Date:

Thesis Advisor Selection

I (signed by student)______have chosen ______to be my MS/ PhD (circle one)advisor.

I (signed by advisor)______agree to accept

______and am aware of the financial support requirements and/ or advisors’ duties as detailed in the Departmental Guidelines and Policies Document and excerpted below.

This selection is approved by the Chair with consultation from the Graduate Program Committee. (signed by chair)______.

Responsibilities of MS Student Advisors

  1. To secure the funding to support the student’s research project.
  2. To guide the student’s research project as follows:
  3. Provide direction throughout the project.
  4. Guide the student to relevant background literature.
  5. Teach or arrange for the teaching of methodologies.
  6. Teach laboratory safety, animal handling, and IRB issues.
  7. Model scientific ethics.
  8. To plan an appropriate curriculum and monitor the student’s progress regularly.
  9. To convene meetings of the student’s graduate advisory committee at least once a year.
  10. To attend the departmental student evaluation meeting at the end of each semester to report the student’s progress and participate in policy discussions.
  11. To guide the student’s preparation for the final oral exam.
  12. To guide the student in writing the thesis to conform to the published School format and ensure it is worthy of defense prior to distribution to the advisory committee. The advisor conducts the defense.

Responsibilities of PhD Student Advisors

  1. To secure the funding to support the student’s stipend, tuition and fees.
  2. To guide the student’s research project as follows:
  3. Provide direction throughout the project.
  4. Guide the student to relevant background literature.
  5. Teach or arrange for the teaching of methodologies.
  6. Teach laboratory safety, animal handling, and IRB issues.
  7. Model scientific ethics.
  8. To plan an appropriate curriculum and monitor the student’s progress regularly.
  9. To convene meetings of the student’s graduate advisory committee at least once a year.
  10. To attend the departmental student evaluation meeting at the end of each semester to report the student’s progress and participate in policy discussions.
  11. To coordinate the student’s preparation of a grant proposal for the written comprehensive exam. The advisor shouldnot participate in preparation of the proposal but should provide general guidelines/ instruction in proposal preparation.
  12. To coordinate the student’s scheduling of and preparation for the oral exam (defense of grant proposal). The advisor attends this exam, but is not an active participant.
  13. To guide the student in writing the dissertation to conform to the published School format and ensure it is worthy of defense prior to distribution to the advisory committee. The advisor conducts the defense.