To complete a graduate degree at the University of Missouri, a graduate student must have a doctoral and/or graduate faculty advisor or co-advisors.
When admitted to a graduate program, many students are immediately assigned to a faculty advisor through an existing structured and supportive process. In some cases, however (and based on the graduate program), a student is assigned an interim advisor until the student identifies a faculty advisor who will direct their Thesis or Dissertation research. Often the Department Chair/Program Director or Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) will designate the role of temporary advisor.
Doctoral
A doctoral student is assigned an advisor upon admission. However, this may or may not be the individual who advises the student’s dissertation project. In that case, the student selects an advisor or co-advisors by mutual consent from doctoral faculty members who are dissertation supervisors in the department or area program in which the major work is planned. Doctoral advisors must be members of the doctoral faculty. To determine whether a faculty member has doctoral faculty status, refer to the list of faculty in each academic program in the University catalog. Students can change advisors during their doctoral program. Before registering for each semester or session, the student consults the advisor concerning a program of courses.
Master’s
A master’s or educational specialist degree student or a student pursuing a graduate certificate selects or is assigned a consenting advisor from faculty members of the academic program in which the major work is planned. Before registering for each semester or session, the student consults the advisor concerning a program of courses. Advisors must be members of the graduate faculty. To determine whether a faculty member has graduate faculty status, refer to the list of faculty in each academic program in the University catalog. Students can change advisors during their graduate program.
Special Circumstances
No Clear Path
In rare cases, a student may lose their graduate advisor. An advisor who retires or leaves MU may continue to serve as a student’s co-advisor unless a written academic program policy prohibits such an arrangement. Other circumstances may include, but are not limited to, advisor illness or death, reassignment of faculty duties, or irreconcilable conflict between parties. In addition, a student admitted to a graduate program who requires rotations in different laboratories may be unable to identify a permanent advisor after completing a rotation. In these circumstances, the student must notify the DGS within 10 days (excluding weekends and University Holidays). If the DGS was most recently serving as the student’s permanent advisor, the student should notify the department chair/director that they do not have an advisor.
Upon notification, the DGS (or chair/director) assumes primary responsibility for coordinating a structured plan to ensure continuity of mentorship and progress toward degree completion. This plan will include:
- Immediate identification of an interim advisor for the sole purpose of academic advising to support academic continuity;
- Facilitation of conversations with potential faculty advisors within the department/program or, when necessary, across departments/programs;
- Clear written guidance to the student outlining next steps, timelines, and available institutional supports.
Consultation with the Graduate School to explore other reasonable academic accommodations is available as needed.
The student has two academic semesters (excluding summer semester) to secure a permanent advisor. During this period, the student will remain in good standing, provided they are meeting established academic and professional expectations.
Only after documented collaborative efforts to identify a reasonable path forward by the DGS/Chair/Director and the student are exhausted, the student will be dismissed from the program because there is no clear path to complete the intended degree without a permanent advisor. The DGS/Chair/Director must meet with the student, who has an opportunity to respond, before they receive written notice of the dismissal or other alternative outcomes.
Note: The purpose of this policy is to help facilitate completion of the degree. Funding may be a related, but separate issue, and is not included in this policy.