For Committee Members

Committee Composition

Committee members of Interdisciplinary Studies thesis committees must be members of the Mason graduate faculty. Committee members of Interdisciplinary Studies project committees may be members of the Mason graduate faculty, another type of Mason faculty, or a practitioner in the field who holds at least a master's degree.

Committee Member Responsibilities 

As in other programs, committee members will work closely with students for an extended period of time.

Committee members may:

• Help students develop their research ideas prior to taking MAIS 797: Proposal.
• Provide feedback on proposal elements to students enrolled in MAIS 797: Proposal. 
• Help students identify potential committee members. 

Committee members will:

• Familiarize themselves with Interdisciplinary Studies standards and requirements by examining the handouts on projects and theses at right.
• Provide feedback on the student's proposal until it is satisfactory.
• Provide feedback on the student's research and project/thesis until it is satisfactory.
• Sign off on both the proposal and final deliverable.

Committee members are entitled to request changes to student work, even if the student is coming up against a registration or graduation deadline. The Interdisciplinary Studies program stresses to students the importance of planning ahead and leaving time for multiple rounds of review, starting at new-student orientation.