Each academic program will have faculty members who serve as Graduate Faculty Advisors. The primary responsibilities of a Graduate Faculty Advisor should include the following:
- Be a source of academic information for your graduate students
- Provide assistance with details in determining the plan of study
- Be proficient in inputting, managing, and approving forms in gradpath as needed to assure smooth progression to final degree
- Provide regular, timely input to your students to determine academic progress
[This page is under construction and more information will be available soon.]
Assigning a Grade for Dissertation Units
Dissertations/ DMA documents/ DNP Projects (“dissertation” hereafter) are ongoing projects. Students enroll in dissertation units over the course of several semesters. The grading of dissertation units must follow the SPF designation wherein S = Superior (superior achievement and progress on dissertation has been made), P = Passing (student has made appropriate progress on dissertation), and F = Failure (Student did not make progress on dissertation). In most cases, students will earn a ‘P’ indicating the project is continuing and the student is making satisfactory progress.
Note: The K grade for "course in progress" discontinued Fall 2017; the S/P/F system replaced the S/P/C/D/E system Spring 2018. (https://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/grades-and-grading-system)
Graduate courses: Grades for 900 through 925 house numbered courses and other graduate level project courses that continue for longer than one term will be awarded S, P, or F on the basis of the work completed during the semester of enrollment. As with all courses, the option of awarding an I remains available when warranted. If the course is passed, the units of credit may be applied toward the degree at the discretion of the student's major advisor. (https://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/grades-and-grading-system)
Resource Links:
Mentoring
Advisor, Teacher, Role Model, Friend: On Being a Mentor to Students in Science and Engineering
Guidelines for Good Practice in Graduate Education: Mentoring (University of Washington)
Best Practices
Council of Graduate Schools: Lesson Five- Monitoring Graduate Student Progress
Duke Graduate School: Best Practices
Ohio State University Graduate School: Graduate School Handbook
Michigan State University: Advisor/Student and Research Integrity Guidelines
Best Practices in Yale Graduate Programs
The Chronicle: Best Practices for Advising Graduate Assistants
The Commission on Pathways through Graduate School and Into Careers
Hiring Graduate Assistants/Associates resources
University of Arizona Graduate Assistant Manual
Financial Aid: Frequently Asked Questions for Graduate Students
