Graduate Student Learning Support (GSLS)
Students who have been quite successful in the past may find themselves unable to handle some of the particular academic demands of graduate school. Graduate Student Learning Support (GSLS) is a program designed to assist students who are struggling with academic and learning issues and for whom content-based tutoring has been ineffective.
These issues can include difficulty in absorbing new material, completing academic work, or understanding reading materials; anxiety about quantitative skills, writing, or test taking; and reluctance to speak in class. Through strategic intervention, Graduate Student Learning Support is designed to help students overcome academic hurdles before they become insurmountable. GSLS provides graduate students with the opportunity to meet individually with a professional for consultation about academic and learning concerns. The consultation may result in:
- Assignment to a learning specialist who will help the student improve study skills or learning strategies and limited on-site psychological assessments
- Referral for a full neuropsychological evaluation
- Potential accommodations through our disability coordinator (with proper documentation)
Students who may benefit from these services can be referred to the Office for Student Affairs. Contact info: studentsupport@hsph.harvard.edu or call (617) 432-1036.
Assessment and evaluations are provided by a neuropsychologist with experience in the field. If students are referred internally to the GSLS program, they will work with a learning specialist.
Office hours/location: Flexible hours, as arranged between the student and the GSLS specialist. Location is typically within the Kresge building.
Graduate Student Learning Support is a cooperative program among the Business School, Graduate School of Design, Divinity School, Law School, and T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Supervision is provided through the University Health Services.
Content-based Tutoring
Students experiencing difficulty in a course should consult with the instructor and/or teaching assistant in that course and should make full use of the resources available, including labs, teaching assistant sessions and office hours, instructor office hours, and scheduled remedial sessions. Students considered by the instructor to be in academic difficulty in a course required for graduation may be able to arrange for a tutor.
The Office for Student Affairs can help support tutoring needs for students experiencing academic difficulty or challenges. This tutoring support is most often provided for core courses but students should not hesitate to contact Student Affairs about any academic issue in any course.
