Choosing an Advisor

Any faculty member or lecturer in the Computer Science Department can be your undergraduate advisor (except courtesy faculty). The relationship you create with your advisor largely depends on you. Neither the lecturer advisors nor the professor advisors will run after you to ask you about your progress. Therefore, initiative must be entirely your own. You should also be aware that you are free to change your advisor anytime. Just make sure to let your old advisor know, get approval from your new advisor, and send an email to Claire Stager so we can get you officially switched over.

In selecting a possible advisor, you should consider the following:

• The professor or lecturer's interests, and how they match your own
• Your future plans and how your selected advisor could help you with those
• The kind of help you expect from your advisor during your undergraduate career.

When considering between a lecturer and a professor, take into account the following points. Note that these are general statements and there are exceptions. You should talk with a specific advisor to see how he or she can contribute to your idea of what an advisor should be.

• Lecturers have large advisee groups (from 15 - 50), professors have small groups (1-10)
• Lecturers are generally knowledgeable about the curriculum and industry
• Professors are generally knowledgeable about research, grad schools, and academia
• Advisors are often called upon to write letters of recommendation.
• The course advisor is always available to answer questions about classes and schedules.

To ask a professor or lecturer to be your advisor, it is best to meet with them in person. This is for your own benefit since it allows you to see how well you interact in person and how comfortable you are speaking to them. To set up a meeting it is best to email them directly, or go to their office hours (most often listed on their web page or on their office door).

Here is a list of possible advisors in the department. The list is not complete and should be used only as a guideline. Again, you can choose any faculty member in the department, even if they are not on the list. In addition, since advisors determine their own advisee capacity, some of the listed advisors may not be currently accepting advisees. Once you have selected a faculty advisor and they have agreed to be your advisor, you should take a look at the Steps to Declare page to find out what to do next.