Welcome from Vice Provost Nieman
Welcome everyone to the start of another academic year. I am excited to begin this new adventure as Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies with all of you. It is an exciting time at Case Western Reserve University. We are poised to substantially expand the research enterprise with the construction of the Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building and the Faculty 100 initiative set forth by President Kaler and Provost Ward. Strong graduate programs are essential to this growth in research.
Student experience is at the center of my approach to graduate education. This means 1) creating an environment where everyone is welcome and can thrive, 2) a focus on career and professional development, and 3) robust program evaluation to ensure we are using best practices in modern pedagogy. As we strive for excellence in these areas, we are creating a mentor training program to provide tools for our faculty mentors to help our graduate students as they take the first steps toward a fulfilling career. I am also looking forward to a renewed focus on a career and professional development curriculum for graduate students that prepares them with the skills necessary for the careers of tomorrow.
I look forward to partnering with the faculty, staff, and students to continue the rich tradition of research and graduate education at Case Western Reserve University.
Dr. Marvin Nieman, Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Studies
Academics
Apply for January Graduation
Friday, October 4 is the deadline to apply in SIS for Fall semester graduation. You can find graduation information with detailed requirements here. All final materials are due by December 6. Degrees will be awarded on January 17, 2025. There is no diploma ceremony in January but if you plan to attend the 2025 Commencement in May, you will also need to register for the ceremony in the spring semester. Watch for details after the New Year.
If you applied to graduate in spring or summer 2024 but did not complete all requirements you must apply again this semester.
Verify Your Final Exams & Deadlines
Take a moment now to verify in your syllabi and with your professors the schedule for your final exams and deadlines for any papers or projects. Make sure all of your travel plans for winter break are after your final exams and that deadlines can be met. Exams and due dates will not be rescheduled due to travel conflicts.
Fall Break October 21 & 22
Students in the School of Graduate Studies will receive a two-day break from classes and class activities corresponding to Fall Break in the undergraduate calendar, Monday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 22. Please note that this exemption applies only to classes and class activities; faculty may still require students to perform research activities during fall break.
As a reminder if you do stay on campus over the break, please confirm access availability as some buildings and services (KSL, gyms, shuttles, dining, etc) may have reduced and altered hours, including the preceding weekend.
Spoken English Sessions
Most Friday afternoons this fall, our Spoken English Language Programs (SELP) offers in-person workshops and conversation hours designed for international students for whom English is an additional language in Tomlinson Hall. Registration is open for graduate students and their spouses/partners; enrollment is limited to allow maximum conversational time for participants. Please contact Eric Moore at if you have any questions.
- SELP Workshops
- English Conversation Hours
- Advanced Fluency Seminars (a four part series)
SELP also offers English language tutoring consultations to to practice speaking, listening, grammar, and vocabulary for presentations, speeches, interviews, and talks or just a chance to chat with someone who knows CWRU and the Cleveland area well. Graduate students can make appointments online through TutorTrac. You can also contact Eric Moore with questions.
Holidays, Leave, & Vacation Policies
Need to take some time off? Graduate students receiving a stipend should be aware of our policy on graduate student holidays, vacation, parental leave, and sick leave. Note that this policy applies during the period of support and represents the minimum to which graduate students are entitled.
Did You Miss New Student Orientation?
If you were not able to join us last month or you just want to review material, we have all the Orientation info you need right here on Canvas!
NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
Each year, the National Science Foundation (NSF) recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students with three years of funding through the Graduate Research Fellowships Program (GRFP). Eligible applicants are research-based Master's and doctoral students at accredited US institutions pursuing degrees in chemistry, computer and information, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, materials research, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, psychology, social sciences, and STEM education disciplines.
Students interested in applying this year should self-enroll in our NSF GRFP Canvas site to review the program purpose, key elements, eligibility, application timeline and components, deadlines, resources, events, and application materials from CWRU GRFP awardees. A recording is available of our recent panel webinar featuring current GRFP fellows at CWRU discussing their experiences in applying and also faculty discussing what reviewers are looking for in grant applications. For more details, the registration links to all the review sessions and webinars can be found in CampusGroups.
The deadline to apply varies by your field of study but will be in the first half of October.
