Core Expectations for Graduate Education at Duke University

Graduate faculty governance, as elected by the full members of the Duke Graduate Faculty, has developed a summary of the core mutual expectations of the partner constituencies in graduate education at Duke. These core expectations are in conjunction with the “Core Values Shaping Graduate Education at Duke” available on The Graduate School’s website. Both documents were developed and approved by graduate faculty governance, in consultation with Graduate School administrators and graduate student representatives.

Categories of Core Mutual Expectations

The Graduate School brings together essential partners to achieve excellence in graduate education: faculty, students, degree-granting programs, and administrators. Membership in this community is a privilege that comes with expectations and responsibilities. It is the joint responsibility of faculty, graduate students, degree-granting programs, and the Graduate School to work together in ways that encourage freedom of inquiry, demonstrate personal and professional integrity, and inculcate mutual respect.

While each department, unit, program, and/or school has their own specific set of mutual expectations for successful graduate education, certain categories of values and expectations transcend these disciplinary distinctions to become foundational for graduate education. We here outline these foundational categories and the general responsibilities of graduate students, graduate faculty, graduate programs and the Graduate School to uphold those expectations. These responsibilities are not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to articulate broadly how each of these groups contributes to upholding our core mutual expectations.

1: Expectations related to Foundational Training in Research

Developing competence in discipline-specific research methods, tools, and practices forms the foundation of graduate education and scholarly identity. Effective research training requires intentional instruction, resources, and opportunities that evolve with changing disciplinary standards as well as technological and methodological advances.

Graduate Students

• Take responsibility for developing core research competencies required in their field, including those related to discipline-specific resources, databases, and tools.
• Seek mentorship from multiple faculty members to develop a well-rounded research foundation.
• Participate in departmental and university-organized training initiatives related to research methods, ethics, and practices.
• Identify and communicate areas where extra individual or cohort support is needed.
• Proactively identify gaps in research training and seek appropriate resources.
• Where required by program or useful for the individual, engage in Duke’s training in English language for International Students.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Stay informed about and encourage participation in departmental and university-organized training initiatives.
• Initiate conversations with advisees regarding relevant areas in which they feel underprepared, and discuss options for acquiring additional expertise, as necessary.
• Provide structured guidance on foundational research methods, tools, and resources in the field.
• Remain current on emerging research methodologies and resources to guide students appropriately.
• Connect students with specialized training opportunities when needed.
• Evaluate and provide feedback on students' developing research skills.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Organize workshops--or require participation in already organized workshops— introducing available resources relevant to their graduate research, including but not limited to workshops run by the library.
• Establish clear expectations for research competencies students should develop at each stage.
• Provide discipline-specific training on research methods, tools, and resources.
• Partner with university resources like the library, writing center, and research offices to deliver comprehensive training.
• Create structured opportunities, fairly and equitably, for students to practice and demonstrate research skills.
• Ensure equitable access to research training regardless of funding source or research focus.
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of research training programs and the equity of access to those programs; update as needed.

The Graduate School

• Provides an accessible source for available foundational research training initiatives and resources.
• Provides centralized training on universal research skills (e.g., responsible conduct of research, grant writing).
• Provides centralized training in English for International Students.
• Creates opportunities for interdisciplinary research training.
• Monitors compliance with institutional and external research requirements.
• Facilitates connections with external research training opportunities and resources.

2: Expectations related to Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is vital in higher education because it ensures that academic work reflects genuine effort and learning. It promotes honesty, fairness, and responsibility, laying the foundation for ethical behavior in future careers.

Graduate Students

• Conduct academic endeavors honorably (not lie, cheat, counterfeit, or steal)
• Collaborate within and outside the University in an ethical manner.
• As appropriate, use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as Large Language Models and Reasoning Models wisely, in consultation with faculty advisors, and report their usage honestly.
• Comply with other institutional and departmental ethics policies.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Conduct and uphold standards of ethical research and scholarship.
• Provide fair and ethical assessment of students.
• Comply with other institutional and departmental ethics policies.
• Model ethical research practices and provide explicit instruction on field-specific standards.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Establish and communicate clear program specific academic integrity policies.
• Enforce academic integrity standards fairly and equitably.
• Oversee faculty and advisory committees in implementing academic integrity policies.

The Graduate School

• Establishes and communicates clear implementable academic integrity policies.
• Enforces academic integrity standards fairly and equitably through faculty and advisory committee oversight.
• Provides training and support for ethical research and scholarship.

3: Expectations related to Teams and Relationships 

Effective teamwork and scholarly collaboration depend on all stakeholders establishing clear expectations and timelines, open communication, and proactively addressing potential conflicts with defined resolution strategies. Trust and open communication create a safe environment for academic risk-taking and collaboration, while strong social connections foster belonging and work satisfaction.

Graduate Students

• Contribute to a collaborative and productive working environment.
• Establish open communications about progress and tasks and any potential obstacles
• Set timelines for when goals are to be accomplished.
• Develop connectedness with instructors, research group, field, and mentors.
• Handle interpersonal conflicts professionally and bring egregious misconduct to the attention of immediate supervisors and/or program and department leadership, as appropriate.
• Communicate collaborative and authorship expectations prior to beginning a collaboration, while acknowledging that flexibility is required when outcomes and publication timelines are fluid.
• Acknowledge contributions of others to work.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Foster a collaborative and productive working environment.
• Clearly communicate when commentary, feedback, and additional support will be provided.
• Ensure graduate students have dedicated time and accessible avenues to voice concerns related to their academic progress.
• Collaboratively establish goals for when products are to be delivered and provide guidance in accomplishing goals.
• Ensure transparency with students regarding collaborative work by clearly defining the expected workload, how credit will be distributed, and the nature of individual versus group contributions.
• Bring conflicts to the attention of departmental leadership as appropriate, and follow guidelines established by the department/unit for handling grievances which require elevating beyond the department.
• Point students toward departmental and graduate school resources should they express dissatisfaction with other attempts at dispute resolution or other personal issues that may interfere with progress.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Communicate clear expectations for collaborative work and dispute resolution procedures.
• Allow graduate students fair and equitable times and places to air grievances that pertain to their pursuit of their graduate degree.
• Establish transparent protocols for how serious grievances will be handled including a chain of reporting which includes, as appropriate to the situation, department leadership, the Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, Office for Institutional Equity, and/or Duke’s Ombuds Office.

The Graduate School

• Enables productive conversations and policies that reduce barriers and generate resolution to conflicts between graduate students, faculty, and department/units
• Advertises centrally housed workshops and fora on best practices in collaborative work through RCR and other programming.

4: Expectations related to Giving and Taking Feedback

Giving and receiving feedback (including critical feedback) constructively is a necessary skill for success in graduate education. All partners in graduate education bear responsibility to offer constructive, timely feedback, and respond to feedback—both positive and critical—with openness, professionalism, and a commitment to improvement.

Graduate Students

• Actively solicit, engage with, and respond to feedback thoughtfully, openly, and professionally, even when feedback is critical. Allow faculty and advisors a reasonable timeframe within which to provide feedback.
• Offer constructive feedback to their faculty advisors, staff support, the Graduate Program/Unit, and the Duke Graduate School.
• Seek training opportunities to effectively communicate, deliver, and receive both supportive and critical feedback.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Provide timely, clear, candid, and actionable feedback on milestones, coursework, research progress, and professional development.

• Provide feedback constructively and transparently, including critical assessments, recognizing power dynamics and fostering a safe environment for productive dialogue.
• Participate in mentor training to enhance skills in providing and managing critical and supportive, fair and equitable feedback.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Articulate to both faculty and students clear and comprehensive expectations regarding when milestone feedback should occur and what form it should take.

• Provide avenues for constructive feedback to be articulated and received, bearing in mind power differentials between mentors and mentees.
• Ensure that feedback processes remain reasonably consistent, fair, and equitable across departmental contexts.
• Listen carefully to appropriately relayed feedback from students, consider it thoughtfully, and discuss it, as appropriate, among departmental faculty, staff, and students.

The Graduate School

• Solicits and carefully consider feedback from students, faculty, and programs formally and informally.
• Uses survey data (e.g., Duke Climate Surveys) to critically assess areas for improvement and take action.
• Works with ECGF to solicit feedback from graduate faculty and, where appropriate, treats ECGF as partners in decision making.

5: Expectations related to Professional Development (within and beyond academia) 

Professional development is essential for academic success and for equipping students with transferable skills. A collaborative approach ensures that students receive the mentorship, resources, and opportunities needed to navigate an evolving job market. Faculty guidance and departmental initiatives help demystify career options and balance progress to degree with professional development, while institutional support, such as funding and networking opportunities, removes barriers to participation. 

Graduate Students

• Proactively seek mentorship and career advice from faculty, alumni, and professionals in relevant fields.
• Together with their DGS/advisor/committee develop a plan for professional development (e.g., an Individual Development Plan (IDP)) and revisit it annually to track progress and adapt goals.
• Participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences to enhance academic and professional skills.
• Pursue internship, teaching, or research opportunities that align with career goals, both within and beyond academia.
• Engage in networking through professional organizations, alumni groups, and online platforms.
• Take initiative in exploring various career paths by attending panels, career fairs, and informational interviews.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Offer guidance and support for students’ evolving career aspirations.
• Regularly discuss career goals and opportunities with students, including non-academic pathways.
• Encourage and support students’ participation in professional development activities, such as conferences and skill-building workshops.
• Connect students with professional networks, including alumni and industry contacts.
• Provide constructive feedback on students’ academic and pertinent professional materials, such as CVs, cover letters, and grant applications.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Integrate professional development into the curriculum (e.g., panels, workshops, alumni talks).

• Promote awareness of diverse career paths by showcasing alumni working in various sectors; where applicable, encourage mentorship pairing with alumni and other external mentors

• Facilitate student access to interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities, professional networks, career counseling, and funding databases

• Provide administrative support for professional development events and resources for career development, including job boards and skills training.

• Help track students’ participation in professional development activities to ensure equitable access and engagement.

The Graduate School

• Offers centralized professional development programming, including skill-building workshops, career exploration panels, and networking events.
• identify funding opportunities for students to pursue internships, conference travel, and other professional growth activities.
• Supports faculty development programs that equip advisors to mentor students in career exploration.
• Regularly assesses professional development offerings and solicit feedback from students and faculty to ensure programming meets evolving needs.

6: Expectations related to Milestones and Time to Degree

While recognizing the inherent unpredictability of research timelines, a clear and achievable academic timeline empowers mentees to complete their degrees on schedule, actively engage in development opportunities, and maintain their well-being.

Graduate Students

• Work with mentors to develop an individualized milestone and degree completion timeline that meets expectations of the program, including composition and management of committees and timing of preliminary exam, committee meetings, and thesis completion.
• Inform mentors of progress, challenges, and questions with projects and milestones. Seek ongoing feedback, revisit milestone progress regularly, and work with mentors to amend timelines if necessary.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Work with mentees on an individualized milestone and degree completion plan that reflects university and program-specific requirements, including composition and management of committees and timing of preliminary exam, committee meetings, and thesis completion.
• Provide regular respectful, supportive, and constructive feedback to mentees when assessing their progress toward milestone completion (e.g., feedback on exams, suggested revisions for the dissertation), including advice for getting on track when progress is not satisfactory and clear communication of consequences for the lack of satisfactory progress.
• When students are not making satisfactory progress, work with the DGS and the degree program to create and communicate a plan for helping the student to get back on track.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Provide written expectations for the timing and structure of milestone events.
• When a student is not making satisfactory progress, create and maintain documentation and communicate this to the Graduate School in annual reports.
• When a student is not making satisfactory progress, work with the DGS, graduate advisors, and advisory committees to create and communicate a plan for helping that student to get back on track.

The Graduate School

• Provides written expectations for the timing and structure of milestone events.
• Solicits and collect annual reports on student progress from advisors and program managers/DGSs.
• Works with individual graduate faculty and programs to address concerns over individual students.
• Works with graduate faculty and program leadership to establish criteria for exceptions to stated policies for academic milestones and progress to degree and channels for pursuing such exceptions.

7: Expectations related to Health and Wellbeing

Graduate education is a period of intellectual growth, discovery, and professional development that also brings natural transitions and challenges. Maintaining physical and mental wellbeing is fundamental to thriving academically and making the most of this educational experience. All stakeholders in graduate education share responsibility for creating a supportive environment where students can pursue academic excellence while developing sustainable practices for holistic wellness and life balance.

Graduate Students

• Work to understand their own needs in terms of physical and mental well-being, including work-life balance and coping with stress. 
• Seek help, as needed, from faculty mentors, Graduate Program leadership, Graduate School staff, health care providers, counselors, trainings and/or workshops.
• Communicate with appropriate university resources about well-being concerns for themselves and for peers, which may include faculty advisors, staff, counseling services, or other support systems depending on the situation.

Graduate Faculty and Advisory Committees

• Be alert to signs of stress amongst mentees, particularly changes over time, and formally inquire about students’ well-being on a regular basis.
• Engage in training on how faculty can support individual students who face cultural and individual challenges including but not limited to mental health challenges.
• Provide perspectives on how to navigate the stresses of graduate school based on their own experiences, including strategies that they found helpful.
• Be aware of professional health resources available at Duke and refer students to those resources when the student’s need requires additional resources.

Graduate Department/Degree Program

• Create a welcoming environment that provides programming to foster community and reduce isolation, and where students feel comfortable discussing concerns and can learn resilience-related skills.
• Maintain and appropriately train staff (e.g., a DGSA) who can be available to point students toward resources, enable requests for leaves of absence, and follow-up with students individually.
• Minimize uncertainty-related stress by providing clear expectations and ensure that milestones and requirements are designed with student well-being in mind.
• Regularly review program climate and culture to identify areas for improvement.

The Graduate School

• Provides centralized training for faculty and staff to include recognizing signs of distress and making appropriate mental health assistance referrals.
• Provides central resources and support for mental and physical wellbeing tailored to graduate student needs, including counseling services, health insurance, and wellness programs.
• Offers programs that build community and reduce isolation among graduate students
• Establishes and communicates clear policies around leaves of absence, accommodations, and extensions for health-related concerns.
• Ensures that graduate programs consider student well-being in their program requirements and timelines.
• Collects, analyzes, and communicates data related to graduate student well-being to inform policies and programming.

Written and approved by the Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty, Spring 2025.