About the Graduate School
The Graduate School is one of the ten colleges and schools of Vanderbilt University. The Graduate School is the pathway and official school of record for Graduate School student applications, admissions, registration and enrollment, monitoring and recording of academic progress and milestones (residency, qualifying examinations, candidacy, defense of dissertation), and the awarding of degrees. The Graduate School also is a source of funding for internal scholarships and fellowships for students with demonstrated exceptional merit or promise, outreach to diverse student populations, and support for career development.
All post-baccalaureate degree programs at Vanderbilt are classified as either Graduate, meaning those under the purview of the Graduate School; or Professional, which are advanced degree programs administered by schools other than the Graduate School. The academic programs of the Graduate School are located in and among the academic departments located in the other schools and colleges of Vanderbilt. For example, students admitted and enrolled by the Graduate School in the Ph.D. program in Economics (or Special Education, or Biomedical Engineering, or Epidemiology) pursue their academic program in an academic department based in the College of Arts and Science (or Peabody College, or the School of Engineering, or School of Medicine, respectively). In addition, a small number of interdisciplinary Graduate School academic programs are not based in a single college or school, but rather draw from faculties in departments across two or more academic units. More than 1,150 members of the faculty at Vanderbilt hold additional status as members of the Graduate Faculty.
Graduate School students are subject to the standards of the Graduate School Honor Council and are members of the Graduate Student Council. Students enrolled in other schools of Vanderbilt, including professional schools, have separate honor councils and student governance organizations.
Administration and Staff
Dennis G. Hall
Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School(615) 322-2809
Graduate School Policy, Graduate Faculty, Graduate Faculty Council, Enhancing Graduate Education (EGE) Program
Steven Smartt
Associate Dean for Academic Services and Assistant Provost for Research(615) 322-3825
steven.smartt@vanderbilt.edu
Chief Administrative and Fiscal Officer, Admissions Procedures, liaison to Graduate Student Council, fund-raising and development, coordinator for external fellowships.
Richard Hoover
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs(615) 322-3944
Academic Affairs, Honor Fellowships, Student Travel Grants, Dissertation Enhancement Grants, Honor Fellowships, liaison to Graduate Student Honor Council
Don Brunson
Assistant Dean(615) 322-3939
don.c.brunson@vanderbilt.edu
Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) Program; Underrepresented Student Outreach, Admission, and Retention Officer
Marian McAlpin
Administrative Assistant(615) 322-2639
Office Management, Budgets, Stipend Payments for Graduate School Honor Fellowships and External Fellowships
Barry Kendall
Registrar(615) 322-3941
Registration, Course Schedule, Curriculum Changes, Commencement
Liz Leis
Assistant Registrar(615) 322-3934
Thesis/Dissertation Format Editor, Registration, YES, Ph.D. Candidacy status
Walt Bieschke
Program Coordinatorvandygrad@vanderbilt.edu
(615) 322-0236
Admissions, Questions about on-line applications procedures
(For questions about your application status, please directly contact your program of interest.)
Linda Harris
Office Assistant(615) 322-3943
Qualifying exam and final defense notices
Sheri Kimble
Receptionist(615) 343-2727
Reception and Referral, Admissions and Enrollment Administrative Assistant
Jon Bates
Systems Coordinator/Admissions(615) 322-3938
Upkeep of student files, applications, and website.