All students are required to complete the academic orientation, which includes TA Training, and must register for the Orientation Seminar course:

Course Number (Spring 2026): ADMN-6700-01//CRN 35802

Credits: 0 
Grading: S/U

At the start of the Spring semester you will have access to the course through RPI's Learning Management System (LMS). On the LMS, you will be asked to confirm that you received and read all relevant information and upload any needed certificates (such as completion of the Responsible Conduct of Research training). However, you may begin working on the orientation requirement before the Fall semester, please follow the links below for instructions.

WELCOME EVENT

Please save the date for our orientation welcome lunch: January 7, 12-2pm, Heffner Alumni House

All incoming Masters and Ph.D. students are invited to join us for this lunch where we will share information and tips for your time at RPI.

TA TRAINING

The mandatory TA training for Spring admits will be online only. All materials will be included in the orientation LMS course. 

ORIENTATION KEY TOPICS (with links to relevant documents): 

• Setting up your campus accounts
• Registering for courses
• Health requirements, insurance, and campus health/counseling services
• Academic Integrity at Rensselaer-Graduate Student Edition
• Responsible conduct of research (CITI)

For international graduate assistants (Spring 2026): New international students may be required to complete COMM 1350: Effective Communication for Class Pedagogy, which is a language skill building course. Screening will be based on the standard testing scores (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo) submitted with your application.  Students who are required to take the course will be notified via email and asked to register for the course. There is a course fee of approximately $100 for software use.