Candidacy Specialist

Who is Saint Louis University? Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic universities. SLU, which also has a campus in Madrid, Spain, is recognized for world-class academics, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service.

JOB SUMMARY

The Graduate Education Candidacy Specialist supports graduate students, faculty, staff, and associate deans/directors across schools, colleges, and centers by administering academic policies and procedures related to the completion of graduate degrees. The Specialist ensures accurate and timely degree progress, maintains university academic standards, and provides comprehensive administrative support for graduate education processes and policy development.

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Academic Progression and Degree Completion: Conducts degree audits for doctoral and master’s students to ensure fulfillment of university requirements; reviews theses and dissertations to ensure they meet university quality, formatting, and publication standards; compiles results for oral examinations and dissertation/thesis defenses and prepares all required documentation; advances eligible students to candidacy status and monitors continuous enrollment requirements; authorizes the release of diplomas for graduating students; notifies students, advisors, and program directors of programmatic deficiencies, transcript errors, or incomplete requirements; prepares ballots for oral examinations, theses, projects, and defenses, and communicates results to all relevant parties

• Policy Administration and Graduate Education Support: Evaluates petitions and academic changes submitted by graduate students and programs and ensures compliance with academic policies; provides background materials, benchmarking data, and analytical support for Graduate Academic Affairs Committee (GAAC) policy discussions; prepares the agenda for the Graduate Academic Affairs Committee, takes minutes, and stores GAAC documents; serves as a key member of the Graduate Education team, supporting office planning and continuous improvement initiatives; manages and maintains the official records of graduate faculty status, including appointments, renewals, and eligibility requirements

• Assessment: Designs, administers, and analyzes internal surveys of graduate students and graduate assistants to assess experiences, needs, and outcomes; compiles and synthesizes survey results and other data to support program evaluation and student learning outcomes in collaboration with institutional functions; prepares regular and ad hoc reports for the Associate Provost for Graduate Education; creates program-level reports to share with graduate program directors, faculty, and other stakeholders to support decision making and continuous improvement

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of MLA, APA, Turabian/Chicago, and journal styles specific to departments.

• Knowledge of research process and methods of evaluation

• Interpersonal/human relations skills

• Excellent proofreading and editing skills

• Demonstrated skill in collecting, managing, and analyzing data, including experience with survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics) and data visualization platforms.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse faculty and staff across multiple academic units.

• Excellent proofreading and editing skills

• Ability to think critically and interpret policy

• Ability to operate a PC and knowledge of various software programs

• Ability to prioritize and work independently with minimal supervision

• Ability to maintain confidentiality

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's Degree

• One or more years of related work experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctorate Degree

• Work experience in Higher Education

Function

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

Saint Louis University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for the position applied for without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, gender identity, or other non-merit factors. If accommodations are needed for completing the application and/or with the interviewing process, please contact Human Resources at 314-977-5847.