Choosing a referee for masters application

[DebbieDowner456]

I was just wondering if anyone had any insight on this.

My dd is in her final year of a History and Politics degree, and wants to apply for a Masters in Public Policy. She's unsure who to ask to be her referee.

A politics professor would be the obvious choice, but for her two politics modules this year - as was the case last year - the lecturer doesn't teach the classes or mark essays, so doesn't know the individual students. Her class teachers are PhD students - does this matter?

She's taking two history modules this year which are seminar-based, so the professor leading each course does know her and has read her essays - would it look strange applying for a politics course, having studied politics at university, to use a history professor for a reference?

She has an 'academic advisor' who is her point of contact for academic/personal support. He has access to all her essay and exam marks and comments from her class teachers about her performance, but he has never taught her.

Does anyone with any experience of these matters have any insight into which would be the best option?

[SirTobyBelch]

It would usually be the personal tutor. I guess that would be the academic adviser. She should talk to this person about what she's applying for, why she wants to do it and what she's done to explore the field of public policy.

The fact that all her final-year politics teaching has been delivered by PhD students might raise a few questions in the recruiter's mind, though.