collected Monday through Friday after noon.
You can also find us on the World Wide Web (http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/).
What We Do
Here’s a list of Graduate Division units and phone numbers, along with a brief description of what each unit does, to help you negotiate the Sproul Hall maze.
Office of the Dean, 424 Sproul Hall, 642-5472—Graduate Dean Joseph Cerny oversees all the units in the Graduate Division and is an ex officio member of the Graduate Council. Associate Dean Joseph J. Duggan is responsible for admissions, degrees, and academic appointments. On behalf of the Administrative Committee of the Graduate Council, he also oversees student grievances and determines the procedure for responding to them. Associate Dean Z. Renee Sung handles issues regarding affirmative action, fellowships, and the Graduate Opportunity Program. The deans are available for advice and assistance when students cannot solve problems in their home departments. If you wish to make an appointment with a dean, you’re normally required to write a letter describing the purpose of your visit.
Admissions, 309 Sproul Hall, 642-7405—Admissions advises applicants, faculty, and departments on policies and procedures for admission to graduate study at Berkeley. This unit annually processes more than 20,000 applications and evaluates recommendations for admission submitted by departments.
Appointments, 318 Sproul Hall, 642-7101, gradappt@uclink.berkeley.edu—This unit reviews the appointments of graduate students to academic titles, such as Graduate Student Instructor, Graduate Student Researcher, Reader, Tutor, and staff titles to ensure compliance with policies and procedures established by the Office of the President, the Graduate Council, and the Graduate Division. The unit also administers fee and tuition remission programs. For questions on appointments or fee remissions, first contact your academic or hiring unit. If you need more information or have additional questions, contact the Appointments staff.
Degrees, 302 Sproul Hall, 642-7330, degrees@uclink4.berkeley.edu— Degrees staff monitors student progress from registration to graduation. You can meet with staff members on a drop-in basis or schedule an appointment to discuss academic or personal concerns about registration, changes in class schedule, withdrawal, readmission, application to the qualifying exams, advancement to candidacy, filing fee, the Normative Time Program, and probation. You file your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation here. This unit also sponsors dissertation workshops during fall and spring semesters.
Fellowships, 318 Sproul Hall, 642-0672—The Fellowships unit, which is responsible for most merit-based and merit plus need-based financial awards, administers University fellowships, departmental block grants, federally funded fellowships, and foundation and corporate awards. You can visit the office for guidance and advice from staff members and to consult directories and a list of useful Web sites for information.
Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP): Office of Outreach and Retention, 316 Sproul Hall, 643-6010 or 642-5727, gop@uclink4.berkeley.edu—The GOP unit assists in the recruitment, admission, and graduation of students who enrich the diversity of the graduate programs on campus. This unit administers the GOP Awards and provides a network of financial, academic, and social support through counseling and workshops.
Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Teaching and Resource Center, 301 Sproul Hall, 642-4456, gsi@uclink4.berkeley.edu—The GSI Teaching and Resource Center provides pedagogical support and guidance for GSIs. Services include orientation conferences, noon-hour workshops, course improvement grants, teaching awards, confidential consultations, the Teaching Perspectives newsletter, and the Language Proficiency Program for international GSIs. You can visit the center for books, articles, videos, and other reference materials on teaching.
Grant Proposal Advising and Outreach, 325 Sproul Hall, 643-9392—This program offers grant-writing workshops and individual grant proposal consultations. Current information is always posted on the bulletin board outside 318 Sproul Hall, along with sign-up sheets for consultations.
Publications and Outreach, 325 Sproul Hall, 643-7358, gradpub@uclink4.berkeley.edu— Publications and Outreach produces The Graduate, a newsletter for graduate students, delivered to departments at the beginning of each semester. Reprints of articles from past newsletters and handouts on topics such as academic publishing and GSI and GSR policies are available in bins outside this office; they can also be found on the Graduate Division Web site, along with up-to-date information on workshops, deadlines, and other topics of concern to graduate students.
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