Welcome to our department. We will strive to not let you drown and disappear as happens at larger impersonal universities. We keep track of your progress and will be in touch often to chart that progress.
I (the Graduate Coordinator) am your official advisor for your time here. Ideally we will have met just before or very soon after the start of your first semester. In that first meeting — your initial advising session — we will fill out the “Program Development” form. This will broadly lay out your course of study here.
You will also receive a “tour” of the department and an introduction to the “Handbook for History Graduate Students” which give you the most important information and answers most questions grad student have about things like which form to fill out for something and when.
We also will have a special orientation session for all graduate students of the new cohort in that week before classes start.
During your second semester in your History 501 class you will develop your proposal for your thesis/project/portfolio and select your “supervisory committee.” The chair of the supervisory committee will become your additional “advisor” covering your intellectual pursuits — discussing classes, thesis, project and everything having to do with content. The graduate coordinator will continue to be the official advisor concerned with paperwork matters making sure everything is filled out properly and answering bureaucratic questions for you.
However, all graduate students should feel absolutely free to seek advising from any of our faculty, including the dept. Chair. Ideally you will become acquainted with us all. We all can help.
Additionally, the Graduate College offers support through their Graduate Student Success Center. They offer writing support, thesis and dissertation support, and workshops on a number of topics. Further, they offer GradWell, support for well being and mental wellness education. The Grad College also has its own general graduate orientation during the week before classes.
Taking advantage of these advising opportunities will increase the likelihood you will graduate on schedule and have a good experience with us.
And remember, there is the graduate student “wall” outside my office that has the important information available to look at right there.
David Walker
Graduate Coordinator
davidwalker2@boisestate.edu