For Current Students

This page is intended as a hub for all sorts of information useful to current PhD and MA students. Please send suggestions for additions and corrections (as well as broken links!) to the DGS.

Academic requirements

You can find GSAS-wide requirements here, including the current Academic Calendar and links to various forms. Program-specific requirements for the PhD or the MA can be found on this site.

Advising

Regular communication with your advisers is a crucial foundation for success in the Program. For basic procedures and expectations connected to the advising relation at Yale, see the GSAS handbook for faculty and studentsContact information for all Program-affiliated faculty is on this site. 

Students are encouraged to discuss their plans, progress, and concerns with the Program’s Director of Graduate Studies on a regular basis. The current DGS is Emily Thornbury.

Career planning

For those considering academic positions, your advisers should be your first line of support. In addition, nearly all of Medieval Studies’ allied departments offer job seekers’ workshops, usually in the Fall term: consider reaching out early to the placement officers in the department(s) closest to your interests. Information on postdocs and other fellowship support can be found on this site.

The Office of Career Strategy regularly runs workshops and events geared toward helping graduate students imagine how to use their training in a wide range of fields; keep an eye out for their email notices.

Climate, inclusion and support

Yale has a wide range of resources to assist students throughout their graduate career, to help address particular challenges they may face, and to ensure that all students have full and equal access to their graduate education.

For equity issues, including the Title IX office and concerns about possible gender-based discrimination, see the Office of Institutional Equity and Access. Questions and concerns related to accommodations for disabilities can be addressed to Student Accessibility Services.

For GSAS-specific resources to support a diverse community, see the Office for Development and Diversity; the Belonging at Yale page addresses similar concerns at a university-wide scale. Resources for the LGBTQ+ community can be found at a dedicated site as well.

For support related to family and childcare, see the resources gathered by GSAS.

A wide range of personal support for graduate students in all circumstances can be reached through the Chaplains’ Office and the McDougal Graduate Center.

For all health-related concerns, including mental health support, Yale Health Center is available 24/7.

Conference, Workshop, or Language Study Funding

The Program in Medieval Studies is now offering small grant opportunities for graduate students who are enrolled in the program. This is a pilot project with a limited budget. You can find more information on how to apply for this funding here.