Kelle Barrick
Ph.D. Graduate
Hometown
Morton, IL
Current Research
Labeling Theory, White Collar Crime
“Choosing a graduate program can be difficult, but I have never doubted making the right decision. In the three years I have been at FSU, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on research, work for a peer-reviewed journal, and attend and present at professional conferences. None of this would have been possible without a tremendous level of support from faculty and fellow students. I believe that the experiences I have gained here will prepare me for a successful career in criminology.”
Advising
Doctoral Program
Doctoral students are encouraged to select a major professor and a doctoral supervisory committee before the end of their first year of full-time studies. The major professor plays a critical role in assisting a student with developing a doctoral program of study, selecting a dissertation topic, and completing the degree.
The student’s supervisory committee plays several key roles in the successful completion of the doctoral degree:
- Assists students in developing a plan of study that identifies the courses that will be taken before sitting for comprehensive examinations. Doctoral students are expected to successfully complete all of the course work identified by the committee—this determines the actual number of course credits the student will complete before working on the dissertation. Given the wide interests in the student’s preparatory work, the committee is able to customize the requirements to the student’s needs.
- The committee develops and grades the substantive area examinations, which is the third component of the Ph.D. preliminary exams (the first two, the theory and methods examinations, are each administered and graded by an appointed College committee).
- They oversee the preparation and approval of the prospectus and dissertation.
Master’s Program
Students who choose the area paper or thesis options should select a permanent major professor soon after entering the program. In most cases this should be done by the end of the first semester in residence.
The major professor plays a significant role in the life of a master’s student. His/her role is to assist the student in selecting elective courses, to direct the preparation of the thesis or master’s paper, to chair the master’s advisory committee, and to provide general advice and counseling related to the student's pursuit of the degree.
Students also have the support and assistance of an advisory committee, which is made up of the major professor and two other faculty members holding master’s directive status. Students are expected to choose their additional committee members with the assistance of their major professor.
Those choosing the course work-only option for the degree will use the director of graduate studies as their faculty advisor throughout their tenure in the program.