Individual welcome interviews for new graduate students and a group orientation for all geography graduate students and faculty take place just prior to fall semester, usually on the Friday before classes start. Welcome interviews acquaint the graduate committee with our new students and serve as each student’s initial advising session for developing a program of study. During the welcome interview you will be assigned an interim academic advisor. This faculty member will be your temporary advisoruntil you arrange for a faculty member to supervise your thesis; your thesis advisor will then serve as your academic advisor. Your academic advisor, whether interim or permanent, helps you select courses, plan your program of study, assess options, and strategize on handling any academic deficiencies noted in the welcome interview. Your academic advisor is available to answer your questions and offer academic advice.
Your choice of a thesis advisor should be the outcome of discussions with individual geography professors whose research interests dovetail with yours. Once you have identified a faculty member you would like as your supervisor, you must ask if they would agree to assume the responsibilities of serving in that capacity. The thesis advisor should specialize or have expertise in the systematic geographic subfield, method, or technique that will be the focus of your thesis. If, after identifying a permanent advisor, your primary research interests change substantially such that they might be represented better by a different professor, it may be possible to change advisors.