Who can chair a PhD defense committee?

Question

Can it be any professor or do they have to have a certain # of years teaching experience?

Answer 1

Your advisor is the chair. Some schools may require you to choose someone who is tenured as your advisor, while many do not. It is a good idea to choose someone who is tenured -- as they are more likely to help you get a job.

There are circumstances where you may have someone from another university as a member of your committee. That person is not usually allowed to be your chair -- but exceptions can be made. Frequently, professors who move to another school are allowed to stay on your committee -- including your chair.

Answer 2

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The PhD Program Open this result in new window
... be evaluated by the PhD committee, consisting of a chair, at least two other ... The candidate must pass the PhD defense within a maximum of 6 years after having ...
www.umich.edu/~neareast/gradhandbook/phd-program.htm
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GMU - Ph.D. in Information Technology - IT&E Open this result in new window
... is selected by the student to become chair of the doctoral supervisory committee. ... selected from a list of approved chairs established by the Associate Dean. ...
ite.gmu.edu/PhDprogr/doctoral.htm
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School of Public Policy - George Mason University Open this result in new window
Bring a BLACK PEN to your defense and have all committee members sign it. ... the SPP core faculty member who becomes the chair of the dissertation committee. ...
gmu.edu/departments/spp/academicservices/acad_phd_milestone_guide.html
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University of Pittsburgh: Department of History Open this result in new window
... PhD candidacy, the student should meet once a year with the thesis committee to ... thesis committee chair decides that the thesis is ready for a final defense. ...
www.pitt.edu/AFShome/p/i/pitthist/public/html/graduate/phdprogram.html
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Doctor of Philosophy - Graduate Program, Department of Aerospace ... Open this result in new window
... of a majority of the committee, the student must undergo a final oral ... (2) Each dissertation committee will have a chair, who must be a regular member ...
www.enae.umd.edu/grad/phd.html

Answer 3

Usually, it's your advisor.