Graduate Advising

Each area of the school has a designated graduate program advisor. Normally, all master’s students and all first-year doctoral students are advised by this individual. When doctoral students establish their advisory committee, their committee chair assumes this role through the remainder of the student’s educational program. 

You should plan to establish your advisory committee and file your Preliminary Program of Study by the end of your first year as a doctoral student. Until your advisory committee is established, you will be advised by the designated graduate advisor for your major area. 

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee has a minimum of three members, who must be on the Graduate Faculty (members beyond the minimum do not need to be on Graduate Faculty). The membership of the Advisory Committee must include the major professor (who serves as chair of the committee) and at least one faculty member from an academic area (musicology/ethnomusicology, composition/theory, or music education/therapy). If you elect to pursue a doctoral minor, then one member must represent your minor field. If you don’t pursue a minor, then you must have two members from your major field. You may have Co-Major professors—they must both be Graduate Faculty. 

To establish your Advisory Committee, confer with possible committee members to determine their willingness to serve. Email the Graduate Office (musicgrad@uga.edu) with the names of your intended committee members. The office will confirm their willingness to serve and complete the necessary paperwork to have the committee appointed by the Graduate School. 

You can change the members of your Advisory Committee at any time for any reason. Changing your committee follows the same procedures as establishing the committee. All Committee members are notified in writing of any changes to the Committee’s membership.