Academic Advising

Advising

MA must have each semester's coursework approved by the Graduate Adviser prior to registration. The Graduate Adviser offers students information on fulfilling degree requirements, making adequate progress towards the degree, preparing for the thesis/report/comps/dissertation, academic integrity, among other issues. All incoming students will schedule a one-on-one meeting with the Graduate Adviser.

PhD students meet with their supervisor/mentor until the dissertation stage, at which point advising is not required. 

Students are expected to complete all necessary Registration forms and Degree Checklists before their appointment. PhD students will submit the forms directly to the Graduate Coordinator via a Box submissions link and MA students will upload their forms to the CMES Canvas page (you will receive an invite to join the Canvas course in August).

Holds

Leading up to registration each semester, students review their Registration Information Sheet (RIS) to see a synopsis of basic information related to registration, such as access periods. The section at the titled "Registration Holds" is most important, which shows information that might prevent registration. Holds, which come in various forms, block enrollment until a particular issue is addressed, such as unfulfilled admissions bars that are left over the application cycle, financial (tuition, library fines), and fees that might be associated with University Health Services. 

Registration

In order to register, you must meet with your advisor to select your courses. Prior to this meeting, you should review the course schedule so that you have a good idea of which courses you would like to take and fill out the relevant Advising & Registration form (MA Forms and PhD Forms are found on the designated pages).

PhD students should plan to meet with their mentor before Orientation. During this meeting, you should have them sign the Advising & Registration form, which you will then send to the Graduate Coordinator to clear your advising holds. The Graduate Coordinator will be in contact with further details of this process.

MA students will meet with the Graduate Advisor over the summer, where we will also make sure you are prepared to register. The Graduate Coordinator will be in contact with further details of this process.

As you decide between classes, it is best to routinely view your degree requirements (PhD / MA). 

The Graduate Coordinator

The Graduate Coordinator, handles the administrative side of advising, registration, degree requirements, funding, and employment. Unlike the Graduate Advisor, who is a member of the faculty, the GC does not weigh in on academic matters or curriculum, including course selection.