College of Nursing - Dissertation Guide

6 be a full time, part time, or adjunct NSU faculty. If the student requests approval for a committee member external to NSU, the student must submit that individual’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) and provide narrative information that describes what expertise and role that committee member will provide in the dissertation process directly to the chairperson for consideration. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the appropriate signatures on the Dissertation Committee Membership Forms (Appendix B). In some instances, unforeseen circumstances may necessitate a change in the composition of the committee. If a change of chairperson is required, the Program Director must be notified, and the process described previously regarding agreement to serve as chairperson must be followed. In the event that a committee member, including the chairperson, is unable to serve, the Program Director will advise the student regarding alternatives. If during the dissertation process, the student perceives that a committee member may be hindering the progress of the dissertation, the student must communicate the concerns directly to the chairperson and they will work to resolve the issue. If the student perceives that the chairperson is hindering the progress of the dissertation, the student must communicate the concerns directly to the Program Director. It is the responsibility of the Program Director to communicate with all parties involved to remediate the situation. In cases where remediation is not possible with current committee members, the Program Director will advise the student regarding alternatives. Governance of the Committee After the committee has been formed, it operates under the leadership of the dissertation chairperson, who has the primary responsibility for advising and guiding the student. The chairperson will keep the committee informed about student progress and ensure that the committee, as a unit, provides guidance, evaluation, and consultation. Students must not take directions from a committee member that might result in a change in approach or direction of the research without first consulting with the chairperson. Committee Expectations Students may expect feedback from the chairperson and/or members within three weeks during the term. This timeframe excludes holidays and school closures. The chairperson will provide instructions as to how to indicate changes in the document. An in-depth analysis of the work will be done by your chairperson who, at the appropriate time, will instruct the student to distribute copies to the committee members for their review and comments. The committee members will direct all instructions and requests for modifications to the student, with copy to the chairperson. If those modifications are in conflict with suggestions made by the chairperson, the student should contact the chairperson, who makes the final decision. Dissertation Proposal Dissertation Proposal Content and Format The dissertation proposal is comprised of the first three of the five chapters that eventually make up the final dissertation manuscript. The proposal must contain front matter and back matter, unless otherwise indicated, and adhere to the same expectations as explained in the section under Dissertation Manuscript in this document. Examples of front matter can be found in Appendix D. The structure of the proposal is dependent on whether the study is