The Advisory Group

In addition to the principal advisor, graduate students have 2 or more associated advisors, call the advisory group. The associate advisors are expected to provide additional guidance to the student, usually on aspects of the thesis research that bears on their specialties more than that of the principal advisor. They also are the normal examiners for your presentations. (Depending on the distribution of burden among the faculty, as well as professors occasionally taking leave for research trips, other faculty may be assigned instead.)

The advisory group is formed in April of the student's first year.

1. Select some potential advisors. There are summary lists of faculty in English and Japanese at the departmental website.

Most professors have some kind of personal website, linked from those pages. You can also search for their public curriculum vitae on TRIOS and for their research papers via the University Library.

2. Consult with your principal advisor (me) on the suitability of your candidates.

3. Write email to the preferred candidate(s). Do not write to more professors than you need (usually 2) at one time. Best practices:

   • Always put my address in CC.
   • Use your University mail address for initial contacts (@s.tsukuba.ac.jp or @u.tsukuba.ac.jp).

   These help to let the professor know that you are a properly enrolled University of Tsukuba student.

   • Briefly explain your proposed research.
   • Briefly explain why you believe the professor will be able to help you in your research.

   Some professors will accept you immediately. Others will refuse immediately. Others will want an interview or a writing sample. It is entirely up to the professor until they have signed the form applying for approval of your advisory group to the Program Chair.

4. Once you have acceptance from each professor, find out a convenient time to meet and get their signature or hanko.

5. Finally, get my signature and turn it in to the staff assistant for graduate education in 3C310.