Common Ground Consortium
A graduate education you want. An opportunity for students of color.
You’ve worked hard. Put in the hours. But you know achieving the kind of career you want means graduate-level studies. That can be a hard road. Unless you start with Common Ground.
The Common Ground Consortium is a graduate-level program through the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development. It’s designed especially for graduates of historically black colleges and universities who are interested in education. This dynamic program not only cultivates superior academic achievement, it also offers the benefits of both financial and social support. It is open to those students interested in a master's degree as well as a limited number of in-state, African-American students interested in a Ph.D.
Programs of study available through the Common Ground Consortium include a master of education (M.Ed.)/professional studies, master of arts (M.A.), master of social work (M.S.W.), doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), doctor of education (Ed.D.), and a specialist certificate. Each is eligible for CGC funding. Each is a full-scale, in-depth curriculum that will help put you at the forefront of a great career in business, administration, youth development, health and fitness, psychology, school counseling, and many, many more.
Common Ground will help put the power of learning at your feet.
The University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development offers a wide range of exciting programs. The college lets students who have been accepted into the University’s Graduate School choose from more than 60 fields of study offered by the college’s departments.
- Institute of Child Development
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Educational Psychology
- Family Social Science
- Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development
- Postsecondary Teaching and Learning
- School of Kinesiology
- School of Social Work
Financial support will help keep your feet on the ground and your nose in the books.
Getting through grad school is hard enough without having to worry about finances. That’s why Common Ground offers students financial support* through graduate assistantships. For more information, visit U of M Graduate Assistant Employment.
*Continued CGC funding is based on satisfactory academic progress and performance of assistantship duties.
Mentors offer guidance, encouragement, and a soft place to land.
Learning the ins and outs of a new school can be a little frightening. Especially when the college is part of one of the largest university campuses in the nation.
But not to worry.
As a student in the Common Ground Consortium, you’ll have a personal mentor to offer support, help you meet other students with same interests, offer networking, help create a sense of community, and, most importantly, offer a listening ear whenever you need advice. It’s all a part of what makes Common Ground the perfect place to plant your educational hopes and dreams.
The University of Minnesota offers more opportunity, more resources, and more ways to get ahead.
When you become a part of the University of Minnesota, you become privy to a world of resources and opportunities unparalleled in the academic world. Located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, it’s among the premier universities in the country. The University also offers the environment and status of a Research One university. A place where standards are created, not just followed. A place where options and innovation go hand in hand. A place designed for students to thrive, achieve, and experience a world-class education. In short, the perfect place to prepare you for a successful career.
Apply now
Applicants must complete the CGC application steps. The Common Ground Consortium (CGC) Application [.pdf] and accompanying material must be submitted by Dec. 15. Deadlines for the separate program application packets vary, depending on the student’s academic program.
