Graduate Program Coordinator Description

Graduate Program Coordinators (GPC) are APSU employees selected by the Chair of the department (or other APSU administrator) to serve on behalf of the Chair in matters dealing in graduate education, inclusive of all locations and delivery methods of the graduate program(s). Depending on the Department Chair, GPCs may have the full authority of the Chair in terms of admission, permits into graduate courses, graduate assistantship hiring and discipline actions, exceptions to policies, and modifications to curricula and policies in accordance with APSU curriculum policies. The exact duties and responsibilities of the GPC are at the discretion of the Department Chair.

All GPCs are encouraged to view the GPC reference manual for information related to the responsibilities listed below, as well as other common issues that GPCs may encounter.

General Responsibilities:

• Graduate Academic Council member – GPCs serve as voting members of the Graduate Academic Council (GAC). The charge of the GAC is to “deliberate additions and amendments to graduate courses and curricula as well as policies/regulations/guidelines impacting graduate programs, and makes recommendations to University Curriculum Committee and/or other University officials. GAC may initiate studies that are concerned with the welfare of graduate programs.”
• Recruitment, admissions, and advising – GPCs answer prospective student questions, serve as the admissions officer for the GPC's specific graduate program, and GPCs serve as the initial advisor post-admission. And, depending on the Chair, the GPC may have permit authority for graduate students to enroll in selected graduate courses, as well as, serve as the hiring manager for Graduate Assistantships.
• Graduate Student Progression – in some instances, when a graduate student does not have a thesis/dissertation advisor, the GPC will serve as the authenticating person for the Graduate Plan of Study and Verification of Completion for the conferral of degree or certificate.
• Review transfer credit or consortial credit to determine if the coursework is comparable to a designated APSU credit experience and is consistent with the APSU mission.
• Assist with institutional effectiveness/program assessment unless the department has assigned an assessment coordinator.

Certificate Program Facilitator Description

Certificate Program Facilitators* (CPF) are APSU employees selected by the Chair of the department (or other APSU administrator) to assist the Chair in coordinating a certificate program. The exact duties and responsibilities of the CPF are at the discretion of the Department Chair.

General Responsibilities:

• Assure the certificate program contains essential curricular components, has appropriate content and pedagogy, and maintains discipline currency, inclusive of all program locations and delivery methods, in collaboration with other program faculty
• Assist the Chair with certificate program-specific needs
• Serve as a point of contact for students inquiring about the certificate program
• Serve as a point of contact to collect and submit certificate program-specific requests to the Chair

Other Responsibilities May Include:

• Periodically revise certificate program materials, handbooks, and marketing materials with the designated office
• Recruitment of students
• Admissions for selective access certificate programs - CPFs answer prospective student questions, serve as the admissions officer for the CPF's specific certificate program, and CPFs serve as the initial advisor post-admission.
• Setting the schedule of courses to be offered
• Coordinate certificate program-level student learning outcomes assessment efforts and collaborate with other certificate program faculty to implement assessment activities
• Serve as the primary author for curriculum proposals for the certificate program
• Review transfer credit or consortial credit to determine if the coursework is comparable to a designated APSU credit experience and is consistent with the APSU mission.

*CPFs are faculty members and therefore, the time available for the duties and responsibilities of the CPF is dependent on the CPF's faculty contract. For example, for most faculty, the common contract begins work in mid-August and the contract ends work by mid-May. Therefore, should a CPF be "off contract" in the summer months, the Department Chair is the point of contact for the certificate program.

Click here for a list of Graduate Program Coordinators.