Composition
The Dissertation Committee (DC) will have a minimum of two members identified as a Dissertation Advisor (DA) and a Dissertation Reader (DR).
Roles and responsibilities of the DC members
The general role of all DC members is to assist each student in producing a scholarly and scientifically sound product. A successful dissertation is meant to be a contribution to science and to society while also serve as a training process where the student hones their professional skills and improves theoretical data base. Therefore, each member is committed to facilitate the dissertation process through their sound and thoughtful advice and is invested in encouraging the student to stay motivated through the learning process inherent to the exercise. A list of the program’s faculty and research interests is available below.
Dissertation Advisor
The Dissertation Advisor (DA) is the person with the primary responsibility to guide the student through the dissertation process, providing mentoring regarding the topic, assisting the student with questions regarding the process, and assigning the student task to be completed in an autodidactic manner. Students register for the dissertation courses under the name of the DA, who posts the final grade obtained at the end of the study period. The DA is usually knowledgeable in the field that provides the theoretical background for the dissertation or is skilled in the methodological approach needed to address the specific topic of the project. The DA is the one who most closely works with the student in all process phases. The DA should be a faculty member of PHSU. However, a DA from another accredited institution may be permitted if specialized expertise is required or for availability reasons. For PhD students, it is expected that starting with the 2022 entering class, their research mentor assumes the DA role.
The Program Director must authorize the recruitment and acceptance of an external DA. In such cases, the DR will be responsible for overseeing administrative duties of the process, such as those presented in points 1 and 4 below. The Program Director will receive the certification of completion of the dissertation process and post the student’s final grade.
In addition to mentoring and overseeing all aspects of the dissertation process, the DA also performs the following duties:
1. Verify that all forms related to the Dissertation Process are completed and filed in the student’s departmental record.
2. Approve all relevant aspects of the process, especially of the prospectus, authorization to engage in data gathering by the Internal Review Board (IRB), final approval of presentation and certification of completion of the dissertation requirement.
3. Chair all relevant meetings, especially the Dissertation Presentation (Defense) meeting.
4. Certify, together with the Dissertation Reader, that the dissertation process has been officially concluded and that all requirements have been fully satisfied.
The selection of the DA is made official only after the corresponding form is completed and filed in the student’s record. The DA Selection Form may be found in the Appendix B of this manual.
Dissertation Reader
The Dissertation Reader (DR) will collaborate with the DA in assisting the student with the dissertation project. This will include:
1. Reading all portions of the manuscript as they become available to provide feedback and suggestions regarding the content and the scientific procedures conducted during the study.
2. Participation in all formal meetings.
3. Providing input regarding the methodology to be selected for the project.
4. Approval of all relevant aspects of the process, especially of the prospectus, and the final approval of presentation and certification of completion of the dissertation requirement.
The selection of the DR is made official only after the corresponding form is completed and filed in the student’s record. The DR Selection Form may be found in Appendix B.
DC and student relationship
A relational mentorship style is considered the ideal approach for the work that a dissertation process entails. Students and their Dissertation Committee members will make every effort to develop an honest, trusting, and empathic interaction.
• Committee changes: Students are encouraged to remain continuously enrolled throughout the dissertation terms and with the same DC until the dissertation is completed. However, unexpected events could occur in the dissertation process that prompt a student to replace a committee member.
• If a change in the student’s DC occurs after the proposal defense presentation (adding or changing the DR for example) they must consult the change with the DA and complete the Request to Change a Committee Member form (Appendix B).
• If the student wishes to change the DA, this must be consulted with the program director first. After the student has identified and contacted a new DA, they are required to complete the Request to Change a Committee Member form (Appendix B).
• If the DA or DR resigns to their position in the program, or as a part of the DC, the student will select another committee member. After reaching an agreement with the new committee member, the student will file a new DA or DR selection form with the program director’s approval. The change is not considered official until this approval is completed.
SBBS Faculty Research Interests
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