Graduate Advising

The Graduate Coordinator serves as the initial advisor to new students in the program. By October 1, incoming students shall be assigned a Faculty Advisor. This Faculty Advisor will help the student acclimate to the program and to discuss course options, but it is expected that the student will soon identify a Major Professor, as head of the student’s Advisory Committee, to replace this appointed Faculty Advisor. Each student should speak with potential Major Professors throughout their first year in the program, and they will confirm, orally and in writing, the individual that has agreed to be their Major Professor. Students will then fill out the Advisory Committee form in Grad Status no later than the last day of spring semester of their second year. This assignment exists only as long as it remains mutually satisfactory and may be changed by either the student or the Major Professor after consultation with the Graduate Coordinator. If UGA Department of English Graduate Program Handbook 8 a student does not have a complete Advisory Committee Form by the first day of fall semester, year three, they can be put on “No Clear Path to Degree” status (see section VII.C.4). If a student does not have a complete Advisory Committee Form on file by the last day of classes of fall semester, year three, they can be dismissed at the end of spring semester, year three.

The choice of Major Professor rests largely with the student, as it depends to a considerable extent on the student's dissertation subject. As students progress toward the degree, they should actively search for potential subjects for a dissertation and should take the initiative in proposing subjects to faculty members teaching graduate courses. To serve as a Major Professor, a faculty member must be a member of the Graduate Program Faculty and should also be proficient in the field within which the student wants to write a thesis or dissertation.

Please refer to the handbook for more information on advising.

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