The Advising Fellow Program aims to provide vital academic support to students in the MA in Liberal Studies (MALS) program while they study at the Graduate Center. The Advising Fellows will provide individualized academic support to the master’s students, guiding them in choosing courses, managing their workloads and meeting academic challenges, and enlisting faculty mentors to supervise their theses. The Fellows will be advanced doctoral students who have already successfully navigated their own Graduate Center course requirements and who will be able to share their wisdom and experience with the master’s students. Carefully chosen for their interpersonal skills and judgment, the Fellows will be accessible and open to students while also providing academic guidance.

Each advising fellow will be responsible for advising a specific group of students (whose area of study and research will be related to that of the advising fellow if possible) on their program of study, course selection, thesis/capstone planning, and other academic affairs. Advising fellows will host late afternoon and evening office hours to meet with their MA advisees and will also meet with students by appointment. In addition, Advising Fellows will take on responsibilities to support the development of the master’s student community by developing programming for master’s students about academics, careers, networking, and writing as requested on a semester by semester basis.

Annual salaries for will start at $26,062 for 450 hours of non-teaching work over the academic year or $13,013 per semester for 225 hours work. Appointments for Spring 2018 semester positions will start two weeks before the beginning of the semester and will end at the close of the semester.  Positions can provide eligibility for NYSHIP health insurance.  There will be a possibility of a renewed appointment depending on individual eligibility and Graduate Center needs.

Application Specifics and Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must be Level III by the start date of the appointment. Each advising fellow is expected to have deep institutional knowledge of the Graduate Center, its administrative structures that relate to students, and its academic programs and faculty. Students with interdisciplinary research interests, interdisciplinary coursework (especially those who have completed one of the interdisciplinary Ph.D. certificates), and advising experience are encouraged to apply. Students who have completed master’s degrees before starting their Ph.D. work are also encouraged to apply. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills are essential.

Application Instructions: To apply, please send a statement of interest (no more than 1–2 pages), noting any interdisciplinary courses or work completed and advising experience, a CV, and a letter of reference from a faculty advisor (which can be sent separately) to the Liberal Studies Program Office (liberalstudies@gc.cuny.edu) with “Advising Fellows Application” in the subject line. Inquiries about the program can be sent to Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis (emacaulay_lewis@gc.cuny.edu), Acting EO of the M.A. Program in Liberal Studies. Applications must be received by 5 pm on December 11, 2017, to be considered.