Virginia Tech has prioritized graduate education and scholarship as central to its academic mission and strategic goals. As such, the mission of the Virginia Tech Graduate School is to enhance the preparation and better equip its graduate students with knowledge and skills for meaningful and relevant contributions as citizens in the 21st century society. The Graduate School is committed to providing a rich learning environment that attracts and retains outstanding graduate students to work closely with outstanding faculty. Together, the faculty and graduate students will advance knowledge and scholarship that enables us to address the complex issues of today´s society and tomorrow´s future. A 21st century university must encourage and embrace interdisciplinary education and scholarship, sustaining master´s programs and professional development opportunities and enhancing the preparation of the next PhD generation of scholars, scientists, professionals and the future professoriate. This approach is coordinated through the innovative initiative entitled Transformative Graduate Education (TGE). TGE is a signature program that provides opportunities for doctoral and master´s students to explore the connections between their roles and responsibilities as faculty members and professional practitioners, their pedagogical approaches and construction of teaching and learning paradigms, and their development of research-in-practice as citizen-scholars. In addition, TGE, integrates a critically engaged understanding and use of technology throughout the process. Another unique feature of graduate education at Virginia Tech is the establishment of the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown. The Graduate Life Center (GLC) provides an intellectually stimulating and rich learning environment that builds a strong graduate community, as well as the physical space and institutional place for 21st century graduate education. Building Graduate Community: Expectations for Graduate Education at Virginia Tech documents our commitment to enhancing the graduate education experience at Virginia Tech. The goal of the Graduate School is to provide quality graduate education in the context of a progressive and vibrant academic community.

The mission of the Virginia Tech Graduate School is to advance graduate education as a critical component in the transmission of new knowledge, new research, new ideas, and new scholarship in the university. The Graduate School is committed to providing a rich learning environment that attracts and retains outstanding graduate students. They work closely with outstanding faculty to advance knowledge and understanding that enables us to address the complex issues of today´s society and tomorrow´s future. Our viability as a top research university depends upon our ability to prioritize graduate education and research as central to the academic mission of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.