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Student Newsletter - June 2023

Welcome to the CCAS Graduate Student Newsletter! Designed to keep you up to date with news and events, policies and processes, and all things for CCAS graduate students!

Graduate Student Newsletter Archive

June 2023

The Student Services Team is here to advise, guide, and provide you with resources to aid in your success, as well as help you navigate university policies and procedures. Our office is located in Smith 118, and we are open during normal business hours on Monday – Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. You can schedule a virtual, phone, or in-person appointment with your Student Services Coordinator and Career Counselor.

For our June newsletter, we have the following topics:

Summer Graduation Deadline

The deadline to apply for Summer graduation is July 15. All students who plan on completing their requirements in the Summer need to apply to graduate through GWeb by the deadline.

Fall 2023 Registration

Registration for Fall 2023 is open for all degree-seeking graduate students. All CCAS graduate students are required to register continuously each fall and spring semester until the completion of their program.
For instructions on how to register, please refer to our Registration page and the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Choosing Between RTF & RTF-EZ

In most instances, students will be able to register online through GWeb. In some cases, a paper registration form is required. If paper registration is required, there are two different registration forms: the RTF and RTF-EZ. Refer to our Registration page for examples of when you should use the RTF and when you should use the RTF-EZ.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement

All students must be continuously enrolled while working toward a degree, except during the summer sessions (unless required by the program or if the student intends to graduate in the summer). 

Students who have completed all required coursework except for the final thesis or dissertation must register for 1 credit of Continuing Research (CCAS 0920 for master’s students or CCAS 0940 for doctoral students) in Fall 2023. Summer term potential graduates should contact [email protected] to be registered for Continuous Enrollment (CE) in Summer 2023.

Fall 2023 Registration

Registration for Fall 2023 is open for all degree-seeking graduate students. All CCAS graduate students are required to register continuously each fall and spring semester until the completion of their program. For instructions on how to register, please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s website and our Registration page.

Choosing Between RTF & RTF-EZ

In most instances, students will be able to register online through GWeb. In some cases, a paper registration form is required. If paper registration is required, there are two different registration forms: the RTF and RTF-EZ. Refer to our Registration page for examples of when you should use the RTF and when you should use the RTF-EZ.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement

All students must be continuously enrolled while working toward a degree, except during the summer sessions (unless required by the program or if the student intends to graduate in the summer). 

Students who have completed all required coursework except for the final thesis or dissertation must register for 1 credit of Continuing Research (CCAS 0920 for master’s students or CCAS 0940 for doctoral students) in Fall 2023. Summer term potential graduates should contact [email protected] to be registered for Continuous Enrollment (CE) in Summer 2023.

Registering for Courses with Variable Credit Hours

Certain courses, including thesis, dissertation, internship, and research courses, have variable credit hours. This means that you can choose the number of credits you will be earning when you register for the course.

When you register for a course with variable credit hours, the registration system will automatically default to 1 credit hour registered. If you would like to register for more than 1 credit, you will need to adjust the number of credits using the following steps:

  1. Within the registration system, click on the Schedule and Options tab on the Register for Classes menu.

  2. Under the Hours column, any courses that have variable credits will be underlined.

  3. Click on the credits displayed and a box will open up to enter your credits.

  4. Enter the credits you wish to register for within the valid range and click Submit at the bottom of the page to save the changes.

Please note that if you register for a course with variable credit hours, it is important to adjust the number of credits you register for by the end of the second week of classes. This is because your tuition fees are determined by the number of credits you register for each semester, and it is possible to make changes to course registration within the first two weeks of the semester for a 100% tuition refund. If you need to make changes to the number of credits you register for after the first two weeks of the semester have passed, you may be billed for additional tuition fees.

Leave of Absence

If you wish to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) during Fall 2023, please review our LOA policy and discuss this option with your Director of Graduate Studies. If you choose to take a LOA, please complete a Leave of Absence Application Form and submit it to us at [email protected].

Ph.D. ETD Copyright Workshop

June 29, 2023 at 3:00 pm

The GW Libraries Scholarly Communications team is hosting an ETD workshop for students submitting their Dissertation. The workshop will explain how copyright restrictions may affect their dissertation and the steps students must take to protect their work. Students whose dissertations will include previously published works are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop. Please register in advance to attend. 

Summer ETD Deadlines

Ph.D. Students

July 14 - Submit the Dissertation Examination Defense Form

July 15 - Deadline to apply to graduate

August 3 - Dissertation defense deadline

August 10 - Submit ETD Access Approval Form and submit final, approved, post-defense dissertation to the ProQuest site

August 15 - Final, approved dissertation containing all post-defense revisions and required formatting is approved by ETD Administrator

More information can be found on the Ph.D. Clearance Deadlines page.

Master's Students

August 8 - Submit ETD Access Approval Form and submit final, approved thesis to the ProQuest site

August 15 - Final approved thesis and required formatting revisions must be approved by the University ETD Administrator

More information can be found on the Master's Thesis ETD Submission page.

Career Services & Upcoming Career-Related Events

The CCAS Office of Graduate Studies is excited to announce that Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser, EdD, joined the team on May 15 as a part-time career counselor. She will provide career development services to CCAS graduate students through workshops, online tools, one-on-one coaching, group sessions, faculty support and more. Dr. Ruffner-Ceaser has an extensive background in community and student development, having managed programs at PeerForward, College Bound, Inc., the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and the NAACP. She has also held student services positions at George Mason University, American University, and the University of Maryland College Park, and she is the founder and CEO of her own professional wellness agency. Johnette can be contacted via email at [email protected]. Students can schedule appointments with her via the Handshake system. 

All CCAS graduate students now have access to two dedicated career coaches to help with resumes, cover letters, networking, interviewing, and many other areas. (Note: The Trachtenberg School and Data Sciences program have their own dedicated career counselors.) Both career coaches are available to meet one-on-one by scheduling a time in the online career management system Handshake. More information on the services available to CCAS graduate students can be found on our Career Services website and via email at [email protected]. 

Upcoming Career Events

Click on the event link for more details and registration information. 

To find information on more events, simply access the Events section of Handshake and search by date, employer, or other filters.

Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Below are a few great opportunities for funding, professional fellowships, internships, and employment. For information on other opportunities funded by CCAS, GW, and outside organizations that are available throughout the year, please visit the Funding Opportunities for Current Graduate Students page or the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships (OGSAF) website.

NCLC Graduate Research Fellowships

The National Churchill Leadership Center (NCLC) supports the annual NCLC Graduate Research Fellowship Program. This fellowship provides $7,500 awards for short-term research projects focused on topics of relevance to Winston Churchill’s example of global leadership.

Grants will enable recipients to travel to special collections and archives around the globe in support of their research. Preference will be given to projects that emphasize the relevance of Churchill’s leadership to current affairs. The deadline to apply is July 31. For more information, visit the OGSAF website.

Fulbright Public Policy Fellowships

The Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship provides opportunities for U.S. early and mid-career professionals and practitioners to serve in placements in a foreign government ministry or institution around the world. Fulbright Public Policy Fellows build mutual understanding and contribute to strengthening the public sector while cultivating public policy experience in their area of expertise. The Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship also includes an independent professional project that provides fellows the opportunity to interact with the local community and further their career goals.  Professional projects may include workshops, public lectures, or other appropriate professional experiences.

The Fellows will build their knowledge and skills, provide support to partner-country institutions, and promote long-term ties between the U.S. and the partner country. The Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship also includes an independent research component that focuses on an issue related to the Fellow's in-country work. The Fellows have an opportunity to build their knowledge and skills, provide support to partner-country institutions, and promote long-term ties between the U.S. and the partner country. General information on the program can be found on the Fulbright website. Interested applicants are encouraged to sign-up for our MyFulbrighter newsletter for more information on future events as well as join our monthly Fulbright Public Policy Office Hours and view our most recent Webinar. For the 2024-2025 program year, the deadline to apply is September 15, 2023.

 

Updated June 7, 2023

Graduate Student Newsletter Archive