Advising
The information below explains the purpose of faculty advising, how advisors are initially assigned at JST, how they can be changed, and where to seek assistance. It applies to all students, but is most important for students who rely upon thesis or dissertation advisors for their final papers.
Faculty Roles in Student Advising
Faculty members play a number of roles for students in addition to teaching:
- Academic advisor
All students have an academic advisor. Faculty advisors must be permanent faculty (tenured, tenure track, senior lecturer or lecturer). Academic advisors guide students as they pick courses to meet degree requirements. Generally, the academic advisor is in the student’s area of concentration. Students should meet with their academic advisor during each registration period (registration and late registration). The advisor will help the students pick classes, set up SRCs, and consult with the student in case of academic questions and difficulties (incompletes, accommodations, pass/no pass, or leaves of absence). The academic advisor is the first faculty member the student should consult on any academic matter.
- Dissertation or thesis advisor
This faculty member guides MTS, MA, ThM, STL, or STD students during the completion of their major paper. The faculty member also guides students as they prepare for doctoral comprehensive exams. The thesis advisor must be qualified with academic expertise in the student’s concentration area. This expertise will be complemented by readers’ expertise when the thesis readers are selected. Very often the thesis advisor is also the academic advisor, but not always. The thesis advisor is responsible for keeping the student moving toward completion of the project and, in consultation with the readers, determining if the student’s thesis meets the requirements for earning the degree. The thesis advisor will consult with the Program Director and then the Associate Dean when necessary about a student’s work and progress toward degree.
Faculty Available for Thesis Advising (2025-26 Academic Year)
NOTE: Ultimately, availability is contingent upon each individual faculty member’s current teaching and research commitments and existing advising load. If a permanent faculty member is not available to advise on a thesis topic, a student may consult with the Program Director and Associate Dean to identify faculty outside JST who may have the particular expertise required.
Assignment of Initial Academic Advisor
Students are assigned an initial academic advisor during the application process. All applications for degree programs are reviewed by at least three people: the Assistant Dean of Enrollment, the Program Director, and the Associate Dean. The Director of the Renewal Program reviews those applications and advises all participants in the program.
For degrees that include a thesis, the Program Director may invite one or more faculty members in the applicant’s area of interest to review the file and to indicate whether or not they are willing to serve as the initial academic advisor. Particularly for students in the STL and STD programs, the academic advisor is likely to serve also as the thesis advisor. The Associate Dean assigns the academic advisor and makes the final determination of admission based on input from all reviewers.
Changing Advisors
- Changing Academic Advisors
For reasons of personality, expertise or availability, students sometimes need to change advisors. This begins as an informal process where the student consults the current academic advisor, other faculty members who might serve as academic advisor and the Program Director. If everyone agrees, the student will email the Associate Dean making a request to change advisors, copying the current advisor, the new advisor, and the Program Director. If there is some uncertainty or difficulty consulting with the current advisor, students should request assistance from the Program Director who can help them identify a new advisor.
Changes will be shared with the Registrar who tracks academic advisors for all students.
- Changing Thesis or Comps Advisors
If students need to change their thesis advisors, they should first consult with the advisor directly to discuss difficulties. The Program Director is available to help negotiate difficult conversations and suggest paths forward. If it is not possible for the student and the thesis advisor to continue working together (because of content developments, availability or interpersonal matters), the student should work first with the Program Director to identify a suitable director. Then the Program Director should make a formal recommendation to the Associate Dean to change thesis advisors.
- Temporary Changes in Advisor Assignments
When a thesis advisor or an academic advisor is on leave, the Program Director or another member of the department shall serve as the advisor. These appointments will be made by the Associate Dean.
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