Master Thesis and Doctoral Committee Composition
NIU and AHE Graduate Catalog Excerpts
AHE students are encouraged to establish committees as soon as appropriate in the progression of their graduate work in the department. To change
membership of a committee, students should complete the Change in Advisor or Committee Membership form available on the CAHE Webpage. To
alter a committee or change their advisor/chair, students must obtain signatures of approval of all faculty affected (those being removed or added).
Following are excerpts from the 2005-2006 NIU Graduate Catalog as it relates to the composition of Master Thesis or Doctoral Program and
Dissertation Committees. Students should consult with their Committee Chair prior to establishing or changing their committee membership.
NIU Graduate Policy on Master Thesis Committee Composition
“A student intending to write a thesis should identify a prospective faculty director for the thesis, who must be willing to serve as thesis director,
meet Graduate School qualifications, and be approved by the department (department chair or designee). The thesis director and thesis committee
will judge the acceptability of the work. A faculty member may decline to serve as director of any particular thesis project, in which
case the department will assist the student in seeking a thesis director. If a student, with department approval, changes thesis director, the student
may need to undertake additional work, or to change research projects, in accordance with the expectations and expertise of the new thesis
director” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 32).
“The thesis committee and the final comprehensive examination committee shall each consist of at least three voting members approved by the
department (department chair or designee). The majority of the voting members of the committee must be regular faculty members at Northern
Illinois University; a majority of the voting members must be members of the graduate faculty; and ordinarily at least one-half of the voting
members, including the committee chair, must be graduate faculty members in the student’s major” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 32).
NIU Graduate Policy on Doctoral Dissertation Committee Composition
“A student intending to write a dissertation should identify a prospective faculty director for the dissertation, who must be willing to serve as
dissertation director and must be approved by the department, college, and Graduate School. The dissertation director and dissertation
committee will judge the acceptability of the work. A faculty member may decline to serve as director of any particular dissertation project, in
which case the department will assist the student in seeking a dissertation director. If a student, with department approval, changes dissertation
director, the student may need to undertake additional work, or to change research projects, in accordance with the expectations and expertise of
the new dissertation director” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 35).
“Committees to conduct the candidacy examination and the oral defense of the dissertation will be nominated by the chair of the student’s major
department and appointed by the dean of the Graduate School. Membership of candidacy and dissertation examining committees will include
representatives of major and minor fields. The number of voting members on such committees normally will be three to five, and at least three
are required. The majority of the voting members of the committee must be regular faculty members at Northern Illinois University; a majority of
the voting members must be members of the graduate faculty; ordinarily at least one-half of the voting members, including the committee chair,
must be graduate faculty members in the student’s major; and at least one-half of the voting members, including the committee chair,
must be senior members of the graduate faculty. A person who is not a member of the Northern Illinois University faculty may be a member, but
no more than one voting member may be without NIU graduate faculty status. In addition, the dean of the Graduate School will serve as an ex
officio, nonvoting member of all committees to conduct the oral defense of the dissertation. The dean or a dean’s designee is to participate in both
parts of the defense” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 35).
AHE Doctoral Program Committee Composition
“Upon admission, a student is expected to form a doctoral program advisory committee. In general, this committee will consist of a chair from
the adult and higher education faculty and at least two other faculty members, one of whom must be from outside the faculty of adult and higher
education” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 74).
AHE Doctoral Dissertation Committee Composition
“Once a student has successfully completed all examinations and is admitted to candidacy, she or he must assemble a dissertation committee.
This committee ordinarily includes a chair from the adult and higher education faculty with at least two other members, one of whom is from
outside the adult and higher education faculty” (2005-06 NIU Graduate Catalog, pg. 74).
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