Advising

The Department of English is committed to providing academic advising that supports graduate students’ scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Faculty advisors guide students in critical areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

Students should meet with their advisor at least on a quarterly basis. Incoming PhD students are assigned an Introductory Advisor by the Director of Graduate Studies based on faculty availability and field interests. By the end of the second year in the program, students are expected to have found a program advisor who will work with them on the oral exam, and in most cases, the dissertation.