Why SOPP? Academic Affairs Clinical Training Student Handbook Dissertation Handbook Clubs & Organizations

Student Handbook

Student Advising Policy

General Administrative Advising

Office of Academic Affairs

The Office of Academic Affairs is responsible for implementing and approving the scheduling of courses and electives during the academic year, course and seminar prerequisites, transfer of prior graduate course credit, and approving and implementing special accelerated/decelerated curricular plans, etc. The goal of this level of advising is to ensure that students enroll in required courses and the required number of electives so they matriculate through the program in a timely manner. This office also informs students about educational opportunities available outside the SOPP (for example, in the business school) and assists students in enrolling in or taking advantage of these opportunities.

Office of Clinical Training and Psychological Services

The Office of Clinical Training and Psychological Services is responsible for informing students on matters pertaining to clinical practicum placements as such placements reflect and enhance students' career paths; on the preparation and completion of clinical comprehensive exams as they may reflect specific focus areas for students and internship application process and procedures.

Academic Advising

Responsibilities of the Advisor

The faculty member who serves as Chair of the Professional Dissertation Committee also serves as the student's academic advisor. The timeline and process of selecting the dissertation chair/academic advisor is explained below. In the role of faculty advisor, the faculty member is responsible for assisting the student in career planning in relation to past experiences, present needs and future professional goals. The faculty advisor may assist students in selection of elective seminars, practicum placements, special focus areas, dissertation topics and special educational experiences designed to meet advisees' needs, goals or interests. The advisor will be available to advisees for discussion of professional planning, professional role development and personal concerns which affect academic and professional progress.

The faculty advisor is responsible for attending all Annual Reviews of student progress and, in annual review meetings, the advisor is the faculty member who will be expected to be most knowledgeable concerning advisees' overall academic and professional performance. The advisor may assist in providing the advisee with verbal feedback from the annual review and the advisor receives a copy of written feedback provided to the advisee following the annual review meeting.
If academic or professional performance falls below acceptable levels, the faculty advisor may assist the advisee in identifying ways in which the advisee can bring his or her performance up to acceptable levels.

If an advisee is charged with violating any of SOPP's policies related to student conduct (e.g., policy on professional behavior and conduct, academic dishonesty, sexual harassment etc.), the faculty advisor may assist or advocate for the advisee through any disciplinary process associated with the policy violation.

Responsibilities of the Advisee

It is the responsibility of the student to keep the Office of Academic Affairs apprised of any changes in the academic advisor/professional dissertation chair. Students are expected to schedule a minimum of two meetings per academic year with the faculty advisor to review their academic and professional performance. Normally these meetings would occur at the beginning and midpoint of an academic year. Students are responsible for providing the faculty advisor with their course grades to date and their plan for coursework/practicum for subsequent quarters. Following each advisory meeting, the faculty advisor places a brief summary in the student's advisement file.

Obtaining an Academic Advisor

Entering First Year students are assigned an academic advisor on a space-available basis by the Office of Academic Affairs. Once the student has selected a Chair for the Professional Dissertation, the academic advising responsibility is shifted to that faculty member. Typically students choose the Chair of the Professional Dissertation by the end of Summer Quarter of the first year in the program. If the student changes his or her Chair, once identified, the new Chair takes over the academic advising function. As noted above, the student must keep the Office of Academic Affairs informed of any changes in the academic advisor/dissertation chair.