This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
VCU Graduate School Bylaws articulate eligibility criteria for membership on the graduate faculty and provisions for affiliate graduate faculty appointments. All members of a graduate advisory or thesis or dissertation committee must be a member of the graduate faculty or hold an appointment as an affiliate graduate faculty member. All graduate faculty may chair thesis committees; however, only graduate faculty holding the Ph.D. or equivalent degree may chair a dissertation committee. An affiliate graduate faculty member may advise and serve, but not chair, thesis or dissertation committees.
Appointment to affiliate graduate faculty status must clearly articulate the roles and responsibilities and the duration of the appointment. Appointment for purposes of serving on a graduate advisory or thesis and dissertation committee authorizes the affiliate graduate faculty member to fully participate in all activities defined for the group by the individual program guidelines, except for chairing the committee. If the administration and evaluation of comprehensive examinations is explicitly articulated as a responsibility of the graduate advisory or thesis or dissertation committee, then any affiliate graduate faculty appointed to the committee may administer and evaluate the comprehensive examination. If comprehensive examinations are administered and evaluated by a different committee, then any affiliate graduate faculty member appointed to the committee may administer and evaluate the comprehensive examination only if such a responsibility is articulated clearly in the recommendation for affiliate graduate faculty membership by the academic school dean and approved by the graduate dean.
Revised 5/10/2011
University Graduate Council