Graduate Advisors
Graduate Advisors are essential to the success of Texas A&M University’s graduate and professional students. Your insight and guidance help students stay on track to meet their academic goals and complete their programs on time. The Graduate and Professional School wants to make it easy for you to help your students excel.
Expectations for Graduate Study
The major goals of graduate and professional education at Texas A&M include instilling in each student an understanding of and a capacity for scholarship, independent judgment, academic rigor and intellectual honesty. Faculty and graduate students have a shared obligation to work together to foster these goals through relationships that advance freedom of inquiry, demonstrate individual and professional integrity, and encourage common respect.
Excellence in graduate education is achieved when faculty and students are inspired, have the academic and professional backgrounds essential to function at the highest level and are genuine in their mutual desire to see one another succeed.
Top Things to Know Right Now
Graduate Advisor Handbook
Find all the information you need to know to guide your support of students and inform your collaboration with the Grad School, from policies and procedures, to clearance for graduation. This guide is updated annually.
GRAD ADVISOR HANDBOOKDegree Completion Information
Your Role In Degree Completion
As an advisor, you’ll work with your student’s graduate committee to guide and track their progress toward degree completion. You should give your student direction for developmental and learning goals and periodically evaluate their academic performance, connecting them with appropriate support resources when necessary.
Degree Completion Tools for Advisors
DPSS
Your student should use the Document Processing Submission System (DPSS) to submit their official degree plan, which will be informed by discussions with you and their graduate committee.
DocuSign
Graduate and Professional Studies uses DocuSign for a number of forms, including the Request for Exemption from the Final Examination.
Doctoral Student Feedback and Profile
To support the progress and success of doctoral students, faculty chairs and doctoral students utilize the doctoral feedback and profile system to facilitate discussions on a student's current year's progress and next year's goals.
More From the Knowledge Center
Recognizing and Funding Excellence
Fellowships and Awards
Graduate and Professional School staff work with departments across Texas A&M, such as Business Services, Research Services and Financial Aid, to administer fellowship funds, often via monthly stipends. We also work with Benefit Services to facilitate benefit reimbursements.
AVILÉS-JOHNSON FELLOWSHIP
Previously known as the Graduate Diversity Excellence Fellowship, the Dr. Dionel Avilés ’53 and Dr. James Johnson ’67 Fellowship Program seeks to increase the diversity of the graduate student population at Texas A&M University. The program is named for Dr. Dionel Aviles and Dr. James Johnson, who became the first Hispanic-American and African-American, respectively, to earn a PhD at Texas A&M University. It aims to support the development of high-achieving scholars who show promise for distinguished careers and whose life, research experiences and/or employment background will contribute significantly to academic excellence at Texas A&M and will maximize the educational benefits of diversity for all students.
Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowship
The Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowship Program represents a partnership between the Graduate and Professional School and Texas A&M faculty members. The goals of the Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowship Program are to recruit into and graduate from Texas A&M doctoral programs high-quality and diverse students who received their baccalaureate degrees from Texas A&M System institutions.
Awards
Explore opportunities for you students such as Conference Presentations, Professional Development Fellowships, Graduate Student Organization and Professional Development Awards.
Aggie Voice
Being a Reporter at My First Conference
Back in November 2018, during my application process to join the science and technology journalism program here at Texas A@M, the program coordinator forwarded me an email about an interesting opportunity. The application was for a travel fellowship to Washington D.C. The fellowship was offered by the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) to attend the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting. The fellowship included travel money, an opportunity to cover a session, and a mentorship program. @
Professional Development and Training Opportunities
Teaching resources for students & faculty
Are your students interested in becoming graduate teaching assistants? Or do you want to add some new skills to your own teaching toolkit? Texas A&M has plenty of resources to help graduate and professional students, faculty and staff create exceptional classroom experiences.
CIRTL@TAMU
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning
Graduate students who are interested in becoming faculty members and strengthening their graduate assistantship teaching skills will find many useful resources through CIRTL.
CTE-GSPDT
Grad Student Professional Development in Teaching
Faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students can find evidence-based professional development opportunities through CTE.
TATEP
Teaching Assistant Training and Evaluation Program
TATEP is intended to improve undergraduate teaching and enhance the classroom experiences of Graduate Teaching Assistants.
G.R.A.D. Aggies Professional Development Program
Students can earn certificates to include on their resumes or CVs and prepare for professional life after graduate school. They’ll grow their skills and networks by engaging with workshops, seminars, training events and other online resources.
LEARN ABOUT G.R.A.D. AGGIESAdditional Academic Success Resources
Advisors like you have a big job to do — but helping graduate and professional students meet their academic and professional goals isn’t something you have to do alone. The Graduate and Professional School offers a variety of services to support your students’ success.
Mentoring: IDPs and Ph.D. Feedback
Connect students with mentors who are dedicated to their success can make a significant impact on outcomes.
Writing Center
Learn how the writing center can help graduate students hone their academic writing and public speaking skills.
Thesis & Dissertation Support
Find tips for formatting a thesis or dissertation, incorporating research, printing pointers and much more.
Holistic Student Support
Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources
Texas A&M want students to be able to bring their best selves to their graduate and professional studies. That’s why we offer comprehensive wellbeing support, acknowledging that mental and physical health are essential to academic success.
Conflict Resolution & Ombuds Services
The Graduate Ombuds Office advocates for the fair processes of graduate education and provides equal, open access to all parties: graduate and professional students, staff, faculty and administrators. We provide a neutral view to help mediate and resolve conflicts of all kinds.
Resources supporting CLIMATE ENHANCEMENT
Variety is a crucial aspect of achieving academic excellence. Texas A&M offers a range of resources to attract and support students from all backgrounds, promoting an enhanced academic climate.
International Student and scholar Services
The ISSS website has helpful information about immigration regulations, funding opportunities, health insurance and other resources for international graduate and professional students.