Choosing an Advisor and Advisory Committee
The purpose of the advisory committee is to help students define a topic for dissertation research, as well as choose examination areas and develop a plan of study that will prepare them for dissertation research. The graduate advisor's role is to chair the committee, oversee the examination and dissertation processes, and to serve as an academic mentor to the student.
The advisory committee consists of four members, including the chair. The chair must be part of the CRDM core faculty. The other three committee members can be selected from the faculty in the Departments of Communication and English, from affiliated faculty (see the list of faculty), or from UNC-CH, UNC-G and Duke University. At least one member must be from Communication and one from English. According to NC State's policy on external committee members and technical consultants [graduate school handbook section 3.2.D], students may select committee members from institutions other than NC State.
Where applicable, students must complete the appropriate advisory committee appointment form:
- Graduate Faculty from UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Greensboro, and Duke - [Graduate Advisory Committee Appointment Form for Interinstitutional Member]
- Graduate Faculty from another university - [Graduate Advisory Committee Appointment Form for External Member/Technical Consultant]
- A person from industry or a governmental agency - [Graduate Advisory Committee Appointment Form for External Member/Technical Consultant]
Generally, the program advises against a six-person committee. If a student needs a sixth member, however, the DGP can allow the additional committee member.
CHANGING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
EMERGENCY
SUBSTITUTES
Substituting
members
on
a
committee
requires
approval
by
the
Graduate
School.
In
an
emergency,
approval
should
be
obtained
if
possible.
If
approval
cannot
be
obtained
in
time
for
the
defense
(for
example,
it
is
after
business
hours
on
a
Friday),
you
may
proceed
with
the
exam,
and
submit
the
request
for
approval
immediately.
Conducting
the
exam
with
a
substitute
without
Graduate
School
approval,
you
risk
invalidating
the
exam.
The
student
and
committee
will
have
to
reschedule,
reconvene,
and
redo
the
exam
if
the
Graduate
School
determines
that
the
initial
exam
is
void.
GRADUATE
SCHOOL
REPRESENTATIVE
- No CRDM core faculty member can serve as GSR, even if they are representing their department in the defense.
-
COM and ENG faculty members who are not affiliated with the CRDM program may serve as GSR if they feel they can be an unbiased observer in the exam.
-
Students may choose a GSR who does not conflict with the statements above and include the GSR name on their exam request form.
-
If students cannot find a GSR or prefer that the Graduate School assign one, a request should be sent to the Program Associate, who will then submit it to the Graduate School at least 15 business days prior to the oral exam date.
-
The program recommends that the student selects a GSR as soon as the reading lists have been accepted by the committee and the student is officially studying for exams.
Approved by the CRDM committee on February 25th, 2016.