Gompei's Guide: Graduate Students

• Early is on time: Be early on the first day of class! It shows initiative and leaves a good first impression on your professors.
• Accessing books: If you’re having trouble covering the cost of books, the Gordon Library usually has some textbooks in reserve or on the shelf, just ask at the front desk for help finding them. The Dean of the Students Office can also help.
• Ask the experts: Talk to returning students, your graduate coordinator, and faculty when picking out your schedule. They know the classes and can offer some great advice.
• Know your requirements: Graduate programs have some required courses/classes that need to be completed as part of degree requirements; refer to the Graduate Catalog for the same. Apart from those essential bins, you are free to select whichever course you want. However, be careful to ensure you have the “recommended background” of courses by communicating with your academic/faculty advisors or the professors on what preparation is recommended. Some programs do require students to take a foundation or prerequisite course in their first semester, so check the graduate catalog to ensure this is true for your program.
• Professors as mentors: Professors are a great resource beyond just lectures—they can offer guidance on coursework, research opportunities, and career advice. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them during office hours or via email.
• Seek support early: Support is available for students who are struggling with coursework or need guidance. Talk to your professors, department advisors, and student success manager. You can check out who your department advisor/student success manager is on your Workday portal.
• Coaching for success: Academic Life Coaching offers graduate students a supportive partnership to foster their growth as scholars. This self-directed process focuses on your individual goals, development, and strategies. Rather than prescribing goals or methods, your coach collaborates with you to brainstorm ideas, devise action plans, and implement sustainable changes. This free service is designed to empower you in achieving academic and personal success during your graduate studies at WPI.
• Polytechnic perks: There are tons of free resources on campus, ranging from the Makerspace in the Innovation Studio, tech suites in the Gordon Library, fitness classes in the Recreation Center, and more.
• Plan to succeed: Use a calendar, planner, and/or Outlook to plan and to keep yourself organized. A lot happens here, so use at least one of these to keep on top of things. In addition, many people will use Outlook invites to schedule meetings and events, so using your Outlook calendar to keep your schedule all in one place can be helpful.
• You've got mail: Turn notifications on for your Outlook email so that you don’t miss important messages. Check Outlook daily—at a minimum.
• Go to print: Printers are in the Gordon Library, Rubin Campus Center, and some labs. You can pay per page using Goat Bucks.
• Belonging over biases: One of the things we pride ourselves on at WPI is building a place where all people are valued. To do this, it’s incredibly important for you to recognize and address any biases you may have.

You can learn everything about submitting a thesis or dissertation by clicking here.

The GQP is an interdisciplinary project that some graduate programs at WPI offer as a unique team-based opportunity for their master's students to complete in their final semester. This project allows students to put their acquired data science and analytics skills to use by working on a real-world problem facing a sponsoring company or organization.

• Check out course listings on this easy-to search site (courselistings.wpi.edu). You can see what’s open and what has waitlist spots available. 

• Register for courses using Workday.

• As you plan your schedule, you can use oscar.wpi.edu when picking courses. This shows actual course evaluations by course and by professor. It’s a great way to find the best courses for you and to learn about different professors.

• The WPI Planner can help you see the terms or semesters that courses are offered, along with the professor and times available. (However, it does not reflect whether the course is being offered online or on campus). It’s a great way to help you build your schedule and see the many combinations that work for your schedule. 

• When it’s time to schedule your courses, make sure to have a saved schedule before registration begins to help you add your courses efficiently. You also want to be prepared with a few backup courses in case your first-choice options are full. 

• To manage your workload effectively or to choose the right courses, or if you don’t get the courses you wanted, don’t despair. Reach out to your academic advisor and/or graduate coordinator, and they can help you explore your options and guide you to make them. While there are a specific number of seats available in each class and professors cannot exceed this capacity, you may join a waitlist.

• Summer classes are available, often online (both asynchronous and synchronous), offering a flexible way to manage your course load during the academic year.

• Add/drop option: You can add or drop classes within the registration period. Check out the last and start date of registration on the WPI calendar for important deadlines.

• Registering for research credits, independent studies, thesis/dissertation credits, capstone project: Use eProjects to register for these credits. After submitting the request in eProjects, approvals are required from your research advisor, department, and the registrar. Be sure to check eProjects regularly until the credits appear in your Workday account, and if approvals are delayed, remind your advisor to approve them. 

• Graduate students need a minimum of 8 credits per semester to be considered full time, which is especially important for international students. After fulfilling the credit requirements for an MS thesis or PhD degree, students who need additional time for research can enroll in 1 credit per semester to maintain their enrollment.

• 1:1 career counseling

• Resume reviews and interview prep

• Job and internship listings

• Annual career fairs (general and discipline-specific)

Visit the Heebner Career Development Center >

Multi-session series on topics like: 

• Communication and leadership 

• Career planning and job searches (academic and non-academic) 

• Equity, inclusion, and wellness 

• Thesis/dissertation and fellowship writing boot camps 

• STARS (Student Training and Readiness Sessions): Monthly sessions on professional development topics 

• GREAT (Graduate Researcher Education and Training): Introductory research skills like poster design and presentations 

• Fundamentals of Scientific Teaching and Pedagogy (fall) 

• Responsible Conduct of Research (spring) 

• Faculty Job Search Boot Camp (summer)
• Postdoc Search Boot Camp (fall)
• Fellowship Writing Boot Camp: Includes peer and faculty support, successful application samples, and a current fellow panel 

WPI supports experiential learning through internships. A streamlined approval process helps students gain hands-on experience aligned with their goals. Learn more about the internship policy → 

Fall workshop series focused on career planning, mentoring, and networking. Designed for PhD students and postdocs. 

Fall program offering guidance, mentorship, and resources for fellowship applications, including the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Program.

Half-day winter session covering structure, writing strategies, and literature reviews.

Fall workshop series on finding and applying for postdoctoral opportunities.

Summer program guiding participants through the academic job application and interview process.

Assists you with understanding how to meet degree requirements and implementing academic success strategies.

At WPI you also have a student success manager. They play a crucial role alongside your departmental advisors in supporting your academic journey. They provide prompt answers to your queries, assist in overcoming challenges, and guide you in accessing essential university services. Regular communication via phone and email ensures you have the tools and support needed to succeed in all your courses.

The faculty member in your graduate program or department that is a key point of contact for graduate students in that program or department for academic matters. Graduate coordinators serve as initial academic advisors for new PhD and master's students in some cases.