Office of Graduate Affairs

Pre-Orientation Resources

A view of the Boston skyline with the Skyline Commons residence in the foreground. A banner with a blue background reads "Introduction to Brandeis and the Waltham Area" in white letters.

Dear Students,

Welcome to Brandeis!

We have online resources that can help you prepare for your time at Brandeis prior to arrival. Please log in to Moodle Communities using your Brandeis username (the first part of your Brandeis email address) and password. There are eleven mini-courses available under the title “Graduate Student Resources and Information;” each will open on a weekly schedule throughout the summer and then remain open and available during your time at Brandeis. Many of these courses will be supplemented by a synchronous virtual question and answer (Q&A) session, usually on the Thursday following the courses’ opening date. Please make sure that you go through the course before attending these sessions, as they are an opportunity for you to ask questions!

1st Opening June 2

Renting in the Boston Metro Area (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

  1. Information and registration for our virtual Housing Clinics and Housemates Speed Meetings can be found on our website.
2nd Opening June 9

Transitioning to Graduate School in the Boston Metro Area (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

  1. June 12, 10 a.m. EST: Transitioning to Graduate School in the Boston Metro Area (synchronous Q&A)
  2. Registration link will be posted shortly.
2nd Opening June 9

Brandeis Founding Values & History (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

3rd Opening June 16

International Student Support & Resources (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

  1. June 18, 10 a.m. EST: International Student Support & Resources (synchronous Q&A)
  2. Registration link will be posted shortly.
4th Opening June 23

Graduate Student Life: Support & Resource (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

  1. June 26, 10 a.m. EST: Graduate Student Life: Support & Resources (synchronous Q&A)
  2. Registration link will be posted shortly.
5th Opening July 7
  • Information Security Basics (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)
  • Creating a Budget (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)
    1. July 10, 10 a.m. EST: Creating a Budget (synchronous Q&A)
    2. Registration link will be posted shortly.
6th Opening July 15

The Registrar’s Office & Student Employment (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

7th Opening July 22

Academic Support & Resources ((asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

  1. July 24, 10 a.m. EST: Academic Support & Resources (synchronous Q&A)
  2. Registration link will be posted shortly.
8th Opening July 28

Creating a Culture of Care & Respect (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

10th Opening August 11

Putting It All Together (asynchronous virtual Moodle Communities course)

These resources will remain on your Moodle Communities homepage for at least two years. We understand that all this information can be overwhelming right at the beginning of your career in graduate school; it may help to know that you can return to this information again in the future.

We look forward to meeting you in August!