Graduate Advisory Committee

Members of the Graduate Faculty are tenure-track faculty members at Purdue University who have been nominated by the head of a specific graduate program and an academic dean for appointment to the Graduate Faculty. The dean of the Graduate School, acting on behalf of the Graduate Council, grants graduate faculty status to Purdue faculty members.  Research Faculty can be granted Graduate Faculty status. Civil Engineering requires that the major professor (chair or one co-chair) be from the student’s Civil specialty area.

A special appointment may be requested by the head of a graduate program for an individual who does not meet the conditions required for regular appointment, yet who can contribute special expertise to the work of graduate students. The proposed member must hold a degree which is at least the same level as the degree the student is earning.  Such a person may serve as a member or as a co-chair, but not as chair, on graduate student committees and teach graduate courses.  If a student would like to request a special appointment for a potential committee member, the student’s advisor should send a request by email to the Chair of the CE Graduate Committee.  A Request for Special Faculty Certification form must be completed and be accompanied by a complete CV (as an attachment) for the proposed member. This process can be time consuming (on the order of a few months) and early planning is required. 

Recently graduated students from Purdue Civil Engineering or those that have served as a post-doc in the School, are not eligible for special faculty certification in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering within three years of their association with Purdue. 

Master’s Advisory Committee

For each prospective master’s candidate, the advisory committee consists of a minimum of three members. All committee members must be approved by the Graduate School. It is recommended that one member be from outside the student's group of specialization. The duties of this committee are to assist the student in the preparation of a Plan of Study and to advise him/her during the period of graduate work. For students with a thesis option, the committee also advises the student regarding research. The major professor will act as the chair of the student's advisory committee and be in charge of his/her research. The major professor and the student shall agree upon the additional committee members. Other members may also be added to the committee with proper approval. Once agreed upon by the major professor and the student, and with the approval of the Chair of the CE Graduate Committee, the advisory committee shall be presented to the Graduate School on the Plan of Study for approval and formal appointment.  Faculty members with joint appointments in the School of Civil Engineering and another School/College at Purdue are considered as an internal committee member.

PhD Advisory Committee

Each prospective candidate for the doctoral degree shall work with a major professor who will act as the chair of the advisory committee and who will direct the research. An advisory committee of not fewer than four members, including the major professor, must be formed by the student and the advisor.  All committee members must be approved by the Graduate School with at least 51% of them being Regular Purdue Graduate Faculty. The composition of this committee must be mutually acceptable to the student and the committee and should be representative of the general field of study in which the student expects to conduct research. The committee is generally composed of at least two members from the student's major group of study, one member from another group in Civil Engineering and one from outside the Lyles School of Civil Engineering. Other committee profiles may be appropriate. Committees can include appropriately credentialed persons from outside Purdue. The critical aspect is to have a committee that will help the major professor oversee the technical work and assist the student in his/her research. The names of the advisory committee members will be approved and filed through the Plan of Study Generator in myPurdue and through the Civil Engineering Graduate Programs Office and the Graduate School. Faculty members with joint appointments in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering and another School/College at Purdue are considered as an internal committee member.