Advising Guidance, Evaluation, Advocacy & Mentorship

Guidance: An advisor offers guidance and evaluates plans for courses and field sites and approves all registration coursework, directed studies and field placement (assigning field placement credit at the end of each semester based on input from the Field Supervisor).

Evaluation: The advisor assesses the student in an ongoing manner and specifically in the role as chair of the yearly Assessment & Planning Conferences (A & P).  The advisor monitors the student’s progress toward meeting MSPP degree requirements and identifies and addresses any academic, professional or personal issues or difficulties that may arise in the course of a students program, providing guidance, feedback and action, where necessary.

Advocacy: The advisor acts as an advocate for the advisee, helping the student appropriately express any possible concerns or grievances, and negotiate any exceptions to policy with the necessary administrative body (e.g.. the academic council the Registrar’ and Deans’ offices, etc.)

Mentorship: In addition to modeling what a professional can or should be, the faculty advisor may be a mentor to his or her advisees.  This is a rare opportunity to share the maturity of professional development and experience in the midst of active learning.  Students who experience this may find themselves enriched from a connection, which will prepare them for a role in psychology that anchors their individual aptitudes, interests, personality traits and career aspirations. While an advisor must be available as a potential mentor, this is a unique relationship that cannot be proscribed.  In the ideal relationship and advisor will also be a student’s mentor.  However, mentoring is available throughout the faculty and administration and may well evolve out of the particular synergy found in a congenial and mutually admiring relationship.

Updated 5/8/08