I feel totally aimless and adviser-less in this, my last year of Ph.D. coursework. How did this happen? How do I fix it? Sorry if this is a bit long.
September 1, 2010 12:46 PM Subscribe
I feel totally aimless and adviser-less in this, my last year of Ph.D. coursework. How did this happen? How do I fix it? Sorry if this is a bit long.
I'm a PhD student in the humanities. I had a MA coming into the program, which shortened my coursework, and so I am now entering my final year. I came thinking I would work with a particular adviser, but am having very serious doubts as to whether it's a good idea that I do so. This professor has a terrible reputation throughout the department as being past his/her prime and refusing to retire; his/her classes are all the same readings and lectures with different titles. I had intended to work with this person because he/she has done work related to my field, but within the past semester, I've become increasingly concerned by how out-of-touch and forgetful this person has seemed, and others have noticed it too, as he/she has few students left. I became concerned while working as this prof's research assistant, but it really came to a head when I began taking this person's class this semester, and the first lecture was almost verbatim that of a totally different class.
Now I am torn as to whether I should just stick with this person - I came to the program to, in theory, work with him/her, and he/she does, in theory, do work related to my field. I had previous advisers and professional contacts recommend him/her to me and vice versa. But, I'm worried about how this will affect my qualifying exams and dissertation work.
There's another professor who is younger and really well-liked by his/her students and ALSO has done work that is loosely related to my field. I am considering approaching this person and asking my existing, loosely-named adviser to instead work as a secondary adviser. I have yet, however, to take a class with this younger professor, and would approach him/her based on our mutual interests and the great reputation this person has as an adviser alone.
My questions are:
does switching my original adviser to a second adviser put me in a compromised position as far as exams/diss? Is this the sort of thing that would be seen as bad form/taken personally?
I have not taken a class with the younger professor; I will next semester, but at that point at which I would potentially do an independent study with him/her on a potential diss. topic. Is there any way to approach the person about this without looking like (or perhaps revealing how much) I feel like I've fallen through the cracks or that I'm a deadbeat? What can I possibly say in this scenario?
And, overall, do I stick with the person I originally intended to work with and hope that their relative expertise in my topic will make things worthwhile, or do I risk it and go for someone who seems more accessible and energetic? How much will it matter in the outside world that an adviser has a terrible departmental reputation?
I apologize that this question holds many questions, but I'm really freaking lost.
Thanks, in advance.
I'm a PhD student in the humanities. I had a MA coming into the program, which shortened my coursework, and so I am now entering my final year. I came thinking I would work with a particular adviser, but am having very serious doubts as to whether it's a good idea that I do so. This professor has a terrible reputation throughout the department as being past his/her prime and refusing to retire; his/her classes are all the same readings and lectures with different titles. I had intended to work with this person because he/she has done work related to my field, but within the past semester, I've become increasingly concerned by how out-of-touch and forgetful this person has seemed, and others have noticed it too, as he/she has few students left. I became concerned while working as this prof's research assistant, but it really came to a head when I began taking this person's class this semester, and the first lecture was almost verbatim that of a totally different class.
Now I am torn as to whether I should just stick with this person - I came to the program to, in theory, work with him/her, and he/she does, in theory, do work related to my field. I had previous advisers and professional contacts recommend him/her to me and vice versa. But, I'm worried about how this will affect my qualifying exams and dissertation work.
There's another professor who is younger and really well-liked by his/her students and ALSO has done work that is loosely related to my field. I am considering approaching this person and asking my existing, loosely-named adviser to instead work as a secondary adviser. I have yet, however, to take a class with this younger professor, and would approach him/her based on our mutual interests and the great reputation this person has as an adviser alone.
My questions are:
does switching my original adviser to a second adviser put me in a compromised position as far as exams/diss? Is this the sort of thing that would be seen as bad form/taken personally?
I have not taken a class with the younger professor; I will next semester, but at that point at which I would potentially do an independent study with him/her on a potential diss. topic. Is there any way to approach the person about this without looking like (or perhaps revealing how much) I feel like I've fallen through the cracks or that I'm a deadbeat? What can I possibly say in this scenario?
And, overall, do I stick with the person I originally intended to work with and hope that their relative expertise in my topic will make things worthwhile, or do I risk it and go for someone who seems more accessible and energetic? How much will it matter in the outside world that an adviser has a terrible departmental reputation?
I apologize that this question holds many questions, but I'm really freaking lost.
Thanks, in advance.
Does switching my original adviser to a second adviser put me in a compromised position as far as exams/diss? Is this the sort of thing that would be seen as bad form/taken personally?
It should not, since it is very common for grad students to switch advisers, but it could depending on the politics of your department. However, no matter how bad this might look in the short term, it is significantly outweighed by the likely long-term benefits of having a younger, more dedicated and in-touch adviser.
I have not taken a class with the younger professor; I will next semester, but at that point at which I would potentially do an independent study with him/her on a potential diss. topic. Is there any way to approach the person about this without looking like (or perhaps revealing how much) I feel like I've fallen through the cracks or that I'm a deadbeat? What can I possibly say in this scenario?
Given your current adviser's poor reputation within your department, it is unlikely that you will be seen as a "deadbeat." The best thing to do is to keep it short and simple: "Professor X, I'd like to explore the possibility of working with you as my primary dissertation adviser. What are the best next steps?"
And, overall, do I stick with the person I originally intended to work with and hope that their relative expertise in my topic will make things worthwhile, or do I risk it and go for someone who seems more accessible and energetic?
Working with the kind of (very) senior scholar like the one you describe requires confidence, discipline, and independence. Do you have rich reserves of all of these qualities? If not, then working with a more energetic and accessible scholar would likely be much better. Dissertation-writing in the humanities is a long and lonely road, and unless you are extremely directed and independent, having an attentive adviser can make all the difference.
posted by googly at 1:07 PM on September 1, 2010
It should not, since it is very common for grad students to switch advisers, but it could depending on the politics of your department. However, no matter how bad this might look in the short term, it is significantly outweighed by the likely long-term benefits of having a younger, more dedicated and in-touch adviser.
I have not taken a class with the younger professor; I will next semester, but at that point at which I would potentially do an independent study with him/her on a potential diss. topic. Is there any way to approach the person about this without looking like (or perhaps revealing how much) I feel like I've fallen through the cracks or that I'm a deadbeat? What can I possibly say in this scenario?
Given your current adviser's poor reputation within your department, it is unlikely that you will be seen as a "deadbeat." The best thing to do is to keep it short and simple: "Professor X, I'd like to explore the possibility of working with you as my primary dissertation adviser. What are the best next steps?"
And, overall, do I stick with the person I originally intended to work with and hope that their relative expertise in my topic will make things worthwhile, or do I risk it and go for someone who seems more accessible and energetic?
Working with the kind of (very) senior scholar like the one you describe requires confidence, discipline, and independence. Do you have rich reserves of all of these qualities? If not, then working with a more energetic and accessible scholar would likely be much better. Dissertation-writing in the humanities is a long and lonely road, and unless you are extremely directed and independent, having an attentive adviser can make all the difference.
posted by googly at 1:07 PM on September 1, 2010
If it was me, I'd approach the independent study by telling the 2nd professor that you feel they would provide an important complement to the work that you've been doing. Even if you end up sticking with the 1st professor, input from someone smart and knowledgeable can only help. Depending on your timeline and how your department is structured, you may be able to segue smoothly from the independent study to official advising of your thesis work. If I was in your place, I'd likely focus toward the second professor - my personal preference has always been to value expertise and helpfulness over exact 'field fit' - it's much easier to extract knowledge than good mentoring from books.
As for future 'outside world' (other schools?), my experience has been that academics can be just as gossipy as anyone else - so if the whole department is in on something, other departments are likely to know as well. Is Professor 1's research respected, apart from his teaching and advising tendencies?
posted by heyforfour at 1:13 PM on September 1, 2010
As for future 'outside world' (other schools?), my experience has been that academics can be just as gossipy as anyone else - so if the whole department is in on something, other departments are likely to know as well. Is Professor 1's research respected, apart from his teaching and advising tendencies?
posted by heyforfour at 1:13 PM on September 1, 2010
Prof in the humanities here. I can assure you that when someone starts going off the rails like that, people outside his or her home institution will eventually hear about it. Don't worry about that aspect. You're not a "deadbeat" for wanting to change advisers.
From a practical POV, working with someone who behaves as you describe is very likely a recipe for disaster; I know more than one student whose life effectively blew up thanks to careless/neglectful advising. In this instance, "he's in my field" seems to be outweighed by "he might not remember I exist." If the independent study works out well, approach the younger scholar about switching. (The only problem I can see here is that the more junior person might be picking up more people than s/he can handle.)
posted by thomas j wise at 2:14 PM on September 1, 2010
From a practical POV, working with someone who behaves as you describe is very likely a recipe for disaster; I know more than one student whose life effectively blew up thanks to careless/neglectful advising. In this instance, "he's in my field" seems to be outweighed by "he might not remember I exist." If the independent study works out well, approach the younger scholar about switching. (The only problem I can see here is that the more junior person might be picking up more people than s/he can handle.)
posted by thomas j wise at 2:14 PM on September 1, 2010
does switching my original adviser to a second adviser put me in a compromised position as far as exams/diss? Is this the sort of thing that would be seen as bad form/taken personally?
Honestly, if I were in your shoes, this would not even be a factor. Just switch. Writing a dissertation takes years and years of hard work, and you need to do the best damn job you can if you want any real shot at an academic job. There is just no sense making it any more difficult than it absolutely needs to be.
Work with the guy who is actually going to help and support you. Do not work with the guy who is already looking like a dead weight. Make the switch as politely and respectfully as possible, and don't burn any bridges unless you have to — but whatever you do, make the damn switch. And if anyone tries to tell you you're being ungrateful or impolite or whatever, you should silently make a mental note of it ("This person cares more about 'good manners' than they do about my happiness, my sanity, my hard work or the next umpteen years of my life. I should not trust them") and then spout out a nice sincere-sounding apology and get on with things.
Tell yourself this: "If my department is so petty and dysfunctional that they yank my funding or deny me a degree over [X POLITICAL BULLSHIT], then I'm better off leaving now and getting a straight job before things get any worse. And if they're not going to yank my funding or deny me a degree, then they're just grumbling for the sake of grumbling, and I can live with that." Repeat it until you believe it. You will be much happier.
posted by nebulawindphone at 3:31 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Honestly, if I were in your shoes, this would not even be a factor. Just switch. Writing a dissertation takes years and years of hard work, and you need to do the best damn job you can if you want any real shot at an academic job. There is just no sense making it any more difficult than it absolutely needs to be.
Work with the guy who is actually going to help and support you. Do not work with the guy who is already looking like a dead weight. Make the switch as politely and respectfully as possible, and don't burn any bridges unless you have to — but whatever you do, make the damn switch. And if anyone tries to tell you you're being ungrateful or impolite or whatever, you should silently make a mental note of it ("This person cares more about 'good manners' than they do about my happiness, my sanity, my hard work or the next umpteen years of my life. I should not trust them") and then spout out a nice sincere-sounding apology and get on with things.
Tell yourself this: "If my department is so petty and dysfunctional that they yank my funding or deny me a degree over [X POLITICAL BULLSHIT], then I'm better off leaving now and getting a straight job before things get any worse. And if they're not going to yank my funding or deny me a degree, then they're just grumbling for the sake of grumbling, and I can live with that." Repeat it until you believe it. You will be much happier.
posted by nebulawindphone at 3:31 PM on September 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Has your originally-intended advisor given you any reason to believe that he/she would "take it personally" if you switched? In my experience (a lengthy but ultimately triumphant stint as a humanities Ph.D. student), it's not unusual for grad students in the humanities to switch advisors, and the conventional wisdom is that "nobody takes it personally." I, for one, switched sub-fields and therefore advisors after a year in grad school and nobody batted an eye.
Have you even started a formal advisor-advisee relationship with this person? If you're still finishing coursework and haven't started qualifying exams yet, it may be easier than you anticipate to make the transition from one advisor to another; you might not have to make a big declaration about it, and the originally-intended advisor might not even notice that you've slipped away—especially if he/she is becoming "out-of-touch and forgetful" and isn't putting much energy into teaching.
If you do need to formally dump the originally-intended advisor in order to switch to the new one, be diplomatic but not apologetic; state succinctly that you've valued working with Old Fogey in your RA position, you've asked Young Vibrant to direct your dissertation, and you would be grateful to have the benefit of Old Fogey's advice in the role of secondary advisor. In the unlikely event that Old Fogey quizzes you about the reason for the switch, perhaps have a comment ready about how Young Vibrant's research angle/methodology/topic interests you. I doubt Old Fogey will have hard feelings; more likely, he or she will be delighted to be troubled with one less advisee.
As far as approaching Young Vibrant goes: I don't think you need to worry about looking bad. Maybe start out by requesting some time in office hours to talk about your research interests and solicit his/her advice on relevant readings. If that goes well, approach again and ask if he/she would be open to taking you on as a dissertation advisee. Put the emphasis on your shared research interests; I don't think you need to say anything about Old Fogey.
posted by Orinda at 4:36 PM on September 1, 2010
Have you even started a formal advisor-advisee relationship with this person? If you're still finishing coursework and haven't started qualifying exams yet, it may be easier than you anticipate to make the transition from one advisor to another; you might not have to make a big declaration about it, and the originally-intended advisor might not even notice that you've slipped away—especially if he/she is becoming "out-of-touch and forgetful" and isn't putting much energy into teaching.
If you do need to formally dump the originally-intended advisor in order to switch to the new one, be diplomatic but not apologetic; state succinctly that you've valued working with Old Fogey in your RA position, you've asked Young Vibrant to direct your dissertation, and you would be grateful to have the benefit of Old Fogey's advice in the role of secondary advisor. In the unlikely event that Old Fogey quizzes you about the reason for the switch, perhaps have a comment ready about how Young Vibrant's research angle/methodology/topic interests you. I doubt Old Fogey will have hard feelings; more likely, he or she will be delighted to be troubled with one less advisee.
As far as approaching Young Vibrant goes: I don't think you need to worry about looking bad. Maybe start out by requesting some time in office hours to talk about your research interests and solicit his/her advice on relevant readings. If that goes well, approach again and ask if he/she would be open to taking you on as a dissertation advisee. Put the emphasis on your shared research interests; I don't think you need to say anything about Old Fogey.
posted by Orinda at 4:36 PM on September 1, 2010
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posted by Postroad at 1:01 PM on September 1, 2010