When a student's program includes a thesis, a committee oversees the course of study, research for the thesis, and the conduct of the final examination. This panel is made up of at least three members who are selected in consultation with the director of the graduate program. Each committee consists of members or adjunct members of the graduate faculty.
If the student's program does not include a thesis, the committee is appointed shortly before the final examination. This panel is made up of at least three members who are selected in consultation with the director of the graduate program. Each committee consists of members or adjunct members of the graduate faculty.
In either case, the student is encouraged to seek advice during the course of study from the graduate director, committee chair, and professor supervising his or her courses. No graduate student should regard a program of study as the mere accumulation of numerical credits and meeting of formal requirements. Progress in mastering a discipline depends largely upon the interested guidance of the professors in charge and the student's own initiative.
