Advisor and Thesis Committee

Roles of Key Personnel in the Administration of the Graduate Program: The Advisor

The director of graduate programs (DGP) will be the advisor for all graduate students upon arrival at NC State. For students pursuing a non-thesis degree (Option B), the DGP will remain the students’ advisor for the duration of their program. For all other students, as early as possible, a permanent advisor will be identified (usually by the student). The advisor must be a member of the Graduate Faculty who is a member of the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS). This advisor will either serve as chair or co-chair of the student’s advisory committee.

Roles of Key Personnel in the Administration of the Graduate Program: Advisory Committees

An advisory committee is required for all students pursuing a master’s degree with thesis (Option A). The TECS department recommends that an advisory committee be selected and appointed for each student no later than the end of the second semester of graduate study. This committee replaces the interim advisor and the committee chair becomes the principal advisor. Graduate School policy states that the committee members and chair (co-chairs) are selected by the student on his/her consent with the advice and approval of the department head and/or DGP. The chair and committee are ultimately approved by the dean of the Graduate School. Early selection of the advisory committee can provide the student with guidance especially suited to his/her interests and assures that an appropriate plan of work is developed and followed. The advisory committee will act as the student’s academic advisory body throughout the pursuit of a graduate degree. The advisory committee is expected to be available for student program planning, discussion of professional development, and consultation and direction on thesis research. Committee members are expected to be well acquainted with the student’s progress at all times after the committee’s formation. A student should be certain to keep the committee members fully informed of progress toward the degree.

See also the Graduate School website.

How do I choose my committee members?

Committee members must be part of NC State’s Graduate Faculty.

First thing to do is to choose your committee chair/co-chair, who will guide you in choosing your academic courses. If on the thesis track, the chair will also guide your dissertation research and help you identify other appropriate committee members.

At the master’s level, the advisory committee for thesis-track students shall consist of at least: 1) two members from the TECS graduate faculty, and 2) a third committee member who is a NC State University Graduate Faculty Member, but is not part of the TECS Core Faculty. If the committee is co-chaired, TECS expects there to be four committee members. 

When a student has Co-Chairs, one co-chair must be graduate faculty from the student’s program the other co-chair can be graduate faculty from the student’s program or any other university program.