When is the best time to set up the Dissertation Committee?
The Department has found that the committee should be formed immediately after the student has passed into candidacy (see university requirements for candidacy). Since the committee is a collection of the best minds on the student’s chosen topic as defined by his/her prospectus, having the benefit of consultation and advice from the committee members both individually and collectively during the dissertation development period is enormously valuable and will enhance the students productivity substantially. It is commissioned to meet with the student and advisor on a regular basis throughout the Ph.D. research following the specialty examination. This is where the student learns to consider the wider implications of their research – beyond those specifically designed to satisfy the goals of a given sponsored project. Membership on this committee may change as the interests of the student evolve.
