The graduate committee, through its chairperson, the director of graduate studies, is responsible for the supervision of the department's graduate programs. This committee has the responsibility of evaluating applications for admission to the graduate programs; advising graduate students on programs of study and department regulations; evaluating newly proposed graduate courses and programs of study; recommending graduate students for teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships and other forms of financial aid; supervising graduate exams; and evaluating student academic progress.
When a student is admitted to the graduate program, the director of the graduate program will assign a temporary faculty adviser. This assignment is made on the basis of the area of specialization selected by the student. The temporary adviser helps the student during the first semester of registration by familiarizing him/her with various rules, regulations and procedures of the department. Graduate students pursuing a master's degree are required to select their permanent adviser before the end of the first semester of their program or before completing nine credit hours of course work. Doctoral candidates are required to select their permanent adviser before the end of their second semester or before completing 18 credit hours of course work. The student must choose a permanent thesis/dissertation adviser from a faculty member who holds a regular faculty appointment within the Mechanical Engineering Department. The student must inform (in writing) the director of graduate studies of his/her selection for adviser.
An adviser may indicate at any time that he or she no longer wishes to retain the student under supervision by informing (in writing) the student and the director of graduate studies. A student can also end the association with the adviser by informing the adviser and the director of graduate studies in writing. The student must then find another faculty member in the department to serve as adviser.
