New graduate students will be assigned first-year advisers who will review their course selections, familiarize them with the Graduate Program, answer questions, and assist them in their progress through the program, including helping them choose a new academic adviser if that seems appropriate.
 
After the first year, students regularly meet with their academic advisers once each term prior to registration to discuss course choices for the following term and to record the fulfillment of distribution requirements on a course work record form which is kept in the student's file. Other meetings may take place according to the needs of the individual student.

The arc of graduate advising stretches from the arrival of students in the program to the pre-exams conference. After the completion of course work, the Exams committee chair and then the dissertation director take over the functions of the adviser.

Students may change advisers at any point during course work. They need only inform the Graduate Office of the change. When students begin teaching they will also be assigned faculty mentors to help them with their teaching responsibilities.