ABSTRACT
Despite representing over 14% of the total student enrollment in higher education in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 2008), relatively little is known about graduate and professional students when compared to undergraduate students and their engagement. We define graduate students as those students seeking post-baccalaureate degrees, including academic master’s degrees and research doctoral degrees, and professional students as those pursuing post-baccalaureate degrees in professional areas such as medicine and law (Council of Graduate Schools, 2004). These individuals represent a significant proportion of the student population on many university campuses and present higher education professionals with many opportunities for engagement. In this chapter, we discuss this diverse population of students, the issues they face in higher education institutions, theoretical perspectives for working with them, and practical strategies for engaging them on our campuses.
