PhD Dissertation Advisors

[coespost]

I've tried looking this up online in other places, and can't seem to find an answer about this very common academic cultural issue. In choosing advisors as an English Literature PhD, I know that it is obviously better if you can choose full Professors, but can one also have Associate Professors on one's dissertation committee? I'm trying to weed through graduate schools at the moment, and some have Associate Professors who align with my research insterests, but no to little full Professors who do.

[mikers86]

Yes. There is no restriction as far as I'm aware that prevents you from having Associate professors on your committee. Honestly, there are far more Associate than Full professors and it would be unrealistic to only have a committee populated by Full. Even Assistant professors are options. The catch to the latter is tenure and the potential stress that can cause. 

[lyonessrampant]

Definitely you can have Associate and Assistant Professors on your committee.  As Mikers said, the problem of having an adviser who doesn't have tenure yet is that they could leave midway through your program.  It can be best to have a full Prof as your adviser since this person will also probably have more clout when you go on the market, but that isn't a huge consideration.

[ProfLorax]

What everyone else said. Also, at most institutions, an Associate Professor has tenure. 

[bhr]

Worth noting that Assistant and Associate Profs are more likely to be publishing/researching in the field than full Profs at some schools. The culture puts all that publish or perish stress on TT profs as they progress, so they are likely better acquainted with the current research.