Lifelong Education Administration and Policy

Adult Education

Graduate Handbook

Student Procedures and Requirements

For the Ph.D. Program

Advisement Procedures

Purpose

Advisement is the process whereby students secure an Advisor to assist and advise them through a program of study. Although the advisor will work with the student to ensure that all university, department, and program requirements are met, the program of study will be individualized according to the student's needs, background, aspirations, and interests. This individualization is allowed through some choices of elective courses in the program of study as well as through the emphasis and setting of the dissertation and/or internship experiences.

More specifically, the purposes of advisement are:
1. To advise and clear each student for registration for each academic term.
2. To assist students in the development of an appropriate program of study.
3. To assist students in the identification of a topic for their dissertation.
4. To assist students in forming an Advisory Committee.
5. To administer written and oral comprehensive examinations.
6. To direct the student's prospectus and dissertation.
Major Professor

Selection of Major Professor

During the first semester of enrollment, each student in the doctoral program is assigned an interim advisor. During the first year of coursework, the student is expected to meet with and interview all appropriate faculty members to determine the faculty members' research interests and activities as well as other resources faculty members may be able to apply to the student's course work and/or potential dissertation topic. An additional purpose of this interview is for the student to share career interests and goals with the faculty. Students are not required to interview all faculty in the Department, although they may if they prefer; the interim advisor will help the student identify the faculty who are likely to have an interest and expertise in the student's projected dissertation research.

At the end of the first semester, or after all of the faculty interviews are completed, students meet with the Department Head and provide the names of two faculty members they would like to request to serve as a major professor. After discussing the rationale, a decision is made to proceed with the assignment, or a decision is made to reevaluate the student's selection. Once a decision is made, the student contacts the first choice and if the faculty member agrees to serve as major professor, the student informs the Department Head of the decision. The Department Head will confirm the agreement in writing to the faculty member and student.

If for some reason the first faculty member is unable to serve in the capacity of major professor, the student informs the Department Head and proceeds to make the same request of the second faculty member. If the student is unable to obtain a major professor from the first two choices, the Department Head and student meet to reevaluate the student's status and determine an appropriate alternative for advisement.

Responsibilities of Major Professor
1. Advise and Clear each student for registration for each academic term.
2. Develop a plan of study with each student
  1. PhD Program of study .
  2. Ed.D Program of study.
3. Assist in the identification of a dissertation topic.
4. Assist student's in the PhD program with their PhD article .
5. Advise the student about the selection of advisory committee members
6. Assist the student with the selection of questions, in collaboration with the rest of the committee, for the written comprehensive exam .
7. Request a report from each committee member regarding a student's performance on her/his written comprehensive exam prior to the student's oral defense of comps.
8. Work with and direct the student through the process of the prospectus and dissertation.
9. Review the student's dissertation prospectus prior to distribution to her/his advisory committee in anticipation of the defense of the prospectus.
10. Review the student's dissertation prior to distribution to her/his advisory committee in anticipation of the dissertation defense.
11. Attend to paperwork needed for each student.
12. Contact all advisory committee members regarding the times of each oral defense; full committee attendance is required at each oral defense.
Procedure for Changing Major Professor

If, after selection, agreement, and approval of a major professor, a situation occurs which prohibits either the student or faculty member from continuing the major professor-student relationship, changes may be made. The student and major professor should discuss the desire for a change and mutually agree to dissolve the relationship. After both parties have reached mutual agreement, the Department Head must be notified in writing by either party that a change in assignment is necessary. After consultation with the Department Head, the student can proceed with the selection of another major professor as described under the selection process, or the student can request the Department Head to assign a new major professor.
Graduate student's responsibilities
1. Become familiar with the graduate student guidelines as published in the Graduate School Bulletin and the Department of Adult Education Graduate Student Handbook.
2. Keep track of requirements, deadlines, and progress toward graduation.
3. Initiate advising by making an appointment with the advisor and attending advising appointments prepared with the appropriate paperwork and planned possible schedules.
4. Inform the advisor of interests, aptitudes, aspirations, or needs that will impact the design of the program of study.
5. Choose the advisory committee.
6. Distribute the Written Comprehensive Examination, Prospectus and Dissertation to committee members in a timely fashion. Committee members should have a least two weeks to read these documents.
Advisory Committee

After a student in the doctoral program selects a major professor, the next step is to select an Advisory Committee. This is carried out as a collaborative effort between the student and the major professor within the first three semesters of residence. The primary function of the Advisory Committee is to advise the student on an appropriate set of courses that are consistent with career goals, to administer the written and oral comprehensive examinations, and to assist with the dissertation. The Advisory Committee is comprised of the major professor and at least three other faculty members; one faculty member must be outside of the department.

In consultation with the student, the specific responsibilities of the Advisory Committee include:
1. Plan the student's final program of study.
2. Approve the program of study.
3. Assists the student in developing a plan for fulfilling the Ph.D. article requirement.
4. Arrange and administer the comprehensive written and oral examinations.
5. Assist the student in developing the best possible plan for a research project.
6. Approve the student's dissertation topic.
7. Assist the student in the preparation of a scholarly explanation of the results of the research project, assuring that the completed dissertation meets the traditional research standards of academic accomplishment.
8. Approve the completed dissertation.
9. Conduct and approve the student's dissertation defense.

More specific information on the role of the Advisory Committee and dissertation planning can be found in the University's Graduate School Bulletin .

Updated on June, 2005