Your supervisor & adviser(s)

Your supervisor

There are official University documents about the rights and responsibilities of supervisors and their students, which you are encouraged to read; click here for the policy paper on PhD supervision and here for the policy paper on MA supervision [404 error, can't find new link, MA or MPhil?]. The University norm is an hour's meeting once a fortnight (though arrangements tend to be rather more informal in the RSSS); however what is most important is that you and your supervisor together work out an arrangement that is acceptable to both of you. Respect booked consultation times, and if you want to discuss written work at a meeting, make sure you give your supervisor plenty of time to read it.

For further information and advice, for $5 you can get a copy of the booklet "PhD Supervision: A Guide for Students and Supervisors" from the Academic Skills and Learning Centre.

If you have concerns about your supervision, the graduate academic adviser and the graduate advisers are happy to discuss these with you.

Your adviser(s)

While formal regular contact with your advisers is not common, you may wish to consult them from time to time for a variety of reasons, for example if your supervisor is away, or the adviser has expertise in an area covered by a particular section of your thesis, or if you are experiencing difficulties and are in need of an extra ear.