The following describes answers to the three most frequently asked questions about Graduate Advising. If more specific information is needed, or you have a question that cannot be answered using the information listed, please contact the Graduate Director for the specific engineering discipline.
For most non-thesis M.S. and part-time students, the Graduate Director serves as the academic advisor for the first term.
Graduate Fellows, Teaching Assistants and other full-time students are encouraged to concentrate on their core coursework, but also inquire about the research currently being done by the faculty of the department to determine research areas of interest. New students may initiate the selection of a research topic at any time during the first year of residence and should complete their inquiries by the end of the Fall term.
To do this, first the student has to meet with the Graduate Director and identify a general area of interest. The Graduate Director will then require the student to speak with various faculty members in a specific area to determine possible topics for a thesis. Some faculty will briefly present their research topics at the beginning of the academic year during a series of seminars. After a faculty member has agreed to guide a thesis/dissertation, the student informs the Graduate Director. The faculty member will then become the student's advisor pending a final decision by the Graduate Director. Students are required to determine an area of interest and an advisor before the end of the first semester.
*NOTE* Non-thesis M.S. students do not make this selection. The Graduate Director serves as their advisor throughout their course of study.
If a student finds they are more interested in a different research topic from the one initially chosen, they need to contact the Graduate Director as soon as possible for advice and help. The Graduate Director will then evaluate the decision and describe all available options to the student. In most cases, all the student has to do is find a faculty member in the desired area who is willing to serve as an advisor.
*NOTE* There are two major problems associated with these changes. One is the loss of research time -- both on the part of the advisor and the student. Another is the possible loss of support for GAs. Since neither loss is desirable, students are encouraged to make their initial selections as carefully as possible.
