After successfully completing the preliminary examination, the student should select a Supervisory Committee. This supervisory committee is responsible for advising and approving your program of study, administering certain examinations, and supervising your dissertation research. It is your responsibility to consult all members of your committee in making significant decisions about your program and to include all of them in preparing and revising drafts of your proposal and dissertation. The student first selects the chairperson for this committee. The chairperson must be a regular faculty member of the department.
Committees consist of five members.
At least one of these members should be from outside the College of Education, usually in your allied area of course work. The other members should complement the chair, so as to give you diverse perspectives that are relevant to your area of study. One member of your committee must be expert in the appropriate research methodology and design. After completing most of your course work and before your qualifying examination, you will need to prepare a detailed statement of what you intend to research for your dissertation. This proposal should include a review of relevant research on the topic you will study, a thorough conceptualization of the goals and design of the project, and rationales for its significance and value.