Advising & Mentoring

Advising

Advising is central to the English major experience. The department has a dedicated professional advisor, Ms. Kirsten Pitcock. She meets individually with students when they enter the University or after they declare as English majors, and she continues to advise them throughout their studies. She will help you develop holistic academic plans through graduation; explain policies and procedures; provide information about degree requirements, academic standards, and milestones; and connect you to campus resources that promote academic success and facilitate career exploration.

Faculty Mentoring

Professorial faculty in the English Department often serve as mentors for our majors. When you declare a concentration or have completed your two 200-level major pre-requisites, you may request to be paired with a faculty member whose research interests align with yours. A faculty mentor can help you with course recommendations and research, as well as providing guidance for future work, such as developing plans for graduate school or exploring career paths. To request a faculty mentor, please fill out the faculty mentor request form.

Alumni Mentoring

In addition to the faculty mentoring program, the department has an informal program that connects current students with English alumni in a variety of fields, including law, medicine, education, business, and media. If you would like to request an alumni mentor, please fill out the alumni mentor request form, and we will try to match you with a professional whose experience reflects your interests.

If you have any questions about advising or mentoring, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud (gerard@utk.edu), or the Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies, Mr. Dennis McGlothin (dmcgloth@utk.edu).