Can you mention associate/assistant professors that you'd like to work with?

[sbs96]

Applying for PhD programs in Statistics and had a quick question.

Can PhD students work under assistant or associate professors as their main advisor? For my application to a few departments, I want to mention faculty whose research I'm interested in and a few of them are associate professors. I'm assuming this is okay but just wanted to double-check whether associate/assistant professors supervise PhD students or not.

Thanks for any input!

[speowi]

Also wondering about this with respect to untenured but tenure-track assistant professors!

[Sandmaster]

Completely different field from you, so it could be different from my understanding. From how I was told, every institution is vastly different in terms of who they let supervise PhD students. Most have the requirement that as long as the faculty member has "graduate teaching clearance" meaning they teach at the graduate level, they can be your supervisor. Some require that the supervisor at least hold a tenure-track position (assistant professor, etc). One of my institutions, I wanted to work with a lecturer and the graduate coordinator told me that was fine as long as I had a co-advisor who was tenure-track, but every institution is different on who is available to work with PhD students and at what capacity. Then there is the whole idea of who can be a member on your committee too. Again, gotta ask the institution once you get in and decide that is where you are going.

I hope this helps!

[Bayesian1701]

It is going to depend on the department.  My undergrad institution's math department (also houses stats) lets all assistant and associate professors supervise.  At my undergraduate institution all assistant professors are tenure-track and can teach graduate courses (otherwise they are lecturers or visiting professors), but that may not be the case elsewhwere.  Given the small proportion of full professors at most programs I would assume most departments let assistant (tenure-track) and associate professors supervise.  There is a thread on name dropping in stats here.   

[bayessays]

I agree with cyberwulf's advice that it's probably better to lean towards not mentioning specific professors.

It's not a matter of their rank.  Young professors often have active research and advise students.  Even at top programs, non-tenure track faculty may be dissertation advisors.  But you never really know who is active, who is accepting new students, who is going to be leaving for another school next year, etc. -- unless they are really the only professor you'd be willing to work with, I'd lean towards leaving out names.

[sbs96]

Thank you all for the fantastic advice! Really appreciate the input. This helps a ton.