Graduate Advising

Every Stanford graduate student is expected to be paired with a faculty advisor. Advisors assist students in planning a program of study to meet degree requirements.

Establishing Good Relationships

Faculty advisors, particularly for doctoral students, play an important role in students' intellectual development. Good communication is crucial for productive working relationships.

Guidelines for Good Practices in the Graduate Student-Faculty Advisor Relationship

Describes practices that the great majority of faculty and students, here and elsewhere, routinely follow as a matter of common sense, courtesy, and basic honesty.

Resolving Advising Conflicts

Sometimes faculty-student relationships can become strained or conflicted. Students are encouraged to communicate clearly and often with their advisors. Learning to resolve conflicts and advocate on one's own behalf are important skills everyone should learn.

The next step in resolving a conflict is to talk with the Department Chair, the faculty coordinator of graduate studies, or the graduate student affairs administrator. Most schools have deans who can also help solve problems or resolve conflicts.

Ombuds Office

Ombudspersons assist with resolution of disputes and redress of wrongs, while maintaining impartiality and confidentiality. Available to talk through a problem.

School Dean's Offices

Contacts in each school with expertise on graduate academic policies.

Changing Advisors

There are circumstances under which students seek to change advisers: a mismatch of personalities, working styles, or academic expertise. Direct communication is advised. In some cases there are funding implications. Consulting with the school dean’s office can be helpful.

If a faculty member leaves Stanford, the department should help students identify a new advisor. For advanced doctoral students, the former advisor can continue to serve on the dissertation committee, and can act as dissertation co-chair with a current Stanford faculty member.