Academic Progress Concerns

If you're feeling lost, or unsure about your progress, and don't know who to turn to: the most important thing is not to suffer in silence. The Mathematical Institute has a number of people who want to help you.

Who's Who?

Supervisor(s): your supervisor(s) should be your first point of contact for support with your academic progress, as they are typically best-placed to help you.
College Advisor: typically separate from your research group/supervisor, college advisors are assigned to you by your college and can offer an outside perspective on your progress, and provide general help and advice. They will belong to the same college as you, and generally hold a position in the Mathematics Department.
Student "Buddy": normally allocated at the start of your course, your student buddy will likely be in a similar research area to you, and may have experience with the same sort of issues that you are facing from the perspective of a student.
Research Group Members: each research group in the department has a number of specific individuals responsible for supporting their members in different ways. See here for a list.
Director of Graduate Studies (DGS): the Directors of Graduate Study (DGS(T) for students on a taught graduate programme, and DGS(R) for students on a research programme) are responsible for your study as a graduate. Do contact them if you have concerns about your progress, particularly if you do not feel able to approach your supervisor(s).
Graduate Studies Administrator: The graduate studies administrator is happy to talk to you in confidence about progress concerns and other academic issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm a graduate student on a taught programme. Who can I talk to? You will have an assigned a departmental supervisor and if you're unsure how to contact yours, ask the Graduate Studies Administrator. You can also contact your course director, whose identity can be found in your course handbook through this page, and the DGS(T).
I'm a graduate student on a research programme. Who can I talk to? Apart from your supervisor, your Transfer/Confirmation of status assessors most likely have experience being a supervisor and will be able to offer an outside perspective and advice. You can also speak to the Head of your Research group and the DGS(R).
Who should I contact if I have a problem with my supervisor? Your DGS (DGS(T) for students on a taught graduate programme, and DGS(R) for students on a research programme).
Who should I contact if I feel that my academic progress is slow? Your supervisor is generally the first person to contact with these concerns.
I have to suspend my studies - who should I contact about this? Usually you would discuss this first with your supervisor, but you may also want to speak to your college advisor. After this you should contact the Graduate Studies Administrator who will guide you to the relevant forms for your situation.
Where can I find my college advisor? Your college advisor would have been assigned to you at the beginning of your graduate programme. If you're unsure how to contact them, try contacting your college.
Why should I fill out a Graduate Supervision Report (GSR)? This is a way of keeping track of your academic progress, and also provides a way to flag any concerns to your DGS if necessary.
Where can I access GSR? Details for accessing the GSR can be found here.