Upon admission to the Graduate School, the graduate student is assigned to the Biomedical Engineering Program. A faculty member in the program will be assigned by the program chair as the interim advisor based on interests expressed by students in their applications and by faculty during review of applications. A preliminary course of study (first quarter) is developed by the student and the interim faculty advisor. The interim faculty advisor will assist the new graduate student to determine first quarter courses and to advise the student regarding research opportunities and faculty interests, plan of study, and advisory committee requirements. In the fall of each year, the program chair provides the new graduate students with an orientation to the program. During the first quarter in the Graduate Program, the new graduate student should meet with all of the Biomedical Engineering faculty members to discuss matters that relate to research projects, study plans, and resources. It is the student's responsibility to contact and select a Committee chairperson and Committee members who agree to accept this role. The Chairman of the Advisory Committee will serve as permanent faculty advisor. All doctoral committees shall consist of a minimum of five tenured/tenure-track faculty members who are members of the graduate faculty. On all committees, at least fifty percent (50%) of the members shall be tenured/tenure-track faculty members in the Biomedical Engineering program. Adjunct Faculty members in the Biomedical Engineering program who are members of the graduate faculty may serve as members of committees. The Chairperson of the committee must be a tenured/tenure-track faculty member in the Biomedical Engineering program. An Adjunct Faculty member may serve as Co-Chairperson of the student's dissertation. The Advisory Committee must be formed and a Plan of Study constructed prior to pre-registration (sixth) week of the second quarter at Louisiana Tech University. A graduate student will not be allowed to pre-register for the third quarter without Advisory Committee and program chair approval of the Plan of Study. Blank forms are attached to these guidelines.