Section 3
Graduate Program Requirements and Regulations

3.1 Academic Advising

Incoming students will be assigned a faculty advisor. To the extent possible, students and advisors are paired based on research interests. The advisor helps students select courses in their first semesters, providing important guidance especially in choosing the major and minor field courses. Students are encouraged to keep in close contact with their faculty advisor, who will help them secure funding, write research proposals, and make a variety of professional decisions during their course of study.

As students begin to define their research interests and make plans for writing the thesis or dissertation, they may want to change faculty advisors in order to work with someone better able to guide their research. Students take the initiative in changing advisors, and there is no formal procedure for doing so. However, it is important to communicate fully with both the initial advisor and the new major professor. Also inform the Academic Programs Coordinator when any change is made.