Advisory Committees

It is the responsibility of the Doctoral Advisory Committee to work with a student to develop a specific course of study. Each student is expected to initiate this process by identifying a doctoral dissertation advisor who will chair the advisory committee. The members of Doctoral Advisory Committees must be drawn from Arkansas State University graduate faculty. Each committee must have at least three members. No more than two members may represent the same academic discipline. Committee membership is subject to the approval of the Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program Committee.

The Director of the Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program will serve as the initial advisor for students entering the program. In this capacity, the Director will institute a tentative curriculum for the student pending establishment of the Doctoral Advisory Committee. Before the end of the first 12 months after beginning the program full time, or before completing 18 semester credit hours of study, the student in consultation with the Director is expected to have selected a dissertation advisor, formed a Doctoral Advisory Committee, and declared a course of study.

The course of study set by the committee must meet program requirements and match the student's academic goals, scholarly aspirations and career preparation needs. Each Doctoral Advisory Committee will meet at least once a year to review the student's progress.

The committee is to review the student's dissertation proposal and to provide guidance toward the successful completion of this substantial project. Once the student has passed the Qualifying and Candidacy Exams and has an approved dissertation topic, the Doctoral Advisory Committee may add new members to help with directing and assessing the dissertation work. In these cases, it is strongly recommended that at least one new member of the Doctoral Advisory Committee be an individual of national repute with extensive professional experience at an appropriate public program in cultural heritage.

Membership of advisory committees may be changed if either the student or a member of the committee feels that such a change is appropriate. The requested change must be reviewed and approved by Director of the Heritage Studies Ph.D. Program and then approved by the Program Committee.