Areas of Support

Our office provides 30 or 60 minute individual consultations for students who are currently applying to Arts and Humanities graduate programs. We discuss application strategies customized to your situation, how to write an effective statement of purpose and personal statement, what funding opportunities to pursue, and how to reach out to get effective letters of recommendation. For students who are first generation or historically underrepresented, we help demystify the graduate application process, suggest how to best talk about your research in your statements, and how to address uneven blips in your transcript. To schedule an initial consultation, please click here.

Our office is here to support your success in your graduate program. For new graduate students, we are here to advise you on diversity-oriented resources that can make your transition into Berkeley’s academic community a smoother one. We routinely share information with you about new fellowships, professional development opportunities, and mentoring programs. We can also help you strategize as you plan your entry into the academic job market or other employment opportunities available to doctoral students. Finally, we also connect you to your fellow A & H graduate student colleagues through a variety of group events meant to cultivate a larger sense of community.

The Arts and Humanities Diversity Director’s Office is available to assist all A & H departments during the fall admissions season to help admissions committees maximize their inclusive practices during their application review process. We work with each department in identifying best practices that can help them with the recruitment of historically underrepresented and first-generation students. We also act as a liaison between individual departments, the Graduate Division, and the Arts and Humanities Dean’s Office.

 To address current dynamics in the department, our office also assists departments by providing consultations on inclusive best practices, contacts to diversity resources on and off campus, and strategizing for promoting a positive climate among members of the departmental community.

Our office facilitates on-line workshops and presentations for on and off campus student groups focusing on writing the statement of purpose, choosing an effective writing sample, pursuing financial support for grad school, and developing customized academic strategies for increasing productivity. To request a workshop or presentation please contact our office ahead of time so that we can discuss your needs.

As an active member of Berkeley’s diversity professionals network our office regularly collaborates with partners across the university on a variety of initiatives supporting A & H graduate students.

 We are also the home for Berkeley’s Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF) and a Creating Connections Consortium (C3) founding member.