Overview:

• MS students complete a Project.
• PhD students complete a Dissertation.

Committee Responsibilities:

• Guide research project development
• Review student progress (at least every 6–12 months)
• Evaluate final presentation and oral defense
• Approve final written report or dissertation

Student Responsibilities:

• Schedule committee meetings
• Provide progress updates to committee
• Submit written project proposal by the required deadline
• Present departmental seminar prior to graduation/defense
• Submit final electronic copy of report/dissertation

Committee Composition:

MS in Clinical and Translational Therapeutics (CTT)

At least two faculty members, including:

• Research advisor (Committee Chair)
• At least one additional faculty member
• Optional third member (may be external or from the department)
• Committee must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences

At least two faculty members, including:

• Project Advisor: Any Regular, Adjunct, or Research Graduate Faculty in the Department
• Committee: At least one additional faculty member in addition to the Project Advisor

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

At least three faculty members, including:

• Committee Chair (Research Supervisor): Must be a Graduate Faculty member in the Department
  • If the student’s research supervisor is outside the Department, a departmental Graduate Faculty member must serve as Chair; the supervisor becomes the fourth member
• At least two full-time, tenure-track faculty from the Department
• At least one member unconnected to the student’s specific project
• At least one member is recommended to have the academic rank of Professor
• Committee must be reviewed by the DGS and then the Graduate Education Committee.
• Final approval is given by the Department Chair.
• Faculty should not formally commit to serve on a PhD committee until reviewed and approved.

Timeline for Selecting Project/Dissertation Advisor & Committee:

Members of the committee should be chosen with great care, because this committee can greatly facilitate the progress of the project/dissertation. Students should work with their research supervisor to select this committee, but be prepared that the chosen faculty may decline because of other responsibilities.

MS and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Submit advisor preferences (ranked list of 3+ names) to the DGS by the last day of PHC 488/588
• Students who already completed PHC 488/588 may submit advisor choices anytime
• Notify DGS by November 30 if more time is needed; extensions granted until end of Spring semester
• PhD committee is typically selected after passing the Preliminary Examination and before filing the Application to Candidacy

MS in Clinical and Translational Therapeutics

• Research advisor selected by end of first semester
• Project committee completed by beginning of second semester
• Committee must be approved by the DGS

Committee Meetings:

All Programs

• Meet with committee at least once every 6-12 months to review progress and discuss future work

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Required to schedule a committee meeting within one month of presenting a Department seminar
• At least three formal committee meetings are required:
  • One for the oral proposal defense
  • Two following departmental seminars
• Meetings should occur annually after the Preliminary Exam
• Report each meeting to the Department using the designated online form
• Students are responsible for scheduling their own committee meetings

Final Presentation and Report Requirements:

MS and PharmD/MS Programs (Including BS/MS)

• Present a departmental seminar prior to program completion
• Submit final project report (electronic) to the committee at least 14 days prior to the defense
• Submit final revised electronic copy to the department within 30 days of a successful defense

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Deliver a one-hour public departmental seminar immediately prior to the dissertation defense
• Schedule oral defense at least 3 weeks after distributing dissertation to committee
• PhD students must remain full-time in the Department until the dissertation is submitted, unless approved for part-time study
• Defense announcements must be distributed department-wide