Selecting/changing committee members

For most students, selecting the person who will serve as the outside member is the most difficult. Students are encouraged to work with their advisor and FSoS committee members to select the outside member. Except for special circumstances, all committee members for master’s and PhD graduate programs must be members of the faculty with graduate education responsibilities. The Graduate School maintains a central list of faculty with graduate education responsibilities.

If the student has declared a minor, then the Graduate School list of faculty for the specific minor applies. Some minors may have additional requirements.

After successfully submitting an approved graduate degree plan in the Graduate Planner and Audit System (GPAS), the student will make the committee official by submitting the electronic form, Assign/Update Prelim Oral Committee, with the Graduate School.

• Master’s degree Plan A and Plan B: At the end of the first year, master’s degree students will designate two members of the graduate faculty to serve as the inside members of the examination committee, one as advisor. The examination committee is comprised of two FSoS committee members along with one member from outside the major. The student needs to complete the departmental form, Designation of Departmental Committee Members (MA) and submit to the Graduate Program Coordinator for filing.

• PhD degree: By the end of the first year in the doctoral program, students will identify the three FSoS members of their doctoral examination committee to guide their work and critical review examination. The three departmental committee members and one “outside” member will constitute the student’s official doctoral examination committee. These three FSoS faculty members will guide the student’s completion of the Critical Review Paper and evaluate the paper upon its completion. This committee will also conduct the student’s annual progress review. The student needs to complete the Designation of Departmental Committee Members (PhD) form by May of the first year and submit to the Graduate Program Coordinator for filing.

The four-person doctoral examination committee will then conduct the Preliminary Oral Examination, Dissertation Proposal Meeting, and Final Oral Examination. Continuity of committee membership is desirable for all three steps.

It is recognized that students’ topics may change, faculty may become unavailable, or more appropriate faculty may be available, thus necessitating a change in committee membership.

If a student desires to change committee members, the DGS must be notified. It is the faculty’s expectation that students will work with a variety of faculty members during their graduate career. Changing a committee member means that a better match for the completion of the degree work has been determined. Students are responsible for informing their current committee member as well as obtaining consent of the new committee member prior to notifying the DGS. To make changes to your committee members, e-mail the DGS. Request approval to change from Professor X to Professor Y and provide your rationale. Include your student ID number and the degree sought in your e-mail. You must copy all affected faculty members on this email. The DGS must approve all changes.