Graduate School Newsletter
February 2023
Important Announcements
Did You Know? Committee & Program of Study (POS) Requirements
The Graduate School requires all graduate students to select their graduate committee and then submit a Program of Study (POS) near the start of their degree. First, students need to select their committee and officially submit this information to the Grad School via MyInfo. Then, students submit their Program of Study. A Program of Study is a contract between the student, their committee, and the Grad School about what classes and other requirements the student needs to fulfill in order to earn their degree.
For certificate students, their POS is due at the end of their first semester; for master's students, at the end of their second semester; for doctoral students, at the end of their third semester. A hold is placed on a student's account if they do not turn in their POS by these deadlines. If your POS will be due this semester, we recommend that you start this process now to avoid having a hold placed on your account at the end of the semester.
For more information, please see our Program of Study & Committee Forms on the Grad School website or contact [email protected].
Mental Health & Wellness
Start the semester off on the right foot by attending to your mental health and wellness now—don’t wait! Here are three things to do right now to take care of yourself:
- Take a free Mental Health Screen or sign up for YOU@MSU to take a self-assessment and create goals for the semester.
- Visit the Mental Health and Wellness Resources page on the CPS website to learn about all of the ways you can take care of yourself this semester.
- Drop in for Let’s Talk consultation with a CPS clinician or attend the first BIPOC Connection Space on the first Wednesday of every month, starting on February 1st at 5:30pm.
Don’t forget our upcoming mental health trainings! We are hosting a Mental Health First Aid course for students on February 11th and there are multiple Question, Persuade, Refer trainings throughout the semester for staff, faculty and students.
Upcoming Dates & Deadlines
- Feb 5 – Last day for graduate students to file for graduation in MyInfo or via a Graduation Application (only used when a student has applied for the same degree in a prior term or applying for an en-route Master’s).
- Feb 7 – Last day to drop classes without a "W" grade
- Feb 20 – Presidents Day (no classes, offices closed)
- March 13-17 – Spring Break (no classes, offices open)
- April 7 – University Day (no classes, offices open)
- April 19 – Last day to drop classes with a "W" grade
Funding & Fellowships
Identify Scholarships and Research Funding for Your Graduate Education!
The MSU Graduate School maintains a Funding & Fellowships webpage listing various ways you may find funding throughout your time at MSU.
The University of Illinois has an excellent Fellowship Finder featuring awards that are open to grad students from any university. It features several filters to aid your search.
The National Research Council postdoctoral program is used by federal agencies across the country to support postdoc searches. This is a great place to look when you are close to finishing your PhD and the salaries are quite good. Quarterly application deadlines.
For more funding opportunities, visit MSU's Research Funding Opportunities and the MSU Graduate School's Funding and Fellowships webpage.
Workshops & Events
Entrepreneurship and Design Challenge
10AM-5PM on Saturday, February 11th, on the first floor atrium in Jake Jabs Hall
Come to the pilot of MSU's Entrepreneurship and Design Challenge! This all-day event will bring entrepreneurship-curious students together into teams of three to address a "big problem" creatively by ideating a commercially feasible solution together over the course of the day. This structured exercise will teach the fundamental skills that great entrepreneurs use to think up business ideas. At the end of the day, you and your new teammates will pitch the idea you've created for a chance to win a cash prize intended to help you further your entrepreneurial journey.
Apply for the Design Thinking Workshop today with the following link: https://forms.gle/gkTjgGPcr2RhCVkH6.
Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions.
Professional Development: GradCat 360
GradCat 360 is a comprehensive professional development program for graduate students at Montana
State University. It is a series of programs and events designed by the Graduate School
and departments across campus that center around nine focus areas. These areas are
tailored to help students cultivate a unified set of skills and knowledge for educational
success and professional preparation.
Check out our GradCat 360 Event Calendar, specifically curated for Graduate Students. We are constantly updating the GradCat
360 calendar with workshops and events that are uniquely useful for graduate students.
MSU Writing Center
The MSU Writing Center offers ongoing support to students working on graduate-level writing.
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Archive
January 2023 - Beginning of Spring Semester
December 2022 - End of Fall Semester
November 2022 - Mid-semester update
October 2022 - Mid-semester update
September 2022 - Mid-semester update
August 2022 - Beginning of Fall semester