Committee Membership ChangesĬommittee membership changes are submitted to the Graduate School on the 'Request for Change of Committee Members' form. The major professor will be primarily responsible for academic advising and ensuring the student meets all the programmatic requirements for the degree. In the rare case when the thesis/dissertation director is not the major professor, coordination between the thesis/dissertation director and the major professor is required. Typically, the major professor serves in this role. Any member of a student’s graduate committee may be designated as the thesis/dissertation director on the committee request form. Thesis/Dissertation DirectorĪ thesis/dissertation director is the individual primarily responsible for providing oversight for a master’s, educational specialist, or doctoral student’s research.

If a non-graduate faculty committee member serves as the director of research, it is expected the individual will have education and research expertise commensurate with MSU graduate faculty. The decision of whether or not non-graduate faculty members are qualified to serve on a thesis or dissertation committee is determined by the program/college. Non-graduate faculty committee members are expected to have a graduate degree or commensurate expertise in the field of study. A non-graduate faculty member is anyone external to Mississippi State University or Mississippi State employees who are not graduate faculty. Non-Graduate Faculty Committee MembersĪt minimum, greater than 50% of the committee members must be members of MSU graduate faculty. MSU graduate faculty members are listed by college/department in the Graduate Catalog. Removal of a faculty member from graduate faculty is at the discretion of the Department Head, Academic Dean, and Graduate School Dean.

Reappointment to graduate faculty is not required provided the faculty member remains full-time faculty (as described in the second bullet under graduate faculty qualifications) of Mississippi State University and remains affiliated with an academic program. Graduate faculty members are appointed through submission of the 'Application to Graduate Faculty' form, which is approved by the Department Head and Academic Dean. serve as a chair of doctoral, master's, or educational specialist committees and may serve as the director of thesis and dissertation research within the faculty member's area of graduate responsibility.serve as members of doctoral and master's/education specialist committees within or outside of the department/program of appointment and.teach graduate-level courses in each field of specialization if the individual meets all requirements outlined in AOP 13.09, Credentials for Teaching.

Government affiliates embedded in the university may be considered MSU graduate faculty by agreement. have demonstrated and maintained noteworthy accomplishments in research and/or creative achievement, as defined in the Faculty Handbook (6.1.2).be a full-time employee of Mississippi State University, holding the rank of assistant professor, assistant research professor, assistant extension professor, assistant clinical professor or higher without any qualifying designations such as 'visiting,' 'emeritus,' or 'adjunct' and.earned a terminal degree (highest degree awarded in the discipline) in or related to the faculty member’s area of graduate discipline.Other criteria for holding an MSU graduate faculty appointment follow: MSU graduate faculty members are employees of Mississippi State University.

Don nottingham scott haney