Graduate Student Research Grants

The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) Graduate Student SummerResearch Grant is open to University of Miami graduate students whose research focuses on Latin America and/or the Caribbean.

A full application package will include the application form, a research proposal, a detailed budget, and an advisor’s letter.

Please click here for the application form

Grants award up to $1000 for travel and research expenses. CLAS awards up to 10 grants annually to students whose research focuses on the humanities, social and natural sciences. Grants are intended for use during summer to pursue research in Latin America and the Caribbean. Awardees must participate in a roundtable and present at the Graduate Student Conference.



Selection Criteria 

1. Quality of the proposal (Is it good? Original? Clear?)
2. Strength of the letter of recommendation (According to the letter, is the student capable of carrying out this research? Is the student ready at this time?)
3. Feasibility of the proposal (Can this be done? Can it be done in the way proposed? In the time proposed?)
4. Importance of the proposed research to the completion of the doctoral research process

Free Printing!

Your student fees are hard at work! The Graduate Student Association offers free printing.
You can print up to 100 pages a day.  You can go everyday! They just want you to sign in.

There are three computers and a quiet little office space.  Best of all, it is pretty close!  The GSA office is no longer on the other side of the world. It is now in 101 Ungar.  To get to Ungar, walk through the passage between the library and Starbucks.  Ungar is the building to your left across the street. Once inside, the office is the first door on the right. 

They are installing card access, so at some point in the future we can use the space at any time.  Right now it is based on a work study schedule.  For Spring 2011 we can use the space on:

M 1:30 - 4:30

T 9:30 - 1:30

W 9 - 11

Th 11:30 - 1:30

F 9 - 5

Graduate Student Support Group

WHAT: The Counseling Center offers a Graduate Student Support Group which meets on Wednesdays at 4:00pm.  The group provides graduate students the opportunity to discuss issues in a supportive atmosphere relevant to the challenges of being a graduate student.  While sessions are unscripted, discussion raised by participants can include issues associated with adjustment to life in Miami, social alienation, academic concerns, procrastination, relationship issues and frustrations associated with completion of theses/dissertations.

WHEN: Wednesdays at 4:00pm

Contact: Ed Rappaport PhD (305 284-5511) for information.  

Chair candidates visits - This week!

Our two final job candidates for the chair position will be visiting this week. 

The third candidate will meet with graduate students for lunch on Tuesday 2/22 from 11:00 - 1:00 in UC241 (Mortar Board Room). 

Additionally, his job talk will be Monday 2/21 from 3 to 5:30 in UC245 (Orange Key Room)

The fourth candidate will meet with graduate students for lunch on Thursday 2/24 from 12:00 - 2:00 in UC245 (Orange Key Room).

Additionally, her job talk will be Friday 2/25 from 3 to 5:30 in SB308 (Third floor, business school)

The candidates will discuss his views on graduate education as well as his research.

All interested graduate students from international studies are encouraged to attend.  

This is a great opportunity, I hope you will be able to join us.

Foreign Language Examination

Language exams will be administered on Monday, March 21^st. Please inform Steve Ralph ASAP if you plan on taking the exam, and the language in you will be examined.

Here are the rules for the language exam.

Foreign Language Examination

All MA and Ph.D. students in the Department of International Studies are expected to pass a test in an appropriate (other than English) second language, unless this requirement is waived by the Director of Graduate Studies.  Students can petition for a waiver if they have:

·         Completed degrees at non-English speaking institutions.

·         Completed an advanced course of study at a recognized language center, such as Middlebury, Norwich, Alliance Française, Goethe Institut, or the Defense Language Institute.

·         Completed advanced methodological training and their geographical focus is solely within an English-speaking region.

Foreign language examinations are held twice a year (October and March). Students are required to notify the Student Services Office of their intention to take the exam prior to October 1 (for the fall examination) or March 1 (for the spring examination). All students will be tested on their ability to translate from the foreign language into written English contemporary materials involving foreign affairs. The use of dictionaries is allowed during the INS language examination. Additionally, an oral examination may* be required for those students taking French, Spanish and Portuguese. Students should be prepared to converse with a faculty member in an appropriate setting on topics related to their course of study and specialization. Students are responsible for their own language training, within or outside the University of Miami. *We are not requiring oral exams at this time.

Reminder: Annual Income Tax Session for Internationals Sponsored by ISSS

The Annual Income Tax Session for UM international students, scholars and their dependents in “F” and “J” immigration status will be held on Friday, February 18, 2011, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Flamingo Ballrooms A and B, Whitten University Center, 1306 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables Campus. A U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representative will be available to provide general tax advice and address individual tax questions. While the IRS representative will provide you with general information and guidance in this matter, he will not complete your income tax return for you. Please arrive at the session promptly at 2:00 p.m. and bring with you all relevant documents related to your 2010 income in order to be able to complete your income tax return. Your 2010 income will have been reported to you on one or more of the following forms: W-2, 1042-S, or 1099. Tax forms and publications for the year 2010 will be available at the tax session. Please note that there is limited seating at this event. 

NOTE: If you did not earn any U.S. source income in 2010, you should not attend the Annual Income Tax Session. The Annual Income Tax Session is for international students, scholars and dependents who earned U.S. source income in 2010 and who therefore need to file an income tax return with the IRS.

Questions? Contact your ISSS Advisor at isss@miami.edu


We would like to thank Dana for providing this information.

Problem Solving and Negotiation Workshop

SEEDS Workshop: Negotiations Friday, February 25 – 2 sessions Hurricane 100 Room, BankUnited Center The "Negotiations" workshop will be led by Dr. Barbara Butterfield, member of the COACH leadership team through the National Science Foundation. Participants will evaluate their personal problem solving styles in two sessions. Post docs and graduate students are invited to attend the 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. session. For more information and to RSVP please visit the SEEDS website.

Thinking about non-academic careers?

Find here an interesting discussion about the topic from the Chronicle of Higher Education. 


"Faculty members can do many things to help students widen their circle of career possibilities. Probably the most important is to remove the stigma of a nonacademic career for the many students who are either struggling on the tenure-track market or don't want a teaching job."


What's your take on this? Have any suggestions? Leave a comment below.

Lunch with next chair candidate - this Thursday!

Our next job candidate for the chair position will meet with graduate students for lunch on Thursday 2/17 from noon to 2:00 in UC241 (Mortar Board Room). 

He will discuss his views on graduate education as well as his research.

All interested graduate students from international studies are encouraged to attend.  A light, buffet lunch will be served.

Additionally, his job talk will be Friday 2/18 from 2 to 4:30 in Stubblefield 308 (3^rd floor school of business)

This is a great opportunity, I hope you will be able to join us.

Conference Today

Journalism and Human Rights - 

Coverage of Internal Conflicts and Grave 

Humanitarian Crises

5:00pm - 6:15pm - Monday, February 14

- WCB 4029

Hollman Morris is a Colombian Journalist and a 2011 Nieman Fellow at 
Harvard University.

Morris will review his experiences covering Colombia's internal conflict 
and human rights violations, especially the care journalists' must take 
when approaching victims and dealing with memory of conflict and trauma, 
and the duty of the journalist when confronting dramatic human events.  

Based on this background, Morris will speak of the importance of journalists' 
understanding and using the language of international human rights.

* This presentation will be delivered in Spanish.

Click Here to watch an engaging documentary about his work.

Click Here to watch a piece from the Human Rights Watch.

Moderator - Leo Ferreira

Sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies, the Journalism and 
Electronic Media programs, and the Department of International Studies Program.

Graduate Research and Development Week - This Friday!

Join us this Friday for the final session of Graduate Research and Development Week.

Your peers will present their papers in preparation for upcoming academic conferences.
Professor Gomez-Mera will chair the panel and provide feedback.
The floor will also be open to questions and comments.
Please supports your peers and join your colleagues in this informative session.
It's your opportunity to learn valuable skills and presentation strategies, as well provide constructive criticism.
Best of all, we'll conclude with a social at Smoke't!

Location & Times:

Conference Panel: INS 126 - 2pm

Social: Smoke't - 4pm

1450 South Dixie Highway
Coral Gables, FL 33146
(305) 669-8338

Upcoming Campus Events!

• Interviewing Skills Workshop

The Toppel Career Center hosts a Interviewing Skills Workshop on Tuesday, February 15 at 3pm. Contact the Toppel Career Center at (305) 284-5451.  

• Islam, Terrorism and Al Qaeda

The Departments of Political Science and International Studies will discuss the relation among Islam, Terrorism and Al Qaeda and its implication for US Foreign Policy. The event will take place on Tues, February 22, at LC 110 from 7 to 9pm.

• Networking with Employers

Wednesday, February 16
An evening of networking with employers interested in the true diversity of the University of Miami. Come to the School of Communications Courtyard on Wednesday, February 16. To register, please visit www.hireacane.com
    For more information, please contact the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at (305) 284-2855 or visit www.miami.edu/msa/bam 

Spring Career Expo Tomorrow

Date: Wednesday February 9, 2011
Time: 11am-3pm
Location: BankUnited Center

Are you searching for an internship?  Are you searching for a full-time opportunity?  Don’t miss Spring Career Expo on February 9th from 11am-3pm at the BankUnited Center.  Career Expo encompasses a wide variety of industries so there are opportunities for every background, regardless of your major!

Who should attend Expo?
Every University of Miami student is encouraged to attend regardless of your year in school.  It’s never too early to start your internship or job search.  Freshmen are also encouraged to attend to network, even if it is just to observe or to discuss with employers how to become a competitive candidate for the future.
Start doing your research today by reviewing the list of organizations that will be recruiting.  You can find the list by visiting www.miami.edu/careerexpo or by logging into your CaneZone account.


What should I do to prepare?
Aside from doing company research there are a few things students need to do to prepare for Career Expo:
   1. Update your resume and bring plenty of copies to distribute
   2. Dress professionally (Required) See pictures below for guidance
   3. Have questions prepared to ask the recruiters
   4. Collect business cards from recruiters to send follow up correspondence
   5. Make sure your resume is uploaded on CaneZone
   
For more tips on how to prepare for Expo click here
If you like to watch videos on YouTube you can check out tips and advice on preparing for Expo, resume mistakes and what NOT to say to an employer on Toppel's You Tube page

Professional Dress Tips for Men
Professional Dress Tips for Women

Important Expo facts:
Student Check-in for Career Expo is in the H-100 room
Professional attire is mandatory
Career Expo is open to University of Miami students and alumni ONLY!