All students are required to complete the academic orientation and must register for the Orientation Seminar course:

Course Number (Fall 2025): ADMN-6700-01//CRN 72907

Credits: 0 
Grading: S/U

At the start of the Fall 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.

In addition to the online component, we will have a welcome event, campus tour, and a resource fair on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Information on this event will be sent to all students later in the summer.

Orientation Key Topics (with links to relevant documents): 

• Setting up your campus accounts
• Registering for courses
• Health requirements, insurance, and campus health/counseling services
• Percipio Orientation Journey:
  • Academic Integrity at Rensselaer-Graduate Student Edition
  • Managing Your Time So It Doesn’t Manage You
  • At-Risk Mental Health for Students (note: this module might not open properly on Safari)
  • Building Shared Understanding across Cultural Divides
  • Conveying Your Message without Words
• Responsible conduct of research (CITI)
• TA Training (will be posted in the LMS in August)
  • Review the TA Handbook
  • Role and Responsibilities as a TA
  • Effective classroom management

For international graduate assistants (Fall 2025): 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.