Strong graduate programs are built on clear expectations, well-prepared supervisors, and students who feel supported from day one. These resources are here so your program, your faculty, and your students have what they need and know where to turn.
Handbooks
For Grad Supervisors
- The Graduate Supervision Handbook (pdf) equips supervisors with practical guidance, relational strategies, and thoughtful tools and policies to cultivate respectful, collaborative, and enriching supervision experiences.
For Grad Students
- The Graduate Supervision Student Handbook (pdf) equips graduate students with practical guidance, strategies, and tools for respectful and collaborative supervision experiences.
Now Available for Supervisors on YU Learn
The Graduate Supervision Journey is a 5-module professional development course for graduate supervisors. These modules support you at every stage of your supervisory practice, whether you're new to supervision or building on years of experience. They're designed to help you develop and strengthen respectful supervisory practices that enable graduate students to thrive.
In this course, participants will cover:
- Becoming a Supervisor and Building Foundations
- Growing Your Practice and Guiding Progress
- Supporting Students and Navigating Challenges
- Supervising to Completion and Supporting Next Steps
- Sustaining Your Journey and Supporting Wellbeing
Preparing for Graduate Supervision: What Grad Students Should Know
- Graduate Supervision: What It Is, Your Key Role, Tools to Get You Started (docx) shares key information and QR codes linking new graduate students to relevant resources.
- Graduate Supervision and the Student Role (pptx) gives you a ready-to-present slide deck for new graduate student orientations.
- The Strong Start to Supervision Checklist (.pdf) from FGS aims to facilitate a strong start to the supervisory relationship through clarification and discussion.
Conflict in Graduate Supervision
Relationship is central to the health and well-being of graduate supervision. Students, supervisors, and committee members share responsibility for healthy relationship building, but often turn to Graduate Program Directors (GPDs) when challenges arise. When a conflict resists immediate resolution, the student and/or supervisor may approach the GPD for advice. While not obligated, the GPD may recommend a course of action to restore the supervisory relationship.
FGS, in partnership with CHREI, has established Common Ground (pdf), a confidential consultation service for graduate supervisors and GPDs, delivered by the Workplace Restoration team. It offers early, neutral, and non-evaluative support to help supervisors address relational challenges before they escalate. Learn more and book a consultation.