Role of Supervisory Committee Chair

The Supervisory Committee Chair, once selected, also serves as the academic advisor and:

  • Works with the student to help clarify professional goals and expected outcomes of the student's academic experience;
  • Discusses the student's program plan including related course work and fieldwork experiences and communicates recommendations to the MN Advisor and to Advanced Fieldwork Facilitator and faculty;
  • Discusses faculty who may be appropriate guides and committee members for the student's scholarly project, thesis, or course work option;
  • Approves the student's fieldwork site and learning objectives;
  • Works with the student to finalize the proposal for the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option;
  • Signs the Use of Human and Animal Subjects for UW Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations Form
  • Participates in quarterly reviews of the student's progress;
  • Submits notes to the student's file following each advising session, including the date, description of the conference, and comments; and
  • Guides and assists student with academic difficulties or challenges in coordination with the Graduate Program Coordinator and MN Advisor.

Role of Scholarly Inquiry Supervisory Committee

Students are encouraged to select their Supervisory Committee in their third quarter of study if part time or in their second quarter if they are full time (see "Considerations for Selecting Supervisory Committee Chair and Members" below). The Supervisory Committee:

  • Signs the Faculty Agreement to Serve on Supervisory Committee Form,
  • Works with the student to develop the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option proposal,
  • Approves the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option proposal,
  • Assists the student with the Human Subjects process, if applicable,
  • Guides activities for completion of the scholarly project, thesis, or course work option proposal including presentation of the work,
  • Administers the master's final examination according to UW Graduate School procedures; at the final examination, completes all required paperwork.

Steps in the Selection of the Supervisory Committee

  1. Students familiarize themselves with the suggestions in this document regarding selecting committee members (see "Considerations for Selecting Supervisory Committee Chair and Members" below).
  2. Student should have a a developed proposal before meeting with potential committee members.
  3. Students make an appointment to meet with potential faculty members who have compatible interests to identify who might be an appropriate Chair of the Supervisory Committee. The prospective chairperson is selected first.
  4. Once a faculty member and student have agreed to the chair/advisee relationship, the student and prospective chair identify the additional competencies desirable for representation on the committee and likely faculty members to serve on the committee.
  5. The student speaks with the potential Supervisory Committee member(s) and confirms willingness to serve as a member of the Supervisory Committee. 
  6. The student completes the Faculty Agreement to Serve on Supervisory Committee Form as well as the Scholarly Inquiry Plan and Student Contract and obtains Supervisory Committee Chair and member signatures.
  7. The student submits the completed Faculty Agreement to Serve on Supervisory Committee form and the completed Use of Human and Animal Subjects for UW Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations to the Nursing Program office and the signature of the Graduate Program Coordinator is obtained. Any change of committee must be reported to the MN Advisor.

Considerations for Selecting Supervisory Committee Chair and Members

Composition of Supervisory Committee

Members should be chosen based on compatibility of interests between the topics on which the student wishes to work and the areas of inquiry on which faculty are focusing their efforts. Members from outside of the University who hold a master's degree or higher may be appointed to the Supervisory Committee as members but not as Chair. Students should consider the ability of selected members to work together as well as required expertise in the selection of the committee.

The Chair and at least one-half of the total membership must be members of the UW graduate faculty and UW Tacoma Nursing Program Faculty. (see https://grad.uw.edu/policies/4-2-supervisory-committee-for-graduate-students/).

Approved 3/7/01. Editorial revisions 8/18/03; 6/22/05; 3/16/07, 9/1/2015