Structure

The student’s supervisory committee consists of a chair and a co-chair (one from each discipline), at least one other graduate faculty member from each of the two disciplines, and an external graduate faculty member from a third discipline. Each department participating in a Ph.D. co-major has its own set of requirements in both disciplines.

In order to facilitate progress in the program, students could complete a master’s thesis in only one discipline, although a thesis relevant to both disciplines is encouraged. The qualifying exam will cover material from both disciplines. The dissertation a student writes should reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the joint program and should contribute to the scholarly literature of both fields.