Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)

  1. Every new PhD student is required to form a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) within 8 to 9 months of enrolment into the graduate programme.

 

  1. The committee should comprise at least 3 members: the main supervisor (who will serve as the Chair of the committee) and two other members, one of whom must be an external member who is not from within NTU.

Chair of TAC: Supervisor

Member 1: Preferably a faculty member from SBS or within NTU

Member 2: An external examiner who is not from within NTU (E.g. from another university)

 

  1. The TAC members must have a PhD or equivalent doctoral research degree. NTU faculty who are Full Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor qualify for appointment as a TAC member.

    Senior Lecturers and Lecturers who had not been approved to be Main Supervisors of PhD students can also be appointed as TAC members.

 

  1. The objective of the TAC is to provide guidance and support to the graduate student throughout their course of study.

 

  1. The TAC should meet the student at the 9th, 30th and 42nd month from the date of admission to review the student’s progress and provide guidance and advice.

 

  1. The committee will assess whether the student has done sufficient research and has obtained adequate data for writing of the final dissertation. In cases of academic disputes between the student and supervisor (e.g. readiness to proceed with dissertation writing), the TAC will review the student’s progress and recommend the appropriate course of action.

 

  1. The TAC may also recommend the termination of PhD candidature if the student’s progress is deemed minimal or unsatisfactory.

 

See the recommended timeline for TAC meetings below.