Graduate students
Academic
Graduate Division If you want to know more about the basic rules governing graduate study at Berkeley, the Graduate Division is your ultimate resource. Final approval of the major milestones of graduate study—from admission, to choice of major adviser, to filing your thesis or dissertation—rests with the Graduate Division, where you’ll also find handouts on strategies for succeeding in graduate school (www.grad.berkeley.edu; Sproul Hall, third and fourth floors).

The Graduate Admissions Office processes more than 20,000 graduate applications per year. The office advises applicants on admission requirements, deadlines, costs, fees, and campus resources. It provides publications for prospective students, orientation materials for new students, and information for faculty and staff. Materials are available online (www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions; 309 Sproul Hall; 510/642-7405).

The Graduate Services Appointments staff oversees and monitors the appointment of graduate students to academic titles (Graduate Student Instructor, Graduate Student Researcher, Reader, Tutor) or other titles to ensure compliance with University policies. Eligibility for fee and tuition remissions programs is also determined here (www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/appointments_office.shtml; 318 Sproul Hall; gradappt@berkeley.edu; 510/642-7101).

The Graduate Services Degrees staff monitors student progress from the first semester to graduation. You can meet with staff to discuss concerns about advancement to candidacy, filing fee, the Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship, and more. This is where you will file your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation (www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/degrees_office.shtml; degrees@berkeley.edu; 318 Sproul Hall; 510/642-7330).

The Graduate Services Fellowships staff oversees the administration of the University fellowship competition and serves as a resource for information on outside fellowships and grants. The Fellowships office frequently refers students to useful online resources, such as:
www.fastweb.com
www.finaid.orgwww.grad.berkeley.edu/financial/fellowships_office.shtmlSome printed resources are available at the counter, including The Annual Register of Grant Support, The Grants Register Book, and samples of winning proposals for national support like the NSF, Javits, and Fulbright fellowships. You should also contact your department for additional guidance (www.grad.berkeley.edu/financial/fellowships_office.shtml; 318 Sproul Hall; 510/642-0672).

The Graduate Diversity Program (GDP) provides support services for students in an effort to maintain a more diverse graduate student community. The GDP serves as a resource for the admission process, retention issues, professional development, and outreach designed to increase the enrollment and graduation of underrepresented students. Support services include academic and personal advising, mentoring, receptions for new and continuing students, professional development workshops, and advising for students preparing for graduate school (www.grad.berkeley.edu/diversity/diversity.shtml; 318 Sproul Hall; grad.diversity@berkeley.edu; 510/643-6010).

The Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Teaching and Resource Center prepares GSIs in all disciplines for the teaching they will do at Berkeley and in future careers. The Center sponsors fall and spring teaching conferences for GSIs and workshops on teaching throughout the semester; provides Course Improvement Grants for GSIs who wish to enhance their teaching, and grants to departments to support the development of discipline-specific pedagogy seminars; and sponsors the Outstanding GSI Award, the Teaching Effectiveness Award, and the Faculty Award for Outstanding Mentorship of GSIs. The Center’s Language Proficiency Program provides language proficiency testing and courses for current and prospective GSIs who do not speak English as their native language (gsi.berkeley.edu; 301 Sproul Hall; gsi@berkeley.edu; 510/642-4456).

The Academic Services Unit of the Graduate Division assists graduate students in the development of academic skills necessary for the successful completion of their graduate programs and for future faculty positions. This unit offers workshops on topics such as academic, grant, and dissertation writing, editing, and preparing articles for publication. In addition, it offers writing groups and individual consultations on these topics for graduate students. Between the spring and fall semesters a special program—the Summer Institute for Preparing Future Faculty—is offered for graduate students planning academic careers (www.grad.berkeley.edu/acapro/academic_services.shtml; 321 Sproul Hall; 510/643-9392).

Associate Deans can help you with problems that cannot be resolved in your department (424 Sproul Hall; 510/642-5472).

Graduate publications, the Graduate Division Web site, events for new graduate students, and the Graduate Council Lectures are coordinated by the Graduate Communications and Events Office (www.grad.berkeley.edu/publications/index.shtml; 327 Sproul Hall; 510/643-7358).

Publications and websites include:
The Graduate, print and online magazine; eGrad, electronic newsletter (gradpub@berkeley.edu)
Guide to Graduate Policy and various brochures and reports
Graduate Council Lectures (www.grad.berkeley.edu/lectures)

Library liaisons
Library liaisons are the primary point of contact for a specific discipline. A complete listing of liaisons may be viewed via the “contact us” link on the Library website (www.lib.berkeley.edu). For general information regarding Library collections and services, including information of note to graduate students, see page 34.

Housing
Manville Apartments are reserved for graduate and law students. They include 132 small, unfurnished, single-occupancy studio apartments with a courtyard, a lounge, laundry facilities, a mail room, and one study room on each floor. Manville is conveniently located close to downtown Berkeley and within walking distance of campus (apartment assignments: www.housing.berkeley.edu; 2610 Channing Way; reshall@berkeley.edu; 510/642-4108).

The Ida Louise Jackson Graduate House provides quiet, shared apartment-style living with priority given to graduate students. Apartments range in size from two to six bedrooms and each apartment is furnished with a shared bathroom, kitchen, and living/dining area (Cal Housing Assignments: www.housing.berkeley.edu; 2610 Channing Way; reshall@berkeley.edu; 510/642-4108).

The Convent is a student co-op providing housing for 25 re-entry and graduate students. Formerly occupied by nuns, the facility has large communal areas, and all rooms are singles (applications: USCA; www.usca.org/coops/conv.php; 2424 Ridge Road; 510/848-1936).

The Hillegass Parker House accommodates graduate students, re-entry students, and visiting scholars. Prospective residents need to verify their eligibility before they can be assigned. Many inhabitants are from out of state or out of the country, and bring rich experiences, lifestyles, and traditions. Students at Hillegass Parker like to strike a balance between the intensity and rigors of academic life and the need to relax and feel comfortable in their own space (www.usca.org/coops/hil.php; 2424 Ridge Road; housing@usca.org; 510/848-1936).

Student groups
Graduate Assembly (GA)
The GA is Berkeley’s graduate student government, comprised of student representatives from the different graduate programs on campus. The GA elects three officers and the other members of the Executive Committee, as well as recommends graduate students for campus and statewide academic committees (ga.berkeley.edu; Anthony Hall; businessoffice@ga.berkeley.edu; 510/642-2175). There are two aspects to the GA’s mission. First, the GA gives voice to graduate student concerns, both on the Berkeley campus and at the statewide level. Second, the GA offers services designed to improve the graduate school experience. These services include programs that fund graduate student projects, offer support for women and minority students, distribute important information to the graduate student community, and assist all graduate students with especially difficult or unusual problems. The GA takes special care to provide advocacy on issues inadequately addressed elsewhere in the campus community, including student fees and financial aid, the rights of graduate student employees, student and faculty diversity, graduate student support services, student housing, childcare for student parents, and student health coverage.

GA student group-funded programs:
Graduate Events
Group Resources
Educational Improvement Grant Program
Student Activism Grant
Travel Award
Community Service Grant
Diversity Grant

GA Publications include:
The Berkeley Graduate, a general magazine for graduate students
Diversity and Excellence: Graduate Students of Color Handbook
Graduate Women’s Resource Guide
The Source Newsletter

The Berkeley Postdoc Association (BPA)
The BPA fosters interactions between postdoctoral fellows and other researchers in order to enhance professional career development at Berkeley. Five working committees organize events and workshops on a variety of topics of interest to postdocs. The BPA’s major communication medium is the postdocNet mailing list. Go to their website to see how you can subscribe (postdoc.berkeley.edu).

Queer Grads: see page 53.

Support
Career Center
Graduate students who expect to enter the academic job market or who are interested in exploring other professional opportunities can find help at the Career Center. The PhD counselors can help you with all phases of your job search. Services include individual counseling, workshops, and web pages designed specifically for graduate students and PhDs. In addition, the Letter Service provides a repository for letters of recommendation supporting applications for academic employment (career.berkeley.edu; 2111 Bancroft Way; 510/642-1716).

Graduate student major breakdown
How many graduate students were studying what, Fall 2007
Biological Sciences: 582
Business: 1493
Chemistry: 511
Education: 430
Energy/Resources Group: 59
Engineering: 1673
Environmental Design: 355
Health/Medical Sciences: 42
Humanities: 782
Information: 78
Journalism: 112
Jurisprudence and Social Policy: 38
Law: 934
Natural Resources: 316
Optometry: 279
Physical Sciences: 592
Public Health: 438
Public Policy: 158
Social Sciences: 1200
Social Welfare: 223

More information
Be sure to check these sections, which also have specific information for graduate students:

Academic advising (page 42)
Career Center (page 45)
Financial Aid (page 26)
Health services (pages 15-17)
Intercampus Exchange Programs (page 65)
Jobs (page 25)
Orientations (page 10)
Parking (pages 24-25)
Professional Development Program (page 46)
Re-entry Student Program (page 55)
Volunteer activities (pages 69-70)