Graduate Council

Guide to Graduate Faculty Membership

What is Graduate Faculty Membership?

Responsibility for graduate education and graduate research at Penn State is vested in individuals who have been appointed as members of the faculty of the Graduate School, collectively known as the Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Faculty consists of Penn State faculty members whose qualifications, experience, and institutional appointments enable them to make significant contributions to the education and training of graduate students in research and/or professional graduate degree programs in a comprehensive and sustained manner. The criteria and procedures for election to membership fall under the purview of the Graduate Council as the Graduate Faculty's representative governing body.

How can I start contributing to graduate education?

Within the context of the Graduate Council’s criteria, the faculty of the nominating graduate program are best positioned to assess the appropriateness of your individual experience and may have additional field-specific qualifications. The first step toward being nominated to the Graduate Faculty is beginning a conversation with the leader(s) of a graduate program to express your interest and learn about their specific expectations for level of activity in the program. The Graduate Program Head and DGS/PIC for each graduate program can be found on the Contact tab in that program’s Graduate Bulletin listing.

For individuals who wish to make limited contributions on a less regular basis, there are additional routes beyond Graduate Faculty membership to participate such as approved teaching of specific graduate courses and serving on occasional doctoral committees. Learn more about how to participate as a non-Graduate Faculty member.

The following tool will help guide you in determining the proper pathway for you to contribute to graduate education at Penn State.