Following successful completion of the qualifying exam, students apply to advance to candidacy. In order to advance to candidacy, students must identify a doctoral dissertation committee of at least four members in consultation with their faculty supervisor.
Forming Your Committee
- The committee is comprised of four or five people who have agreed to serve on your dissertation committee.
- Identify your supervisor, and co-supervisor if applicable. Your supervisor will be the chair of your dissertation committee. Your supervisor must be a member of the BME Graduate Studies Committee (GSC).
- At least two people other than your supervisor must be members of the BME GSC. In other words, a minimum of three people (including your supervisor) must be members for the BME GSC.
- At least one person must be from outside of the BME GSC.
- If any of your committee members are not at UT Austin, you must provide a copy of the member's CV to The Graduate School. As of fall 2017, no cost letters are no longer required for non-UT committee members.
- Changes to the dissertation committee require special approval. Take special care to verify your committee is complete and all members have agreed to serve on your committee before proceeding to avoid requesting changes later.
Note that the application will ask whether the member is a GSC member. If they are at faculty member at UT Austin, check yes. This is asking whether they are a GSC member at all, not whether they are a BME faculty GSC member. The Graduate School will audit their actual GSC membership.
Registration Requirements for Doctoral Candidates
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