You & Your Major Professor

Your relationship with your major professor is critical to your success as a graduate student. This faculty member will influence what courses you take and the scholarship you pursue. They also have the potential to set you on a pathway to success in your preliminary and final oral examinations, seminar deliveries, and job placement.

For these reasons, it is important that you and your major professor are on the same page about a number of topics, including your academic goals, how you will communicate with one another, how much time should be devoted to your assistantship, and more.

The Graduate College has created a check list of topics that you and your major professor should discuss together. By doing this as soon as possible, you will make expectations clear and help ensure your success at Iowa State.

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