Dissertation Committee

Students will form a dissertation committee by the time of Advancement to Candidacy. Some departments require earlier committee formulation. Individual faculty members may decline membership on committees for academic reasons. Candidates must be able to develop a proposal of sufficient academic merit and on a topic to satisfy their committee. Candidates can be suspended if they do not have an approved dissertation chair and committee.

The Graduate College requires a minimum of three members, all of whom must be University of Arizona tenured, tenure-track, or approved as equivalent. If a committee has only three members, all must approve the dissertation. In departments that require four or five members, there may be one dissenting vote.

The fourth member may be tenured or tenure-track, or a special approved member. Special members must be pre-approved by the Dean of the Graduate College. Any members beyond the fourth can also be tenured or tenure-track, or special approved members.

All dissertation committee members are expected to attend the final defense.