Student Services and Advising#
CS Academic Advising#
A student’s CS academic advisor serves a dual role: first, to assist the student in acquiring the highest possible level of knowledge and competence in their field; and second, to chair the committee that will determine whether the student has performed acceptably at each of their degree milestones. Academic advisors play a role in tracking the student’s progress toward degree completion, assisting with course selection and academic planning, and helping students identify possible committee members and opportunities.
The advisor/student relationship is one of mutual agreement, which may be terminated by either party at any time. Students should discuss roles and expectations with their advisor or prospective advisors. Both the student and the advisor have a responsibility to make their expectations clear to each other. Communication is critical to a successful advisor/student relationship. Please see Expectations of Research Advisors in the CS Department for a detailed description of the nature of the Mentor/Mentee relationship.
All CS graduate students must have a CS academic advisor at all times! Students may have temporary advisors while in transition.
All CS students must have an academic advisor who is a current CS faculty member or current CS affiliate. If a student’s sole advisor resigns their CS appointment, leaves Loyola, retires or becomes emeritus, that faculty member can serve as the student’s sole academic advisor for up to one year after leaving the CS Department or University. After one year, the faculty member can continue to serve as a research advisor, but the student must also obtain a current CS faculty member as their academic advisor.
Students are also allowed to have more than one advisor. Advisor roles can be equal or set up as primary and secondary. A student may have more than one current CS advisor, but at least one is required. As long as a student has one current CS faculty member as an academic advisor, any additional advisor(s) can be from outside of the CS Department, faculty from a department without a graduate program, academic staff, emeritus faculty, advising faculty, faculty from another institution, scientists, research associates, or other individuals deemed qualified by the CS Graduate Committee. The academic advisor is expected to meet with the student periodically, advise the student on CS policies and requirements including milestone timing, and remain familiar with the student’s research.
The academic advisor is responsible for annual reporting on the student’s progress and serves as chair of the preliminary and final oral examination committees. In recognition of this relationship, the student is expected to enroll in at least one credit of CS 490/595 with the academic advisor each semester. Incoming PhD students are expected to establish a relationship with a research advisor by the end of the first year of graduate study.
Research advisors are specifically responsible for monitoring and advising students on their research. Research credits are taken in the research advisor’s course section number. The research advisor should be a faculty member whose expertise and project/research interests match closely with those that the student intends to acquire. Students are encouraged to gather information from courses, faculty and student seminars, the program website, and publications to help identify faculty with matching interests.
Choosing an Advisor#
When choosing a research advisor, students should seek out faculty members with expertise and research in the student’s area of interest. Likewise, to receive the most appropriate academic planning advice, students should connect with a faculty member who is experienced and knowledgeable about industry and research related to the student’s area of interest. Please see CS Academic Advising and Changing Your Advisor.
Sample Questions to ask Prospective Advisors#
Below is a list of questions that students can ask prospective advisors when choosing an appropriate advisor. Students should spend time thinking about what is most important to them in their graduate training, and come up with their own questions to ask as well. Many of these questions are complex and may take time for advisors to respond to. However, any advisor should be willing to discuss these important issues with students. Students may also want to discuss these issues with any students that are currently in the prospective advisor’s group/lab.
What thesis projects would be available to me if I were to join your group?
Would these projects expose me to a variety of different approaches?
In general, how available will you be to answer questions I might have?
What is your philosophy regarding the amount of guidance the advisor should provide to a student during preparation of the thesis proposal, literature, presentations, thesis, etc.?
What are your expectations for the amount of time I should spend each day/week in your group/lab?
What regularly scheduled activities (e.g., group meetings, joint group meetings, and research clubs) does your group participate in that provide an opportunity to get outside input on my (research) project and to hear about the work of other students and postdocs?
Do you encourage your students to attend seminars and journal clubs, including those that may be outside of their narrow field of interest/research?
Do students in your group/lab have the opportunity to attend professional meetings where they can interact with colleagues/researchers from other institutions?
Do you include your graduate students in professional activities that will familiarize them with their field of interest/research, such as reviewing manuscripts and meeting with visiting speakers?
How long do you think it should take me to get my degree?
What are your former graduate students (if any) doing now?
What is your general philosophy around graduate training, and what goals do you have for your graduate students?
Changing Your Advisor#
Before selecting or changing advisors, students are recommended to discuss the change with both their new and current faculty advisor. If the student is uncomfortable discussing a change with their current advisor, they should discuss the change with the program director. After discussing the situation, students need to notify their CS Graduate Coordinator by email about the change. The student’s new advisor needs to email a confirmation of the change to their CS Graduate Coordinator. Once their CS Graduate Coordinator receives the necessary email confirmations, the change will be made official through the GSPS portal.
International Student & Scholar Services#
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), part of Loyola’s Office of Global and Community Engagement, helps international students navigate the immigration requirements associated with studying in the United States. Following admission, ISSS assists with Form I-20 and DS-2019 issuance and advises F-1 and J-1 students on maintaining lawful status, enrollment and reporting requirements, reduced course loads, program extensions, SEVIS transfers, changes of education level, travel signatures, and re-entry. Most applications and document requests are submitted through the ISSS Portal. The office also provides guidance on on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, J-1 Academic Training, and Social Security documentation through its student-employment resources.
ISSS also supports international scholars, faculty, staff, and Loyola departments seeking to hire or sponsor foreign nationals. Its team conducts pre-hire visa reviews and assists with H-1B employment, J-1 interns and exchange visitors, university-sponsored permanent residency, and required Department of Labor notifications. Beyond immigration compliance, ISSS offers individual advising, employment workshops, immigration-policy and travel updates, and programs and events that connect Loyola’s international community across its campuses and throughout Chicago. These services combine regulatory guidance with community engagement to support international students and scholars from their initial arrival through graduation or completion of their Loyola appointment.
Key ISSS Personnel#
Person |
Role |
Primary Area |
Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
Amy Soub |
Director; Principal Designated School Official and Responsible Officer (PDSO/RO) |
Office leadership and immigration-program oversight |
|
Abby Mensing |
Assistant Director; Designated School Official and Alternate Responsible Officer (DSO/ARO) |
International scholars, sponsored employees, and hiring units |
|
Zhen Ju |
Senior International Student Advisor; DSO/ARO |
Student advising for surnames A-L |
|
Scott Jones |
International Student Advisor; DSO/ARO |
Student advising for surnames M-Z |
Website or Service |
URL |
|---|---|
ISSS homepage |
|
ISSS Portal |
|
Appointments and contact information |
|
F-1 and J-1 student resources |
|
Prospective international students |
|
Current F-1 students |
|
J-1 exchange students |
https://www.luc.edu/isss/f-1j-1students/j-1exchangestudents/ |
Student employment |
|
International faculty and staff |
|
Immigration policy updates |
https://www.luc.edu/isss/immigrationandtravelresources/immigrationpolicyupdatesresources/ |
International travel |
https://www.luc.edu/isss/immigrationandtravelresources/internationaltravel/ |