Doctoral Writing Center
Dissertation Committee
Each doctoral student will have a dissertation committee which consists of three members: one Committee Chair and two Committee Members. These individuals will guide you along the dissertation process and act as support for you as you write and complete the dissertation. Each member of the committee will be assigned to you at specific points in your dissertation process and will have specific roles.
Committee Makeup
Dissertation Chair
Role: Primary project manager of the committee. The Chair will have both subject matter and general methodology expertise and will guide the student through the dissertation process.
Duration: Begin in year 3 and continue until completion of the dissertation
Time Commitment: 24 hours per session with student
Selection: Doctoral students will select/approve their Chairs (see below for how to select a Chair)
Committee Member One
Role: Advise students on possible dissertation topics by narrowing down research interests. This committee member will have both subject matter and general methodology expertise.
Duration: Begin in year 1 and continue in this role until completion of year 2. In year 3 the Advisor continues to support the dissertation committee in the role of Committee Member # 1 until completion of the dissertation
Time Commitment: 2 hours per session in year 1, and 2 and 4 hours per dissertation course in year 3 with student
Selection: The Dissertation Director will assign this committee member after matching expertise with student focus.
Committee Member Two
Role: Review dissertation document in preparation for preliminary and final defense. This committee member will have both support subject matter/and general methodology expertise.
Duration: Begin in year 3, for courses 3 and 4 (BUS 902 & BUS 903)
Time Commitment: 2 hours per course with student
Selection: The Dissertation Director/Program Chair will assign this committee member after matching expertise with student focus.
Responsibilities by Roles
Dissertation Chair
The responsibilities of the Chair include:
- Staying current with dissertation policies and procedures
- Implementing any changes
- Advising the candidate from the first dissertation course until the completion of the dissertation and graduation (BUS 901 – BUS 903)
- Guiding the candidate to complete a work plan for completion of the dissertation in each dissertation course
- Guiding the candidate toward achieving a high level of technical and ethical quality in the dissertation research
- Assisting the candidate completing the CITI and in navigating the IRB approval process
- Assisting the candidate to complete their proposal
- Providing guidance on the dissertation structure, formatting, content
- Referring candidate to support functions when necessary – Doctoral Writing Center, Methodology Specialists
- Guiding the candidate in the selection of methods/procedures for data collection and analysis
- Preparing the candidate for the defense process
Dissertation Committee Members - Advisor/Reader
All members of the candidate’s committee share responsibility in ensuring that the candidate produces high-quality scholarship. The responsibilities of the Committee Members include:
- Providing subject matter expertise and guidance
- Reading drafts and provide meaningful feedback at each defense stage
- Providing guidance on correct usage of APA
- Guiding the candidate in the selection of methods/procedures for data collection and analysis
- Directing student to editors list
Doctoral Candidate
The responsibilities of you as a doctoral candidate include:
- Proposing a viable project that has collectible data to support conclusions.
- Managing the doctoral research process, including initiation and continuation of communications with the Dissertation Chair and the Dissertation Committee Members.
- Completing weekly work plans and contact form in GAP and bi-weekly meetings with the Dissertation Chair.
- Meeting and abiding by the deadlines in the written and approved work plan and contact form.
- Completing a successful preliminary defense.
- Conducting ethical research that adheres to the approved written methodology received by the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
- Completion of CITI certification
- Completing a successful final defense.
- Incorporating any feedback and recommendations from the Dissertation Chair and the Dissertation Committee Members.
- Having a deliverable, scholarly written, edited, and properly formatted final draft of the dissertation research meets the university’s content and quality standards. (This is the completed Dissertation that must be successfully defended.)
- Keeping the Dissertation Chair and the Dissertation Committee Members informed of developments as the research study is conceptualized, designed, conducted, and written. A Doctoral Candidate may consult with an additional statistician, Methodologist, or editor, but in no case should any person other than the Doctoral Candidate conduct the work associated with the dissertation research.
Note: If an event occurs that prohibits the dissertation research’s progression and completion; the Doctoral Candidate must communicate with the Dissertation Chair to obtain advice, service, or assistance. If any significant modifications need to be made to the timeline, the Doctoral Candidate must seek approval from the Dissertation Chair and the Dissertation Director.
Selecting Your Dissertation Chair
At the end of the second year, after successful completion of RES 751, doctoral students will select their Dissertation Chair. The Dissertation Chair serves as the committee lead, providing expert support structure in content, methodology and guidance throughout the dissertation process.
After successful completion of RES 751, students will receive an email from Student Services with a link to the Dissertation Committee Selection Form. Students will use this form to identify their first and second choice for Dissertation Chair.
Considerations for Selection
Selecting your Dissertation Chair is a crucial step in the dissertation process and should be done so with careful consideration. For advice on what to consider prior to selection, please see here.
Chair Bios
To see a list of the available Dissertation Chairs and their subject matter expertise and qualifications, please see here.
Additional Support
While the students’ Committee Members and Chair will be able to provide substantial support throughout the dissertation process, additional dissertation support is available.
Doctoral Writing Center Specialists
Doctoral Writing Center Specialists are available to assist students from the time they begin their prospectus until the end of your dissertation. The specialists are able to guide the process of writing, organization and revising the dissertation.
The responsibilities of the Doctoral Writing Center Specialists include:
- Provide suggestions and considerations for the author on organization, mechanics, cohesion, or flow.
- Focus on the areas that the author has specified the need for.
- Discuss aspects related to writing, not content.
How to Get in Touch:
Book an appointment easily here!
Methodology Specialists
Methodology Specialists provide support to dissertation students if it is determined that a proposed dissertation is sufficiently complex to require more in-depth guidance. Individuals in this role guide dissertation students in selecting the best approach to data collection and analysis.
Roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Providing in-depth guidance into both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
- Meeting students for 2-hour consultancy sessions (days/times may vary)
- Proposing the most appropriate research design fit to address a problem statement and research questions or for testing stated hypotheses
- Providing detailed feedback on:
- Data collection and analysis
- Presentation of the data
- Conclusions drawn from analyses
How to Get in Touch:
Please send an email to dianawatkins@westcliff.edu for a current list of methodologists available.
Common Questions
For a list of responses to common questions regarding the chair selection process, please see here.
Contact Options
If you have questions regarding any element of this process, please reach out to:
Dr. Geraldine Goodstone, Dissertation Director – geraldinegoodstone@westcliff.edu
Dr. Alex Sherm, Program Chair – asherm@westcliff.edu