All students are subject to a review session held during their third semester of graduate work and attended
by the student, his or her Stage I Advisory Committee, and the Graduate Advisor. The full three-person
Advisory Committee and its Chair must be selected by or at the beginning of this semester.
The purpose of this meeting is to consider the student’s performance in courses, progress toward the degree,
general program, and research interests, to begin to discuss the student’s three fields for Stage II, and to
give advice about how to remedy deficiencies (if any) in the student’s preparation. The student is also
encouraged to provide feedback to the faculty on his or her experiences in the program, as well as
suggestions for strengthening it. After the meeting, the Chair of the Advisory Committee will write a brief
report on it for inclusion in the student’s file.
In the case of post-MA students who have been admitted directly to the PhD program, the Advisory
Committee examines the student’s record and solicits recommendations from all of his or her instructors.
It then confers with the student and advises him or her to: (a) continue in the PhD program; or (b) change
to the MA program; or (c) to terminate his or her studies with AHMA.