Advising Mentoring

All PhD students receive advising from College of Nursing faculty and staff. Course advising and planning is done primarily by the PhD Academic Advisor, in conjunction with the PhD Program Director. The PhD Academic Advisor will also help students with the course registration process and policy related issues, including procedures for progression toward dissertation completion and graduation. In addition to advising from the PhD Academic Advisor, all newly admitted PhD students are assigned a faculty advisor. Initial faculty advisor assignments are decided by the PhD Program Director and PhD Academic Advisor, and are based on the student’s expressed research interest and background during the application process.

Mentoring at the doctoral level is the key to student success. Your faculty advisor will talk with you about making the most of your core course work so that it substantively contributes to your research ideas and s/he will help you select a cognate course. Faculty advisors will help you plan your program of research. By the end of course work, you will have a clear idea of your area of study for dissertation research.

Students should plan to meet with faculty advisors at least once a month to discuss emerging ideas about their research and receive career guidance from an expert in the field. As students get closer to dissertation, they will meet with their faculty advisor more frequently. Faculty advisors will guide students as they select comprehensive exam and dissertation committee members.

If a student chooses to change a faculty advisor at any point in their program, they must clearly communicate with both their current and new faculty advisor and then, submit an appropriate request form to the PhD Academic Advisor.