Help for Graduate Students

• How do I get help with my graduate research project?
• How do I get help from the Graduate School?
• How do I apply for research funding?
• How do I defray travel costs associated with presenting my research at a conference?
• How do I conduct field research abroad?
• How do I publish my completed thesis or dissertation once my research project is complete?

Have another question? Contact the MU Graduate School in 210 Jesse Hall at 882-6311, or visit them on the Web at http://gradschool.missouri.edu.

How do I get help with my graduate research project?

Shortly after you begin your graduate studies, you will need to choose a single graduate faculty member to serve as your academic advisor for the duration of your graduate studies. This individual will serve as a mentor and guide for your research project and education. Often, this individual will already have a research project in mind which is part of a larger study or project. Otherwise, he or she can help you crystallize your ideas into a solid research topic.

It is important that you trust and respect your advisor because he or she is your primary contact within your department and program.

How do I get help from the Graduate School?

The University of Missouri's Graduate School empowers each department and program to develop its own admissions and graduation criteria. When you apply to graduate school, you will correspond with your individual prospective program. During your education, you will primarily work within your program to establish your program of study, committees and research goals.

The Graduate School will be concerned with your administrative and bureaucratic paperwork. All forms declaring your program of study, committee assignment and committee approval will be sent to the Graduate School. The Graduate School also coordinates various campus-wide research programs and initiatives such as the Research Resource, Missouri Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and various fellowships. Additionally, the Graduate School helps conduct the MU facet of the National Research Council's study of doctoral program quality.

How do I apply for research funding?

As you make the decision to pursue graduate studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia, it is likely that among your first questions is how to fund your studies and cover the costs of your living expenses. This Graduate School can assist you with information about nearly all options you should investigate and pursue. Our publications outline information about how to identify programs and prepare proposals for funding from extramural sources.

Among the frustrations in seeking funding is not knowing whether you have all the requisite information at hand so you can make an informed decision about which funding options you will pursue.

For most research fellowships or grants, you will need to:

• Read the Guidelines, read the guidelines... read the guidelines.
• Obtain assistance with meeting the requirements for submitting proposals for complex federal programs from a faculty advisor or from the Grants & Contracts Administrators or advisers in your college or department.
• Contact the Program Manager--if one is listed about your proposed research project.
• Assemble required materials:
• Application Form
• Vita / Resume - have a 'working vita' and tailor the 1-2 page proposal vita to the project
• Proposal:
  • Institutional Review Board Approvals
  • Detailed Budget and budget justification.
  • Letters of Reference
  • Transcript(s): Ordinarily a copy is sufficient but be prepared to submit an official copy.

Again, most fellowships or grants will require similar items, but it is always wise to directly contact the organization or institution responsible for the award. They will be the best resource on the specific funding options.

For more help on funding and the application process, please read the Graduate School's online handbook "Funding Your Graduate Education." (PDF, 8 pages) Many of your questions may also be answered here: http://gradschool.missouri.edu/financial/

How do I defray travel costs associated with presenting my research at a conference?

Sources of funding available at MU include travel funding programs for conference presentations and dissertation research travel. These programs basically cover only the costs of travel - air and ground transportation, hotel and meals. Other costs can be requested but these are not ordinarily covered by these programs. Options include but are not limited to:

• Dissertation research travel fund - Graduate School
• Conference travel fund - Graduate School
• Humanities Graduate Student Travel Award Program
• Graduate Professional Council Travel Scholarship Program
• Graduate Student Association Conference Scholarship Program

Some departments also provide travel funds for attending and presenting research results at conferences. Check with your department.

How do I conduct field research abroad?

You have several options. Many fellowships and grants build field research requirements into the award. Individual academic departments sponsor study abroad and international exchange programs for research. It would be wise to first consult with your academic advisor to determine the true goals and feasibility of any prospective research project. Your advisor will help you create a plan to ensure more efficient use of time and resources within the department and at your future research site. Also, the International Center can help you coordinate and submit any paperwork that may be necessary.

How do I publish my completed thesis or dissertation once my research project is complete?

Refer to the "Graduate School's Guidelines for Preparing Theses & Dissertations" (PDF, 19 pages). This document will help you format your work properly for archival purposes.

As for presentations, you may need to prepare a display or poster of your research. In previous years, students and researchers had to manually mount photos and text onto poster board. Today, commercial printers like Kinko's and MU's Printing Services can convert Microsoft Power Point slides into large format display posters. Please consult your advisor for further information.