Graduate Survival Guide
Getting Started and Finding Your Way Around
Responsible Conduct of Research
All participants in research are required to complete the Responsible Conduct of Research Training. Graduate students are to file a copy of their training certificate with the Center for Graduate Studies.
Visit your department office
We encourage you to stop by your department first, so they know you have arrived in Socorro and can get you started. Your department secretary will help you get keys for your office, building, and labs, and direct you to your department mailbox. This office is usually a place where you can find answers when you need help. The CGS is also a great resource for all things related to graduate students.
Visit The Center for Graduate Studies
The Center for Graduate Studies (CGS) is located on the second floor of the Fidel Student Center, across from the Registrar’s Office.
If you will be working in a paid position on campus (as a TA or RA or hourly student employee):
RA/TA/GA Contracts: Contracts are initiated by your supervisor/department admin. Once initiated, they are processed and signed electronically by all parties, including the student, via Dynamic Forms.
Assistantships are processed using a contract between NMT and the student. Your contract must be signed by all required parties before starting work.
I-9 Form: You will be contacted by someone from the Budget & Analysis office when they are ready for you to go to their office to complete the I-9 form. Budget & Analysis is located in Brown Hall, Room 100. The I-9 form is completed once and is valid for your whole career at NMT. Present original versions of documentation to prove your identity and work eligibility. The full list of acceptable documents .You may choose which documents to present. Frequently provided documents are:
- US citizens: photo ID and social security card OR Passport
- International Students: passport, I-20 form, and I-94 admission number
International Students must also obtain a social security number, which is used in NMT's payroll system and the government's income taxation process. Visit the International Programs office for their instruction sheet on how to obtain a social security number. You do not need to have a social security number before starting work, but it should be obtained in a timely manner.
Paydays are biweekly. In order to receive a paycheck on the first payday, your contract must be processed at least 7 business days prior to payday.
If you have a TA/RA contract or another campus job, you have two options for payment:
- Pick up your check at the cashier’s window (Fidel, second floor).
- Have your paycheck deposited directly into your bank account. If you choose to have your check direct-deposited, you must fill out a form at the Payroll Office (Wells Hall, Rm. 113, second floor). You will need to attach a voided check to the form.
Audits: Students on contract (or not) may audit one course (normally at most three credits). Audited courses do not earn credit and may not be used toward any degree.
When you first arrive at NMT, immediately take your documents (including proof of health insurance) to the International Coordinator (Fidel, Rm. 268, Michael Voegerl).
If you want to work on campus, in addition to completing an I-9 form (see above), you will also need to obtain a social security number.
Your Academic Advisor will advise you on the best courses to take. He/she will guide you through the requirements for your degree and approve your semester by semester registrations. After you complete your first semester, he/she will give you your alternate pin # that you will use to register online for courses (see registration process below).
NMT has moved to online registration; however, first-time students will have to register in person at the Registrar’s Office (Fidel Student Center, second floor across from the Center for Graduate Studies (CGS) office) on or before the first day of classes. Present your registration form, signed by your advisor, the CGS, and International Office (International students only, Fidel Student Center, Rm. 268, Michael Voegerl), to the Registrar’s Office. You will receive late fees if you register after classes have begun.
Each semester’s class schedule and the course catalog are available online: https://banweb7.nmt.edu/
These are obtained in the Registrar’s office (Fidel Student Center, second floor). You can get this when you register. Your ID card is used to check out books from the library, to check out equipment from the gym, to check out software manuals from the computer center, and as proof that you are a student at NMT (including for discounts at many local businesses).
It is crucial that you have a NMT computer/email account. Announcements related to classes, degree progress, scholarships, and job opportunities are increasingly communicated via email, and you are responsible for reading them. Once you set up the account, you can forward emails to your personal email if you wish to do so. To set up your campus computer/email account, please go to the Tech Information Technology Center (ITC) in Speare 5.
If you have a computer at home and would like to be able to access the TCC computers, you will be charged a monthly fee. The ITC web page includes instructions on how to access NMT restricted pages from off campus as if you were physically located on campus (i.e., using NMT's VPN).
Full Time Status: To be a full-time graduate student, you must enroll in and satisfactorily complete 9-12 credit hours of upper division courses towards your degree per semester (12 credits if you have an assistantship). First-year students typically take three classes and fill the remainder of the 12 credit hours with directed research or seminar. If you do not have an assistantship, you may register for and complete as few as 9 credit hours of academic classes; however, tuition and fees are the same for 9-12 credit hours.
Registering for lower-level classes: If you must register for a 100 or 200-level class, you will need to fill out a special form. These classes cannot be used as credit toward your degree, but you may need them as prerequisites for other classes or as deficiencies. You may get the form online or from the Center for Graduate Studies.
13th Credit classes: Full-time students can register for a 13th credit that is recreational (physical recreation, health and wellness, etc.) without extra charges. Such courses do NOT count toward full time enrollment (either with or without a contract).
Health Care Center
Access to the Student Health Center is provided by fees paid by all full-time students. Part-time students and dependents of students may be covered with payment of an additional fee. The New Mexico Tech health center is open to students five days per week while school is in session. The health center is located in the Fidel Student Center (Building #14). The health center is staffed by a nurse practitioner and an RN, and provides primary care free of charge, except for costs incurred for laboratory analysis. They will refer you to a specialist or another doctor if necessary.
Graduate Student Orientation: New graduate students starting in the fall semester are required to attend the Graduate Student Orientation, hosted by the Center for Graduate Studies, on the first Monday evening of classes.
Graduate Student Guide: All graduate students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the Student Handbook and the Graduate Student Guide contained therein, available online at:
Program Requirements: Students should also read their department’s requirements for a graduate degree in the current catalog, available online (via banweb7.nmt.edu)
Teaching Assistant Orientation: All students who have a teaching assistantship and who have not fully participated in the annual teaching assistant orientation within the last three academic years are required to participate in orientation the week preceding commencement of fall classes. Contact CGS for details.
You are responsible for knowing the requirements of your graduate degree and program. They are found in the catalog that you were admitted under. Please see the catalogs page for the correct catalog and read pages on graduate school and your program.
You are responsible for knowing the material in the student handbook. Pay particular attention to the sections on Responsible Conduct and Graduate Students. Please see the catalogs page for the Student Handbook and read pages on the above material.
Teaching Assistant Training: New teaching assistants starting in the fall semester are required to attend the teaching training, hosted by the Center for Graduate Studies (CGS). Training dates and times are sent out by CGS via email to the TAs and the departments. Departments are responsible for sharing their list of TAs with CGS. TAs who miss the training or begin in spring are required to watch the training videos and have a discussion with the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The majority of programs require that students have a graduate committee. Regular
(tenure track) faculty members from your department may
not be in the minority. These are the people responsible for judging your knowledge
in your discipline and the quality of your research. Your research will only be accepted
after their approval. Please see the catalogs page. The sooner you can get an academic advisor and graduate committee the sooner you
can get started and ultimately finish in a timely manner.
To ensure that you finish your degree in a timely manner please make sure you follow all the requirements/recommendations available here