Students - Find a Seminar

New graduate students matriculating Fall 2022 or later are required to take a GradFIRST seminar, unless they are enrolled in a graduate program that is exempt from this requirement. Your program’s graduate coordinator will notify you if your program is exempt.

Yes. Most seminars will be offered in fall semester with a limited number available in spring semester to accommodate students who matriculate in spring or could not enroll in a fall seminar due to scheduling conflicts. No summer seminars will be offered.

Incoming graduate students will be notified about the GradFIRST seminar requirement at orientation and during advising at the beginning of their first semester. Graduate Coordinators and/or Graduate Coordinator Assistants will have access to information on available seminars in Athena and on the GradFIRST website to guide students to sections that fit their schedules and interests. In some cases, graduate programs may reserve seats in specific sections for members of their incoming cohorts.

Students should list the GradFIRST seminar (GRSC 7001) on their program of study unless you are enrolled in a graduate program that is exempt from this requirement. The Graduate School may notify departments/programs when students have not completed this requirement within the first two semesters.

Yes, however, not until you formally matriculate into a graduate program for which GradFIRST is required.

No. Only students who are formally admitted to and enrolled in graduate programs are required to complete GRSC 7001.

Yes. GradFIRST will prepare students to succeed at UGA.

Yes. The GradFIRST seminar covers content in areas beyond research ethics that are critical to promoting graduate student success. Conversely, the GradFIRST seminar does not necessarily cover content in sufficient depth to qualify/replace as a RCR course as required for some graduate funding programs.

Decisions to exempt students from the GradFIRST requirement are made at the graduate program level, not at the individual student level.

No. The GRSC 7001 course is not repeatable.

Approved online sections are not visible on Athena to prevent the seats from being enrolled by students who could otherwise take an in-person section. However, we will work directly with online students to advise them on an option that fits their schedule and location. In these cases, please contact gradfirst@uga.edu for assistance.

We have taken a few approaches to ensuring access to GradFIRST seminars for graduate students at an extended campus including offering in-person sections on extended campuses, approving online sections, and working with instructors to offer hybrid classes. If an in-person session is not available at your location, we will work directly with students at extended campuses to advise them on an option that fits their schedule and location. In these cases, please contact gradfirst@uga.edu for assistance.

No. If GRSC 7001 is on your transcript from a previous UGA degree, you do not need to take the course again.

If a student is enrolled in two degree programs concurrently, the student is required to take a GradFIRST seminar (GRSC 7001) if it is a requirement of either program.

No, you would not be exempt. You should enroll in a GradFIRST section for the incoming semester as it is part of the requirements of the new major.