Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who may enroll in these seminars?
A: Registration for the seminars is open to University of Minnesota doctoral students (see “How do I enroll?”). The seminars are designed for students working on dissertations that cross disciplinary boundaries. Usually participating students have passed their preliminary oral examinations, and thus are working on their dissertations rather than taking other classes, but some students may be ready to work on their dissertations at an earlier stage. In addition to talking with your adviser about your participation in a seminar, please confer with the professor leading the course to be sure of expectations.
Q: How do I know if my dissertation is sufficiently "interdisciplinary" to benefit from the seminar?
A: This is a matter of judgment, and a different question might help you decide. Ask yourself whether you think a particular seminar will help you develop your dissertation further through conversation and exchange of feedback with individuals from other fields working on a similar topic. Talk with your adviser as well as with the professor leading the seminar to be sure that the seminar will benefit you.
Q: What about my adviser?
A: The seminar will not replace your adviser or your committee. We strongly recommend that you keep your adviser informed of your work in the seminar. In fact, talking about what you are doing in the seminar may be a way of initiating or continuing communication with your adviser.
Q: How do I pay for the seminar?
A: You pay for the seminar just as you pay for any normal course, which will depend on whether you have a fellowship or assistantship. If you are on an assistantship or fellowship, please direct any questions about payment to the source of your funding.
Q: I'm an A.B.D. student completing my required thesis credits and I don't want to pay for the seminar out of my own pocket. What are my options?
A: Depending on your status and source of funding, if you want to take a seminar, you may (or may not) be able to avoid paying for it out of your own pocket.
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Q: How do I enroll in the seminar?
A: Contact the professor to make sure the seminar is right for you. You may need to ask for a permission number. Then enroll in the seminar as you would any other course: through the OneStop registration page. Some seminars do not currently have course numbers assigned to them, but we will post them as they become available.
Q: Can I register to audit the course or take it S/N?
A: Yes. Remember that the tuition charged for audited courses is the same as for courses taken for credit.
Q: I am on a Graduate School fellowship that stipulates that I not take courses, but I think this seminar will help me with my dissertation. What should I do?
A: If you are on a Graduate School fellowship that stipulates that you not take courses, then you may contact The Graduate School Fellowship Office to ask whether they will consider an exception in your case.
Q: Am I required to share my work and comment on the work of other participants in the seminar?
A: Yes, the seminars will include "workshops" in which participants share their work with one another and will be expected to give each other considered feedback. In the process, you may learn more about giving and receiving feedback in ways that will be productive for you and other writers during the seminar and throughout your career.
Q: I don't have a lot of time to read outside my dissertation research. How much time will this seminar take?
A: You need to allow the same amount of time you would normally allow for a 3-credit graduate course. In addition to allotting time to read and comment on the work of other participants in the seminar, you may be assigned other readings on the seminar topic. You will also be expected to make progress on your dissertation, and there may be other written assignments that contribute to your dissertation progress or professional development, such as writing abstracts or grant applications. The best person to ask is the individual professor leading the seminar. And again, we strongly encourage you to consult with your advisor about taking the course.
Q: What's in it for me?
A: The seminars offer you the opportunity to work with other scholars whose perspectives you might not otherwise encounter in a strictly disciplinary setting. They are designed to (1) expand your knowledge of the research subject across disciplinary lines, and (2) help you make progress on your dissertation in an intellectually supportive, interdisciplinary environment.
If you have questions about the Graduate School's interdisciplinary dissertation-writing seminars, please contact Char Voight. |
