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Advising guide for research students.

Success as a graduate student is a shared responsibility between students and faculty. For research students, the relationship with your research advisor, also known as your special committee chair, is extremely important. 

Your responsibility to identify and choose an advisor is one of the most critical tasks you have early in your graduate school career. It’s an opportunity to meet and get to know faculty in your field, to assess your needs for support and supervision, and to collaboratively define your goals, values, and strategic plan for your academic and professional career.

Graduate School Requirement

At Cornell, the faculty advisor in research degree programs is referred to as the special committee chair.

Doctoral students have a special committee of at least three Cornell faculty, which includes the special committee chair and two minor committee members.

Master’s students have a special committee of at least two Cornell faculty, which includes the special committee chair and one minor member.

For both doctoral and master’s degree students, the special committee chair must be a graduate faculty member in the student’s own field.

Definition of an Advisor

Advising  and  mentoring  are often used interchangeably, but understanding the distinctions is important as you choose an advisor.

Advisor Responsibilities

• Guides you in meeting the requirements and expectations for your degree
• Required coursework
• Exams required by the graduate field or the Graduate School
• Research proposal/prospectus
• Research project
• Thesis or dissertation
• Writes informed letters of recommendation for your job applications
• May be a valued colleague or collaborator after you graduate

Mentor Responsibilities

• Provides support and guidance that extends beyond scope of advising
• Demystifies the structure, culture, and unstated expectations of graduate education
• Expands your professional network by introducing you to others
• Provides nominations for awards or other recognitions
• Brings job opportunities to your attention and writes letters of recommendation as you apply for jobs
• Advocates for you within the graduate program and discipline
• May serve as a role model and source of inspiration
• May become a colleague and peer in your discipline and may continue serving a mentoring role

Finding an Advisor

When do i select my first advisor.

At Cornell, the process for obtaining your first advisor varies by field.

Your faculty advisor may be assigned prior to your arrival or you may begin your program with a faculty member you met during the application process.

In some graduate fields, the faculty director of graduate studies (DGS) advises all incoming students. This provides you with time to get to know faculty in your field. By the end of the first semester or year (varying by field), it’s expected that you will have identified your own, long-term advisor. 

In fields where students apply to study with a specific faculty member (rather than do rotations and choose a lab or research group and advisor), you will have chosen an advisor prior to arriving on campus.

You can begin initial conversations about expectations and the advising relationship with your new advisor prior to the start of your program via email.

Start your graduate study and research with clear expectations and thoughtful communication about your plans for an effective advising relationship and success in graduate school.

How do I find an advisor? 

Meet and get to know faculty in your courses and in graduate field seminars and other events.

Talk to advanced students about their experiences and perceptions of the faculty in your programs and ask questions about possible advisors:

• How would you describe their approach to advising?
• What can you tell me about their work style?
• What can you tell me about their research interests?
• How good are their communication skills?
• How clear are their expectations for their graduate students?
• Do they use timeliness in reviewing their students’ writing and their approach to giving feedback?
• How available are they to meet with their graduate students?

After you have gathered information, make an appointment to meet with a potential advisor.

Possible Questions

• Is there a typical timeline you encourage your students to follow in completing their degree programs?
• How often do you meet with your students at different stages of their graduate program? (For example, during coursework, research, and writing stages)
• What are your expectations for students to make conference presentations and submit publications?
• What are your authorship policies? (This is especially relevant in fields where there is collaborative research and publishing involving the student and advisor or a group of students, postdocs, and faculty.)
• How soon should I identify my research project?
• How do you describe the degree of guidance and supervision you provide with regards to your students becoming more independent in their research and scholarship?
• If you are joining a lab or research group: What are the sources of funding for this research? Are there any new or pending research grants?
• How many of your students seek, and secure, external funding? What are your expectations for students to apply for external fellowships?
• Do you have a statement of advising you can share that lists our respective responsibilities and clarifies mutual expectations?
• What’s your advice on how students can manage what they find to be the biggest challenges in their graduate program?

Add other questions to your list based on your own needs and specifics of your program, such as questions about specialized equipment, lab safety, travel to field sites, support and accommodations for special health needs, communication during a faculty member’s sabbatical, funding in fields where there are fewer fellowships and research grants, etc.

Getting Other Mentoring Needs Met

How do i find other mentor(s) .

You may find one faculty member who can serve as both advisor and mentor, but that’s not always the case.

Consider identifying and cultivating additional mentors if that is the case. 

Suggestions on where to look for a mentor:

• The minor members of your special committee
• A faculty member who is not on your committee, and perhaps not even in your graduate field
• Peers and postdoctoral fellows who have knowledge and experience in pertinent issues

No one mentor can meet all your needs.

Good mentors have many protégés and many other demands on their time, such as teaching, research, and university or professional service. They also may not have all the expertise you need, for example, if you decide to search for jobs in multiple employment sectors.

Develop a broad network of mentors whose expertise varies and who provide different functions based on your changing needs as you progress from new student to independent scholar and researcher.

NCFDD offers a webinar, “ Cultivating Your Network of Mentors, Sponsors, and Collaborators “, which students can view after activating a free NCFDD membership through Cornell.

Maximizing the Advising Relationship

A successful relationship with your advisor depends on several different factors and varies with needs and working styles of the individuals. Some of these factors are under your control. But some are not. 

Suggestions for Building a Successful Advising Relationship

• Identify what you need from an advisor.
• Communicate clearly and frequently with your advisor to convey your questions, expectations, goals, challenges, and degree progress. Follow up verbal communication and meetings with an email detailing your understanding of what you both agreed to and next steps.
• Update your written academic plan each semester or whenever major changes or adjustments are needed.
• Consider including your plans to write competitive fellowship applications and co-authored grant proposals.
• Consider including  plans for professional development  that support your skill-building objectives and career goals.
• Recognize that you and your advisor have distinct perspectives, backgrounds, and interests. Share yours. Listen to your advisor’s. There is mutual benefit to sharing and learning from this diversity.
• Work with your advisor to define a regular meeting schedule. Prepare and send written materials in advance of each meeting. These could include: your questions, academic and research plan and timeline, and drafts of current writing projects, such as fellowship applications, manuscripts, or thesis/dissertation chapters.
• Be prepared to negotiate, show flexibility, and compromise, as is important for any successful relationship.
• Be as candid as you are comfortable with about your challenges and concerns. Seek guidance about campus and other resources that can help you manage and address any obstacles.
• Reach out to others for advice. Anticipate challenges and obstacles in your graduate degree program and their impact on the advising relationship.

Be proactive in finding resources and gathering information that can help you and your advisor arrive at solutions to any problems and optimize your time together.

Making Use of Meetings

First meetings.

Your first meeting sets the tone for a productive, satisfying, and enduring relationship with your advisor. Your first meeting is an opportunity to discuss expectations and to review a working draft of your academic plan.

Questions to ask about expectations

• What do your most successful students do to complete their degree on time?
• How often do you want us to meet?
• May I send you questions via email, or do you prefer I just come to your office?
• Would you like weekly (biweekly? monthly?) updates on my research progress?
• Do you prefer reviewing the complete draft of a manuscript or may I send you sections for feedback?
• After each meeting, I’ll make a list of what we each agreed to do before our next meeting, to help me keep moving forward with my research. Would you like a copy of that list, too, via email?

Draft Academic Plan

Prepare and bring a draft plan that outlines your “big picture” plans for your coursework, research, and writing, as well as an anticipated graduation date. (Or, email in advance with a message, such as, “I’m looking forward to meeting with you on [date] at [time], [location]. In advance, I’m sending a copy of my academic plan and proposed schedule for our discussion.”)

Contents of the plan

• Include the requirements and deadlines of your degree program. (This is information you should be able to find online or in your program’s graduate student handbook.)
• Include a general timeline indicating when you plan to meet requirements for courses or seminars, any required papers (such as a second-year paper), exams required by the graduate field (such as the Q exam) or by the Graduate School (the A exam and the B exam for research degree students).
• If your graduate field has a specific set of required courses, indicate the semester you may complete each of them, and be open to suggestions from your advisor.
• If your field does not have required courses, have some idea about the courses you are interested in taking and solicit input and suggestions from your faculty advisor.

Subsequent Meetings

Use each subsequent meeting as an opportunity to update your written academic plan and stay on track to complete your required papers and exams, your research proposal or prospectus, and the chapters or articles that comprise your thesis or dissertation.

In later meetings, you can elaborate on your general initial plan:

• Adding specific coursework or seminars
• Add professional development opportunities that interest you (workshops, dissertation writing boot camp, Summer Success Symposium, Colman Leadership Program, etc.)
• Include intentions to participate in external conferences and travel to research sites
• Identify a semester or summer when you would like to complete an internship.

Your written plan is also important to document what your advisor has agreed to, especially when the deadline to submit a manuscript or your thesis is looming and you are awaiting feedback or approval from your advisor. Use a combination of oral and written communications to stay in touch with your advisor, establish common expectations, and mark your progress toward degree completion.

Meeting Frequency

The frequency of meetings between advisors and advisees varies by field and individual. Assess your own needs and understand your advisor’s expectations for frequency of communication (in person and via email).

• Does your advisor like to provide guidance each step of the way so that he or she is aware of the details of everything you are doing?
• Does your advisor want you to launch your work more independently and report back at pre-determined or regular intervals?
• What do you need to be productive? Are you ready to work more independently?

Be proactive in seeking information. Explicitly ask how often your advisor usually meets with new students and how the advisor prefers to be updated on your progress in between meetings. Ask your peers how frequently they meet with their advisor and whether this has changed over time.

There will be disciplinary differences in meeting frequency.

• In humanities and in some social sciences, where library, archive, and field research take students away from campus, maintaining regular communication is essential, including through scheduled meetings, whether in-person or virtual.
• In life sciences and physical sciences and engineering, students often see their advisors daily in the lab or meet as a research group about externally funded projects; these regular check-ins and conversations may replace formal meetings. Make sure that you are also scheduling one-on-one times to talk about your broader goals and academic and career planning progress, however.

Some of your decisions about meeting frequency will be informed by talking to others, but much of it you learn through experience working together with your advisor. Even this will  change over time  as you become a more independent researcher and scholar. Communicate with your advisor regularly about your changing needs and expectations at each stage of your graduate career.

Resolving Conflict

In any relationship, there can be conflict. And, in the advisor-advisee relationship, the power dynamic created by the supervision, evaluation and, in some cases, funding role of your advisor can make conflicts with your advisor seem especially high.

You have options, however, including:

• Code of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty
• Campus Code of Conduct
• Policy on Academic Misconduct
• Research Misconduct
• Graduate School Grievance Policy
• Intellectual Property policies
• Graduate Student Assistantships (Policy 1.3)
• Talking with your advisor to clarify any miscommunication. Cornell University’s Office of the Ombudsman , one of the offices on campus that offers confidentiality, can also assist you by talking through the issue and helping you gather information you need before you speak directly with your advisor.
• Speaking with someone in the Graduate School, either the Associate Dean for Academics ( [email protected] ) for academic issues, or the Senior Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life ( [email protected] ) for other issues. These deans will listen, offer advice and support, and coach you through any conversation you might want to have with your advisor. Together, you can brainstorm possible solutions and evaluate alternative plans for resolution.
• Touching base with your director of graduate studies (DGS) – if this person is not also your advisor – to talk to about policies and possible solutions to the conflict.
• Soliciting peer advice. Discuss strategies for managing and resolving conflict with your advisor. “Do you have any suggestions for me?” “Have you ever had an issue like this…?” can be effective questions.
• Identifying a new advisor if the conflict can not be resolved. Your DGS can help with this, and the Graduate School (as above) can help as well.

The National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity offers a webinar, “ How to Engage in Healthy Conflict “, which students can view after activating a free NCFDD membership through Cornell.

Changing Advisors

On occasion, students find that they need or want to change their advisor. An advisor can resign as the student’s special committee chair/faculty advisor. The  Code  of Legislation of the Graduate Faculty describes the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty in each of these situations.

Typical reasons to seek a new advisor include:

• Research interests that veer from the faculty’s expertise or ability to fund a certain project
• Your advisor retires or resigns from the university or takes an extended leave of absence for personal or professional reasons
• Differences in goals, values, or an approach to work or communication style that can’t be resolved
• Serious issues, involving suspected inappropriate behavior, questionable research conduct, or alleged bias, discrimination, or harassment

If you are considering changing advisors:

• Talk to a member of your committee, your director of graduate studies (DGS), or someone in the Graduate School about the proposed change. Some issues, such as funding, require timely attention.
• Identify other faculty members who could serve as your advisor, then meet with one or more of them. The goal is to decide together if you are a good fit with their program. Tips: Discuss or rehearse this conversation with a trusted person, especially if there were issues with your last advisor. Be transparent about these issues and address them going forward with a new advisor. Often prospective advisors are more willing to take on a new graduate student who conveys genuine enthusiasm for their area of study rather than a student who seems to be looking for a way out of a current advising relationship that has gone sour.
• Consider how and when to inform your advisor if you plan to change advisors. Be professional and respectful. Thank your advisor for past support and guidance. Don’t damage, or further damage, the relationship.
• Your DGS, if appropriate
• Office of the University Ombudsman
• Graduate School’s Senior Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life ( [email protected] )
• Graduate School’s Associate Dean for Academics ( [email protected] )

Forms: 

• Use Student Center if you are changing your advisor before your A exam (for Ph.D. students).
• Use the Post A Committee Change Petition form for changes after the A exam. More information is available on the Graduate School’s Policy pages .

Challenges and Potential Solutions

All good relationships take work. To navigate an advising relationship successfully over time, you should familiarize yourself with some common challenges and possible actions to take.

Challenge: Mismatch in communication needs or style

One example of a communication challenge in an advising relationship is when you want input along the way during a writing project, but you have an advisor who prefers to wait to comment on a complete written draft.

Some possible steps to address this might be to talk to peers about they have handled this in their relationship with their advisor or to explain to your advisor how his or her input at this earlier stage will help speed you along toward having a complete draft for review. It’s important in communicating with your advisor to show that you understand what alternative they are proposing and why (e.g., “I understand that …”).

Challenge: Advisor unavailable or away

Your advisor might be away from campus for a semester or more to conduct research or take a sabbatical leave. Or when a grant proposal deadline or report is looming, your advisor might be less available. Maybe you’ve emailed your advisor several times with no response.

Planning and stating in advance what you need, such as feedback on a manuscript draft or signatures on a fellowship application, can help your advisor anticipate when you will have time-sensitive requests. Making plans in advance to communicate by email or video conference when either of you will be away from campus for a longer period of time is another useful strategy. Your director of graduate studies (DGS) and other faculty who serve as special committee members can also provide advice when your advisor is unavailable.

Challenge: Misaligned expectations

You are ready to submit a manuscript for publication. Your advisor says it needs much more work. Or you begin your job search, applying to liberal arts colleges with very high reputations, or schools in your preferred geographic location, but your advisor insists that you should apply for positions at top research universities.

Discussing your needs and expectations early, and often, in the advising relationship is essential. Get comfortable, and skilled, advocating for yourself with your advisor. Use the annual  Student Progress Review  as an opportunity to communicate your professional interests and goals with your advisor. Use multiple mentors beyond your advisor to get advice and expertise on topics where you need a different perspective or support.

Sometimes challenges can become opportunities for you to develop and refine new skills in communication, negotiation, self-advocacy, and management of conflict, time, and resources. For example, although you might feel abandoned if your advisor is unavailable for a time, even this potentially negative experience could become an opportunity to learn how to advocate for yourself and communicate about your needs and perceived difficulties in the relationship.

Advising Resources

Graduate School deans and directors  are available to answer academic and non-academic questions and provide referrals to useful resources.

Counseling and Psychological Services  (CAPS) staff offer confidential, professional support for students seeking help with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, adjustment challenges, relationship difficulties, questions about identity, and managing existing mental health conditions.

Let’s Talk Drop-in Consultations  are informal, confidential walk-in consultations at various locations around campus.

External Resources

University of Michigan Rackham, How to Get the Mentoring You Want  

Laura Gail Lunsford & Vicki L. Baker, 2016, Great Mentoring in Graduate School: A Quick Start Guide for Protégés

Michigan State University, Guidelines for Graduate Student Advising and Mentoring Relationships  

Michigan State University, Graduate Student Career and Professional Development  

Template for Meeting Notes

Adapted and expanded from Maria Gardiner, Flinders University © Flinders University 2007; used with permission and published in  The Productive Graduate Student Writer  (Allen, 2019). Used here with permission of the author and publisher.  

Use this template for making notes to help you plan for a productive meeting with your advisor, keep track of plans made, and clearly identify next steps that you’ll need to take to follow up on what you discussed.

Mentoring Resources

Graduate school programs focused on mentoring, building mentoring skills for an academic career.

Develop and enhance effective communication and mentorship skills that are broadly transferrable to all careers. Offered by Future Faculty and Academic Careers.

Graduate and Professional Students International (GPSI) Peer Mentoring Program

Share lessons learned as a new international student at Cornell as a peer mentor with new international student peer mentees. Offered by the GPSI in collaboration with the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement.

Graduate Students Mentoring Undergraduates (GSMU)

Share knowledge with and provide support to undergraduate students interested in pursuing further education. Offered in collaboration with the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI).

Multicultural Academic Council (MAC) Peer Mentoring Program

Develop strategies to excel academically and personally at Cornell and beyond as a peer mentee or share strategies as a peer mentor. Offered by MAC in collaboration with the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement.

NextGen Professors Program

Learn from faculty in Power Mentoring Sessions and prepare for careers across institutional types. Offered by the Graduate School Office of Inclusion and Student Engagement and Future Faculty and Academic Careers.

Graduate School Programs with a Mentoring Component

Graduate school primer: navigating academia workshop series.

Program for new students on navigating graduate school with sessions on mentoring.

Perspectives: The Complete Graduate Student

Program for continuing students on common issues with some sessions on mentoring.

GPWomeN-PCCW Speaker Series

Series for all students featuring talks by Cornell alumnae with an occasional mentoring focus.

Future Professors Institute

One-day event featuring workshops and guest speakers with occasional mentoring focus.

Intergroup Dialogue Project (IDP)

Peer-led courses blending theory and experiential learning to facilitate meaningful communication with occasional mentoring focus.

Building Allyship Series

Series for the campus community featuring panels designed for productive dialogue with occasional mentoring focus.

Institutional Memberships

Center for the integration of research, teaching, and learning (cirtl) network.

Access to resources on teaching and research mentoring.

Access to career development and mentoring resources.

New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS)

Access to resources, including webinars and articles on mentoring.

Mentoring Programs Across Campus

Give and receive advice as part of a peer mentoring program for all College of Engineering students. Offered by Diversity Programs in Engineering.

Mi Comunidad/My Community

Peer mentoring program run by graduate and professional students affiliated with the Latin@ Graduate Student Coalition (LGSC) and supported by the Latina/o Studies Program (LSP) and Latina/o/x Student Success Office (LSSO) at Cornell University.

Additional Resources:

• Mentoring and Leadership Tips from Graduate School Programs
• Cornell University Office of Faculty Development and Diversity – Resources for Mentors and Mentees
• Careers Beyond Academia LibGuide
• National Research Mentoring Network

Graduate School Articles on Mentoring:

• Alumna Addresses Importance of Mentoring
• Becoming Better Mentors Through Workshop Series
• August Offers Mentoring Advice
• ‘A Better Chance of Providing Access’: Future Professors Institute Fosters Inclusivity

Virtual Training and External Resources

• How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students – University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate School
• The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine
• Mentor Training: Online Learning Modules – University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational Science Institute
• Mentor Curricula and Training: Entering Mentoring – Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research

For other resources, view the Advising Guide for Research Students.

If there is anything not included on this list that we should consider, please send the information and a link to [email protected] .

How to Switch PhD Advisors

You’ll know when it’s time to go. Maybe it was when she changed your project for the sixth time in six months, though your thesis proposal deadline was rapidly approaching and you had nothing to present. Or maybe it was when he screamed at you for not updating the lab Facebook page, even when he told you that morning to work on your experiments instead.

Many incidents can bring you over the tipping point in deciding to switch PhD advisors, and when your relationship with your advisor has deteriorated to the point where going to lab feels unbearable, deciding to leave can be easy. What’s harder is figuring out what to do next.

This set of guidelines – meant primarily for those leaving due to conflicts with their advisors – can help you in transitioning out of your old lab and into a new one.

Keep Your Decision to Yourself

Much as you may want to yell your decision over the rooftops, announcing that you’re leaving while in a heated argument with your advisor isn’t going to make your transition any easier. This kind of emotional statement can lead to future altercations with your advisor that can ultimately deteriorate any semblance of a relationship you have left. You should also avoid spreading news of your decision to leave – it’s better if your advisor hears about it directly from you rather than through the grapevine.

Instead, wait until you’ve figured out your next steps in transitioning out of the lab and are ready to speak to your advisor in a calm, respectful manner. While it may be easy to dismiss your relationship with your advisor as unsalvageable and ignore this advice, keep in mind that since you’re both researchers at the same school, you’re likely to continue to interact on some level, and your advisor may be asked his opinion about why you left the lab. Don’t make things worse than they already are.

Figure Out What you Want

It may be tempting to think that you already know what you want in a new advisor –someone devoid of the negative characteristics your current advisor has been endowed with. And while those are important characteristics to consider in a future advisor’s work style, you’ll want to be a bit more specific.

Do you want an advisor who will spend a lot of time guiding you through your project, or would you prefer one who will mostly leave you alone? New advisors are usually more hands-on than those who have been around longer, so you may want to factor that into your decision.

Are you willing to switch to a lab whose focus is in a completely different scientific field , with a whole new set of techniques to learn, or would you prefer to go somewhere you can do similar work to your current lab? Depending on how specialized your current lab’s focus is, the latter may not even be an option. Even if it is, labs that do similar work tend to be in close proximity to one another – maybe even on the same floor of the same building – and are more likely to collaborate. Are you okay with continuing to see your current advisor on a regular basis? These are all factors to consider .

Get Some Advice

Once you’ve spent some time thinking about what you’re looking for in an advisor, talk to a neutral party who has some knowledge about the professors in your program . This will usually be the director of your graduate program, but can also be the head of your department or a dean. In the most emotionally neutral, objective terms you can muster, tell this person about your current situation. Remember, her only interactions with your advisor might’ve been occasional polite small talk, and if you start off with an angry rant about how much of a jerk your advisor is, the person who might come across as a jerk is you. So be nice.

Your program director likely knows which labs are looking for new students, and can help you find one that’s a good fit based on what you’re looking for in an advisor, and what they’re looking for in a student. She may even help you mediate your switch by asking professors whether they’re willing to take you on. Regardless of this person’s level of involvement, her advice will undoubtedly be helpful in your switch.

Other students can also be valuable resources, since they work more closely with professors and likely know information your program director doesn’t. While you want to be careful with telling too many people about your switch (your advisor should hear the news from you, not someone else), keep your ears open for news about professors’ reputations and for whether they’re looking for new students.

Break the News

Once you’ve begun taking steps to find a new advisor, break the news to your current advisor . Be calm and respectful, but be honest about the reasons you’re leaving. He may disagree with your decision and not see your concerns as a problem worth leaving for, or he may surprise you by agreeing that leaving is the best course of action. Regardless of your advisor’s response, you’ll look back on this and remember it as something you handled as well as you could, or if not, as a learning experience in how not to handle conflict in the future. Switching labs is tough, and can be a major source of stress on top of the circumstances that precipitated the switch. If you find yourself in this situation, take heart that you’re not alone – many, many students have switched labs, and done so successfully. You’ve undoubtedly made mistakes along the way, and learning from them can help you maintain a good relationship with your future advisor. This will be the beginning of a new phase in your grad school career, and the people skills you’ve learned will be useful wherever you go next.

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Kshitij Tiwari Ph.D.

When to switch PhD advisors: Signs and Strategies

A PhD advisor is an important figure in a graduate student’s academic journey. They provide guidance, support, and feedback on research work. When signing up for the PhD program and undergoing the interview process, you asked questions to get to know your advisor better to evaluate how well you fit the lab and you also evaluated the advisor’s approach and profile .

However, a time may come when a student feels the need to switch advisors. But when is the right time to do so and how to go about it ? In this blog post, we will discuss the signs that indicate it’s time to switch PhD advisors and the strategies that can be used to make the switch as smooth as possible.

Table of Contents

Can you even switch PhD advisors?

Signs it is time to switch advisors.

Strategies for for m aking the s witch

Intra-University versus Inter-University switch

Kickstarting research after switching advisors, key takeaways.

Let’s address the million dollar question first: Can you even switch PhD advisors or are is selecting a PhD advisor like a one time deal and your are stuck with them forever?

Yes, you can switch PhD advisors. While it is not a decision that should be taken lightly, it is important to prioritize your academic success and well-being. If you feel that your current advisor is not providing the necessary support or is hindering your progress, then switching may be necessary. However, before making a decision, it is important to consider the potential consequences and ensure that you have a solid plan in place.

Lack of Communication

Communication is vital in any advisor-student relationship. If your advisor is not responding to your emails, not providing feedback on your research work, or not taking your concerns seriously, it may be time to consider a switch.

Lack of Expertise

If your research interests change or you realize that your advisor’s area of expertise doesn’t align with your research goals, it may be difficult to work together effectively.

Personality Conflicts

In some cases, a personality clash with your advisor may make it difficult to work together or make progress on your research.

Lack of Support

A supportive advisor provides funding, resources, and connections to help their students succeed. If you feel like your advisor isn’t helping you reach your academic goals, it may be time to switch.

Unavailability or Excessive Workload of the Advisor

If you find it challenging to schedule meetings or receive timely responses to your inquiries, it can hinder your progress and impede effective collaboration. Additionally, if your advisor’s workload is so extensive that they are unable to provide the necessary guidance and support, it can hinder your academic growth and research development.

Strategies for making the switch

When preparing for a transition to a new advisor, it’s important to take certain steps to ensure a smooth and successful switch. Here are some key considerations:

Developing a Transition Plan

Develop a plan to guide you through the transition process. Identify key tasks and milestones, establish a timeline, and determine how to manage ongoing projects and transfer research materials. Set clear goals and expectations for the new advisor-student relationship.

Notifying Relevant Stakeholders

Inform relevant stakeholders about the upcoming advisor change. Schedule a meeting with your current advisor to discuss your decision and express gratitude. Notify your department or program coordinator to ensure they are aware of the change. Update committee members, if applicable, and discuss any adjustments to the committee composition.

Managing Paperwork and Administrative Processes

Familiarize yourself with the administrative requirements of your institution. Coordinate with administrative offices to complete necessary forms or documentation. Ensure a smooth transfer of administrative responsibilities, such as funding and project management, to the new advisor.

Building Rapport with the New Advisor

Establish a positive relationship with your new advisor. Schedule an initial meeting to introduce yourself, discuss research interests, and align expectations. Seek guidance on preferred communication style and meeting frequency. Familiarize yourself with the new advisor’s research work and areas of expertise. Maintain open and effective communication throughout the transition period.

For international students pursuing a PhD in a foreign country , switching advisors within the same university (intra-university switch) or moving to a different university (inter-university switch) both have their own advantages and considerations. Here are some pros and cons to consider:

When you switch advisors, it’s crucial to kickstart your research effectively to ensure a smooth transition and maximize your productivity. Here are some key strategies to consider:

Establishing Clear Expectations and Goals

Begin by having a detailed discussion with your new advisor to establish clear expectations and goals for your research. Clearly communicate your research interests, objectives, and any specific milestones you aim to achieve. This will help align your advisor’s guidance with your aspirations and set a solid foundation for your work.

Regular Communication and Progress Updates

Maintaining regular communication with your new advisor is vital to stay on track and keep them updated on your progress. Schedule periodic meetings to discuss your research, share any challenges you encounter, and seek advice on overcoming them. By maintaining open lines of communication, you can receive timely feedback and ensure that you are making progress in the right direction.

Seeking Guidance and Support from the New Advisor

Take advantage of your new advisor’s expertise and seek their guidance and support whenever needed. They can provide valuable insights, suggest relevant literature, and help you navigate any research roadblocks. Engage in discussions with them to brainstorm ideas, refine your research methodology, and gain new perspectives that can enhance the quality of your work.

Building a Positive and Productive Working Relationship

Building a positive and productive working relationship with your new advisor is essential for a successful research journey. Be proactive in seeking their input and demonstrating your commitment to your research. Show respect for their expertise and value their time by being prepared for meetings and following through on agreed-upon tasks. Cultivating a strong rapport will not only contribute to a conducive research environment but also foster mutual trust and collaboration.

Deciding to change PhD advisors is a major decision that requires careful consideration. Identify the signs that suggest it is time to switch and use effective methods to ensure the transition is seamless. Ultimately, your academic journey should be a rewarding experience, so selecting the right advisor is essential.

Related resources

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Changing advisors in CSE

Students may change advisors for many reasons: as they solidify their research interests, as they discover their advising needs, or as they realize that a mismatch exists between themselves and their advisor.  In all cases, it is expected that CSE faculty members will support the transition process.  We first describe CSE’s principles, as they relate to the process of changing advisors.  We then outline best practices. 

The document that follows outlines our expectations for how advisor changes will take place, but it is not an exhaustive list of circumstances.  If either students or faculty have experiences that lie outside of these expectations, please contact CSE faculty members, the CSE Graduate Program Office, the CSE Graduate Chair, the DEI Chair, or the CSE Chair.

Our Principles

• PhD students have the right to choose whether to continue to work with their advisors. Faculty advisors do not have control over a student’s visa.  Students do not lose their visa or their status if they decide to work with another advisor.
• Faculty should be clear and transparent about their expectations when taking on students, ideally through published statements outlining policies and practices in their research group. 
• Students should be encouraged to speak with other faculty about their activities and interests in a free and open manner, with or without intent of consideration of advisor switches. Faculty advisors should actively encourage such cross-faculty engagements.  
• When switching advisors, ideally, the student, new advisor, and previous advisor should all participate in a discussion about the transition prior to the transition.  When a decision is made to move forward with a new advising relationship, the previous advisor will be informed by either the student and/or new advisor.  In rare cases, the student may not be comfortable informing their previous advisor.  In these cases, the new advisor or Graduate Chair can discuss the transition with the previous advisor.  
• [Previous advisor, current advisor, student] The issues to be worked out vary by situation, but may include matters such as status of papers in progress or in-pipeline, completion or handing off of responsibilities for ongoing sponsored projects, and transitioning resources, codebases, etc.
• [Previous advisor] Advisors may not cut off GSRA funding during a semester based on declared or anticipated advisor switches.  
• [Student] Continuation of GSRA funding does require that the student continue to perform on the associated project that is funding the GSRA appointment.  See the funding section at the end of the document for more details, including available emergency transition funding when the continuation of a GSRA responsibilities is not possible.
• [New advisor] When a student switches to a new advisor’s research group, it is generally good practice to allow for a transition period during which the student learns about the group’s research, available projects, and background literature.  This will vary by situation.  
• It is important to acknowledge that changing advisors can be stressful and can cause anxiety, which affects a student’s progress, feelings of self-worth, and progress within their degree. Students are encouraged to reach out to any and all sources of advice and support. This includes other faculty members, who should be expected to hold discussions in confidence, if requested (subject to mandatory reporting requirements which may hold for some faculty and some categories of issues). It also includes the CSE Graduate Office, the CSE Graduate Chair, the CSE DEI Committee Chair, the CSE Chair, the CoE CARE Center, and the CoE Graduate office, among others. For certain kinds of conflict the Rackham Conflict Resolution office may also provide a valuable avenue for resolution.
• Conflict situations will require more active intervention and mediation on the part of the department or college (or other level as appropriate). CSE recognizes that our processes for addressing these situations have not always been adequate to the task, and we are working to improve our processes through learning lessons and increasing resources available.
• Retaliation is unacceptable. If you have experienced retaliatory behavior as a function of switching advisors, or think that you may have, please reach out to the Graduate Chair, DEI Chair, CSE Chair, or the confidential Rackham Resolution Officers.
• If you feel like you have experienced something outside of these points – let us know so that we can build off of these points for the future.

Best Practices for Changing Advisors

The remainder of this section outlines various components of the advisor change process and describes some best practices.  It is important to remember that both students and advisors are unique individuals.  Each transition should be thought of on a case-by-case basis.

Statement on the importance of changing advisors

The goal of CSE is to support student success.  An effective advising relationship is central to student success.  Therefore, it is important that faculty accept and support the process of changing advisors when necessary.

Initial conversation

A student should feel empowered to speak to multiple faculty members and students about research areas. We encourage it. It may also be beneficial to discuss advising style and group dynamics.  Students may enter into these discussions with the intention of continuing to work in an area that is similar to their current area or with the intention of transitioning to a new area.  We remind that advising transitions, even those where the new topic is similar to the student’s original focus, will generally extend time to degree.

Ideally, these conversations should proceed in an open and transparent manner, including the student, current advisor and potentially new advisor.  At the same time, we remind faculty that advising relationships do have an entrenched power dynamic.  Students may or may not be interested in sharing their experiences and motivation for leaving a previous group and may ask the potential new advisor for discretion.  Further, some students may not want to inform their current advisor of their decision to switch groups until they have reached a decision and finalized details.

The transition process

Students may transition between advisors at different points within their graduate career.  This may range from just after arrival at U-M to multiple semesters in.  As a result, the needs of the student during this transition process may also vary.  It is important that the new advisor is flexible to these needs.  The student retains credit and prerogative to include their work in their thesis when transitioning to a new group.  If there are questions or concerns, please reach out to the CSE Chair or Graduate Chair.

The benefit of a smooth transition is that it helps to maintain a positive relationship with the previous advisor.  In a smooth transition, the new and previous advisors, in consultation with the student, discuss the transition and come up with a transition plan.  To the extent possible, students should work to wrap up research in their previous group.  This plan may include decisions about the student finalizing deliverables (e.g., software, papers) from the previous grant that funded them.  This may also include research papers that are in the pipeline.  If the research from the previous group was at an early stage, and if the expertise of the new advisor is relevant, and if the previous advisor agrees, it may make sense for the new advisor to actively participate in the old project.  If the paper is in submission (or nearly in submission), the new advisor may see their contribution, if anything, as editing/refinement without expecting to be added as a co-author to the manuscript. It should be acknowledged that some students will be leaving a toxic working relationship with their previous advisor and may not be either willing or able to continue to work on the previous project.  The final transition plan must be clearly communicated to the student.  

Different advisors have different styles for aiding in the transition process.  One effective model is to assume that the transition will occur over a semester.  During this transition, the new student may work on a project with another student in the group to learn more about the research process of the new research group.  The student will read literature in the field.  There are other effective models as well and it should not be assumed that one is appropriate for all situations.

Students will complete a form in which their new advisor officially acknowledges the relationship and the financial responsibility.  Ideally, the previous advisor is part of the discussion.  At the minimum, the previous advisor must be informed about the switch before the paperwork is finalized.

Students should not be expected to transition from their existing desk when they change advisors.  Desks are not assigned by group and students need not shift as they transition.  

The current advisor, previous advisor, and the student will work out how infrastructure (e.g., desktop, laptop, monitor, etc.) are handled as this may vary.

Extending time to degree

A common student concern is that changing advisors may cause a delay in a student’s degree progress.  It is important that a new advisor work with an incoming student to minimize delay due to the change in advising, while acknowledging that it may not be possible to completely eliminate the delay.  One way that new advisors can decrease the impact of advisor switching on the new student is by working with the new student to maintain the student’s prior research topic area or, if that is not possible, to potentially incorporate the previous research into the new topic area.  If the switch in area is substantial, it may not be possible to include the student’s previous work in the final dissertation.

What to do if you experience retaliation

If you experience retaliation, or believe that you may have, please reach out to the CSE Graduate Program Office, CSE Graduate Chair, the CSE DEI Chair, the CSE chair, and/or the UM CSE reporting page for anonymous reporting.

Student Funding

It is expected that the new advisor will take financial responsibility for their new advisee.  This funding may include either GSRA or GSI funding.

There may be times when a new advisor does not have sufficient resources to fund a student as a GSRA.  In that case, it is expected that the student will apply for and be funded as a GSI before a term begins.  If it is necessary to transition to a new advising relationship in the middle of a term and the new advisor does not have funding, there are circumstances in which emergency support may be available through the College of Engineering ( additional information ).

3.3.1 Academic Advising: Policy

Main navigation.

• 1. Responsibilities of Advisors
• 2. Co-Advisors
• 3. Advisors from Other than the Student’s Home Department
• 4. Change or Replacement of Advisor

Related Content

Last updated on: Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Provides that all graduate students are to receive appropriate advising throughout their degree programs.

Effective academic advising is a critical component of a successful graduate degree program. At Stanford, all matriculated graduate students are to be advised by a member of the faculty. The nature of academic advising may differ for different programs and at different stages in a degree program. 

By the start of their first term of graduate study, students should select or be paired by the degree program with faculty advisors who assist them in planning a program of study to meet degree requirements. The process for the selection or assignment of advisors for incoming students, sometimes referred to as program advisors, academic advisors, or first-year advisors, varies and should be explained in writing to incoming students. The timing and process by which students may change from this initial advisor to a more permanent advisor should also be explained.

The degree program should also ensure that doctoral students are informed in a timely fashion about procedures for selecting a principal dissertation advisor, reading committee members, and orals committee members. Degree programs should make every effort to assist doctoral students who are not yet admitted to candidacy in finding an appropriate principal dissertation advisor, and dissertation co-advisor if appropriate.  

Students are obliged to follow degree program procedures for identifying advisors and committee members for their dissertation reading and university oral examinations and ensure the membership of those committees is aligned with university policies (see  GAP 4.7  Doctoral Degrees, University Orals Examinations and Committees  and  GAP 4.8  Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations and Dissertation Reading Committees ). 

Authority: 

• Committee on Graduate Studies (policy)
• Degree programs (implementation)

Applicability: 

Applicable to all graduate students, faculty who advise graduate students, and degree programs.

Related Pages: 

3.3.2 Academic Advising: Implementation

1. Responsibilities of Advisors

General responsibilities of faculty advisors.

The university requires that within each degree program minimum advising expectations be set for both advisor and advisee. Such minimum expectations must differentiate between master’s and doctoral programs, and between different types of advisors (academic/program vs. research.) These degree program expectations must be distributed to faculty and graduate students on an annual basis at the start of each academic year and must be easily accessible on the web. Faculty are expected to affirm that they have received the advising expectations. Each faculty member has the prerogative to augment the degree program's advising expectations with their specific additional expectations, while remaining consistent with the degree program's advising policies. 

Faculty advisors are to: 

• serve as intellectual and professional mentors to their graduate students
• provide knowledgeable support concerning the academic and non-academic policies that pertain to graduate students
• help to prepare students to be competitive for employment
• maintain a high level of professionalism in the relationship
• establish and collaboratively maintain expectations of the advisor/advisee relationship, consistent with degree program standards.

Dissertation Advisors

The principal dissertation advisor (also called thesis advisor or research advisor), who must be a member of the Academic Council, establishes a critically important relationship with the doctoral student. The principal dissertation advisor provides guidance and direction to the doctoral student’s research, as well as evaluation of the student’s progress, often in the context of a research group. As a mentor and a role model, the dissertation advisor plays a critical role in the student’s development as an academic researcher. In many cases, the dissertation advisor is expected to provide financial support for the doctoral student, typically from research grants and contracts.

The dissertation advisor will normally serve as a member of the student’s oral examination committee, and as the chair of the student’s doctoral dissertation reading committee.  

Because of the critical importance of this role, and the potential significance of difficulties that may arise in this relationship, degree programs should designate a resource for faculty members and graduate students to call on for assistance in resolving difficulties. This role may be filled by the department chair, the faculty Director of Graduate Studies, or a specially designated resource in the degree program. Students, faculty, and staff may also consult with campus resources including VPGE, the  Graduate Life Office , the  School Dean’s Offices , and the  University Ombuds  or  School of Medicine Ombuds .

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2. Co-Advisors

At their discretion, students may identify a co-advisor in addition to the principal dissertation advisor; normally both principal advisor and co-advisor are members of the Academic Council. A former Stanford Academic Council member, emeritus professor, or non-Academic Council member may serve as co-advisor with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently on the Academic Council (see  GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations and Dissertation Reading Committees ). Professors who have recently become emeritus and have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisors, though they are no longer members of the Academic Council. Requests for further exceptions to the requirement that the principal dissertation advisor be a current member of the Academic Council, for example for recently retired emeritus professors who are still actively engaged on campus, but not recalled to active duty, will be reviewed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

3. Advisors from Other than the Student’s Home Department

It is expected that faculty advisors will hold an appointment in the student’s major department or program. An advisor may be appointed from outside the major department subject to the approval of the major department; a co-advisor who is a member of the department is recommended.  Departmental approval is conveyed by means of recording the name of the advisor in the PeopleSoft Student Administration record. Students enrolled in an interdisciplinary graduate program (IDP) should have a faculty advisor who is affiliated with the program. Interdisciplinary program approval of an advisor outside the department is automatic, since by definition IDPs only have affiliated faculty, not departmental faculty.

4. Change or Replacement of Advisor

Students may change advisors at different time points in their program. For example, in some degree programs it is typical to change sometime within the first two years from an assigned first-year or program advisor to a principal dissertation advisor selected by agreement of the student, faculty, and degree program. Students may change advisors for other reasons, for example, if their research interests change or if their advisor leaves Stanford. Occasionally, a student’s research may diverge from the area of competence of the advisor, or irreconcilable differences may occur between the student and the faculty advisor. In such cases, the student or the faculty advisor may request a change in assignment. The degree program should make every reasonable effort to facilitate the change and to pair the student with another suitable advisor, which may entail some modification of the student’s research project.

In the rare case where a student’s dissertation research on an approved project is in an advanced stage and the dissertation advisor is no longer available, every reasonable effort must be made to appoint a new advisor, usually from the student’s reading committee. This may also require that a new member be added to the reading committee before the draft dissertation is evaluated, to keep the reconstituted committee in compliance with the university requirements for its composition. (Advisor changes are made with the  Change of Dissertation Adviser or Reading Committee Member  form).

In the event that a student’s advisor leaves Stanford University or becomes emeritus, and has not been recalled to active duty, that advisor may continue to work with the graduate student as a co-advisor and serve on the oral and dissertation reading committees, with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently a member of the Academic Council (see  GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations and Dissertation Reading Committees ). Professors who have recently become emeritus and have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisor, though they are no longer members of the Academic Council. Requests for further exceptions to the requirement that the principal dissertation advisor be a current member of the Academic Council, for example for recently retired emeritus professors who are still actively engaged on campus, will be reviewed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

Related Policies

• GAP 4.7 Doctoral Degrees, University Oral Examinations and Committees
• GAP 4.8 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations and Dissertation Reading Committees

Related Student Services Sections

Related information and forms.

• Policies & Best Practices for Advising Relationships at Stanford  (pdf)
• Guidelines for Faculty-Student Advising at Stanford  (pdf)
• Change of Dissertation Adviser or Reading Committee Member form

Dissertation Advisor 101

How to get the most from the student-supervisor relationship

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | January 2024

Many students feel a little intimidated by the idea of having to work with a research advisor (or supervisor) to complete their dissertation or thesis. Similarly, many students struggle to “connect” with their advisor and feel that the relationship is somewhat strained or awkward. But this doesn’t need to be the case!

In this post, we’ll share five tried and tested tips to help you get the most from this relationship and pave the way for a smoother dissertation writing process.

Overview: Working With Your Advisor

• Clarify everyone’s roles on day one
• Establish (and stick to) a regular communication cycle
• Develop a clear project plan upfront
• Be proactive in engaging with problems
• Navigate conflict like a diplomat

1. Clarify roles on day one

Each university will have slightly different expectations, rules and norms in terms of the research advisor’s role. Similarly, each advisor will have their own unique way of doing things. So, it’s always a good idea to begin the engagement process by clearly defining the roles and expectations in your relationship.

In practical terms, we suggest that you initiate a conversation at the very start of the engagement to discuss your goals, their expectations, and how they would like to work with you. Of course, you might not like what you hear in this conversation. However, this sort of candid conversation will help you get on the same page as early as possible and set the stage for a successful partnership.

To help you get started, here are some questions that you might consider asking in your initial conversation:

• How often would you like to meet and for how long?
• What should I do to prepare for each meeting?
• What aspects of my work will you comment on (and what won’t you cover)?
• Which key decisions should I seek your approval for beforehand?
• What common mistakes should I try to avoid from the outset?
• How can I help make this partnership as effective as possible?
• My academic goals are… Do you have any suggestions at this stage to help me achieve this?

As you can see, these types of questions help you get a clear idea of how you’ll work together and how to get the most from the relatively limited face time you’ll have.

Need a helping hand?

2. Establish a regular communication cycle

Just like in any relationship, effective communication is crucial to making the student-supervisor relationship work. So, you should aim to establish a regular meeting schedule and stick to it. Don’t cancel or reschedule appointments with your advisor at short notice, or do anything that suggests you don’t value their time. Fragile egos are not uncommon in the academic world, so it’s important to clearly demonstrate that you value and respect your supervisor’s time and effort .

Practically speaking, be sure to prepare for each meeting with a clear agenda , including your progress, challenges, and any questions you have. Be open and honest in your communication, but most importantly, be receptive to your supervisor’s feedback . Ultimately, part of their role is to tell you when you’re missing the mark. So, don’t become upset or defensive when they criticise a specific aspect of your work.

Always remember that your research advisor is criticising your work, not you personally . It’s never easy to take negative feedback, but this is all part of the learning journey that takes place alongside the research journey.

3. Have a clear project plan

Few things will impress your supervisor more than a well-articulated, realistic plan of action (aka, a project plan). Investing the time to develop this shows that you take your project (and by extension, the relationship) seriously. It also helps your supervisor understand your intended timeline, which allows the two of you to better align your schedules .

In practical terms, you need to develop a project plan with achievable goals . A detailed Gantt chart can be a great way to do this. Importantly, you’ll need to break down your thesis or dissertation into a collection of practical, manageable steps , and set clear timelines and milestones for each. Once you’ve done that, you should regularly review and adjust this plan with your supervisor to ensure that you remain on track.

Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll stick to your plan 100% of the time (there are always unexpected twists and turns in a research project. However, this plan will lay a foundation for effective collaboration between yourself and your supervisor. An imperfect plan beats no plan at all.

4. Engage with problems proactively

One surefire way to quickly annoy your advisor is to pester them every time you run into a problem in your dissertation or thesis. Unexpected challenges are par for the course when it comes to research – how you deal with them is what makes the difference.

When you encounter a problem, resist the urge to immediately send a panicked email to your supervisor – no matter how massive the issue may seem (at the time). Instead, take a step back and assess the situation as holistically as possible. Force yourself to sit with the issue for at least a few hours to ensure that you have a clear, accurate assessment of the issue at hand. In most cases, a little time, distance and deep breathing will reveal that the problem is not the existential threat it initially seemed to be.

When contacting your supervisor, you should ideally present both the problem and one or two potential solutions . The latter is the most important part here. In other words, you need to show that you’ve engaged with the issue and applied your mind to finding potential solutions. Granted, your solutions may miss the mark. However, providing some sort of solution beats impulsively throwing the problem at your supervisor and hoping that they’ll save the day.

Simply put, mishaps and mini-crises in your research journey present an opportunity to demonstrate your initiative and problem-solving skills – not a reason to lose your cool and outsource the problem to your supervisor.

5. Navigate conflict like a diplomat 

As with any partnership, there’s always the possibility of some level of disagreement or conflict arising within the student-supervisor relationship. Of course, you can drastically reduce the likelihood of this happening by implementing some of the points we mentioned earlier. Neverthless, if a serious disagreement does arise between you and your supervisor, it’s absolutely essential that you approach it with professionalism and respect . Never let it escalate into a shouting contest.

In practical terms, it’s important to communicate your concerns as they arise (don’t let things simmer for too long). Simultaneously, it’s essential that you remain open to understanding your supervisor’s perspective – don’t become entrenched in your position. After all, you are the less experienced researcher within this duo.

Keep in mind that a lot of context is lost in text-based communication , so it can often be a good idea to schedule a short call to discuss your concerns or points of contention, rather than sending a 3000-word email essay. When going this route, be sure to take the time to prepare a clear, cohesive argument beforehand – don’t just “thought vomit” on your supervisor.

In the event that you do have a significant disagreement with your advisor, remember that the goal is to find a solution that serves your project (not your ego). This often requires compromise and flexibility. A “win at all costs” mindset is definitely not suitable here. Ultimately, you need to solve the problem, while still maintaining the relationship .

If you feel that you have already exhausted all possible avenues and still can’t find an acceptable middle ground, you can of course reach out to your university to ask for their assistance. However, this should be the very last resort . Running to your university every time there’s a small disagreement will not serve you well.

Recap: Key Takeaways

To sum up, a fruitful student-supervisor relationship hinges on clear role definition , effective and regular communication , strategic planning , proactive engagement , and professional conflict resolution .

Remember, your dissertation supervisor is there to help you, but you still need to put in the work . In many cases, they’ll also be the first marker of your work, so it really pays to put in the effort and build a strong, functional relationship with them.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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Tress Academic

#98: Should I replace my PhD supervisor?

September 28, 2021 by Tress Academic

Are you experiencing problems with your PhD supervisor? Are you not receiving the support you need, or have you been exposed to misconduct? Have you thought about changing your supervisor for some time, but can’t make up your mind? Are you uncertain whether it is even possible to replace your supervisor and if so, how to kick-off the process? In this blogpost, we’ll give you an overview of why PhD students typically change advisors, how difficult it might be, and whether it is the right thing to do in your situation.  

Some time ago, we received the following message from one of our course participants, which inspired us to write this blogpost:

“Hi there! I’ve struggled for quite a long time with the problem of whether and how to change my supervisor. In my opinion, we’re not the best “team”. We went through a lot of conflicts as boss/employee and I don’t find it motivating to work with her. But still I struggle with just ‘quitting’ and changing the advisor, as I think that she won’t be happy about that, and I fear that the ‘loss’ of a PhD-candidate would surely be understood as threatening at face-value for her as an advisor. In my experience, she is not of the understanding or empathetic kind, but rather resentful.

So, I need your advice in handling the situation.

Kind regards, L.”

Because we know that problems with a supervisor are tricky to handle for PhD candidates, we want to give L., and everyone else who is in a similar situation, our advice. We’ll let you know what makes PhD candidates want to change advisors, what you should consider in the process, and whether it makes sense in your situation or not. Good supervision is extremely important, so overcoming some obstacles in order to replace a ‘less than good’ supervisor can be absolutely worthwhile! 

1. Most are happy with their supervision, but some are not

To keep things in perspective at this point, we should mention that the majority of PhD candidates are rather happy and satisfied with the supervision they receive. But working with PhD candidates over the past 14 years, we’ve also encountered some for whom this is not the case. They are in a situation where they experience problems with one or several of their supervisors. There are surveys that back-up this overall observation. Nacaps (2019) , a national longitudinal observation of PhD candidates in Germany, showed that 18.6 % are not satisfied with their supervisory situation. In the Helmholtz Juniors Survey Report (2019) , there are 25.3% of PhD candidates who are in the categories ‘rather unsatisfied’ to ‘very unsatisfied’ with their supervision. See also Nature’s 2019 PhD survey. 

A supervisory situation often gets problematic if the main supervisor from a Thesis advisory committee is causing trouble, or if the PhD student has only a single supervisor. 

A high percentage of PhD students today are enrolled in structured PhD programmes where supervisory committees consisting of 3 or more supervisors are mandatory. In principle, this is a great way to counterbalance weaknesses of individuals and ensure a high quality of supervision overall. However, problems often occur if the main supervisors are not living up to their supervisory duties. 

Also, there are still PhD candidates who pursue individual projects and have only a single supervisor, which increases the dependency on that one person. If that supervisor fails to give good supervision, the PhD student flounders, and may be left with virtually no support. 

2. Reasons why PhD students want to replace a supervisor 

There are plenty of reasons why a PhD student wants or has to exchange an advisor. Many universities and research institutes or governmental bodies have set out codes of conduct for PhD/graduate education that describe roles and responsibilities of supervisors (see e.g. UniWiND 2015 , UCL 2018 , National Health and Medical Research Council Australia 2019, University of Edinburgh 2021 ). Violation of these commonly accepted principles often constitutes a reason for a change of supervisor. 

In our blog post no. 10: Good PhD-supervision , we discuss 5 pillars of great supervision and describe what you can expect from a good supervisor. 

Below, we’ve listed some illustrative examples which highlight typical reasons you may want to replace your supervisor. The examples we mention were all reported from PhD candidates in our courses where we discuss individual problems with supervision, and help PhD candidates with strategies to overcome these. If you’re interested in benefiting from our support as well, check out the PhD success Lab . Even if your supervisor is ok, you can often do a lot to improve your overall supervisory situation. 

Lack of supervision or poor supervision

A lack of supervision includes insufficient guidance and support and irregular interaction or feedback on the progress of a PhD project. A clear sign of a lack of supervision is if one does not have regular meetings with a PhD supervisor (e.g. meetings only happen twice a year), if meetings are sporadic rather than regular, and if no substantial feedback on work or progress is given. Insufficient encouragement and interest in the PhD candidates work are further factors (see also Helmholtz Juniors 2019 , p. 22). 

If you want to check how your supervision stacks up, check our free worksheet ‘How good is my PhD supervision’ , in which we list key factors that allow you to assess the quality of your supervision.

Supervisor is not an expert in your field

It is possible that asupervisor is not an expert in the area in which the PhD student works. This can happen if a PhD advisor was originally allocated for administrative reasons (rather than scientific expertise) or if the PhD student’s project develops in a different direction over time. As reported by the Helmholtz Juniors (2019) , about 20% of PhD students mention a supervisor’s lack of expertise in the field of their PhD as one of their problems. Also Helfer et al. (2019) , cite it as one point of dissatisfaction with supervisors. 

Clash of personalities

In this case, the personal chemistry between you and the supervisor is off. You are e.g. hyper-organised and your supervisor is the chaotic one, coming up with new ideas for your research in every meeting, dwarfing any of your attempts to maintain focus. Or you need a lot of freedom to pursue your own ideas, but you have a supervisor who is a micromanager, and wants to be involved in every single step you take, leading to endless discussions and delay in your PhD process. There are fundamental character traits or ways to work that do not match well, and are a reason for perpetual annoyance – often on both sides.

Questionable research practice or scientific misconduct

Many Higher Education Institutions, funding agencies, or governmental bodies have developed codes of good scientific practice (see e.g. Australian Government (2007) , Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science (2014) , Swedish Research Council (2017) , German Research Foundation (2019) , UK Research Integrity Office . These lay out guidelines of how research should be conducted, how data should be handled, ethical principles in research that must be considered, how results are published, and how junior researchers must be treated and evaluated – these are broader than the codes of conduct for supervision that we mentioned above. If a supervisor engages in behaviour calls into question these commonly acknowledged practices, or violates them, this will negatively impact the PhD candidate, the quality of their research, and their relationship. As just one example: A supervisor of one of the PhD participants in our courses published an article with data from the PhD candidates’ research without that person’s knowledge or consent. The results that were published would have constituted part of the PhD candidates’ thesis.  

Harassment, discrimination, or abuse 

Harassment, discrimination, or abuse, even in milder forms, constitute a breach of good scientific practice. Like any workplace, scientific institutions are not free from misbehaviour from (in this case) superiors. Strict hierarchical settings and tough competition may exacerbate bullying behaviour or abuse of power (see Max Planck PhDnet, 2018 ). As an example: One South American PhD candidate had to endure constant negative comments about her background and ability to perform by her supervisor. Quotes like ‘you are a latino, they usually work hard, but you are an exception’, where part of the regular communication. Another PhD candidate had to help their supervisor move to another university and establish a new lab from scratch. Months passed with moving goods, ordering parts and equipment. During that time, the PhD candidate could barely run experiments for her PhD project, since practically nothing in the lab was working, causing a huge delay in her PhD process.  

3. Is it difficult to change a supervisor?

In most cases, a change of supervisor is possible, but there are a few things that need consideration. 

Formal or legal aspects:

Some universities or graduate schools have formal proceedings for an exchange of supervisors anchored in their PhD regulations (or elsewhere) which are publicly available. In such a case, there is transparency around the process and you will be able to find out what you have to do and who you need to talk to in order to change yours. For one good example that sets out clear guidelines, see Griffith University’s (2019) Code of Practice for the Supervision of Higher Degree Research Candidates .  

The most progressive or advantageous of PhD regulations will e.g. mention that you can add or exchange members of your thesis advisory committee at any point in time during your PhD. In this case, giving notice to the graduate school that you would like to change one of your supervisors and follow the outlined procedures is all that is needed. 

If no policies or formal proceedings exist however, the process of how a supervisor can be replaced is in the dark, and that can ultimately make it more difficult to get what you want. 

Financing of your PhD:

In the event that your PhD is financed by a third party funded project of your supervisor, or they are in any other way financing your PhD, a change might be tricky. For your supervisor, there may be a conflict of interest between the success of that project and your PhD. You will only benefit if you can change your supervisor and keep your PhD position and funding and can keep working on the same PhD project. That can surely be sorted out, but it might need a bit more discussion to come to a mutually beneficial solution. 

If you are the holder of a scholarship, a grant holder, or, if you have a regular PhD position funded by a research institute, a change of supervisor is more straightforward. In this case, the financing is independent from the supervisor. 

Personal aspects:

Of course impacts to your personal and professional life play a role as well. Like in the above example, many PhD candidates are afraid of the conflict that will occur once they speak up, and the damage this might do to the reputation of their supervisor. 

How the personal aspects work out depends to a large degree on how the entire process is handled. If it is done well, the damage can be limited and no one has to lose face. Many arrangements are possible, and depending on the reasons for the change, the parties can also determine what is and is not made public. Supervisors may also be relieved that they can end a supervisory relationship with a PhD candidate they knew was unhappy with their guidance, and are glad that a colleague will take over. 

So in conclusion, in most cases it is possible to replace a supervisor. Universities have formal proceedings that take place in order to exchange a supervisor and it might happen more often than you think. 

4. Is it the right thing for you to replace your supervisor?

Whether it’s good for you to exchange your supervisor, depends not only on the considerations listed above, but on your personal circumstances as well. Don’t rush it, but eventually try to arrive at a decision, after carefully balancing the pros and cons. Some personal factors that you should think about, before replacing yours, are the following:

How far in the PhD process are you?

 If you’re right at the start and you already notice that things aren’t going well, it is certainly worth the effort to try and get another supervisor. In contrast, if you’ve only got a few months left until submitting your dissertation, you might decide to just ‘live’ with a not-so-good supervisor, finish, and move on. 

How much does the problem with your supervisor impact the quality of your PhD?

Would you be significantly better-off with another person? Does this require a replacement of your main supervisor? Or could a great co-supervisor be added to the team? See our blog post no. 68 for suggestions on how to pick the perfect co-supervisor .

How much do you suffer personally?

How much does the problem with your supervisor affect your ability to work, and your potential to do excellent research? How much does it influence your well-being and your life? 

Does it jeopardise your PhD completion?

For us, the ultimate question to ask is always the following: If you don’t change your supervisor and just continue as is, would your PhD completion be in danger? If that is a clear ‘yes,’ then a change of supervisor is on the agenda. 

PhD candidates often wait too long before they initiate the process of changing supervisors. Some only speak up about a problem when they literally can’t take it any more and are desperate. Don’t wait that long! If you realise that you are suffering from poor supervision, by any means, change your supervisor if it will help you do better research and have a happier PhD life. PhD candidates who went through an exchange of supervisors often tell us later how relieved they were, how much more positive they experienced their PhD life to be, and that it gave a big boost to their motivation to complete their project. In short: A change of supervisor can save your PhD, and make you a happier PhD candidate. 

If you want to know more about how to overcome difficulties and have a happier PhD process, sign up to our free webinar for PhD candidates.

Related resources:

• blog post no. 10: Good PhD-supervision: what you can expect.
• blog post no. 68: PhD Support: How to pick the perfect co-supervisor.  
• free worksheet ‘How good is my PhD supervision’ .

References:

• Australian Government 2007: Australian Code for the responsible conduct of research.  
• National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council and Universities Australia (2019): Supervision. A guide supporting the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
• Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science (2014): Danish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.  
• DZHW, Nacaps (2019): 1. Welle Promovierendenbefragung 2019 (Kohorte 2018)  
• German Research Foundation (2019): Code of Conduct “Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice.”  
• Griffith University (2019): Code of Practice for the Supervision of Higher Degree Research Candidates
• Helfer, F. Drew, S. (2019): Students’ Perceptions of Doctoral Supervision: A Study in an Engineering Program in Australia. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, Vol. 14, pp. 499-524.  
• Helmholtz Juniors (2019): Survey Report.
• Max Planck PhDnet, 2018: Position Paper on Power Abuse and Conflict Resolution. 
• Nature Work/Careers (2019): PhD POLL reveals fear and joy, contentment and anguish. Nature Work/Careers. Vol 575, 14 November 2019, p. 403-406. 
• Swedish Research Council (2017): Good research practice.  
• University College London (UCL) (2018): The UCL Good Supervision Guide. A guide for new and experienced supervisors.
• University of Edinburgh 2021: Code of Practice for Supervisors and Research Students.
• UniWiND (2015): Doctoral Supervision. Recommendations and good practice for universities and doctoral supervisors. UniWiND Publications, Iss. 4.

More information

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Choosing a Dissertation Advisor

Introduction.

While some graduate groups may assign an advisor to a student upon admission to the program, in many graduate groups the responsibility for finding a dissertation advisor rests with the student. The choice of a faculty member who will supervise the dissertation work required to fulfill degree requirements is one of the most critical decisions a graduate student will make. A student will spend several years working with the faculty member of choice, and that choice will significantly affect the direction of the student’s career. Choosing a dissertation advisor, therefore, is an extremely important decision for doctoral students, although it is not immutable, as will be discussed later.

A student undertaking dissertation work needs an advisor who will be not only academically competent in a particular area but also willing to act as the student’s advocate when necessary. It is important that the student be able to work and communicate effectively with the advisor and not feel overwhelmed or intimidated in the relationship. Dissertation work can be lonely and isolating, and support from an advisor can be a crucial connection.  Each student requires the guidance of someone who will stimulate thought, who has sufficient interest in the student’s topic to produce new insights jointly, and who will challenge the student to think in a novel manner about the research.

Obtaining Information on Potential Advisors

Advisors generally serve as the dissertation supervisor. Students should be familiar with the University rules about who can supervise dissertation research and serve on a dissertation committee.  Several resources and strategies can help students identify an appropriate faculty advisor, as follows.

The graduate group website or handbook is a valuable source of information on potential advisors. Many graduate groups have developed websites that profile affiliated faculty members, including their areas of research, recent publications, and other academic activities. Literature searches can provide further information on the publications and preferred journals of particular faculty members. The graduate group chair can also provide valuable advice on potential advisors and can help students to become familiar with any specific graduate group policies on supervision.

Students can get to know potential advisors by taking a course, doing a lab rotation, acting as a teaching assistant, and/or attending seminars and other presentations by the faculty member.

Graduate students currently working with the potential advisor are an invaluable source of information. Students who are working or have worked with a particular advisor can be asked about their experience with that advisor and about the advisor’s expectations and working methods. Getting to know these students is also useful because anyone choosing to work with a faculty advisor would likely have close, future interactions with their students. Talking to multiple students is always encouraged given the possibly strong and differing opinions one might hear.

Students should make an appointment to meet potential advisors. Meeting a potential advisor is an essential step in determining whether a faculty member would be a good fit in terms of mentoring and interpersonal style and research interested. The following is a list of issues that might be covered in such a meeting: 

• How many graduate students do you advise? (Students may not want to pick a faculty member who has too many students already.)
• Typically, how often do you meet with your students?
• Typically, how much time do you expect students to take to complete their dissertation?
• How will we agree upon my research topic?
• Are there sufficient funds available for the research project?
• What will be the sources of my stipend/funding? What are ways you can provide assistance for finding additional funding if/when my stipend expires?
• What level of independence is expected of your graduate students?
• Is there any specific knowledge I need to have before starting to work with you?
• Will I have the opportunity to attend conferences? Publish papers? Present work at colloquia? Are there funds available for me to do so?
• Are you planning a sabbatical leave soon? If so, what arrangements for continued supervision will be made during your absence?
• What opportunities would I have in this area of research when I graduate?
• How do you typically assist students on the job market?
• Will guidelines be drawn up for working together?
• How will I receive feedback on my progress?

These questions are designed to help the student and the potential advisor determine whether a good match exists. Where appropriate, the student may also want to ask about the order of authorship on publications and intellectual property issues.

For students who are able to pick an advisor, the choice of a dissertation advisor is a decision to be made with a great deal of care and consideration. Discussion of the topics listed above will also give faculty members a sense of what students expect in terms of meetings, feedback, turn-around time on submitted work, etc. Taking time to explore these issues should result in a productive relationship for both student and advisor that culminates in a dissertation of original research, completed within a reasonable period of time.

Changing Advisors

There may be situations in which a student must change advisors. Some situations are beyond the student’s control; for example, when an advisor leaves the University or otherwise becomes unavailable. In other situations, the student may want to choose a different advisor; for example, if the focus of the research project changes to something outside of the current advisor’s expertise, or if work styles do not mesh well.

In these latter situations, students should understand that while there can be risks in changing advisors, it usually can be negotiated in a positive manner. Students deciding to change advisors should be sure to consult the graduate group for any specific policies and procedures that apply and be sure to ascertain if funding may change under a new advisor. Students should always be professional and respectful in interactions with the current advisor and potential new advisor and be certain that the proposed new advisor is willing and able to add them as a new advisee before discussing such a change with the current advisor. Students should focus discussions on interests and goals and not on negative incidents or difficulties. The potential new advisor, as well as leaders or other members of the graduate group, may have advice regarding how to broach this change with the current advisor.

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Infrequently, students need to change their thesis advisor and research group during the course of their PhD. Such a change could be warranted or necessary for many reasons, including departure of the thesis advisor from MIT, change in a student’s research interests, or recognition that the student-advisor relationship is not a good match for the training needs of the student. The department is committed to advising and supporting students through such transitions.

If you are considering a change in lab, for any reason, you should discuss your situation with a trusted advisor (e.g., program director, thesis committee member, other faculty member). The graduate program directors, and former directors, have supported many students through successful laboratory transitions, and also through decisions not to change labs. They can speak with you privately, subject only to mandatory reporting rules that surround issues of harassment and discrimination, and will not share your information with your PI or anyone else without your permission. If you would like advice from outside of the department, you can make an appointment with one of the advising deans in the Office of Graduate Education who have extensive experience with students switching advisors.

It is easier to change labs earlier in your training, before you are deeply engaged in your thesis work, but changes at any time are possible. If you are close to completing your thesis research but face a problem with your advisor or within your lab, you should talk to the graduate directors, your thesis committee members, or other senior department faculty members so that we can provide support and help you develop strategies to address the specific issues that you face.

The department guarantees full financial support to all students who are progressing in the program, and this includes students who are transitioning between laboratories. Specifically, the department guarantees one semester of support during a period of lab transition and additional support can be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students will never be asked to duplicate program requirements such as the prelim exam, or to perform extra TA duties, because of a lab change. To minimize disruption to progress to degree during a lab transition, students are expected to focus diligently on identifying a new laboratory and executing their lab switch in a timely manner. There are many people available and willing to advise students and help identify a new advisor.

Changing labs can be stressful and may add time to your graduate degree, but sometimes it is the right thing to do. In particular, if your lab environment or advising relationship is unhealthy, or if you are experiencing bias or discrimination, a change in lab is something that you can always consider and that you should discuss with an advisor.

Bottom line: If you are thinking about changing thesis advisors, for any reason, do not hesitate to seek input, advice, and support to help figure out if this is the right path for you.

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Selecting a Thesis Advisor

At the end of your first year, you will have an opportunity to select a thesis advisor, choosing from the MFA Core Faculty and Visiting Thesis Advisors . You will have an opportunity to prioritize three different choices, and no more. Choosing a thesis advisor is a very important decision and you need to prioritize your choices very carefully. Please read in advance of answering these questions, the stipulations for thesis work at UW Bothell on the website, under program curriculum.

You will be asked questions concerning:

Please describe the creative work and poetics paper / artist statement you wish to undertake and give a sense of the percentage you wish to devote to each. The minimum for an artist statement / poetics paper is 10 per cent of your total thesis, which would amount to a 10-20 page paper. If you are undecided about just what work you wish to undertake, please write out as specifically as possible what this indecision consists of.

Please describe your future goals. Are you concerned about finding work in a specific area or pursuing a Ph.D. program? How would you describe your writerly and pragmatic ambitions? How can this MFA program best help you to achieve these goals in the second year program? Try to prioritize your goals some—and think these through. Keep in mind that trying to do too much of everything is not going to help you achieve what you are setting out to do.

Thesis Advisor Nominations

Please list three MFA core and thesis advisor faculty members with whom you would wish to do your thesis work. Please prioritize this list, indicating which is your first, second and third preference. Please do not list more than three priorities, keeping in mind that any one thesis advisor is limited to three or four students. If in fact you do not have strong preferences, please indicate this as well. Do give some thought to this list, as it is very important. We try to give people either their first or second priority, although sometimes we need to go to your third choice. In order to do our job well, most faculty members will be conducting two to three theses only so that we can give your work more attention.

Changing Your Thesis Advisor

Changing thesis advisors is generally discouraged except in the event that you have irresolvable differences. It is a thesis advisor’s prerogative to ask you to revise your work and to limit your page length: these are not generally considered adequate reasons for changing an advisor. In the event that you feel you can no longer work with your thesis advisor, you need to undertake the following steps in the order listed below:

• Students may submit a Petition to Change of Advisor . The petition is routed through the IAS Graduate Office to the Director of the MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics first, and the current and proposed advisors next. Students may wish to consult their current and prospect thesis advisors before beginning this process, or may meet with the Graduate Programs Advisor first to discuss.
• Approval of the petition will be needed from the Director, the current advisors (thesis advisor and second reader) and the proposed advisor in order to make the change. Students will be asked to talk to both their current and proposed advisors to obtain their approval of the change.
• The IAS Graduate Office/Graduate Programs Advisor must document in writing the approval of all concerned parties: new advisor, old advisor, and second reader. Once final approval is given from all parties, the Graduate Office will notify the student that the change is official.

Barnard College Columbia University

Thesis Process Guide

Using This Guide

This guide is meant to help seniors and rising juniors of any major through any stage of the thesis-writing process. Kate Barrett BC '20 shares tips for cultivating a successful and organized thesis throughout a semester or a year, from the initial generation of a topic to the final bibliography. Additionally, this guide provides insight into time management skills, research tools, and stress management strategies for alleviating stress and increasing clarity around the project. You can use the tabs on the left side of the page to toggle between information for different parts of the thesis process, as well as Kate's personal reflections on her experience. Feel free to contact the CEP for further thesis-writing skills and resources, or attend the Writing Center's Senior Thesis Co-Working Hours by going to  Barnard Writing Center website .

What is a Thesis?

A thesis is...

• An independent research project that students conduct in their final year of undergraduate studies.
• A reflection of one’s major.
• An opportunity for students to show their ability to conduct research and formulate their own thoughts.
• A chance to work with an advisor to figure out a topic and research question to explore.
• A paper that can range from 20-100 pages, including title, table of contents, references, appendices, footnotes, figures, acknowledgements, and dedications.

How to pick an advisor

At Barnard, you are assigned a thesis advisor based on the seminar you sign up for. Each seminar usually has a theme, and each major has the same date and time for all thesis seminars.  Additionally, all of the professors are in the major's department. Therefore, it is probable that you've had these professors as teachers before and you will likely know their teaching style. T he hard part about picking an advisor is that if you have one topic that aligns with a certain seminar, you cannot decide to switch to an advisor that teaches a different seminar. Make sure you have an equal desire to have a specific professor as well as a topic in mind. If you don’t have a topic in mind before the fall, then choosing a seminar based on the professor is probably your best bet.

How to pick a topic

Carefully choose the topic you want to explore—could you study it for a year? Is there enough existing research available for you to fully explore it? It's important to consider the complexity and scope of your topic. Topics that are too narrow might pose research issues down the line, while overly broad topics can cause you to feel overwhelmed.  It can be helpful to choose a topic with recent published research so that you have a lot of references to pull from. Additionally, this tactic will push you to engage with ideas that many people are already discussing and finding valuable.

How to conduct and organize your research

Once you have determined the topic of your thesis, you can begin by utilizing the college’s research librarians ; they are great resources and can help you find more articles and references on your topic. As you begin finding and reviewing primary and secondary sources, u se citation managers such as Zotero to help keep track of your materials.  Diversify your sources for research—use books, website articles, scholarly articles, videos, primary documents, and archival material, if relevant.  Print out and markup articles if possible, so that you can write your thoughts down as you read; this will help you analyze material from your own perspective. It can also be helpful to a dd all online documents to your Google Drive so you can access them anywhere and organize them by reference type or theme.

12 Things to Know About the Thesis Process

Pick a topic that you truly care about and are passionate about..

Depending on major, thesis projects occur over year-long or semester-long seminars, so you'll want to pick something that will be engaging to you throughout the entire year.

Determine if an independent study is the right choice for you.

Some students opt to conduct independent studies rather than engage in senior seminars to write their thesis. While opportunities for independent study vary depending on major, consider this option if you have a specific relationship with a certain professor, if you have a niche thesis topic in mind that doesn't align with any seminar, or if the traditional timeline of the thesis writing process seems daunting to you, due to multiple majors or other reasons.

Brainstorm topics over the summer before your first session meeting with your seminar class.

By planning beforehand, you’ll be able to get ahead of your research so you have an idea of what you want to write about.

Your main research questions might change throughout the process and that is okay.

Being flexible is crucial during the thesis process because there are a lot of instances where your topic or main focus could shift due to issues with research, access, or interests.

While it's likely that not all of the research you conduct will make it into the paper, using research to narrow your topic is an important aspect of the process.

Engaging with a variety of different source material will provide a foundation for what you do  want to put into the paper.

Don’t procrastinate on your weekly/monthly/semesterly deadlines.

Professors assign deadlines throughout the semester to help keep you on task and make the process more manageable. You don’t want to be scrambling to write something at midnight the night before it is due.

Make your thesis clear, specific, and easy for readers to understand.

While writing your thesis, assume that your reader does not know anything about your topic; this will help you to explain everything thoroughly. You can always revise later and edit out parts that are no longer necessary.

Your thesis advisor is a resource to help you—they want to see you succeed just as much as you do.

Reach out to your advisor through email, set up meetings, and talk to them before or after class. They are knowledgeable scholars in your field and are teaching this seminar for a reason.

Lean on your classmates. 

Usually, thesis seminars are comprised of small groups of students. Discussing your ideas and topics with one another is extremely helpful throughout the process.

Don’t assume that a longer paper means a better paper.

If you feel that you are stretching out your paper in order to add pages, most of the time that will be transparent in your writing. Reach out to your advisor or research librarian if you feel you are running out of ideas. On the other hand, if you feel strongly about your paper and it is at the minimum page count, keep it there; often, concision is key.

Do a literature review of your topic to ensure that your specific research question hasn’t been answered yet.

Reading about your topic will also help you craft your question and determine the path of your paper.

Write and memo everything—every thought you have, every question, every struggle.

Reflecting on the process while it's still ongoing will help you work through your challenges and track your progress. You can do this by hand, in word documents, or through online folders in Google Drive.

Tips for conducting a long-term project

Draft a plan that starts at the end.

• Start with the final deadline and work backwards.
• This helps ensure that you stay on track.

Try the SMART goals method

• This will help you achieve small milestones along the way.
• Track your progress by creating Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound Goals.
• This method makes it easier to notice what adjustments need to be made to stay on track.

Utilize online management tools.

• Collaborative and organizational tools like the ones listed on the Center for Engaged Pedagogy’s website can help you prioritize your tasks
• By using these tools, you can keep track of daily, weekly, or monthly priorities, all in one place. 

Keep circling back to your research question.

• Make sure you constantly remind yourself of your goals so you don’t get sidetracked and start researching things that aren’t relevant to your project.

Don’t plan out more than 75% of your time.

• Only focus on the biggest deadlines you need to accomplish.
• Over-planning sets you up for failure and feelings of defeat if you don’t hit each micro-deadline on time.

In the initial preparation of the project, try to think of all the tools you need to complete it.

• Do you need funding? 
• Outside sources?
• Connections/access to databases/libraries/journals?
• Access to sites? 
• Additional researchers or readers?

Cultivating Good Habits

When writing, try not to leave deadlines to the last minute..

You want to be able to reread and edit everything you write along the way, and waiting until the last minute to complete sections of your thesis makes it difficult to provide fresh edits.

Write every thought, every experience, every question you have.

With the amount of literature, data, questions, and other classes circulating in your head, it's unrealistic to rely only on memory.

Ask your friends and family what their opinions of your topic are, and/or try to explain your topic to them.

This will help you fine tune your own opinions, and even inspire certain research questions. Further, being able to explain an idea to someone else demonstrates that you have a strong understanding of it yourself. Utilizing the Writing Center to talk through your topic with fellows, even at initial stages, can also be extremely helpful.

Don’t stop reading literature about your topic.

New studies might come out as you’re writing, and y ou'll want to stay as up to date as possible.

Keep separate journals and notebooks for separate things.

For example, you could have one journal dedicated to your ideas and internal struggles/questions, and another dedicated to keeping track of more logistical and solid data, goals, and logistics.

Tips for Organization and Motivation

Make a plan For example, if you are doing a yearlong thesis, you could plan to spend half of the year researching and the other half writing.

Set goals with your professor and for yourself Try to set goals for how much time you want to spend each week doing different tasks: researching, memo-writing, working with your professor etc. Set personal deadlines of dates that you would like to have specific things completed by.

Be flexible with your plan Look at the year or semester and mark off when you assume you will be done with certain tasks to make sure you’re still on track—but don’t get upset if those goals aren’t met. Writing a thesis is a give-and-take process.

Stay on top of your citations Stay on track with your citations as you write your paper. Don’t assume that you will go back later and fill them in. Once you write something, cite it in-text and write the full citation in the bibliography immediately, or use tools like Zotero, which will do this automatically. 

Look to your topic for inspiration Remind yourself why you chose this topic in the first place.  What inspired you? Why does this topic interest you? What were you excited by? 

Reflect on how your thesis connects to your Barnard experience Reflect on your time as an undergrad at Barnard. In a way, your thesis  is a culmination of your college experience—it is an opportunity to showcase your growth.

Draw strength from your peers Supporting and motivating your peers to finish their projects will, in turn, motivate you to complete yours. You're all in this together.

Think of the big picture Remember that the work you are doing now could be very useful in other situations in your life. For example, you may draw on your thesis when putting together  grad school applications, doing job interviews, or switching job industries. Also, the skills you cultivate while working on your thesis—research, writing, editing, collaboration, and so on—will very likely come in handy in the future.

Reflections on the Process

Choosing a seminar .

My major was urban studies, and I had four different options for my senior thesis seminar. When choosing classes in the spring of my junior year, I wasn’t really sure what a thesis looked like, so it was hard for me to decide what seminar I wanted to participate in. Reaching out to past urban studies graduates helped a lot, because I was able to get a better understanding of what the research project would look like. Ultimately, I felt that I wanted to choose a seminar that would excite and motivate me. Since I didn’t have a topic in mind, it was even harder to choose between seminars, but I was most drawn to the description for the New York Field Research seminar. I had taken many anthropology classes in the past that taught me about ethnographic research and the importance of studying communities and cultures, so I figured that field research would be a good fit for my thesis project.

While the other topics were interesting as well, I feel that I resonated more with an ethnographic style than a traditional thesis paper. This was completely due to my research style as a student, because I feel like I am more of an interactive learner than a researcher. Knowing your research style is really important because it will help you choose a seminar, like it helped me choose mine. The professors are assigned specific seminars, so you have to make sure that the advisor you want is also in a seminar you could picture yourself basing your study on. I knew I wanted to work with my advisor so it worked out, but if I had wanted to do the seminar on international cities, I would not have been able to work with them.

Choosing a topic

Choosing a topic depends a lot on the seminar you are in, but there is some flexibility if you are really interested in something specific. Usually the seminars are broad enough that if there is one topic you would like to pursue, you could probably tweak it depending on which seminar you are in. For example, I knew I wanted to study food and restaurants, so for my field research it made sense that I would do an ethnography on a restaurant while looking at the social and cultural repercussions of gentrification. If I wanted to take the international cities seminar, I could have studied the importance of certain restaurants in different countries around the world. In order to choose a topic, I made a “mind cloud” where I mapped out as many of my interests as I could think of.

After I had a solid number of topic ideas, I went through each of them and tried to think of subtopics or research questions that would interest me. After I had thought about each topic, I did a process of elimination for the topics that seemed too broad or narrow for a thesis, or things that might not have sufficient research already conducted. Then I went through and ranked the topics I would be most interested in studying. From there, I started looking for scholarly articles related to each topic, and decided to pursue the one that had the most material to work with. When I decided that I had one solid topic, I then fleshed out potential research questions that I could study. I was able to find a few questions that I felt really strongly about, and when I went to class that week I talked it through with my classmates. They pitched in ideas and helped me fine tune my question into a more digestible statement that I was able to base my entire project on.

Staying Motivated

Staying motivated during the thesis process was difficult at times. It was really hard for me when my topic started to shift a few months in, and I felt like I was much further behind than most of my classmates. I realized that I needed to shift my research away from food sovereignty and take a closer look at the effects of gentrification. It was daunting having to switch topics, and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to finish my thesis on time even though it was still fairly early on in the year. Instead of giving up, I went to my advisor for help, and she was able to alleviate a lot of my fear. We devised a plan to get me back on track, which had me busier than usual for a few weeks, but ultimately got me back to the place I needed to be at. During this transition period I was feeling very unmotivated, but setting small goals for myself helped a lot. I set these smaller goals so that when I was able to cross them off my list, I felt a sense of accomplishment. With each strike, I felt more motivated to keep going. 

For me, it was important to combat feelings of hopelessness and lack of motivation by opening up to friends, teachers, and peers who were going through something similar. By talking to my other friends who were writing theses, I realized that feeling discouraged is really common. The thesis process has ebbs and flows of excitement, and, at some points, disassociation. During the lows, it is important to lean on friends, but also to remember that this is a feeling of stress that will pass. So many students have written theses in the past, and there are so many resources at school to help you succeed and finish. My biggest takeaway was the importance of finding the root of my lack of motivation, which was the fact that I was insecure because I felt like I didn't know where my thesis was going anymore. Once I accepted this, I put all my energy into having a solid research question that I felt proud of. This helped me alleviate so much of my underlying stress that was manifesting in laziness and lack of motivation.

Moving from Researching to Writing

The yearlong thesis seminar is mainly split in two parts: the initial research stage, and the writing stage. Most students don’t even start writing their thesis until the spring semester. I never really understood this before starting my thesis, but the first semester is mainly focused on gathering data and learning as much about your topic as possible. This isn’t to say that the research fully stops before the writing begins, but rather that it slows down as writing takes more of a priority. Your professor will advise you on the specific ways you will collect data regarding your course, and you will learn about the basics of dissertation writing. For my seminar, my advisor had to teach us what an ethnography was, how to collect data through participant observation, qualitative coding analysis, and memoing - all things I had no prior experience with. Therefore, the foundational fall semester was crucial for a successful spring semester.  

Author’s Bio

Kate Barrett is a member of the Barnard Class of 2020. She majored in Urban Studies with a concentration in Anthropology, and completed a senior thesis in the New York Field Research Seminar. She wrote this guide for the CEP in her senior year.

Thesis Features

Many academic departments at Barnard offer students an opportunity to pursue a senior thesis or capstone project, which typically involve original research, analysis, and collaboration with faculty and other students. The following are supplemental guides for senior capstone projects and theses across a variety of departments. These guides are intended to give an overview of the senior thesis process and experience for specific academic programs. Please refer to department websites for contact information and detailed requirements. 

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Application for Change Thesis Topic to the Department Head

During your thesis or research period, you may want to make changes to your project. You should discuss any significant changes to your project with your advisor or supervisor. Below briefly describe on Sample Application for Change Thesis Topic to the Department Head. A request to make a significant change to your research will need to be considered carefully, as it may have implications on the progress of your research. You need to modify this sample according to your needs.]

Date: DD/MM/YY

The Supervisor,

Department Name,

University name…

Sub: Application for Change the Thesis Title

It is to request you that I am an [Degree name, e.g., M.Phil. Scholar] and my final semester are going to end within 3/4/6 months. (Describe in your words). I realize the deadline has passed, but please do consider my request. The final project has been allotted to all of us. The topic which was allotted to me for my thesis is [Present topic Name…]. I have researched a lot but I could not be able to find any relevant data to my topic from anywhere. (Explain the actual problem and situation).

You are requested to change my thesis topic so that I might be able to collect data for my topic and complete my research efficiently within due time. (Cordially describe your greetings and requirements).

I am available for a meeting on campus, whenever it works best for you. I shall be grateful to you for this kindness.

Yours Sincerely,

Subject and Department name…

Contact info. and signature…

Another Format,

The Advisor…

Head of Department,

Sub: Request to change the research topic

I’m writing this to let you know that I have been assigned to do research work on the [Topic name] to complete my final assessment which is due in the coming month. (Describe in your words). Despite searching everywhere, on the web and in the library, I am unable to find sufficient information to conduct meaningful research. (Describe actual problem and situation). I have no issues with the topic, however, I was deeply interested to do research in 9Your interested subject area) for which I have spent at least three months to collect and organize data from various resources. (Explain all about the situation).

Hence, I would like to request to change my topic accordingly so that I can continue to finalize the assignment which will be more comprehensive than the allotted one. (Cordially describe your greetings and requirements).

Kind Regards,

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Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering

College of engineering, master's thesis proposal: brendan mindiak.

Master's Thesis Proposal

Brendan Mindiak

(Advisor: Prof. Ahuja and Prof. Whorton)

"Improving the Efficiency and Accuracy of Landing Site Error Calculations for Re-Entry Vehicles"

Monday, April 29

Montgomery Knight 325

Upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, a re-entry body is subjected to a series of largely unpredictable conditions. These may include: entry trajectory, entry mass, vehicle drag, sensor error, atmospheric and weather conditions, unexpected perturbations, and any other unforeseen circumstance. These conditions make the modeling and tracking of the re-entry body’s trajectory a highly uncertain process. The cumulative effect of this uncertainty produces an area of possible landing locations, which often takes on the shape of an ellipse. It is often desirable to reduce the size of the landing ellipse or change the ellipse’s location so that the potential landing sites are restricted to a smaller or unpopulated area, increasing the mission safety and the recoverability of the spacecraft. To change the size or location of a landing ellipse, either the re-entry conditions can be altered or a flight control system, such as the system utilized by the space shuttle, can be implemented.

The current process of analyzing landing site error for re-entry missions is highly inefficient. Landing site error is most often determined by stochastically modeling the re-entry trajectory hundreds or thousands of times to observe the statistical distribution of landing sites, known as a Monte-Carlo simulation. In order to achieve an acceptable landing site and error, a Monte-Carlo simulation is performed, then a re-entry condition is changed based on engineering intuition and the process is repeated until the landing conditions satisfy the mission requirements. Attempts to improve the efficiency of this process focus on reducing the computational cost of the Monte-Carlo simulation, either by making edge-case assumptions for the dynamics or by using optimization techniques which struggle to achieve convergence on a solution.

The current study seeks to improve both the efficiency and accuracy of uncertainty modeling. By combining the accuracy of Monte-Carlo simulations with the efficiency of a reference table, a re-entry body’s landing ellipse location and size can be readily determined using only basic information about the atmospheric re-entry conditions and without the need to produce a full trajectory simulation. In this study, the re-entry conditions that define a landing ellipse are reduced to: the velocity magnitude, the flight path angle, the ballistic coefficient, the heading angle, and the latitude of re-entry. This table will be produced for both uncontrolled bodies and bodies with a propulsive flight control system.

The results produced from these five re-entry conditions represent the first method of determining landing site uncertainty that does not require any modeling of the system dynamics. Overall, the current study can be used to explore a wide range of trajectories to fully understand the envelope of hyper-sonic flight conditions and how they apply to different re-entry vehicles, even being able to scale down to extremely small sizes.

· Prof. Krish Ahuja – GTRI and School of Aerospace Engineering (advisor)

· Prof. Mark Whorton – GTRI and School of Aerospace Engineering (co-advisor)

· Prof. John Dec – School of Aerospace Engineering