Advising and Advisors
New MA students first see the Graduate Chair for their Preliminary Conference. At the preliminary MA conference, the student discusses with the chair which Plan they expect to opt for: the thesis plan (A), the non-thesis plan (B), or (if qualified) the special individual plan (C).
New AGCSLS and PhD students should also consult with the Graduate Chair about their advisors and other regulations regarding their studies.
At the preliminary conference each student is assigned a faculty member as advisor. The Graduate Chair makes this initial assignment. As students progress in their programs, they may find that they wish to change advisors. Either a student or a faculty member may ask the graduate chair for a change of advisors at any time. It is considered courteous for the student to ask the new advisor’s consent before requesting the change, but the change should not be a source of worry. Students should change advisors whenever appropriate and should not feel obliged to stay with their initial assigned advisor. It is most appropriate that a student’s advisor should eventually be the one most closely involved in supervising his/her research projects.
Throughout the program of studies, it is incumbent on each student to initiate contacts with his/her advisor (each semester, and whenever problems or questions arise). During the first few days of the student’s first semester, the student makes an appointment to see his/her advisor. During the advising appointment there is a discussion of the courses to be taken in the current semester, courses for the following semester, summer courses, the student’s overall schedule (including electives), areas and ideas for research, and any other matters that are pertinent to the student’s progress through the program. Each semester, students must make an appointment to see their advisor prior to registration to discuss their program and lay out their course of study. At this time the advisor updates the departmental Student Progress Form (see Forms). Students are encouraged to ask their advisor to go over the Progress Form with them, to make sure that there are no errors. Also, students are encouraged to keep a copy of the progress form and refer it as they plan their course of studies.
For MA in SLS students, fulfillment of the Language Experience Requirement, the Scholarly Paper (for Plan B/C students), the thesis for Plan A students, and other issues should be discussed. Advanced Graduate Certificate and PhD in SLS students should see their advisors regularly as they plan their course of study and develop their research goals. Basic preparation and language requirements are among the first points for PhD students to discuss.
A file is kept on each student in Moore Hall 570, the department office, which contains the current Student Progress Report Form. Advisors will keep this form up-to-date as to the student’s progress through the program, checking off the various requirements as they are met.
