Graduate College

Robertson Hall

CONTACT

          Norman Campus
          213 Robertson Hall
          731 Elm Avenue
          Norman, OK 73019-2115
          Main Phone: (405) 325-3811
          Website: ou.edu/gradcollege
          Email: gradinfo@ou.edu


Administrative Officers

Randall S. Hewes, Ph.D. Dean and Professor of Biology 
Sherri Irvin, Ph.D. Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Philosophy 
Liz Karr, Ph.D. Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Microbiology 
Jennifer Kisamore, Ph.D. --- Associate Dean, Tulsa Campus, and Associate Professor of Psychology
Lindsey Johnston — Assistant Dean for Graduate Information Services 
Krista Pettersen --- Assistant VP for Academic Operations & Registrar, Tulsa Campus
Jaime Hough, Ph. D. — Director of Graduate Student and Postdoc Retention and Support
Kristi Meyers — Director of Graduate Academic Services
Jessica Reynolds Director of English Training and Certification Services
Amy Shaw Director of Graduate Admissions
Gail Shelton Director of Operations 


General Information

Mission and History

The Graduate College supports and advocates for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers throughout their innovative educational journey. The college collaborates with a student’s chosen graduate program to assist them in achieving their goals. As the center of advanced study at the University, the college provides a foundation of creative activity to enhance graduate student and postdoc success. 

Graduate instruction has been offered at the University of Oklahoma since 1899, seven years after the University opened its doors. The first master’s degree was conferred in 1900 to C. Ross Hume. The Graduate School was formally organized in 1909, and in 1929, the first doctoral degree was awarded to Dr. Mary Jane Brown. In 1942, the name was changed from Graduate School to Graduate College. 

Authority and Responsibility of Faculty, Staff, & Students

The Graduate College guides, supports, and enhances the educational experience of every OU graduate student. The Graduate Council and the Dean of the Graduate College supervise and evaluate the academic units of the University that offer master’s and doctoral degrees to ensure quality, observance of policy, and academic excellence in all areas of advanced study. Faculty and staff carefully monitor the performance of all graduate students. Final determination of a student's graduate status, from admission through graduation, rests with the Dean of the Graduate College. 

The Graduate College strives to develop in each student a firm grasp of a chosen field, the skills and methods of research, and the capacity for independent thought. Faculty and students share an obligation to master the knowledge of their chosen fields and to add to that knowledge or apply it through professional contributions that benefit society. The Graduate Faculty has responsibility for instruction, for the guidance of graduate students in the development of their programs, and for pursuing investigations associated with a particular field or discipline. Graduate students are expected to demonstrate initiative and assume responsibility for the progress of their studies. Students must master a body of knowledge, and class work merely provides the foundation for wider personal inquiry. A graduate degree is conferred for mastery of a field and thorough understanding of its related branches. 

For complete information about the Graduate College, graduate degree and certificate programs, and policies governing graduate study at the University of Oklahoma, review the Graduate College Bulletin. 

Programs Offered

Programs & Facilities

Resources

Fellowships and Scholarships

Private donations have enabled the Graduate College to provide fellowships and scholarships in many areas. Additional programs seek to reward and encourage scholars conducting and presenting original scholarship at the highest levels. Dissertation Awards and Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards are given to reward excellence in dissertation research and teaching, respectively.  In addition, the annual Three Minute Thesis competition (3MT®) challenges students to communicate the significance of their research to a general audience in just three minutes. Cash prizes are awarded, and the finalists’ presentations are featured on the Graduate College website. For more information on these programs and others that may be available, visit the Graduate College website.

Funding and Awards

The Graduate College provides funding opportunities for students who present at a conference, conduct research, or attend a prestigious training or class not offered at OU. They also manage tuition waivers for graduate research and teaching assistants.

Graduate Student Life (GSL) Center and Programs

The GSL Center is a comfortable place for graduate students to work, relax, and reset. All graduate students have the opportunity to attend GSL's social, academic, and professional development events and make valuable connections with colleagues from other disciplines across campus.

English Training and Certification Services (ETCS)

ETCS offers standardized testing services to certify the appropriate English capacity for international graduate students to serve in instructional positions at OU. ETCS also provides support and training opportunities for first-time English certification, to obtain a higher level of certification, or to assist with English communication difficulties in a current appointment.

Courses

GRAD 5000. Concurrent Students at OUHSC.0 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: graduate standing. OU students concurrently enrolled at OUHSC. (F, Sp, Su)

GRAD 5003. Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program Graduate Seminar.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 12 hours. An interdisciplinary seminar variable in content changing with each seminar. Seminars are led by prominent national and international scholars and leaders coordinated with a current faculty member in their area of expertise. Emphasis is on enrichment and exploration with scholars to investigate ideas and issues affecting the future of humanity. (F, Sp)

GRAD 5103. Interdisciplinary EOS3.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: Graduate Standing. Earth Observation Science for Society and Sustainability (EOS3) is an interdisciplinary certificate program consisting of a four-course certificate (Interdisciplinary EOS3, EOS3 Data Analytics, EOS3 Interface, and EOS3 Practicum) designed to provide students with advanced training in interdisciplinary communication, leadership, and data science skills. This course serves as the introduction to Interdisciplinary EOS3 and the processes by which effective science team are formed and become productive. Students will gain experience in working with interdisciplinary teams to leverage their disciplinary expertise and work with those with other expertise to address societal concerns. (F)

GRAD 5203. EOS3 Data Analytics.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: graduate standing. Focuses on using large, open-source civil Earth observation and other geospatial data. Introduces students to various open-source data tools for acquiring, managing, and analyzing large public data sets. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to fuse disparate data and conduct analyses that meld ideas from natural and social science disciplines. The student teams will be comprised of members with varied skill sets to establish a culture of collaborative teaching and learning. (F)

GRAD 5303. EOS3 Interface.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: graduate standing. EOS3 Interface focuses on interdisciplinary communication, the application of group communication theories to team science, and the communication of science across societal and cultural gaps. Theory, scholarship, and applications of group and organizational communication will be discussed within this context. In addition, the course will cover how socio-cultural differences affect communication, with a focus on how those affect the communication of scientific and technical information across disciplines and to the lay public and policymakers. (Sp)

GRAD 5403. EOS3 Practicum.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: graduate standing. The EOS3 practicum is the culminate of the certificate program and will allow students to apply what they have learned in their previous coursework while working as part of a collaborative and interdisciplinary team tasked with addressing real world research topics relating to the EOS3 theme. (Sp)

GRAD 5940. Professional Master's Practicum/Internship.1-5 Credit Hours.

1 to 5 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated once; maximum credit five hours. Provides a practicum or internship experience for students in the professional master's degree program. The students will apply the knowledge from their core academic discipline (e.g. science, engineering, education, fine arts) in an appropriate supervised professional setting (e.g. business, public administration, international programs) to provide a valid experience related to the core discipline and career context of their professional masters degree. The internship/practicum will serve as the culminating experience for the degree. (F, Sp, Su)

GRAD 5980. Research for Master's Thesis.2-9 Credit Hours.

Variable enrollment, two to nine hours; maximum credit applicable toward degree, four hours. (F, Sp, Su)

GRAD 5990. Graduate Special Topics.1-4 Credit Hours.

1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of topic; maximum credit twelve hours. Selected topics in graduate areas not usually covered in traditional courses. For any particular section there may be additional prerequisites required. (F, Sp, Su.

GRAD 6980. Research for Doctoral Dissertation.2-12 Credit Hours.

2 to 12 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor or Graduate College; may be repeated. Directed research culminating in the completion of the doctoral dissertation. (F, Sp, Su)

GRAD 6990. Graduate Advanced Special Topics.1-4 Credit Hours.

1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit twelve hours. Selected advanced topics in graduate areas not usually covered in traditional courses. For any particular section there may be additional prerequisites required. (F, Sp, Su)