Examination/Advisory Committee

MS Degree (thesis and professional degree concentrations)

You need at least two (but more is OK) SSA Graduate Faculty (as approved so by the Graduate School) on your committee. The Chair (almost always your major professor) must be a member or adjunct member of the SSA Graduate Faculty. A second member must also be a member or adjunct member of the SSA Graduate Faculty, who could bring diverse viewpoints to the committee. Additional members can be from outside SSA (e.g., faculty from other departments and universities, agencies, and private industry who are approved by the Graduate School to serve one-time as a Graduate Faculty). At least one member of the committee must be a regular University employee (i.e., not an adjunct faculty member).

UMass Research Associates (holding an MS degree at a minimum) are eligible to serve as members of MS committees, but not on Ph.D. committees. People not listed as UMass Five College Graduate Faculty (e.g., faculty from other institutions or individuals from agencies or industry that hold PhD’s) can be included as "Consulting members" (i.e., non-voting) or "Members" (i.e. voting), but cannot replace either of the two SSA faculty members (i.e., they can be the third or fourth member). If such people are included as "Consultants" or full “Members,” the GPD has to forward a memo to the Graduate School (along with the curriculum vitae, and date of birth) to convince them to allow it. The Graduate School prefers such people to be named as Consultant.

With your assistance, your major professor must forward a committee request memo to the GPD (for professional degrees) and the Graduate School by the GPD (for thesis degrees). Your graduate committee is not officially formed until this memo has been sent to the GPD and Graduate School. You must have an approved committee before you can submit your thesis proposal.

Ph.D. Degree

The Ph.D. committee needs to have at least three committee members with Ph.D. and Graduate Faculty Status. Additional members could be appointed depending on the research needs. At least one member must be an “outside of department member,” defined by the graduate school as a UMass Five College Graduate Faculty member, not in your department. Members outside the Five College System could be appointed after approval by the Graduate School as Graduate Faculty. With your assistance, your major professor must forward a committee request memo to the GPD for submission to the Graduate School. Your graduate committee is not officially formed until this memo has been sent to the Graduate School and a letter from the Graduate Dean is received by the student. You must have an approved committee before you can submit your dissertation proposal.

Changing advisors and committee members

There might be situations when you feel a need to change major advisor or committee members. This could stem from many reasons, including a change in topic, major disagreements, work environment, etc. Changing a committee member can be done by discussing with your major advisor and informing the GPD of any changes to the committee member through a memo to graduate school. In cases that involve changing your major advisor, you are encouraged to discuss it with the GPD or school director on such changes. Discussing such issues with other faculty is encouraged. GPD will try to mediate any issues that can be resolved without changing your major advisor. When mediation does not work, you upon being discussed, the GPD can suggest another advisor in the department to work with. If this option does not work, the GPD will take the administrative role in the advising process by consulting with your original advisor or another faculty for expertise and content approval. When a decision is made by you and a new advisor is identified, GPD will make a recommendation for such changes through a memo to the graduate school. Changes to the graduate committee need to be recommended by the GPD to the graduate school in a new memo.