Dept. of Microbiology & Immunology

University of Tennessee, Memphis

DEPARTMENTAL COUNSELING SERVICES

First Year Graduate Counseling

    Any new environment presents challenges that are exciting and stimulating, but can also be stressful. To ensure that the transition to graduate study and our university proceeds smoothly, the Department has a Graduate Counselor for first year students. This faculty member gives new students a tour of the Department on their first day, introducing them to the faculty, senior graduate students, and the graduate student administrator and staff. The tour also familiarizes new students with our department’s resources, including the student computer rooms, library and copying facilities, and graphic arts center. After the tour, the faculty present short discussions of their research to assist students in choosing sites for laboratory rotations, and later, in selecting their graduate committee members. The Counselor discusses the graduate curriculum and the requirements for earning the doctoral degree, and assists students in completing registration forms. The next day, new students attend the campus-wide orientation and register for their classes, assisted by the Department’s graduate student administrator and graduate student volunteers from our department.

    During the first semester, the Counselor assists students in planning their course work and defining their career goals. This faculty member also serves as a liaison between students and their course instructors, helping to identify problems early and coordinate solutions. She/he assists students in organizing study groups, developing strategies for dealing with graduate level material, and utilizing university resources. Once a student chooses a faculty mentor, the Counselor serves as a backup resource for first year students; in particular providing assistance in situations students do not feel comfortable discussing with their faculty mentors. In the event of a serious, extended illness or family emergency, the Counselor assists students in arranging for a leave-of-absence from the university.