Update 7/13/2022: All faculty advisors are currently developing individual advising statements in order to share their expectations, communication preferences, types of support they offer, etc. These will be shared with all advisors' students, as well as posted on this page.
The DGS is your initial advisor when you start the program, and will continue to guide you through the various policies and procedures on the way to your degree.
In the second semester of your first year, you will choose your own advisor. After a faculty member has agreed to be your advisor, you will need to submit the Advisor form to the GPC. This is a departmental form, and the GPC will official submit your information to the University. Should you need to change your advisor, you can also use this form.
You are only required to have one advisor, but you may also have a co-advisor. This is often a faculty member from another program. Note: If the person you want as your advisor is not tenured, you will need to have a co-advisor who is tenured.
M.A. Advisor
In addition to the DGS, you will choose an advisor who will supervise your academic progress through the M.A. program and will chair your M.A. exam committee. During your first year in the program, you should be thinking about with whom you would like to work. You will not have the chance to take courses with every faculty member in your first year, so it is a good idea to contact other faculty who have similar interests to yours. If you are unsure whom to ask, the DGS can advise you. You must formally ask someone to serve as your advisor. If they agree, fill out the Advisor Add/Change form, have your advisor and the DGS sign it, and email the completed form to the GPC. Your advisor selection will not be official until this is completed. Along with frequent consultation with your advisor, you should take the initiative to talk with other professors in the Department and in other disciplines. Such contacts will be helpful in planning your program.
Ph.D. Advisor
The advisor for your Ph.D. program may be the same one you had for your M.A. (if you received it in our program) or may be a different faculty member (or members, if you decide to have a co-advisor). In either case, you must formally ask the individual to serve as your advisor. If they agree, fill out the Advisor Add/Change form, have your advisor and the DGS sign it, and email the completed form to the GPC. Your advisor will not be official until this is completed. The best way to select an advisor is to choose a faculty member with whom you have taken a course and whose research specialization(s) match your interests. You may also want to consult with the DGS. At the Ph.D. level, your advisor must be tenured.
Once you have your advisor, you should begin working with them on developing your reading list for the preliminary examination.
In addition to consulting frequently with your advisor, you should take the initiative to talk with other professors in the Department and in other disciplines. Such contacts will be helpful in planning your program and in preparing for written and oral examinations, which are always given by interdepartmental committees.