Welcome Message from the Dean
Welcome to the University of Louisville’s Graduate School!
As a graduate student at the University of Louisville, you will face many exciting and rewarding challenges. Whether you are pursuing a master's or doctoral degree or a professional certificate, you are about to discover that graduate study is quite different from your undergraduate experience. Instead of taking coursework from a broad range of disciplines, you will have a much narrower- and much deeper- focus. The opportunities to work with faculty members one-on-one are considerably greater than generally found in most undergraduate programs. Graduate programs also usually require much greater individual initiative than undergraduate courses of study, and you will be responsible for your own progress toward the degree.
Some students (though surely not you) may not have had to work very hard during their undergraduate education; that should change in Graduate School, because the more effort you put in, the more you will learn, the more you will accomplish, the more pride you will feel in your education, and the more you will succeed in your discipline and future endeavors. Be willing to explore areas of your discipline and methodologies that are currently unfamiliar to you- you might be surprised at how large your area of study is.
Your intellectual life will revolve around your program’s curriculum and the faculty and students in your cohort. You may have a faculty mentor who serves as an advisor and who will help guide you through your program of study. The relationship that you develop with your mentor will be of the utmost importance to your successful pursuit of a graduate degree. Good mentoring is crucial to your success in graduate school, and the Graduate School is making every effort to ensure that the highest quality level of guidance is provided to you. The University of Louisville has a strong faculty dedicated to graduate education, research and creative works. As you learn from them, you will find yourself breaking new intellectual ground and contributing to the academic and professional conversations in your field. You will join a community of scholars composed of distinguished faculty and talented students. Each member of this learning community shares common interests in scholarship and yet individually pursues new knowledge about a particular area of science, social science, humanities, engineering, medicine or business.
Although there is a great deal to learn within the discipline you have chosen, develop your sense of curiosity and wonder about other things as well. Take the time to interact with faculty and students from the larger community of scholars at the university by attending talks, social gatherings, seminars, art exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances across the university’s schools and colleges. A well-developed sense of curiosity can lead you to interact with people and ideas outside your comfort zone, and that is perhaps one of the most important impacts of higher education.
Success in graduate school depends on careful planning, and the Graduate School is committed to helping you plan your academic and professional future. We have a professional development program for graduate students with the acronym of PLAN, and during your time at the University of Louisville, we will facilitate your Professional growth, your development of Life skills, your Academic success, and your ability to successfully Network. Take advantage of the many workshops and professional development opportunities offered by the Graduate School and your own program to acquire “essential skills” like time management, teamwork, grant writing, publishing and teaching, all of which are translatable beyond the bounds of your specific disciplinary studies or your time in graduate school.
Finally, you have chosen to attend graduate school at a university in a terrific, vibrant city. Louisville offers many cultural, recreational, and entertainment opportunities, so make sure to make the most of your time here as you advance your career goals.
I wish you the best of luck in your graduate studies.
Beth Boehm, PhD
Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs
Dean of the Graduate School