Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee form affirms that a candidate has an approved proposal or prospectus and that their dissertation committee is formed in accordance with program policies.  

DEADLINE: March 15 of the student’s fourth year or be placed on academic probation.

How to submit an approved dissertation committee form

The dissertation committee form is available in the Laney Connect Hub. Log in with your Emory credentials and follow the instructions to locate and submit the form.

Please note: if you have an external member of your committee, you will need to attach either a completed approval or a request for approval with a CV of the proposed member.

The Laney Graduate School team will review the form and confirm that the committee meets LGS policy requirements. You and your program administrator will receive a confirmation email when you submit the form and it is approved.

How to “Change” or add a “New” member of a committee*

The dissertation committee form is available in the Laney Connect Hub, in the "Milestones" section.  Log in with your Emory credentials and follow the instructions to locate and submit the form.

Please note: If you have an external member of your committee, you will need to attach either a completed approval or a request for approval with a CV of the proposed member.

Note: If your committee changes, you MUST submit documentation as soon as the change occurs. If there is a discrepancy between the members listed on the committee form and other dissertation-related materials IT CAN delay your graduation.

Timing and Sanction

Student must obtain approval no later than March 15 of their fourth year. 

Students who do not meet this deadline will be placed on academic probation, will not be eligible for PDS funds, and may forfeit financial support.  These sanctions will be lifted when the student files a dissertation committee form.

Dissertation Committee Extension

If students cannot reach candidacy by March 15th of their fourth year, they can request an Extension for the Dissertation Committee Form Deadline. If students need an extension to the deadline for the Dissertation Committee Form they must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Meet with your DGS and Advisor/PI to discuss a new timeline to complete the requirements for submitting your dissertation committee form. You will need their approval on the Extension for Dissertation Committee Deadline form. Please note: If your extension request is more than 30 days, a detailed academic plan on how you will meet the extension date is required.

Step 2: Submit the “Extension for Dissertation Committee Deadline” form in the LaneyConnect Hub, including the new timeline for submitting your dissertation committee form. Log in with your Emory credentials and follow the instructions to locate and submit the form.

After students submit the form, it will be routed to your Program DGS for approval, and then the LGS Student Affairs Team will oversee the final review process.

Membership and Request for External Committee Members

The Laney Graduate School policies for dissertation committee membership are in the LGS Handbook.  Below is an outline.  Programs may have additional policies, and dissertation committees must meet both program and Laney Graduate School requirements.

  1. At least three members of the dissertation committee must be Laney Graduate School faculty.
  2. Emory faculty who are not Laney Graduate School faculty may serve on the committee, but do not count towards the three LGS faculty requirement.
  3. Members of the Emory community who are not faculty may serve on the committee with the Dean's permission.  Instructions are below.
  4. Scholars at other institutions may serve on the committee with the Dean's permission.  Instructions are below. 
  5. When a dissertation committee member, co-chair/co-advisor, and chair/advisor who is an LGS faculty member either moves from Emory to another academic or research institution or retires, he or she can continue to serve as an LGS faculty member for a limited time.  See the Handbook for details.

External Committee Member Request

  • This applies to proposed members in categories 3 and 4 above.
  • The request should be made by the Director of Graduate Studies / Program Director, in the form of a memo addressed to the Dean of the Laney Graduate School.
  • The request should explain how the proposed member will contribute to the candidate's committee, and describe the expertise the proposed member brings.
  • The request should be accompanied by the proposed member's current CV.
  • The request should list the LGS graduate faculty members who are currently participating on the dissertation committee.
  • The request should be submitted with the LGS dissertation committee form.
  • If the request was submitted independently, before the LGS dissertation committee form, then the email giving permission should be uploaded with the LGS dissertation committee form.

Requesting an Extension for Chair/Advisor of the Dissertation Committee

If the faculty member who serves as a the Chair or Co-Chair of your committee left Emory and has served for the full amount of time allowed under our policy in the LGS Handbook, it is possible to request an extension to allow the member to continue to serve for a limited additional period.  This request is made by the Director of Graduate Studies/Program Director on behalf of the former Laney Graduate School faculty member.

The form for requesting an extension is in the Laney Connect Hub. Log in with your Emory credentials and follow the instructions to locate and submit the form.

Effective Date and Previous Policy

This policy was effective starting fall semester 2017.  Students who started their programs before the fall of 2017 must meet the dissertation committee deadline in effect when they first enrolled, and must have an approved dissertation committee no later than August 1 before their fifth year of study.  Students who started their programs before the fall of 2017 will not be placed on probation if they fail to meet the dissertation proposal defense deadline.

For students who started their degree programs prior to fall 2017, please refer to the previous candidacy policy and associated requirements (found most recently in the LGS Handbook).