UMBC Department of History

Declaration of Graduate Faculty Advisor Form

Each graduate student is required in consultation with the Graduate Program Director (GPD) to select an advisor from among the Regular or Associate Graduate Faculty in the Department of History by the time the student has completed 15 credits of graduate work. The graduate student and the faculty advisor must each agree to this and can terminate this relationship if area of research interest changes or other conditions make this necessary. The graduate student is responsible for finding another advisor and submitting a new declaration form. The GPD is, of course, available to assist in this process. This Declaration of Faculty Advisor Form will be kept in the student’s file.

Duties of the Graduate Advisor:
An advisor will serve both as an academic as well as administrative advisor to assist the student in meeting program and Graduate School deadlines and requirements. Advisors are responsible for authorizing leaves of absence (LOA) and continuous registration as well as for reminding students not to exceed the 3 LOA limit as well as the 5-year rule, which requires students to complete the degree within 5 years of having been admitted to the program, regardless of LOAs. Ultimately it is the student’s responsibility to stay within the Graduate School requirements, but the advisor should assist in clarifying the student’s status in the program. The graduate advisor is also intended to be the person who will mentor the graduate student through the process of choosing a thesis topic or designing a non-thesis project. The advisor should thus be someone who works in a field related to the one in which the student intends to write a thesis or develop a non-thesis project.
 

Graduate student signature _______________________________ Date: ___________

Faculty advisor signature ________________________________  Date: ___________

 

Faculty advisor’s name (please print) ____________________________