Northwestern University Graduate School
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The Graduate School (also known as TGS) is the
liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term '' art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically th ...
and sciences graduate school of
Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...
. Based in Evanston, Illinois, The Graduate School also has campuses in Chicago and Doha, Qatar and awards advanced degrees in 70 disciplines. In 1910, the Trustees of the university organized The Graduate School. TGS makes up one of Northwestern University's 10 Graduate and Professional schools. As such, professional degrees are not conferred by The Graduate School, but by their respective schools at Northwestern:
Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the medical school of Northwestern University and is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1859, Feinberg offers a full-time Doctor of Medicine degree p ...
, Kellogg School of Management,
Medill School of Journalism The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications is a constituent school of Northwestern University that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. It frequently ranks as the top school of journalism in the Unite ...
, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Communication, School of Education and Social Policy, Pritzker School of Law, Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music, and School of Professional Studies. TGS is Northwestern's largest graduate school with 3569 full-time students and 238 part-time students, as of 2014.


History

Prior to the founding of The Graduate School, the graduate program was loosely structured and under the supervision by a committee of the Faculty of the College of Liberal Arts, which had existed since the 1890s. Upon the recommendation of Abram Winegardner Harris, the fourteenth President of the university, the Trustees of the university voted to establish the school in 1910. James Alton James, a member of the history department, became the first graduate school dean in 1917. The Graduate School saw an increasing number of applicants in the decade after its founding. With the exception of the years of 1917-18 and 1918–19, where many college students were enlisted in the army during WW1, attendance increased every year between 1910 and 1922: from 91 students in 1910–11 to 300 in 1922. The post-WW1 years in particular saw a growing focus, in American universities, on graduate studies and research, in part due to the increase in attendance. This in turn saw increased competition for graduate students. Recognizing this as well as The Graduate School's shortcomings, Dean James Alton James, in a plea to the University President Scott, stressed the need for additional financial support for The Graduate School to enable it to expand its offerings, as well as the need for a library and housing for graduate students. His requests were met with limited success, but included the first grant for faculty research: $1000 awarded by the Northwestern University Foundation. In a 1935-36 report, Franklyn Bliss Snyder, the third Dean of TGS and later President of the university, questioned the quality of education provided by The Graduate School and whether it met the standards expected of graduate instruction. He proposed a number of policy changes, including a rigorous entrance examination. Snyder's proposals motivated the creation of programs of study for prospective teachers that would improve teaching standards. Since 1936, The Graduate School has seen steadily increasing enrollment as well as a wider range of program offerings. Opening fall enrollments have increased by 43% between 1995 and 2014, from 2502 to 3569.


Leadership and Organization

Despite its marked affiliations with the Northwestern schools whose programs it administers, The Graduate School on an administrative level is a separate entity with its own leadership and organizational structure. The chief administrative position is held by the Dean of The Graduate School, who functions as an advisor to his staff and students as well as a liaison and representative working to facilitate cross-school coordination. Currently, this title is assumed by race and literary scholar Dwight A. McBride, who also serves as the Associate Provost for Graduate Education. The school's decanal staff oversees the 5 main branches of The Graduate School's administrative body, which are listed below: * Administration and Planning: Led by its Associate Dean, this branch oversees the logistical functions of the organization, of which include: Administration and Finance, Financial Aid, Information Technology, Research and Analysis and English Language Programs. * Academic Affairs: Led by its Associate Dean, this branch oversees the development of the school's programs, curricula, academic policies, and admissions. * Student Affairs: Led by its Associate Dean, this branch oversees several offices, of which include Academic Student Services, Student Life, Graduate and Postdoctoral Training and Development, Training Grant Support Office, Professional Development, and Postdoctoral Affairs. * Diversity and Inclusion: Led by its Assistant Dean, this branch works closely with other departments to facilitate diverse recruitment, mentorship programs, and a support system for underrepresented student populations. * Communications and Outreach: Led by its associate director, this branch works to create and maintain all of the school's messaging, branding, social media, event coordination, and outreach. Alongside the main administrative body, the Dean also communicates with a separate Administrative Board. Composed of 12 graduate faculty members representing all of the associated schools and the library, the Board functions as an advisory body for all academic and faculty-related affairs. In addition, the Office of the Dean also receives reviews and propositions from three faculty-led advisory councils tackling Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Graduate Funding.


Academics & Degree programs

In addition to doctoral and master's degree programs in more than 70 disciplines, TGS also offers numbers of dual degree programs, interdisciplinary clusters and certificates and non-degree seeking programs. Broadly speaking, TGS's focus is PhD, MFA and non-terminal master's degree programs. TGS offers Master of Fine Arts in Art Theory and Practice, Documentary Media, Theater Directing & Stage Design) and Writing for the Screen and Stage. Some departments in TGS do not offer terminal master's degree which means graduate students receive the master's degree after their pursuit of the PhD degree. Departments that offer only PhD degrees may also offer a master's degree only to PhD students, either on the way to earning their PhD degrees or in the event the student needs to depart the university before completing the PhD. Some specialized master's degree programs and professional degrees are not conferred by TGS, but by respective professional schools at NU:
Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is the medical school of Northwestern University and is located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1859, Feinberg offers a full-time Doctor of Medicine degree p ...
, Kellogg School of Management, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, School of Communication,
School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, l ...
and School of Education & Social Policy. Decisions on whether a master's degree resides within TGS or another school at Northwestern are made in consultation with the respective schools.


Dual Degree Programs

The Graduate School offers combined dual degree programs with bachelor's programs in two of the Northwestern undergraduate schools: McCormick School of Engineering &
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Chartere ...
. Participating students are restricted to Northwestern undergraduates. Students may choose to start the pursuit of master's degree when they have less than four courses to complete their undergraduate bachelor's degree or they may start the pursuit of the master's degree after they graduated from their undergraduate school. Programs with partner institutions require admission to and residency at each institution and completion of each institution's degree requirements


Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

In addition to their degree programs, participating graduate students make connections with faculty members and other students outside their departments. Interdisciplinary research opportunities of joint interests are provided. The combination of degree courses, co-curricular and extra-curricular events arouses students’ thoughts and broadens their interdisciplinary networks with researchers and other colleagues. Apart from different completion requirements, the main difference between a cluster and a certificate is that a cluster will not be presented on student's’ official transcript but a certificate will.


Non-degree Status

Non-degree seeking students can take graduate-level classes at TGS through two means: apply through the Graduate School or through School of Professional Studies. After TGS granted students the "Nondegree Special Student status", students would be allowed to enroll for classes at TGS but not pursue a degree.


Graduate Funding

Fellowships provide graduate students with scholarship or stipend resources to pay for their tuition costs, based on merit. There are three available fellowships and grants opportunities for students: internal fellowship] and grant] administered by TGS and external fellowship] administered by outside sources. To be eligible for consideration of any forms of financial aid, graduate students must show good academic progress toward meeting their degree requirements.


Notable alumni

Alumni of The Graduate School are prominent across many disciplines, including academia, the arts, entertainment, business, science, journalism, politics, and government.


Academia

From K.T. Chau, Chair Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, to Deborah Paredez, Professor of Theatre and Dance at the
University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,07 ...
, TGS alumni are professors at universities across the globe and across many fields of study. Alumni who are professors at universities worldwide include Amy Allen, Elijah Anderson,
James Hal Cone James Hal Cone (August 5, 1938 – April 28, 2018) was an American theologian, best known for his advocacy of black theology and black liberation theology. His 1969 book ''Black Theology and Black Power'' provided a new way to comprehensively de ...
,
William C. Dudley William C. Dudley (born 1953) is an American economist who served as the president of Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2009 to 2018 and as vice-chairman of the Federal Open Market Committee. He was appointed to the position on January 27, 2 ...
,
Troy Duster Troy Smith Duster (born July 11, 1936) is an American sociologist with research interests in the sociology of science, public policy, race and ethnicity and deviance. He is a Chancellor’s Professor of Sociology at University of California, Berke ...
, Kathryn Edin,
Simon Gikandi Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genu ...
, Avner Greif,
Cynthia Herrup Cynthia Herrup is an American historian of early modern British law who holds the position of Professor of History and Law at the University of Southern California. Herrup's writings center primarily on the social history of criminal law, but sh ...
, Rosanna Hertz, John B. Hogenesch, Michael J. Hopkins, Jonathan D. Katz, Nirmalya Kumar,
George Nemhauser George Lann Nemhauser (born 1937). is an American operations researcher, the A. Russell Chandler III Chair and Institute Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the former president of the Oper ...
, Scott E. Page, Charles M. Payne,
Ralph Pearson Ralph Gottfrid Pearson (January 12, 1919 – October 12, 2022) was an American physical inorganic chemist best known for the development of the concept of hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB). He received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1943 ...
, Jack Nusan Porter,
Adam Przeworski Adam Przeworski (; born May 5, 1940) is a Polish-American professor of political science specializing in comparative politics. He is Carroll and Milton Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics of New York University. He is a scholar of de ...
, Mark Ratner David R. Roediger,
Said Sheikh Samatar Said Sheikh Samatar ( so, Siciid Sheekh Samatar, ar, سعيد الشيخ سمتر‎; 1943–24 February 2015) was a prominent Somali scholar and writer. Biography Early years Said was born in 1943 in the Ogaden in Ethiopia to Faduma and Sh ...
, Grover C. Stephens, and Glen L. Urban. TGS alumni have also continued to serve as Presidents and Chancellors of colleges and universities.
Johnnetta B. Cole Johnnetta Betsch Cole (born October 19, 1936) is an Americans, American anthropologist, educator, museum director, and college president. Cole was the first female African-American president of Spelman College, a historically black college, servin ...
, the first Black woman to serve as the president of
Spelman College Spelman College is a private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta University Center academic consortium in Atlanta. Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, Spelman rece ...
, also is the former President of
Bennett College Bennett College is a private historically black liberal arts college for women in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was founded in 1873 as a normal school to educate freedmen and train both men and women as teachers. Originally coed, in 1926 it ...
.
John B. Simpson John Barclay Simpson (born June 8, 1947) is a former president of the University at Buffalo (UB), part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
was the 14th President of the
University at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 18 ...
; J. Dennis O'Connor is a former chancellor at the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...
; Frank E. Horton is a former chancellor at
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
,
University of Oklahoma , mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State" , type = Public research university , established = , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.7billion (2021) , pr ...
, and
University of Toledo The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of ...
; David J. Skorton was a president at
Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
; and
Graham Spanier Graham Basil Spanier (born July 18, 1948) is a South African-born American sociologist and university administrator who became the 16th president of Pennsylvania State University on September 1, 1995. On November 9, 2011, in the wake of the Pen ...
was a president at Pennsylvania State University.
Susan Fuhrman Susan Harriet Fuhrman (born April 1944) is an American education policy scholar and the first female president of Teachers College, Columbia University. Fuhrman earned her doctorate in Political Science and Education from Columbia University. She ...
is currently serving as the first female president of Teacher's College at Columbia University.


Arts, Literature, and Entertainment

Significant figures in the arts, literature, and entertainment are also alumni of The Graduate School. TGS produced directors like
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
winner and writer
Mary Zimmerman Mary Zimmerman (born August 23, 1960) is an American theatre and opera director and playwright from Nebraska. She is an ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company, the Manilow Resident Director at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinoi ...
, director and stage actress
Jeanne Clemson Jeanne Clemson (1922 – September 12, 2009) was an American artistic director, theater director, actress, educator and preservationist. Clemson was considered instrumental in the efforts to save the Fulton Opera House, located in downtown ...
, and
Gerald Freedman Gerald Alan Freedman (June 25, 1927 – March 17, 2020) was an American theatre director, librettist, and lyricist, and a college dean. Life and career Freedman was born in Lorain, Ohio, the son of Fannie (Sepenswol), a history teacher, and Barn ...
. Actor
Richard Kline Richard Kline (born April 29, 1944) is an American actor and television director. His roles include Larry Dallas on the sitcom ''Three's Company'', Richie in the later seasons of ''It's a Living'' and Jeff Beznick in '' Noah Knows Best''. Early ...
,
David Horowitz David Joel Horowitz (born January 10, 1939) is an American conservative writer. He is a founder and president of the right-wing David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website '' FrontPage Magazine''; and director of Disco ...
from
Fight Back! With David Horowitz ''Fight Back! with David Horowitz'' was a weekly consumer advocate show that ran from 1976–1992. The show, hosted by David Horowitz David Joel Horowitz (born January 10, 1939) is an American conservative writer. He is a founder and pr ...
, and co-host of What Not To Wear Clinton Kelly are all graduates of TGS. Writers in this field, like poet Mary Jo Bang, author and
MacArthur Fellow The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to between 20 and 30 indi ...
Aleksandar Hemon Aleksandar Hemon ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Xeмoн; born September 9, 1964) is a Bosnian-American author, essayist, critic, television writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels '' Nowhere Man'' (2002) and '' The Lazarus Pr ...
, composer and bandmaster
Thomas Tyra Thomas Tyra (born Thomas Norman Tyrakowski) (April 17, 1933 – July 7, 1995) was an American composer, arranger, bandmaster, and music educator. Early life and education Born and raised in Cicero, Illinois, Tyra was the only child of first- ...
, and Emmy-nominated screenwriter
Lew Hunter Lewis R. Hunter (July 18, 1935 – January 6, 2023) was an American screenwriter, author and educator, and chairman Emeritus and Professor of Screenwriting at the UCLA Department of Film and Television. Over half of the Oscar winning scripts ov ...
are also alumni.


Business

In business, one can see many figures who are graduates of TGS. These include Lisa Caputo, chairman and CEO of Citigroup Women and Company, Sheraton Kalouria, CMO and Executive Vice President of
Sony Pictures Television Sony Pictures Television Inc. (abbreviated as SPT) is an American television production and distribution studio. Based at the Sony Pictures Studios complex in Culver City, it is a division of Sony Entertainment's unit Sony Pictures Entertainme ...
, and
Gwynne Shotwell Gwynne Shotwell ( Rowley; born November 23, 1963) is an American businesswoman and engineer. She is the president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, an American space transportation company, where she is responsible for day-to-day operation ...
, President and COO of SpaceX. For notable M.B.A. alumni, also see the Kellogg School of Management.


Science

TGS has also graduated distinguished scientists. 1998
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
winner in Physiology/Medicine
Robert F. Furchgott Robert Francis Furchgott (June 4, 1916 – May 19, 2009) was a Nobel Prize-winning American biochemist who contributed to the discovery of nitric oxide as a transient cellular signal in mammalian systems. Early life and education Furchgott ...
, forensic anthropologist and former Chief Medical Examiner of North Carolina
Kathy Reichs Kathleen Joan Reichs (née Toelle, born 1950) is an American crime writer, forensic anthropologist and academic. She is an adjunct professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Early life and education Kathleen ...
, sociologist and historian Sonya Rose, and physician and writer George W. Crane all received degrees from The Graduate School. Astronomer and UFO researcher
Jacques Vallee Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...
and the director of Goddard Space Flight Center Edward Weiler also attended TGS. Kermit E Krantz, who was a developer of surgical techniques and invented the expandable
tampon A tampon is a menstrual product designed to absorb blood and vaginal secretions by insertion into the vagina during menstruation. Unlike a pad, it is placed internally, inside of the vaginal canal. Once inserted correctly, a tampon is held in ...
, is also a TGS alum.


Journalism

Prominent names in journalism also have received degrees from TGS. Author and columnist
Kai Bird Kai Bird (born September 2, 1951) is an American author and columnist, best known for his works on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, United States-Middle East political relations and his biographies of political figures. He won a Pul ...
and New York Times reporter
James Risen James Risen (born April 27, 1955) is an American journalist for ''The Intercept''. He previously worked for ''The New York Times'' and before that for ''Los Angeles Times''. He has written or co-written many articles concerning U.S. government ...
are both TGS alums who have won a Pulitzer Prize.
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
sports columnist
Christine Brennan Christine Brennan (born May 14, 1958) is a sports columnist for ''USA Today'', a commentator on ABC News, CNN, PBS NewsHour and NPR, and a best-selling author. She was the first female sports reporter for the ''Miami Herald'' in 1981, the first ...
, LA Times columnist and writer Patrick Goldstein, and Louisiana journalist
Jack Wardlaw Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
are also alumni. Two reporters at the
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
, Peter Applebome and
Benedict Carey Benedict Carey (born 3 March 1960) is an American journalist and reporter on medical and science topics for ''The New York Times''. Biography Carey was born on 3 March 1960 in San Francisco, and graduated from the University of Colorado with a d ...
, attended TGS as well.


International

Michael Bakalis, former Deputy Secretary of Education in US Department of Education and
Armida Alisjahbana Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (born August 16, 1960 in Bandung, Indonesia) is currently the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific. She is a professor in the Faculty of Economics, Padjadjaran ...
, State Minister of National Development Planning, Head of National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Republic of Indonesia also earned degrees from The Graduate School.


References


External links


Official Site

List of disciplines
{{authority control
Graduate School Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and stru ...
Graduate schools in the United States Educational institutions established in 1910 1910 establishments in Illinois