 |
|
|
| 
|
 Isn't this similar to someone with only a B.A./B.S. degree teaching a graduate level class? How can someone who's never been through college, advise someone else on how to get through college? Yes, a professional adviser needs a bachelor's degree, at the very least.~ Ryan Gray, Illinois State University, October 5, 2006 If the requirements for the degree(s) are clear-cut AND there is adequate support from the faculty/dean of the department/school for the adviser when questions arise, an adviser without a degree can be successful.~ Frances M. Fitzgerald, University of Southern California, October 5, 2006 I would agree that professional advisers should have college degrees. It adds to the adviser's credibility if she/he has gone through the steps required to earn a bachelor's degree. It also allows advisers to empathize with students who face challenges while earning their degrees because we've been there ourselves.~ Brandon Clark, University of Wisconsin–Parkside, October 5, 2006 Advisers must have at least a B.A. or B.S. degree. It is precisely because the role of an adviser is not simply filling out checkboxes that a college degree is necessary. It's much more complex than that, requires independent judgment, and expertise that is not traditionally found in high school programs.~ Josh Morrison, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, October 6, 2006 Given the many complex developmental and holistic wellness-related issues that present within the advising dynamic, it is preferable for academic advisers to have earned or are in the process of seeking/attaining a graduate degree. Advisers are on the front line of the life path of college students and need the skill sets that develop from exposure to theory and critical thinking at a graduate level. They should be able to help a student gain insight into and navigate scholastic challenge, which is hard to model if one has not already traversed these waters themselves.~ Adam Musolino, Florida Gulf Coast University, October 6, 2006 I don't necessarily agree that an individual needs a degree. When it comes to requirements, I believe that there are people without degrees who can inform students on requirements (I had a staff assistant with an associates that I would take over most “degreed” people). What I think is more important is that the individual has a passion for working with students—I believe that kind of person would be the most benefit to the students.~ Bill Johnson, College of William and Mary, October 6, 2006 An associate's degree at the minimum should be a requirement. This would give advisers the background of college, study skills, processes, etc. I believe that advisers without degrees can be effective in many ways, simply that the educational experience would be extremely invaluable to the adviser's success at the work they would do.~ Kara E. Lattimer, Virginia Tech, October 10, 2006 This question is a clever way to get at people's idea of what advising is. If advising is checking boxes, you don't need a degree—or even a pulse, since a properly programmed computer can do this better than most humans. If advising is personal counseling, then you should probably have a graduate degree with a relevant focus. If (as I believe) advising is the art of helping students organize their learning experiences to make a coherent whole out of the bits and pieces of their curriculum, then you need a very sophisticated understanding of interrelationships among areas of learning. And that in turn will normally depend on a graduate degree on top of a very rich liberal-arts-based undergraduate education.~ Marc Lowenstein, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, October 10, 2006 Excellent discussion question. It really prompts us to explore and discover the content of advising. I would suspect the commitment of the institution and the content of the session likely impact the education/skills of the advisers chosen. I personally know of advising as teaching and believe it requires similar credentials. But is that accurate for everyone?Using a point of comparison, I would guess there are many pilots who by sheer determination and life experience can fly the heck out of an airplane. However, most (if not all) airlines require education beyond experience, now don't they? If not a formal degree, at least specialized training programs. Outside of the increase in credibility of the profession gained by having credentialed personnel, I guess the two arguments I would add to the discussion are (1) it tends to augment the experience if the person “leading” it, has also “experienced” it. So doesn't having a degree add some merit to coaching others on the experience of how to obtain one? And (2) advising is about more than obtaining a degree. Doesn't it require specialized skills about student's personal development, understanding the academic environment, and teaching students new skills to be successful? And aren't folks more likely to have learned some of that through their own collegiate academic programs? I hope institutions will begin to include preferences in their job descriptions that not only reflect the need for a degree, but also consider programs that now emphasize student development and academic advising specifically. Done well, this art/profession is so much more than clerical, degree completion. It has such significant impact on the skills and the success of our students. ~ Rusty Fox, Tarrant County College, October 11, 2006 I think you should at least have a bachelor's degree to be an academic adviser. It's important to have a degree so you can relate to the students you're helping. When I become an academic adviser, I want my students to know that I've been there and done that. I want them to know that I felt all the confusion of not knowing what to major in and wondering if I could pass all my classes. I want them to know they can get through it, and I'll be there for them every step of the way!~ Jenaia Harris, Governors State University, October 16, 2006 Simply unacceptable, and I am surprised this question is even asked. Would you allow an MD without any training perform a surgery? Would you allow a traffic policeman run a murder investigation? Would you eat a meal prepared by an untrained cook and pay for it $50? I would expect all these to be answered with simple “No!” Why? Education is one holy area that must not come under the burden of false equality. If you have not gone through college and you have no training, you have no place advising college students.~ Jelena Janjic, Carnegie Mellon University, October 16, 2006 Hope, fulfillment, money, time. Educational choice makes certain aspects of life accessible or not. It is true that the strong-willed, determined fellow could undo the damage of an ignorant choice if all went well, but what of those people who turned with hope and little or no support to a person for knowledge and were failed. The advice is not there, though it remains available, for those who do not need it, but for those who do. I cannot imagine counseling someone on a significant choice from the standpoint of ignorance, a lack of experiential knowledge, or a lack of personal commitment to delayed gratification. It appears as if you would help to commit a person to a course of action that you, yourself, lacked the commitment to expend the value of your time and money to pursue. That being said, I differ on the M.A. level for all. A B.A./B.S. would be suitable for some circumstances if it was supplemented with a broad array of knowledge, especially related to counseling, goal setting, and academia. From a pragmatic standpoint, however, it is unrealistic to expect the Human Resources department to cull numerous applications for that broad array and translate that to the specific needs of the institution. By tapping on the M.A. requirement, many candidates are simply eliminated posthaste, and the most dedicated can then be examined. This is sad, because I'd love to do it, but understandable because it is a measure of dedication, commitment, and a comprehension of the weight of choice.~ “Once Advised,” October 26, 2006 I think an academic adviser needs a graduate degree because there are many skills required to be successful at this kind of work. For example, effective advisers need communication skills, organization skills, problem solving skills, conflict resolution skills, etc. It would be difficult to find someone with an associate's degree who has mastered all or most of these skills.~ Bob Lang, Indiana University East, October 30, 2006 The Mentor is published by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies Available online at www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved | |
