One of the primary tasks of a newly admitted doctoral student is to select a five member committee to plan and approve a program of studies and to provide guidance throughout the duration of the program. It is recommended that this be done as early as possible during the first semester of enrollment. The committee consists of (a) three Workforce Education and Development graduate faculty members, one of whom is chosen as chair, (b) one College of Education and Human Services graduate faculty member, and (c) one graduate faculty member in a college outside of COEHS. Typically, the student first chooses a chair, after which he or she consults with the chair to select the other four committee members.

The doctoral committee chair and the student work together to develop a preliminary program of study. A program planning meeting is then scheduled in which the preliminary program is presented to the committee for consideration. The committee discusses the proposed program and often recommends changes or additions. Once a consensus is reached, the committee formally approves the program, and it is forwarded to the dean of the College of Education for final approval and filing.

The doctoral committee also serves as the student's dissertation committee. Sometimes, however, the composition of the committee is changed at the dissertation stage to meet particular needs or requirements of the student's research.