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Your advisor should be a faculty member whose areas of specialization correspond to your own. Aside from providing general advice and support as you move through the program, your advisor will serve as the chair of your thesis and dissertation.

No later than the end of the spring semester of the first year using the form available on the Forms & Resources page.

Yes, you may do so at any time using the Declaration or Change of Advisor form available on the Forms & Resources page.

Three (the thesis chair and two other members).

Yes. The proposal/prospectus defense should occur no sooner than the semester before you plan to defend your completed thesis. With the approval of your advisor, the proposal should be submitted to your entire committee at least 10 days prior to the scheduled proposal defense. You should also bring a copy of the "Notification of Approved Thesis Topic" form to your prospectus defense and have it signed by all committee members if they approve your project. This form is available on the Forms & Resources page.

There are a number of forms that need to be filled out at and after your defense (see the Forms & Resources page). In addition, with the approval of your advisor, your thesis should be submitted to your committee at least 10 days prior to your scheduled defense date. You are also required to advertise the final defense (see instructions on the Forms & Resources page)

By the end of your second year in the program (for adequate progress).

Advancement to candidacy is accomplished when the student has written and successfully defended a 9000-word Candidacy Paper. The process and timeline is detailed in the Graduate Handbook, available on the Forms & Resources page.

Graduate students must complete the dissertation within five years of advancing to candidacy.

Please consult the Graduate Handbook on the Forms & Resources page for information on this topic.