Prospective Students
The Graduate School at Vanderbilt University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action, and encourages individuals from diverse, under-represented populations to apply to its graduate programs. The university does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, socio-economic background, or disability.
For additional information, visit the websites of the following offices:
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Provost
- Student Access Services
- Title IX & Student Discrimination Office
Vanderbilt Graduate Programs
The academic programs of the Graduate School are located in and among the academic departments located in the other schools and colleges of Vanderbilt and many of our programs are nationally recognized. Academic excellence at Vanderbilt is driven by our excellent research facilities, outstanding faculty and support of a diverse student body.
Vanderbilt offers over 54 graduate and certificate programs in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, basic sciences, nursing, education and religion. Explore the programs on the Departments & Contacts site, which contains links to each program and direct contact information for questions.
Program Statistics
Prospective students are invited to review important information on graduate admissions, enrollment and additional data on our Graduate School Program Statistics page. Data is available for all graduate students and by the following fields of study:
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Education and Human Development
- Engineering
- Humanities
- Nursing
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
Admissions
The Graduate School administers the following degrees at Vanderbilt University: PhD, MA, MS, MFA in Creative Writing and MLAS. Learn more about the application process, dates, deadlines and other important information on the admission pages.
Resources and services offered by the Graduate School
Why choose Vanderbilt? One of the many reasons is the holistic approach to student support. Fulfilled students have resources necessary to help them overcome obstacles and thrive in Graduate School. From stress management to mental health counseling, to developing new skills beyond the scope of their studies, Vanderbilt and the Graduate School work to offer opportunities for students to find any support they may need.
The Graduate School provides services to help students with both personal and career development, and through the Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute, new learning opportunities are offered to build a foundation of leadership skills.
Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success Program
The Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success (GPAS) Program assists Graduate School students in their academic and professional development during their time at Vanderbilt. This team supports students by individual coaching and group programming around effective time and stress management, resilience, conflict resolution, navigating academic relationships, and juggling work/life responsibilities. Learn more on the Graduate and Postdoc Academic Success Program website.
Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute
The Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute (GLI) provides students with the skills, learning tools and self-awareness that allows them to define their own unique leadership style, determine how they interact with others, and learn other practical and technical skills needed to develop business acumen to be used in the academy, industry or government work. The GLI website provides information on helpful programming and funding opportunities for graduate students to better prepare for the world beyond graduate school.
Additional Campus Resources
Mental, Physical and Emotional Wellbeing
The Graduate School works with many campus resources to provide important and necessary services to enrich the graduate student experience. Services include mental and physical health and wellbeing:
- Student Care Network
- Recreation & Wellness Center
- Project Safe
- Office of the University Chaplain & Religious Life
- Outdoor Recreation Center
Innovative Scholarship & Teaching
The Graduate School aims to offer graduate students both a meaningful role on campus and a much richer experience at Vanderbilt by creating opportunities to share research, encourage interdisciplinarity and collaboration, and engage academic resources to add value through education and training.
Student Leadership: Graduate Student Council
The Graduate School is proud of the robust and dedicated student leadership provided by the Graduate Student Council (GSC). The GSC is a representative body consisting of one representative from each graduate department of the University. They coordinate academic, social, and other activities significant to graduate students and strive to promote community among graduate students. They also work to ascertain and represent graduate student opinions and concerns, facilitating communication between graduate students, administration, and faculty.
Their efforts created a Graduate Resource Guide, which summarizes resources, policies and procedures for students, as well as the Mental Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. Learn more about the efforts of student leadership on the Graduate Student Council website in AnchorLink.
About Nashville
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