MS PHD'S®

arocha · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject: In need of advice

Hi, my name is Andrea Rocha and I am a 4th year doctoral student at USF. Today I feel I have finally reached the point in my graduate program where I seriously feel like quitting. This week marks my 4th year in the doctoral program and I feel like I am not making any progress towards completing my PhD requirements. My advisor is one of those professors who likes to make up his own rules and doesn’t follow departmental guidelines. According to the department and the graduate program director, I should have formed my PhD committee and scheduled my proposal defense. However, my advisor feels I need to complete most of my doctoral research and complete certain requirements before forming a committee. Not only does he have his requirements (i.e. more data, need 1 manuscript, etc..), but the requirements keep changing on a monthly basis. It's like having the apple hanging in front of you, but never able to reach it. Why have departmental guidelines when professors do not follow them? I am not sure how to handle this situation.

veronica · Joined: 11 Nov 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Puerto Rico

Hola Andrea!

I hope you didn’t quit! Shocked

I haven’t been in your situation; but I think the best way to act (if talking to your mentor didn’t work) go directly to the department.
I know the semester is over, let me know what you did.

Take care!

Melanie Harrison · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Baltimore Maryland

Hi Andrea,

Unfortunately, this type of behavior occurs more frequently than you think.
As a fourth year graduate student I imagine you should be preparing to write your dissertation. I am a fourth year graduate student myself and I am sure that even though our programs are different we should be progressing the same. If you would like to talk please feel free to call 301-593-1189 or setup a skype conference with me. I have some ideas that may work, but would like to know more information. Again, I am free anytime you would like to talk.

Hope to hear from you soon.
_________________
Melanie D. Harrison
NOAA Scholar, PhD Candidate
Marine Estuarine and Environmental Science
University of Baltimore Maryland County
410-455-1502