Advising

The Department of Management Science and Engineering is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by the advisor and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Every student is assigned a faculty program advisor within the department. Faculty program advisors guide all students in critical areas such as selecting courses, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways. Faculty program advisors and students meet regularly, and the faculty program advisor may initiate a meeting with any student in academic or research distress.

Master students are encouraged to explore courses from across the department and with multiple MS&E faculty members. Students may request a new advisor from MS&E Student Services staff as their interests clarify. Master’s students are encouraged to meet with their advisor regularly to discuss their program goals and objectives, course selection, career goals, and academic and industry opportunities.

The MS&E student services staff are also crucial to the advising team. They inform students and advisors about university and department requirements, procedures, and opportunities and maintain the official records of advisor assignments and course approvals. Students are encouraged to talk with the faculty program advisor and the student services office as they consider courses.

Students are active contributors to the advising relationship, and we urge them to proactively seek academic and professional guidance and take responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program. Therefore, we expect students to read regular communication from the Registrar’s Office and Student Services regarding upcoming academic deadlines and policy updates and be responsible for complying with the university and program requirements.

See Graduate Advising for a statement of university policy on graduate advising.