The Major Professor serves as the student's advisor and mentor. Students should confer with their concentration to confirm the internal process and timeline for the selection and appointment of the Major Professor. The student must identify a major professor and receive that person's agreement to serve as major professor. The selection of the Major Professor must be approved and appointed as soon as possible, but no later than the time the student has completed 50% of the program. Students must have a major professor in order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. If a Major Professor cannot be identified or in the event a Major Professor is unable or unwilling to continue serving on the student's committee, the student is responsible for finding another Major Professor. Students who are unable to find a replacement Major Professor should confer with the Program Director for available options. If no other options exist the student may be requested to voluntarily withdraw from the program or may be honorably withdrawn in good academic standing. The student and Major Professor should plan a program of study which, when completed, will satisfy the degree requirements specified. A copy of this program, signed by the student and professor, should be maintained in the student's academic file.
Major Professors must meet the following requirements:
- Be active in scholarly pursuits as evidenced by at least one refereed publication in the last three years.
- Be graduate faculty, as defined by the University, from the student's academic area. Faculty who do not meet this definition may serve as Co-Major Professor with faculty who do.
- Be graduate faculty, as defined by the University, from the student’s academic area. Faculty who do not meet this definition may serve as Co-Major Professor.
- Have been approved by the Program Chair (or equivalent) to serve as a Major Professor or Co-Major Professor.
The membership of graduate faculty will be based upon criteria developed within the appropriate program and approved at the college level. These criteria must be forwarded to the Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies.
In the event a Major Professor leaves the University (i.e. for an appointment at another university, due to retirement, etc.) and the Major Professor is willing to continue serving on the student's committee, the Major Professor then becomes a Co-Major Professor on the committee and another faculty is appointed as the other Co-Major Professor. It is important that one of the Co-Major Professors be accessible on the university campus for the student to make satisfactory progress on the dissertation. In the event a Major Professor is on temporary leave (e.g. sabbatical, research, etc.); the Major Professor shall coordinate with the Program Director to facilitate the needs of the student. In some instances a student may choose to have two professors serve as Major Professor. In this situation the faculty are approved as “Co-Major Professors” and jointly serve in that role. Consequently both faculty must sign approval on paperwork pertaining to the student's processing (i.e. committee form, change of committee form, admission to candidacy, etc.)
(Co-)Major Professor(s) of the Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Responsibilities
Available on the Office of Graduate Studies Academic Policies website
