Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?
Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!
Join 200+ Graduated Students
Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission
Get customized coaching for:.
- Crafting your proposal,
- Collecting and analyzing your data, or
- Preparing your defense.
Trapped in dissertation revisions?
Dissertation chair: an owner’s manual, published by dr. courtney watson on july 21, 2022 july 21, 2022.
Last Updated on: 22nd July 2022, 01:28 pm
One of the most important faculty members in a doctoral student’s academic life is their dissertation chair. Part mentor, part administrator, the dissertation chair’s role encompasses responsibilities that directly impact your graduate experience. Prior to starting your dissertation, it’s important to understand the scope of your dissertation chair’s duties and how to make the most of your time with them.
These are a few frequently asked questions about dissertation chairs:
- How do I choose my dissertation chair?
- What does a dissertation chair do?
- What if I don’t get along with my dissertation chair?
How Do I Choose My Dissertation Chair?
Once you have completed your coursework and been given the green light to start your dissertation, it’s time to make the all-important choice about who will guide you through the final gauntlet of your Ph.D. program. It’s a big decision, so it’s imperative to take your time and select the right person. There are a few factors to take into consideration before asking your top choice.
My best advice is to approach a faculty member familiar with your subject area and with whom you have a good rapport. Whose classes did you do well in? Which faculty member has shown the most interest in your research and coursework? Who are you the most comfortable with? Past history makes a solid foundation for a productive partnership. It’s wise to find someone who is available, knowledgeable, and excited to work with you.
What Does a Dissertation Chair Do?
A dissertation chair’s job is to guide you through the process of completing the most rigorous academic challenge of your life . They are a sounding board for your ideas, they offer guidance for getting started and avoiding major obstacles, and they help you prepare for each milestone in the dissertation process . Those are the basics, though a good dissertation chair will tend to be more involved.
When thinking about what you want in a dissertation chair, good communication is key. Your dissertation chair should be responsive to emails, offer clear feedback in a timely manner, and be available to meet (either in person or via Zoom) regularly. In my experience, graduate students are sometimes afraid to ask their dissertation chair for help for fear of bothering them, which is often a matter of simply not understanding that it’s their chairs’ job to offer oversight and be available to their dissertation students.
What If I Don’t Get Along with My Dissertation Chair?
Unfortunately, this is a common problem faced by many doctoral students. First, know that you’re not alone. Conflicts arise between doctoral students and their dissertation chairs all the time, stemming from benign neglect, miscommunication, disengagement, or even personality conflicts. Whatever the reason for the disconnect, it can be a very stressful situation.
If you’re struggling with your dissertation chair, fear not. Problems can often be resolved with a meeting to get back on track to discuss the issue and plan a path forward together. If you still feel insufficiently supported, a dissertation consultant might be able to provide additional expertise and guidance . Speaking to your graduate advisor or department chair is the next step for learning about your options and getting the issue resolved.
Dr. Courtney Watson
Dr. Courtney Watson has research, professional, and dissertation committee experience in the humanities and social sciences, health sciences, education, and liberal arts. With a background in peer-reviewed qualitative research and scholarship, she is skilled at coaching clients through the developmental phases of dissertation research, writing, revision, feedback analysis, and citation. She also offers thoughtful and thorough academic job market preparation, guidance through the dissertation process, and higher education career advice. Book a Free Consultation with Courtney Watson
Related Posts
Dissertation
Dissertation memes.
Sometimes you can’t dissertate anymore and you just need to meme. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Here are some of my favorite dissertation memes that I’ve seen lately. My Favorite Dissertation Memes For when you Read more…
Surviving Post Dissertation Stress Disorder
The process of earning a doctorate can be long and stressful – and for some people, it can even be traumatic. This may be hard for those who haven’t been through a doctoral program to Read more…
PhD by Publication
PhD by publication, also known as “PhD by portfolio” or “PhD by published works,” is a relatively new route to completing your dissertation requirements for your doctoral degree. In the traditional dissertation route, you have Read more…
The Role of the Dissertation Chair
The dissertation is the hardest part of any doctoral program because it forces the student to leave his/her comfort zone and embark on what some call a voyage of self-discovery. At the center of the doctoral student's dissertation experience is the dissertation chair, a professor who plays several roles and wears a number of hats.
There is no doubt that some dissertation chairs are good and others need improvement. What separates the good ones from the great ones is the chair's ability to assume a role appropriate for the situation. The one-role chair will likely not see a student through a program. Most of the roles a dissertation chair plays fall into four categories.
The advocate
A dissertation chair is a champion of the doctoral student's cause. If the chair doesn't believe in the student's competencies as a researcher, the student is doomed to endless dissertation revisions. Since the dissertation is a social process, the chair is the doctoral student's first line of defense against people and circumstances pushing the student off track.
Any good dissertation chair will tell you that part of the chair's job is protecting the student from other committee members. Like a matrix organizational structure, doctoral students have multiple bosses, all of whom the student must satisfy. The advocate dissertation chair makes certain that other committee members are not asking the student to make changes to the dissertation that deviate from the original goals set forth in the proposal. The time to disapprove of any aspect of the dissertation was during the proposal rather than dissertation stage.
The manager
Managers are drivers of subordinates; they keep track of mistakes, chart progress, and engage in transactional relationships. Although he/she sounds like a tyrant, the manager makes an excellent dissertation chair at times because he/she initiates a clear path from start to finish. Over critical at times, a manager's use of mistakes and missed deadlines as progress indicators makes progression through the dissertation move at a steady pace.
Unfortunately, there are times when a dissertation chair wears the manager's hat too long. Use of transactions to move the student through the process starts taking on characteristics of a whip and a chair rather than a method of ensuring progress. The student begins to see the chair as someone who is overcritical, someone who must find fault and can't move out of a criticizing role.
There is a fine line between managers and leaders but the difference lies in how the chair motivates the student. Whereas the manager initiates structure and drives within it, the leader inspires the student through intellectual stimulation; the leader motivates the student by pointing out that there is more to completing the dissertation than material reward. If done correctly, the student begins to view the chair as charismatic, possessing skills the student would like to possess him/herself.
Proving that too much of a good thing is unhealthy, the highly charismatic leader spends too much time with his/her head in the clouds and not long enough with feet on the ground. The result is a doctoral student who is inspired to do something but doesn’t know what that actually is. A dissertation chair must recognize when a student needs inspiration and when he/she needs solid help.
A dissertation chair is a judge, a gatekeeper who ensures that a student meets personal, departmental, university, and even universal standards. Even so, this does not mean that the goal of the dissertation chair is to constantly maintain a superior-subordinate relationship with the student. The most successful chair-student relationships are the ones in which the chair bestows the role of colleague on the candidate.
Giving up a superior position is difficult for anyone. A common reason students fail to finish a dissertation timely has to do with the chair's inability to accept someone who was once a subordinate as an equal. As a judge, the chair must ensure that the student's behaviors and outcomes are those befitting someone who will soon be regarded as an independent researcher and creator of knowledge. Still, the chair must learn to recognize when it is time to step down as judge and welcome a new member to the club.
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Jul 21, 2022 · Last Updated on: 22nd July 2022, 01:28 pm One of the most important faculty members in a doctoral student’s academic life is their dissertation chair. Part mentor, part administrator, the dissertation chair’s role encompasses responsibilities that directly impact your graduate experience.
Jan 29, 2020 · The one-role chair will likely not see a student through a program. Most of the roles a dissertation chair plays fall into four categories. The advocate. A dissertation chair is a champion of the doctoral student's cause. If the chair doesn't believe in the student's competencies as a researcher, the student is doomed to endless dissertation ...
Dissertation Chair Responsibilities • Work with student and help them define their topic and methodology. Students choose who they would like to be their chair. Once you agree to chair a student, help them define their topic and general research methodology. This should occur before the student takes their final
8. To recognize that crafting a dissertation is an iterative process between the student and the Chair, and at key moments, between the student, the Chair, and the Committee. As such, students are expected to be responsive to feedback provided in a timely manner if they are to expect the same from the Chair and/or the Committee.
The Chair is responsible for guiding the candidate to produce doctoral level, original scholarship in the proposed topic area. The Chair must be a member of the LEAD faculty and hold Full graduate faculty status. The Chair’s responsibilities include: Being familiar with current dissertation policies and procedures in the LEAD program
Candidates are expected to select dissertation committee members in consultation with their chair. Candidates must submit a . Dissertation Committee Proposal Form, and all other required documents, to confirm committee membership. The Dissertation Chair . The dissertation committee Chair is responsible for guiding the candidate to produce doctoral
Chair approves both the abstract and final draft of the manuscript before it is circulated to the thesis committee. • The Chair will help prepare the student for the defense. • The Chair schedules the oral defense with GradForms@uttyler.edu (mandatory for dissertation; optional but recommended for thesis).
The role of the dissertation Chair is primarily to be the subject matter content expert and committee guide, whereas the role of the URM is primarily to provide research alignment guidance. During this course, students are guided by their Chairs to create a research précis or Chapter 1 of their Dissertation
Assist the student with selecting faculty members to serve on the dissertation committee (membership guidelines). (For Co-Chairs) Consult with each other to divide up your supervisory responsibilities, and then inform the student. Make sure everyone on the committee is familiar with the roles of Chair or Co-Chair, cognate, and the other members.
Dissertation Chair Responsibilities The Dissertation Chair is responsible for the following: 1. Maintaining a clear, accurate understanding of current Westcli University dissertation processes, policies, and procedures. 2. Reinforcing accurate dissertation processes, policies, and procedures with all doctoral students. 3.