Graduate Programs in HASS
HASS Co-Term | Deadlines, Events, and Support!
Graduate Advising Model
Your Faculty/Research Advisor and Graduate Program Director will be your primary support for:
- Program-specific approvals (Research, Thesis, Dissertation, Publications, etc.)
- Plan of Study development and approvals
- Curriculum and Research support and guidance
- General Mentorship through your Advanced Degree
- TA/RA Assignments
- Doctoral Student Yearly Reviews (DSYR)
- Support with Change of Status
- Professional Networking Opportunities
Graduate Program Directors (GPD): GPDs are HASS Faculty who support the Graduate Programs and Students within their Departments. From recruitment to commencement, your GPD will be a primary resource to support degree progress.
Faculty Advisors: All incoming graduate students are assigned a Faculty advisor based on the interests indicated during the application process and faculty availability.
Doctorate Faculty Advisors: Once students have identified a dissertation area (typically in their second year), they are expected to discuss with potential faculty and the Graduate Program Director their preferences for a dissertation advisor, who will become the Chair of the Doctoral Committee. This faculty member will then serve as the Primary Advisor moving forward. Dissertation Chairs must be tenured or tenure-track faculty members within the student's department.
Academic & Funding Support for Graduate Students
Between your Program Advisors, support staff in HASS, and the Office of Graduate Education, there are many resources to guide you through your Advanced Degree at Rensselaer.
Office of Graduate Education (OGE)
Office of Graduate Education
1516 Peoples Ave. Troy, NY 12180
(518) 276-6488, graduate@rpi.edu
"The mission of the Office of Graduate Education (OGE) is to support students in achieving professional success through the coordination and collaboration of efforts between advisors, mentors, departments, and academic schools."
- Contact Information, Announcements, and Events
- Graduate Program Directors and Administrators
- Ombuds (Confidential and Informal Assistance)
- Student Services (Advisement and Thesis/Dissertation Support)
- OGE Faculty and Staff (Support, Resources, and Advocacy)
Find additional support at OGE
Discover the Graduate Student Experience
"The Rensselaer graduate community includes co-terminal, master’s, and doctoral students. As researchers, teaching assistants, and leaders, graduate students are essential to the academic and social fabric of the campus."
- Student Life and Community
- Professional Development
- Graduate Student Research
- Events
"The Office of Graduate Education supports graduate students in meeting degree milestones and submitting a thesis/dissertation."
- Advisement and Plan of Study
- Master's Student Academic Timeline
- Doctoral Student Academic Timeline
- Doctoral Student Yearly Review (DSYR)
- Submit your Thesis / Dissertation
Online Preparation Workshops for MS Thesis or PhD Dissertation.
"Research and teaching assistantships and university, corporate, or national fellowships fund many of Rensselaer’s full-time graduate students."
- Tuition and Assistantships
- Graduate Student Relief Fund
- Nationally Competitive Fellowships
- Workshops and Advising
- Supplemental Support Request
- Meet the Fellows
"Welcome to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As you prepare for arrival please review the information below, as well as orientation link on the right hand side menu of this Web page. Please continue to watch the Office of Graduate Education website for additional announcements and information."
Discover the critical details before you arrive, and once you arrive.
Course Registration:
- You may register for courses now if you have developed a curriculum plan with your Faculty Advisor.
- If you do not yet have a plan, there will be time to register right before the start of the semester in August.
"Please note that the co-terminal program will change for students who joined RPI as undergraduates in Fall 2024 or later. The information presented on this page describes the current co-terminal program. If you are a new undergraduate student considering the co-terminal program, please email graduate@rpi.edu for information.
Rensselaer's Co-Terminal Program provides undergraduates the opportunity to pursue graduate degrees while maintaining their undergraduate Rensselaer funding. Most Rensselaer master’s programs are available as part of the Co-Terminal Program, and participants follow the same curriculum as traditional master's students."
Forms, Policies, and Guidance
- Graduate Plan of Study
- Change of Status
- Grad Level Course for Undergrads
- Fellowship Supplemental Support Request
- Travel Request Form
- Transfer Credit Approval Form
CMRT’s Comprehensive Exam is equivalent to the Qualification Exam in other programs.
- Plan of Study
- Grad Level Course for Undergrads
- 4th & 5th Year Planner (Co-Term)
- Co-Term Process and Policies
Independent Study (IS)
Timeline and Workflow Guidance:
- Connect with your IS Instructor well before the term you wish to enroll in an Independent Study.
- Recommended timeline: Initiate the conversation a full semester before the intended registration.
- Use your Plan of Study to confirm how many credits the IS should be registered for.
- Faculty will need time to develop the syllabus, which is partially based on the number of required credits.
- Meet with your Advisor at least one month before the upcoming Add Deadline to finalize the Independent Study
- The IS must be reviewed and approved by your Thesis/Research Advisor and GPD.
- The review process and collecting required signatures can take several weeks.
- If paperwork is not submitted before the Add Deadline, additional approval will be required from the Dean of Graduate Education (Dorit Nevo) via the Late Add-Drop Form.
- Once the title and number of credits are finalized, work with your Advisor to update and resubmit your Plan of Study with this information.
Funding Guidance:
To ensure TA / RA funding, you must be Full-Time. This can be a challenge if you are finalizing an IS close to the Add Deadline. We recommend:
- Starting the IS process as soon as possible (as stated above).
- If needed, register for full-time with "placeholder" courses/credits.
- Be certain to drop those courses the moment your IS form is submitted to the Registrar's Office.
- Warning: If you drop courses after the Drop Deadline, a "W" will be listed on your transcript next to that course (this is not reversible).
Forms and Resources:
- Authorization Form (Conflict Courses/Credit Overload)
- Change of Biodemographic Information Form
- Graduate Readings/Independent Study Form
- Graduate Request for Change of Status Form
- Graduate Student Spouse Audit Form
- Late Add/Drop Form
- Late Degree Application
- The Rensselaer Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities
- The Graduate Student Supplement to the Rensselaer Student Handbook of Rights & Responsibilities
- TA Handbook
Program Handbooks
- Nomination of MS Thesis Committee
- Record of MS Thesis and Oral Presentation
- Nomination of Doctoral Committee
- Declaration of Co-Contribution
- RPI Publisher Permission Letter Template
- Record of PhD Candidacy Examination Packet
- Record of Dissertation Exam
Graduate Student Funding and Support
"The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) provides limited professional travel funding to graduate students in support of their research, for example for ethnographic research or for research presentation at an established conference or venue. This document outlines information regarding the required steps to apply for travel support and for requesting Institutional booking/reimbursement through Concur, Rensselaer’s expense management tool."
- HASS Travel Request Guidelines (AY 2024 - 2025)
- Travel Request Form (located under "+ Advisement and Plan of Study")
If you have questions during this process, please email hassbusinessoffice@rpi.edu.
Graduate Student Salary Deductions: Use this form to automatically deduct Fall 2024 semester debt from Graduate Student Payroll. This form must be submitted to the Busar's Office by September 11th, 2024. Forms submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Download the Form (this link will expire at the close of the deadline).
If you have questions during this process, please email hassbusinessoffice@rpi.edu.
Student Services Support
We can offer guidance with:
- Review of Program Requirements & Academic Progress
- Assistance in completing Required Forms (referrals)
- Thesis and Dissertation Protocol
- Co-terminal and Accelerated program application assistance
Learn more about the HASS Co-Term!
- Department deadlines to apply
- Upcoming events and info-sessions
- Contact information
The office of International Services for Students and Scholars (ISSS) is here to support the international community of students and scholars.
See ISSS resources for international students!
Have an immigration question? Connect with ISSS:
1. General questions: use Walk-In Advising weekdays from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
2. Case-specific questions: use Virtual Advising to make an appointment - book here.
See the ISSS Hours + Location for other ways to contact the office.
Support with Developing and Updating your Plan of Study!
- A MS POS must list a total 30 credits.
- A PhD POS must list a total 72 credits.
- The POS must only list what is required for the program.
- Anything "extra" on top of the required number of credits (30 or 72) should not be included on the PoS.
- Course numbers/names included on the PoS must match what is on the student’s transcript.
- For example, Independent Studies must be updated to the course name as stated on the transcript. If you haven’t taken the Independent Study yet, you may leave “Independent Study” as the course title. The official course name must be updated by the start of your final semester.
- Waived courses must state "0" credits on the PoS.
- Your GPD must provide formal waivers to OGE indicating the replacement course and why the required course is being waived.
Office Hours: Weekdays, 9 am to 4 pm
Drop-In Hours: Weekdays (2 to 4 pm)
Drop-ins outside of these hours are accommodated when possible, but not guaranteed.
March 11th Drop-Ins Cancelled. Please plan accordingly!
- 5-to-10-minute conversations
- Remote or in-person option
- Perfect for quick updates, questions, support with forms, etc.
- Sign-up Sheet (will be reviewed between 2 and 4 pm weekdays)
Book a Meeting: Weekdays (9 to noon, 1 to 2 pm)
- 20-minute meetings (in-person or remote options)
- Meet one-on-one with your department's Hub Advisor
- Perfect for finalizing documents, schedule questions, resources and referrals
- Book Now!