Advising

The Department of Religious Studies is committed to providing academic advising in support of 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. 

The department expects that, during the student’s first two years, advisors will meet one-on-one with their advisees at least once per quarter during the academic year, in order to keep track of their progress. Such meetings are preferably conducted in person but can also be held virtually. They may be scheduled on either party’s initiative. The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) also keeps track of the student’s progress throughout their program of study.

During the third year, advisors should continue the regular once-a-quarter (at least) meetings as students complete coursework and prepare for the qualifying examinations. After the completion of the third year, frequency of meetings continues to be by agreement between the advisor and the student. The DGS continues to monitor the student’s progress.

Students and their dissertation advisors should reach agreement on expectations for turning in and responding to written work. Submitted work is to be discussed or commented upon without undue delay. During each year that the student teaches in the department, their preparation for and experience of academic teaching are to be discussed during at least one meeting with the advisor. The advisor may be invited to observe teaching, as may the DGS.