Faculty mentors play a central and crucial role in the B.Phil. program. They closely collaborate with the student to plan a curriculum, including helping them to articulate the focus of their studies and to evaluate appropriate courses. They must be involved with students in designing and executing the capstone project and act as guides in their scholarly maturation. Mentors approve students’ course schedules and satisfactory completion of the capstone. 

To these ends, students and faculty mentors should have weekly meetings, starting in the students’ sixth semester at the latest. Administratively, this may be accomplished through a series of undergraduate research courses. The typical form is a one-credit 396 course in the sixth semester, a three-credit 496 course in the seventh semester, and a three-credit 494 course in the eighth semester, culminating in the presentation of the capstone project.

Mentors are present at the B.Phil. admissions interview, where the student convenes for the first time with the Bachelor of Philosophy Degree Committee. Along with the committee, they are also present at the student’s capstone defense, during which the student presents their completed capstone project.