Office hours
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Mass Communications 122 and 123A.
Germaine Alarcon, Administrative Assistant for Faculty Research Committee and Office of Graduate Studies is in MC 122. Contact information is listed below.
Angel Benavidez, Graduate Records and Centers Coordinator is at Felix Martinez Room 125, inside the Office of the Registrar. Contact information is listed below.
Cathryn Brooks, Graduate Affairs Coordinator, is working remotely. She can be reached at cmbrooks@nmhu.edu or 505-454-3266.
You may also reach the staff at Graduate Studies at Graduate@nmhu.edu.
Any inquiries about the process of applying for admission or any questions regarding admissions should be directed to the Admissions Team at admissions@nmhu.edu.
If you have questions relating to your immigration status, please contact the International Education Center at international_ed@nmhu.edu.
What we do
The Office of Graduate Studies oversees the New Mexico Graduate Scholarship and the NMHU Graduate Assistantship allocations, which includes the applications for the scholarship and graduate assistantship requests from departments. We also process and approve all documents for graduate students. Finally, we respond to student inquiries, facilitate and connect graduate students to NMHU resources, and liaise with graduate program coordinators and other departments.
We also manage the Graduate Bridges to Success program, found in Brightspace, part of our learning management system. This is a centralized space for graduate students, graduate program coordinators, and graduate faculty advisors to find information, including tasks required by semester. Students may find the checklists and the My Files folder useful to help them stay on track as they navigate through their degree programs.
Services we offer
For students: Graduate assistantships
(Discuss with your graduate program coordinator or department chair.)
New Mexico Graduate scholarships (Applications taken in March for the following academic year)
Processing and approving graduate student documents
Monitoring and updating Graduate Bridges to Success Organizing Graduate Assistant Orientation
For faculty: Reviewing and approving graduate documents
Graduate programs
Graduate programs overview and links
Graduate Catalog (Web version)
FAQs for current students
Q: Is there a graduate student handbook?
A: Yes. It can be found here: Graduate Student Handbook
Q: What is Graduate Bridges to Success?
A: Graduate Bridges to Success is a centralized location to help graduate students from admissions to graduation. Graduate students can find Bridges inside their Brightspace platform. Inside this shell, students will be able to find required documents, checklists with deadlines, explanations, and a documents folder that students can store their own copies.
Q: I started my graduate degree and then stopped. What is the process needed to get back into my degree program?
A: Call or email Cathryn Brooks. She will assist you after asking a few questions.
cmbrooks@nmhu.edu
Phone: 505-454-3266
Q: Why do I need my student or Banner ID? Isn’t my name enough?
A: The student or Banner ID is your unique digital fingerprint that allows us to look inside your records to best help you. If you don’t remember it, we can also use your date of birth.
Q: I cannot use my NMHU email or password. Whom do I contact?
A: Contact the ITS Help Desk at 505-426-2215 or ITSHelpDesk@nmhu.edu.
Q: I want to apply for the graduate scholarship. When will the application be available?
A: The application for the NMHU graduate scholarship is available in March of every year for the following academic year.
Q: I am interested in a graduate assistantship. How do I get one?
A: Each department has a limited number of GA positions, so contact your department chair or program coordinator and let him or her know you are interested in applying for a graduate assistantship.
Q: How do I find out who my advisor is?
A: Please contact your graduate program coordinator or department chair.
Q: I transferred in from another university. Can I use the credits from that institution toward my degree here at Highlands?
A: Your department chair or graduate program coordinator will need to submit a Graduate Transfer of Credit to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Q: Are there graduate scholarship opportunities?
A: Foundation Scholarships for NMHU-admitted students can be found at https://nmhuscholarships.awardspring.com/
Foundation Scholarships for prospective students can be found at https://nmhuscholarships.awardspring.com/prospective/signin
Q: What is the Graduate Assistantship and how do I apply for one?
A: The Graduate Assistantship, also known as a GAShip, is an NMHU program that allows students to work while studying. Most applicants are awarded based on academic merit, program availability, and program needs. Awardees may be offered a full, three-quarter, half, or quarter graduate assistantship. Each comes with specific monetary stipends and tuition waivers, depending on the needs and number of positions of your department. Applications are taken in April for the following fall semester and in October for the following spring semester. Please seek your graduate program coordinator or department chair to learn more.
Q: What is the New Mexico Graduate Scholarship and how do I apply for one?
A: The New Mexico Graduate Scholarship is a working scholarship. Applications are sent to graduate program coordinators and department chairs in March of every year for the following academic year. Priority will be given to New Mexican residents who are from groups with the most severe under-representation and to students with the greatest financial need. Students must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States. It pays $7200 per academic year plus tuition for six (6) credit hours per semester.
Awardees agree to the following:
- To serve in an UNPAID internship for 10 hours each week of the contract period.
- To be in a PAID graduate assistantship for 10 hours each week of the contract period.
- To remain in good academic standing as per university policy, and
- Enroll as a full-time graduate student as per the Graduate Scholarship Act (21-21G MNSA 1978).
Applications are taken in March of every year for the following academic year.