Student Overview for Doctoral Milestone Tracking

In these instructions, "College" refers to the academic unit that houses departments and programs (e.g., College of Arts & Sciences, Patton College of Education). In general, when Graduate College is used, it refers to the university-wide unit that governs graduate policy. For students in IIP or TBS programs, the Graduate College also serves as their academic unit (College). 

Each College has an Associate Dean who oversees graduate education. Their role is to ensure that their College’s policy is followed in all aspects of doctoral education. In the doctoral milestones this includes approving all members of a student’s dissertation committees (MS6), approving proposal defense results (MS7), approving dissertation defense results (MS9) and conferring admission to doctoral candidacy (MS8). They are also notified at the completion of all milestones for students in their college, except program plan of study (MS1).  

Most academic departments have a faculty member who oversees their graduate degree programs; the role is usually titled Graduate Chair or Graduate Program Director. In terms of Milestone forms, these individuals have the same responsibilities and are referred to in these instructions as Graduate Chair/Program Director. They initiate program planning (MS1), course completions (MS2, MS4), and exam/assessment completions (MS3, MS5). They approve assessment completion (MS5), dissertation committee (MS6), and proposal and dissertation defenses (MS7, MS 8). They are notified of all milestone completions for students in their programs.  

Programs that have multiple doctoral programs may have a program coordinator. At this time only the four Teacher Education doctoral programs (Curriculum & Instruction, Mathematics Education, Science Education, and Social Studies Education) have a program coordinator. They can initiate program planning (MS1), course completions (MS2, MS4), and exam/assessment completions (MS3, MS5), but their approval is not required for any milestone. They are notified for all milestones completions for students in their program.  

Some colleges have a staff member who is responsible for maintaining graduate student records in that college. They are notified for dissertation committee (MS6), and proposal and dissertation defenses (MS7, MS 8).  

A faculty member who is assigned to or chosen by a graduate student and who helps to plan coursework, guide research interests, and support professional development. In many programs, this person also becomes the dissertation chair, but not always. This faculty is likely, though not always in the students' College and/or department.  

The faculty member who leads and oversees a doctoral student’s dissertation and dissertation committee. This faculty is likely, though not always in the students' College and/or department. All research doctoral students are required to choose a dissertation chair (MS6). 

A second faculty member who shares responsibility with the dissertation chair. No programs require a Co-Chair, but a student may choose to have a Dissertation Co-Chair. The decision to have a Co-Chair should be made in consultation with the Dissertation Chair. This faculty may not be in the student’s College.  

Faculty members must be qualified to serve on doctoral dissertation committees. These individuals have been formally designated by their colleges as meeting the necessary criteria to oversee doctoral students through service as dissertation chairs, co-chairs, advisors, or committee members for doctoral students.