Who can serve on my committee?
Normally committee members will be academics who have earned a PhD in a relevant discipline. They
should have a record of scholarly work (as defined in the Collective Agreement between the faculty union
and the university). Committee members should be either a full-time faculty member or Professor Emeritus
at Saint Mary’s. Individuals appointed as Adjunct Faculty may also serve.
Students should also check with their program coordinator—some programs have more detailed
requirements.
Does the Supervisor need any particular qualifications?
Yes. The Supervisor should:
hold an earned PhD in a relevant discipline;
have a demonstrable record of scholarly work, both past and present, as defined by the Collective
Agreement between Saint Mary’s University and Saint Mary’s University Faculty Union, relevant to
the Graduate Program;
be able to provide evidence of having supervised (or co-supervised) thesis research at the
appropriate level (e.g., at least at the Honour’s level for supervision of a Master’s student; at least at
the Master’s level for supervision of a PhD student); and,
have been a member of a graduate student supervisory committee.
Who approves the committee?
Usually the Graduate Program Coordinator. The Dean should be consulted in the case of any dispute about
the qualifications of a potential committee member.
