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Advising

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the "Graduate Advising" section of the bulletin here: https://exploredegrees.stanford.edu/graduatedegrees/#advisingandcredentialstext

Doctoral Advising

The department expects that Ph.D. advisers, during the student's first two years, meet with their advisees at least once per quarter during the academic year.  Such meetings may either be in-person or via the Internet (Skype, Zoom, etc.) and may be scheduled in-person or by email. Students typically initiate such meetings although faculty, when appropriate, try to get in touch with students who do not stay in regular contact.  The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) also keeps track of the student's progress in the first two years.  fter the completion of the second year, establishing meetings is primarily the joint responsibility of the dissertation adviser and the student, although the Director of Graduate Studies continues to monitor the student’s progress.

Students and their dissertation advisers are expected to regularly establish mutually agreed upon expectations for turning in written work.  Submitted work is to be discussed or commented upon without undue delay.  During each year that the student teaches in the department, students’ teaching experience and preparation for academic teaching is to be discussed during at least one meeting with their dissertation advisers.

Dissertation advisers also direct the student towards the successful completion of the degree in good time. The DGS monitors the student’s progress and initiates meetings when appropriate. The DGS and the placement committee cooperate to make the student aware of opportunities for professional development both inside and outside academics.

Changes of advisers are always possible; they are initiated by a request of the graduate student to the Director of Graduate Studies and require the agreement of the proposed new adviser. The University’s requirements for the composition of the dissertation committee may be found in the "Doctoral" section of this bulletin.

Advising and mentoring relationships are not limited to members of the dissertation committee, and all faculty (especially those on the student’s dissertation committee) contribute when they can. When a faculty member joins a Ph.D. dissertation committee, the faculty member and the student should meet and work out mutually agreed upon expectations about how often they meet and when written work is to be turned in. Such work is to be read and commented on within a reasonable period of time. Any graduate student can always seek the advice of the Director of Graduate Studies on general issues pertaining to the graduate program.

Master's Advising

The department expects that M.A. advisers meet with their advisees regularly during the academic year.  Such meetings may either be in-person or via the Internet (Skype, Zoom, etc.) and may be scheduled in-person or by email.  Students typically initiate such meetings although faculty, when appropriate, try to get in touch with students who do not stay in regular contact.  The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the M.A. Director also keep track of the student's progress.

Students and their master’s advisers are expected to regularly establish mutually agreed upon expectations for turning in written work.  Submitted work is to be discussed or commented upon without undue delay.  M.A. advisers also direct students towards the successful completion of the degree in good time. The DGS and the M.A. Director monitor the student's progress and initiate meetings when appropriate.

Changes of advisers are always possible; they are initiated by a request of the graduate student to the M.A. Director and require the agreement of the proposed new adviser.

Advising and mentoring relationships are not limited to members of the dissertation committee, and all faculty will contribute when they can. The faculty adviser and the student should meet and work out mutually agreed upon expectations about how often they will meet and when written work is to be turned in. Such work will be read and commented on within a reasonable period of time. Any graduate student can always seek the advice of the M.A. Director on general issues pertaining to the graduate program.