Program Coordinator

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

Serve as Program Coordinator supporting both the graduate and undergraduate programs in the Department of Religious Studies. Provide direct administrative support to the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). The graduate portion of this role also supports the Graduate Program in Religion, a joint program between the Department of Religious Studies and the Duke Divinity School. Coordinate admissions, curriculum, student services, and academic program operations. Assist with program communications, student events, and departmental outreach efforts.

Worked Performed  

Graduate Program Administration (DGSA)

• Serve as the primary administrative contact for the Graduate Program in Religion (GPR) and the Religious Studies graduate program, providing support to current and prospective students, faculty, and administrators.
• Coordinate admissions processes for the GPR and Religious Studies graduate programs, including application management, candidate communication, faculty review coordination, recruitment visit organization, and support for student matriculation, including liaison with Visa Services.
• Monitor graduate student progress and degree milestones; assist students with registration, committee formation, examinations, dissertation defense scheduling, and degree certification for graduation in coordination with faculty, the Graduate School, and TGS.
• Administer compensatory and non-compensatory payroll actions for graduate students, including hiring, salary changes, terminations, and fellowship payments using Duke@Work, iForms, and SAP/R3, and coordinate all payroll actions with the Graduate School by updating the TGS database (GSF).
• Track graduate budgets, reconcile expenditures, and assist with projections for teaching assistant and fellowship allocations in coordination with the departmental business manager.
• Maintain accurate graduate student records and databases; prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders as needed.
• Manage course listings and cross-listings in CourseLeaf (CLSS), ensuring that Religious Studies and Divinity graduate courses are accurately represented and do not conflict.
• Organize graduate program events such as colloquia, receptions, and the annual AAR/SBL conference reception; manage related logistics and budgeting.
• Maintain and update the GPR and graduate program web pages, ensuring content is current and accurately reflects program activities and requirements.
• Supervise and direct student assistants or work-study students engaged in graduate program support activities.

Undergraduate Program Administration (DUSA)

• Assist the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in the day-to-day administration of the undergraduate program in Religious Studies.
• Coordinate semester course scheduling using CourseLeaf (CLSS) and Duke Hub; ensure course listings, instructors, cross-listings, and submission deadlines are accurate and met.
• Assist faculty with new course proposals, revisions, Independent Study offerings, and approvals through the University Curriculum Committee in compliance with Arts & Sciences policies.
• Support student registration, including issuing and managing permission numbers as needed.
• Maintain and monitor undergraduate student records, ensuring confidentiality; assist with degree certification for majors and minors, Graduation with Distinction processes, and communicate with the Registrar’s Office regarding graduation eligibility.
• Plan and support undergraduate academic events, including the Majors Fair, Honors Program workshops, Blue Devil Days, and departmental commencement activities.
• Develop and maintain the Undergraduate Handbook, website content, and informational materials in collaboration with the DUS and departmental staff.
• Gather, analyze, and report enrollment and assessment data to support undergraduate program review and annual reporting.
• Assist in preparing course advertising mat