Forming the Research Committee

To initiate research for the dissertation, the student chooses a professor who will agree to direct the dissertation. The de­partment shall then recommend to the dean for approval a research committee composed of:

1. The chosen director (who will also normally serve as chairperson of the committee)
2. Two or more additional faculty members from the major depart­ment
3. A representative of each minor

The committee should be selected from the members of the graduate faculty who are best qualified to assist the student in conducting the research for the dissertation. The committee has the responsibility of supervising the research, reading the dissertation, and conducting the final examination.

• All members of a research committee must be members of the graduate faculty. At least half of the members of the committee must be members of the graduate faculty with the endorse­ment to direct doctoral dissertations; others may be regular members.
• All chairpersons of research committees and directors of research must be members of the graduate faculty with the endorsement to direct doctoral dissertations. The endorsement is reserved for tenure-track faculty with a regular appointment at Indiana University and is granted separately from graduate faculty status. If, however, special expertise in an area is held by a member of the gradu­ate faculty who does not have the endorsement, the depart­mental chairperson may request that the dean approve such an individual as research committee chairperson or director of the dissertation research.
• In the event that the dissertation research does not involve the area(s) of the minor(s) whether outside or inside the department the major department may request, with the consent of the minor-field representative(s), the substitution of a representative or of representatives from some other field(s) more appropriate to the topic of the dis­sertation.

Research Committee Approval

After consultation with and approval by the dissertation direc­tor and research committee, the student will submit to the University Graduate School a one- or two-page prospectus of the dissertation research. If the proposed research involves hu­man subjects, animals, biohazards, or radiation, approval from the appropriate university committee must also be obtained. The membership of the research committee and the disserta­tion prospectus must be approved by the University Graduate School at least six months before the defense of the disserta­tion. Some programs may have deadlines which are earlier than those of the University Graduate School; therefore, students should consult with their program office.