The supervisory committee consists of your supervisor and at least two other individuals (normally faculty members). Its role is to provide support by broadening and deepening the range of expertise and experience available  to you and your supervisor. The committee offers advice about and assessment of your work.

A doctoral student’s supervisory committee is responsible for guiding the student in selecting any required courses, planning the research, and preparing the thesis.

Students in a master's program with a thesis usually have a supervisory committee that advises them on coursework, research, and thesis preparation.

Graduate students who establish their supervisory committees early in their programs and who meet with their committees regularly, tend to complete their degree programs successfully, and more quickly, than students who wait to establish their committees. 

The Handbook of Graduate Supervision has more information about working effectively with your supervisory committee.

Who can be a supervisory committee member?

Master's students

In addition to the supervisor, the committee should include at least two additional members.

UBC faculty members at least at the rank of Assistant Professor are eligible. Committee members may be from outside the student's degree program.

With permission from the Department Head or Graduate Advisor, the supervisory committee may include senior instructors, professors emeriti, honorary faculty, adjunct faculty, off campus professionals as well as faculty members from other universities. A request for approval for these members submitted to the graduate program advisor should include a copy of the individual’s curriculum vitae.

A committee may contain more than three members but the majority of the committee must be members in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Doctoral students

In addition to the supervisor, the committee must include at least two additional members.

UBC faculty members at least at the rank of Assistant Professor are eligible. Committee members may be from outside the student's degree program.

With permisision from the Department Head or Graduate Advisor and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the supervisory committee membership may include senior instructors, honorary faculty, adjunct faculty, off campus professionals as well as faculty members from other universities. A request for approval for these members submitted to the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies must include a copy of the individual’s curriculum vitae and a letter from the graduate program advisor.

The committee may contain more than three members but the majority of the committee must be members in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.