Advising
Graduate student advising in the School of Architecture is accommodated in multiple ways and with multiple personnel.
Program Advisor
The Graduate Faculty of the School of Architecture assigns the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to serve as the general advisor for incoming graduate students. The DGS functions as the Program Advisor all M.Arch students. The directors of the individual M.S. tracks and the M.HSPH program will serve as the Program Advisor for their students.
The role of the Program Advisor, as defined by the Graduate School Constitution, is to: work with the student in developing the details of his or her Master's degree program; assist in the selection of coursework; assist with the Master’s Final Examination topic and development; and select the examining committee membership (for M.S. and M.HSPH students). The Program Advisor can also provide guidance related to career planning and related activities.
Graduate Program Manager and Graduate Student Advisor
In the School of Architecture, the Graduate Program Manager and Graduate Student Advisor oversee the details of students’ course registration, annual progress, degree clearance, and teaching or research assistantships. The student will meet with either the Graduate Program Manager or Graduate Student Advisor on at least an annual basis, as part of the annual review process. The Program Advisor will sign all forms that require an advisor's signature.
The duties and obligations shared between the Program Advisor, Graduate Program Manager, and Graduate Student Advisor are to:
• assist the student in meeting the Architecture degree program’s required and elective program of study and research that culminates in the timely filing of the program of study and completion of the Master's degree.
• review and attach a recommendation to any petition the student may make with respect to graduate status or requesting a waiver of normal requirements affecting graduate studies, examinations, or research.
• direct the student's research and writing or creative activity involved in the Master's degree.
• provide the student with (at minimum) an annual written evaluation of his or her academic progress, as measured against the published performance expectations of the Master's degree program and the Graduate School.
Faculty Advisor
For M.S. in Architecture and M.HSPH students, the Program Advisor will also serve as the Faculty Advisor.
For M.Arch students, a Faculty Advisor will be assigned prior to matriculation to the program. The DGS will make this assignment based on a survey of each student’s declared research interests and/or advisor preferences. The Faculty Advisor is a full-time faculty member who ideally shares research and/or practice interests with the student. They are someone who can listen to ideas and suggest a strategy for coursework or individual efforts that inform about architecture, career goals, and the Master's Final Project. The M.Arch program's Faculty Advisor assignment is a voluntary process that rests upon mutual agreement; the Faculty Advisor can change as the student's goals and plans shift over the course of study.
Architect Licensing Advisor
The Architect Licensing Advisor is appointed in accordance with National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) guidelines and provides students with guidance related to attaining professional licensure. This individual serves as a liaison between architecture students and professional organizations such as NAAB, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). The Architect Licensing Advisor can explain the workings of the Architectural Experience Program (AXP) and Architect Registration Examination (ARE). Additionally, he or she can assist with identifying particular experiences or hours worked that will count towards AXP credit. The AXP advisor is Professor Mike Christenson.