PhD and EdD students in Educational Theatre and PhD students in Music Education, Music Technology, and Music Performance & Composition are assigned a faculty advisor. Assignment is primarily based on your proposed research interests and, to some extent, faculty availability. The advisor is often the program director, although some students may have another member of the program faculty serve as an advisor in which case both individuals are available for consultation and guidance. The advisor orients you to the program and oversees your progress through the doctoral program up to the appointment of a dissertation chair.
Advisors can also provide guidance and handle administrative and signature-related aspects of advising. Advisors can assist with a number of tasks:
Assist with class selection and registration
Help make academic connections
Aid you in identifying areas of specialization
Provide advice/feedback regarding the forming of a dissertation committee
Doctoral Advisement guidelines for Music Technology are available in the Music Technology advising resource document.
All DMA students are advised by the doctoral advisor, organizing an academic plan, clearing to register and ensuring that the primary, sub-specialization, theory, research, and elective courses are registered correctly. Full-time faculty from the primary and sub-specialization areas may provide additional advisement.
Once selected, the dissertation committee chair serves as your chief advisor, though you may continue to consult with your assigned advisor or other faculty for additional information. Although you may appoint an advisor as your dissertation chair, this is not required. Your dissertation chair must be a full-time tenured, tenure-track, or clinical faculty member who has expertise in your topic area and in the research method that you are using. Additional information on who can serve on the dissertation committee can be found under Dissertation Proposal.
The dissertation committee chair is the faculty member with whom you will work most closely in preparing your dissertation.
When you are ready to make this decision—for full-time students, this will generally be during the spring semester of your second year – your assigned advisor can provide advice and feedback on this process and serve as a resource after the committee formation. Once you select a committee, the members must be officially appointed prior to submitting the doctoral proposal for faculty review. The Request for Appointment of Dissertation Committee form can be accessed online.
As a student, you share the responsibility of advising: you are encouraged to be proactive, candid, and reflective, and are expected to bring a sense of collegiality and professionalism to your relationship with faculty. It is your responsibility to initiate meetings with your advisors several times each academic year. When planning for meetings, you should be sensitive to faculty schedules and be aware that faculty availability may be limited during winter, spring and summer breaks. Please follow these guidelines in requesting your advisor’s assistance:
Be prepared for advising meetings and use the time wisely; bring specific questions, necessary paperwork if signatures are needed, a list of options if advice about courses is requested, etc.
Request letters of recommendation or feedback on writing (grant applications, etc.) in a timely manner in advance of deadlines
Be in active communication with advisors and committee members; seek face-to-face meetings whenever possible