Doctoral candidates are the graduates who have completed all of the requirements for a doctoral degree except the dissertation. It is stated that originally doctoral level graduate students were prepared for the higher education teaching role by a major advisor who stayed with the student until the doctoral degree process was completed. Today, the role of the major advisor in the formal dissertation process is assumed by the committee chairperson, who oversees and coordinates the mentoring made available to the doctoral student by a dissertation committee. Graduate students granted the status ...