Advising: Upperclass Years

Residence-based Advising: The upperclass Houses have many of the features of small colleges. A senior faculty member leads each House as a Master, and the Allston Burr Resident Dean coordinates all academic advising in the House. Each House also has its own staff of advisers — resident tutors — similar to the first-year proctors but hired for their expertise in particular academic and professional fields. Masters and tutors regularly offer in-residence seminars or tutorials, and host festive receptions offering a congenial setting for informal contact between students and faculty.

Sophomore Advising: Each sophomore is assigned a House Tutor who serves as the student's Sophomore Adviser. Sophomore Advisers support students as they make two significant transitions — into their Houses at the beginning of their third term and into their Concentrations near the end of their third term. Sophomore Advisers help third-term sophomores select courses that will allow them to explore academic possibilities and make informed concentration choices. Sophomore Advisers also facilitate connections between students and faculty concentration advisers. Faculty members are eager to reach out to sophomores, both to offer general insight into their fields and to discuss specific requirements. Finally, Sophomore Advisers provide guidance and support throughout the year on academic opportunities such as study abroad, research positions, and secondary fields.

Concentration Advising: Concentration advising seeks to guide students in three phases: into an appropriate set of introductory courses in the field of study, to advanced work in the field of study and, when applicable, through a final project or thesis in the senior year. Once sophomores select a concentration, their primary academic adviser will be assigned based on the policies of their concentration. Most use a team approach: the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) or Head Tutor, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies (ADUS) or Assistant Head Tutor, and Undergraduate Coordinator (UGC) will advise various students, splitting duties as needed depending on the student, situation, and time. Some concentrations make use of the House tutors to advise students by House, coordinating with the House Masters in the hiring process, and others assign students to faculty advisers based on academic interests.