Support for Brock students doesn’t stop at the undergraduate level. Students pursuing graduate studies have access to a number of resources to help make the transition into graduate school smoother and prepare them for any challenges that might come their way.
As incoming graduate students know best, having a degree doesn’t make going back to school any easier. Sure, you’ve mastered your undergraduate years; you’ve already gone through the struggle of many course registrations, timetable mishaps and finding a schedule that works for you. However, graduate studies bring a host of new experiences — many of which can evoke the all-too-familiar anxiety of starting university all over again.
Luckily, Brock offers countless supports and opportunities for graduate students to find stable footing in this new terrain. Here’s a glimpse into the resources the university provides to ensure graduate students maintain stability during their time at Brock.
Graduate Students’ Association supports
The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) is a non-profit organization that advocates for students pursuing graduate studies at Brock. If you are enrolled in a graduate program at Brock — whether you are a full-time or part-time student — you are automatically a member of the GSA, meaning that you have access to their resources, events and supports.
Similar to the Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU), the GSA organizes food security programs, Niagara Regional Transit pass access and connects students with clubs.
The GSA also organizes events for graduate students looking to de-stress and have fun throughout the year. To kick off the school year, the GSA is hosting a sound bath event on Sept. 9 to help reset your nervous system during orientation week. On Sept. 10, the association is hosting a tie-dye social for students to meet their peers and indulge their creativity. Graduate students can register for both events through the ExperienceBU website.
To keep up with Brock GSA’s events and initiatives throughout the school year, students can visit their website.
Academic writing resources
Brock’s department of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs also provides supports for graduate students looking to sharpen their writing skills as they adjust to graduate-level academic writing.
With the help of their Graduate Academic Support Specialist, Brock offers several accessible writing resources. The university offers one-on-one sessions both in-person or online to tackle one’s areas of concern with their writing, or to help them prepare scholarship applications. Students are limited to two sessions per term for writing assistance, and one session per term for help with scholarship applications. For more information on booking sessions, reach out to Learning Services via email at learning@brocku.ca.
Students can access further one-on-one support during Learning Service’s weekly drop-in sessions, which also occur in-person and online. These sessions range from 20-30 minutes based on the number of students seeking assistance, and operate on a first come, first served basis. More information about the drop-in times and locations can be found on ExperienceBU.
As for group supports, Brock’s Learning Services team offers request-based workshops on topics relevant to graduate studies development. Faculty members can request workshops based on the needs of their students, with workshops requiring five attendees to run.
More information on one-on-one sessions, drop-in writing support and writing workshops can be found on Brock’s website.
Awards and scholarship opportunities
Brock offers opportunities for both internal and external award and scholarship opportunities on top of graduate funding.
On Brock’s website, graduate students can find a list of scholarships and awards, which they can filter to their department to find those relevant to their studies. Applications for internal awards can be found in the Brock student portal.
For a list of external, research-based awards and scholarships, students can visit Brock’s website. The list includes links to each external award and more information on application requirements and deadlines.
—
Beginning graduate studies is an adjustment, but Brock offers countless supports to help students adapt and ensure they can give their full attention to their education.