GUIDANCE COMMITTEE

On passing the qualifying examinations, the graduate student must find a faculty member in the student's area of major research interest who will become the student's thesis advisor. (Please refer to other sections of this Manual for information on current research areas, and research interests of individual faculty members.) Many factors enter into a student's choice of an advisor for his/her Ph.D. research. In addition to the scientific, intellectual and personality factors which influence the pairing of student and professor, financial aspects must also be considered. For most full-time students, the ideal situation is to find an advisor who has a mutually interesting topic, as well as funds available from research grants and contracts which can support the student as a Research Fellow.

Usually, the thesis advisor is a full-time faculty member in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and as such is considered chair of the student's Guidance Committee. In cases where a thesis advisor is approved, who is not a member of the Department, then a full-time member of the Department must be included on the Committee and serve as chair.

In consultation with the thesis advisor, the student suggests a Minor Advisor outside of Electrical Engineering and a Guidance Committee composed of three or four members with the thesis advisor usually acting as Chairman. At least one other member of the Guidance Committee must be in the student's area of major research interest. This member may be from outside the Institute. The Minor advisor may, but need not be, a member of the Guidance Committee. The student must submit the names of the members of his Guidance Committee to the ECE Graduate Committee for approval. The Guidance Committee conducts the area examination, thesis defense and approves the final thesis. The thesis advisor approves the major program of study and the Minor advisor approves the minor program. When the requirements for the minor and major are completed the student should have his appropriate advisor certify this in writing to the Office of Graduate Affairs with a copy to the ECE Graduate Office. Guidance Committee appointment form should be obtained from the Graduate Center