How to Apply to Choose a Doctoral Program Advisor

Obtaining a doctoral degree requires hard and fastidious work. Once you have jumped the hurdle of gaining admission into the degree program of your choice, the work officially begins. Consulting with a faculty member early in the process is helpful. Your adviser can help you understand details about your program that you might not know otherwise. Moreover, he can also help you select courses. It is worth the time and effort to select someone with whom you will closely work during the next several years.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Consult with your Graduate Department

1. Call or visit your department before or right after you gain admission to a doctoral program. Ask to meet the head of the department. Consult with any staff available to assist doctoral students. Pick up any handbook required for your program. Ask if there are any specific requirements involved in applying to choose your doctoral program adviser. You may have been informally assigned an adviser if you are transferring as an out of state student. Clarify this information early on in the process to avoid surprises.
2. Ask your department for a list of recommendations. Most graduate departments and programs let you choose your own doctoral program advisor. In most cases, you must simply seek the consent of the faculty member with whom you would like to work. If you provide the area or specialty that interest you; the head of your department or doctoral program assistant should provide you with a list of professors who possess related expertise.
3. Get any paperwork that your new adviser needs to sign. In some cases, your adviser may need to sign a document which states that he or she will officially guide your doctoral level graduate work.

Obtain a Commitment from Your Top Candidate

4. Research the faculty members on your list of recommendations. You can check your department’s website for more information. You can also talk to other students in your department. You should go to your campus library and see what essays and books are available by your candidates. Spend an afternoon reading their work. Ascertain which candidates resonate with you the most. Based on your research; narrow down your list to two faculty members.
5. Make an appointment with your top two candidates. When you call or email them, tell them what you seek to specialize in and accomplish in your program. Be prompt to the meetings you set up. Tell both candidates that you have read their work. Ask what their plans are for the next four to five years. Find out if they are interested in advising you and available to do so.
6. Decide which candidate seems most suited for you, based on your research and meetings. Make sure that the candidate you choose is available to start working with you as soon as your doctoral work begins. Provide any paperwork that requires a signature. File any appropriate forms with your department. Some departments may use an application process for doctoral program Advisers. In those cases, you may need to wait a few weeks to receive final approval.

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