Each M.P.S. student selects at least two faculty members to serve as a Special Committee. This committee is responsible for advising the student on the development of a comprehensive plan of study consistent with the formal requirements of the degree. The committee also approves and guides the student's problem-solving project and appraises his or her progress by means of oral or written examinations.

The student selects a faculty member from his or her chosen field to chair the Special Committee. The second member of the committee may represent either another field or another concentration in the same field as the chair.