Graduate Advising

Summary

The following policy provides that all graduate students are to receive appropriate advising throughout their degree programs.

Policy Rationale

Effective academic advising is a critical component of a successful graduate degree program. At Stanford, all matriculated graduate students are to be advised by a member of the faculty. The nature of academic advising may differ for different programs and at different stages in a degree program.

Policy Statement

Effective academic advising is a critical component of all graduate students’ education. By the start of their first term of graduate study, all graduate students should select or be paired by the degree program with faculty advisors who assist them in planning a program of study to meet degree requirements. The process by which students are matched with faculty advisors varies by department or program.

General Responsibilities of Faculty Advisors

The university requires that within each degree program, minimum advising expectations are set for both advisor and advisee. Such minimum expectations must differentiate between master’s and doctoral programs, and between different types of advisors (academic/program vs. research).

Faculty advisors are to: 

• serve as intellectual and professional mentors to their graduate students

• provide knowledgeable support concerning the academic and non-academic policies that pertain to graduate students

• help to prepare students to be competitive for employment

• maintain a high level of professionalism in the relationship

• establish and collaboratively maintain expectations of the advisor/advisee relationship, consistent with degree program standards.

Students are obliged to follow university and degree program procedures for identifying advisors and committee members for their dissertation reading and university oral examinations.

Change or Replacement of Advisor

Occasionally, a student's research may diverge from the area of competence of the advisor, or irreconcilable differences may occur between the student and the faculty advisor. In such cases, the student or the faculty advisor may request a change in assignment. The degree program should make every reasonable effort to facilitate the change and to pair the student with another suitable advisor, which may entail some modification of the student's research project.

In the rare case where a student's dissertation research on an approved project is in an advanced stage and the dissertation advisor is no longer available, every reasonable effort must be made to appoint a new advisor, usually from the student's reading committee.

Additional Information and Resources on Faculty-Student Advising

Several university policies apply to all faculty-student advising relationships. Research Policy Handbook 1. Conduct of Research outlines policies and practices related to the conduct of research, including obligations to students, staff, and sponsors. The Administrative Guide 1.1.1. University Code of Conduct articulates all members of the University community are responsible for sustaining the high ethical standards of this institution and of the broader community in which we function.

Additional advising information and resources about advising are available from the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.