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Office of Graduate Studies

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Graduate Student Development: Guide to Success

Getting Started

For new students making the transition to graduate school.

Student

Attend the New Graduate Student Welcome
  • Attend the welcome event sponsored by the Office of Graduate Studies. Meet new students, eat lunch and attend the resource fair.
  • Many departments also organize orientation days for incoming students, usually the week before classes, to help them understand program procedures and expectations. Contact your department for more information.

Read the Graduate Bulletin
  • Familiarize yourself with graduate policies and procedures. Take responsibility for your graduate career. Know the rules and what is expected of you. Familiarize yourself with policies for course requirements, preliminary/qualifying exams and admission to candidacy. Learn deadlines for completing these requirements, at both department and university levels.
  • Once you know the policies, come up with a timeline for completing the milestones early in your program. You'll also feel more in control of your graduate career.

Get connected
  • Subscribe to or read Graduate Connections
    • Graduate Connections is an electronic newsletter for graduate students at UNL. This quarterly publication is intended to bring you information to help you more easily make your way through your graduate school career link you with news about events planned and organized just for you provide you with timely information about deadlines and funding and connect you with other graduate students at UNL.
  • Join the graduate student "just-in-time" listserv
    • The Office of Graduate Studies runs a convenient "just-in-time" listserv that emails notices about upcoming professional development workshops, events, employment and internship opportunities, and other career news for UNL graduate students and postdocs. To subscribe, send email to listserv@unl.edu. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type SUBSCRIBE UNLGRAD.
    • Your department may also have a listserv or similar system for information regarding department functions and deadlines. Ask the graduate secretary for your department.
  • Join your department's graduate student organization
  • Join UNL's Graduate Student Association


Teacher

Attend Campus-wide Workshops for Graduate Teaching Assistants
Explore the online Handbook for Graduate Teaching Assistants
  • The Handbook for Graduate Teaching Assistants can help you navigate the difficulty of being a teacher and student. From responsibilities of TAs to preparing for your first day to promoting academic integrity, the GTA handbook provides a wide range of information for TAs.

Begin building your teaching portfolio
  • Collect feedback from your students.
    • Because teaching is one of the most important parts of your work in higher education, it merits regular scrutiny and upgrading. Not only is it critical for you to know what — and how — you are doing in the classroom, others who must assess your work need such evidence as well.
  • Schedule an instructional consultation.
    • Consultants are available to meet with graduate students who have an interest in teaching. We can provide the information, resources and support you need to meet your teaching goals and to enjoy and learn as much as you can from your experience in the classroom.

Take a course in college teaching
  • Try one of the following courses, or contact your department.
    • ALEC 805. Advanced Teaching Strategies
      Contemporary and innovative teaching strategies, emphasizing learner-centered instruction, suitable to teaching in college and postsecondary institutions, outreach programs public schools, and other settings. Students participate in active learning as they apply learning theory in practice, prepare and demonstrate teaching methods, and plan for instruction in discipline areas of their choice.
    • COMM 827. Instructional Communication
      Advanced introductory course in instructional communication. Focus on: understanding variables associated with the communication process in instructional settings, and managing instructional communication more effectively. Experimental and cognitive understanding of the role of communication in the instructional process.
    • EDPS 991. Principles of College Teaching
      Identification and solutions of problems associated with program planning; organizational, administrative, and instructional procedures within an institutional setting. Designing, implementing, and evaluating new or modified patterns of operation and teaching within a public school, postsecondary institution, or adult education agency.
    • PSYC 974. Teaching Methods for Psychology
      Teaching methods, philosophical perspectives to teaching, practical ideas about classroom instruction, and career issues involving higher education.
    • TEAC 880. Teaching with Technology
      Survey and analysis of the application of technology to improve teaching. Research and related literature on learning, teaching, and curriculum. Critical application of technology and the development of teaching strategies.

Become a tutor
  • The first year of your graduate program is not too early to begin building evidence of teaching experience. Tutoring undergraduate students is a good way to begin working with students in a teaching capacity. Organizations on campus that provide tutors include TRIO and ASUN.

Take a course in leadership
  • For information on courses in leadership in your department, see your advisor or graduate secretary.


Researcher

Find a faculty mentor
  • Discover faculty research areas in your department. Keep an eye out for extracurricular seminars sponsored by your department and meet with faculty whose research is of interest to you. Don't forget to be open to new research ideas!
  • Review the Mentoring Guidebook
    • To help graduate students make the most of mentoring opportunities, the Graduate Studies Office has produced a guidebook entitled "How to Get the Mentoring You Need: A Guide for Graduate Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln." This guidebook is an excellent tool to help you reflect on and plan for the mentoring you need, no matter in which stage of your graduate career you presently find yourself.
  • Set short term and long term goals
    • Decide what you plan to accomplish during your first semester and what you want to accomplish before you graduate. Talk to your faculty mentor about setting realistic goals. Also ask yourself what you want to get out of your graduate degree and begin taking steps toward that goal.

Develop your research interests/ideas
  • Take part in departmental research colloquia
    • A colloquia is a series of seminars, usually lead by a different lecturer at each session. A number of departments offer research colloquia during the fall and spring semesters and some departments require attendance at all colloquia for graduate students (Physics and Astronomy). For more information on colloquia in your department, contact your advisor or graduate secretary.
  • Attend the UNL Research Fair
    • The UNL Research Fair is a three-day event featuring collaboration, creativity, innovation and celebration of achievements. The Research Fair features a number of activities for graduate students, including a workshop on preparing fellowship applications and the research poster competition, both described earlier in this newsletter.

Develop your public speaking and writing skills
  • Join the local chapter of Toastmasters International
    • Toastmasters is a group dedicated to improving communication skills through activities that include improvisation and group presentations and constructive evaluations.
    • Toastmasters provides a supportive environment for anyone interesting in honing their public speaking skills and meetings are open to visitors.
  • Take a public speaking course
    • Some departments offer courses or workshops to help their students polish their public speaking skills. Contact your advisor or graduate secretary to see if this option is available in your department.
  • Write well and publish early
    • Publishing is often a long and difficult process that is required to secure top assistant professor positions. Students who begin submitting papers for publication early in their graduate student career increase their chances of being published significantly due the increase in experience.
    • Always write as if your article will be published. Seek out advice on potentially publishable articles from multiple faculty members. Find out what worked best for other graduate seeking publication. Don't give up if your paper is rejected, continue revising and submitting your article to journals for publication.
  • Visit the Writing Center
    • The University Writing Center is a free, confidential service available to all students at UNL. Graduate students can receive writing assistance on a variety of topics and project lengths.
  • Meet with the Library Liaison for your department to learn more about the services available to graduate students.

Explore internal funding opportunities
  • If you are currently enrolled as a graduate student at UNL, you may be eligible to apply for internal fellowship funding. Fellowships dollars are free money that may give you more time for research or studying... instead of working.


Professional

Explore various career paths
  • Seek advice from the Graduate Student Development Team on writing job-related documents and applications
    • The Graduate Student Development program can help graduate students explore the various academic and nonacademic career paths available to them. We'll work with UNL Career Services and UNL faculty to offer resource materials and workshops, which include the basics of an effective cover letter, delivering the "job talk" and job search strategies.
  • Attend career development workshops and seminars offered by Graduate Studies

Take action early
  • The search for a position as an assistant professor after graduate school begins with your first year as a graduate student. Begin building your application packet immediately by documenting your teaching experiences, identifying appropriate mentors and advisors and starting the first stages of your curriculum vita. Keep in mind that during your future job search, you will not be marketing your skills as a graduate student; you will be marketing your ability to perform as an assistant professor.

Develop your curriculum vita
  • A curriculum vitae (CV) is a summary of your training, experience and skills submitted as part of the academic job search process. Search committees use the CV as an initial screening device to determine your "fit" with the available position. Therefore, your curriculum vita should highlight the educational and professional experiences that match the position for which you are applying.

Attend professional conferences
  • Professional conferences are an opportunity to begin networking with professionals in your field and to see them in action. Many conferences are offered on both the national and regional level. The opportunity for some travel funds may be available in some departments.

Develop an Individual Professional Development Plan
  • Develop an Individual Professional Development Plan to help you think about the next stage in your career. Update this plan as you move through your program.