About OGPS
The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) is the service and support office for all masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral students in the School of Liberal Arts, School of Science and Engineering, School of Medicine - Biomedical Sciences, as well as doctoral students in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. OGPS advances graduate education and enhances graduate training through programmatic oversight, policy development, and the implementation of career and academic workshops.
Meet The Team
Meet Our Team
Michael Cunningham, PhD
Associate Provost for Graduate Studies & Research
Email: mcunnin1@tulane.edu
Phone: (504) 862-3308
Michael oversees graduate and professional studies academic issues, formulates research policies, and liaises with multiple schools including Science and Engineering, Social Work, Business, Law, and Professional Advancement.
Jennifer O'Brien-Brown, MBA
Assistant Director, OGPS
Email: jobrien2@tulane.edu
Phone: (504) 247-1213
Jennifer oversees OGPS under Associate Provost Cunningham. She manages graduate and postdoctoral studies, advises the Graduate Studies Student Association, and coordinates office communications and events.
Ryan Stivers
Senior Academic & Career Advisor, OGPS
Email: rstivers@tulane.edu
Phone: (504) 247-1213
Ryan leads career services for over 1,300 graduate students and 100+ postdocs, designing and managing systems, workshops, career coaching, and managing data outcomes for graduate students.
Lauren Lukkarila, PhD
Senior Professor of Practice, Humanities & Social Sciences
Email: llukkarila@tulane.edu
Lauren develops programs to improve academic skills for graduate students, especially international and remote learners, helping them overcome unique challenges in academic communication.
Nha Nguyen
Administrative Program Coordinator, OGPS
Email: nnguyen14@tulane.edu
Nha manages OGPS events and communications, ensuring smooth coordination of initiatives for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies serves all masters, doctoral, and postdoctoral students in the School of Liberal Arts, School of Science and Engineering, School of Medicine - Biomedical Sciences, as well as doctoral students in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Tulane University also offers research-oriented graduate programs in the Schools of Architecture, Business, Law, Medicine, and Social Work. The School of Professional Advancement, the continuing education division of the university, sponsors a Master of Liberal Arts and a Master of Professional Studies. OGPS does not provide any programmatic oversight to these programs.
You can browse the available graduate programs using this search tool.
Every year, OGPS hosts a myriad of in-person and virtual events to engage student populations. From the internationally competitive Three-Minute Thesis to headshot opportunities to productivity sessions, there's something for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about the various events OGPS hosts, please visit our Event page.
OGPS publishes a monthly newsletter with updates on workshops, events, and opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. If you would like to receive the newsletter via email, please register here.
Graduate work was first offered at Tulane in 1883-84. Four students received Master of Arts degrees in 1885, and the first Doctor of Philosophy was conferred in 1887. In the ensuing years, graduate program offerings continued to develop under several different names and forms of administration. In 1925, the Faculty of Graduate Studies became the Graduate School. With the renewal of the university in 2006, all graduate program administration returned to the respective schools, and the Graduate School was closed. Today, graduate studies are administered by the deans of the schools. At the departmental level, the graduate chair is responsible for the administration of graduate affairs. The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) opened in 2012.
If you have questions related to admissions or funding, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page. If the questions you have is not answered, you can reach out to the office via email at ogps@tulane.edu.
