Doctoral Students
Registration
All doctoral students admitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies must register when they begin their studies. Students must remain continuously registered until the degree is completed, except for periods of time for which the student is away on an approved leave of absence. Failure to register for two consecutive terms may result in the student being required to withdraw.
Supervisory Committee
Refer to the section on Faculty Membership in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for the supervisory privileges of members of the Faculty and for the approval procedures for supervision of graduate students by other faculty.
Each doctoral student is supervised by a committee of not less than three faculty members, which may include faculty members from graduate programs other than the student's home graduate program. With the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the committee may also include qualified persons who are not faculty members. The supervisory committee is responsible for guiding the student in planning research and preparing the thesis/doctoral dissertation.
In some graduate programs, the student is responsible for securing the chair of the supervisory committee; in others, the department graduate program will assign the chair. Students should consult with their graduate program advisor in this respect. Changes may be made to the student's committee with the approval of their home department graduate program. The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies must be notified of any changes made post-candidacy and must approve the changed committee. Students who are unable to secure a chair should ask either the graduate program advisor or the department head for assistance. In very exceptional circumstances, the head may ask the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to appoint a chair. In some instances and for a brief period of time only, a student may be assigned an interim committee until such time as a more permanent committee can be established.
Program of Study
Upon registration, the doctoral student will consult with their supervisor(s) to develop a program of study, subject to the approval of the home program. The program of study will consist of seminars, directed readings, consultations and such formal courses as may be deemed essential for the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree. Some graduate programs require competence in languages other than English. The graduate program in which the student intends to write the thesis/doctoral dissertation shall determine the number of such languages and a satisfactory level of competence. All doctoral students must complete a comprehensive examination that is separate and distinct from the evaluation of the doctoral dissertation prospectus. A major part of the doctoral student's work will consist of a thesis/doctoral dissertation embodying the results of original research.
Changes in the program of study may be required during the period of study. These changes must be reviewed and approved by the student's supervisory committee and the home graduate program.
Note: Courses listed in the Calendar may not all be offered annually. Students should apply to the department concerned for detailed information about course offerings in any given year.
Transfer Credit
Doctoral students are not normally eligible for transfer credit. In doctoral programs where there is a prescribed amount of coursework, students may be eligible for course exemptions on the basis of previous courses taken.
Master's Students
All master's degree students admitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies must register when they begin their studies. Students must remain continuously registered until the degree is completed, except for periods of time for which the student is away on an approved leave of absence. Failure to register for two consecutive terms may result in the student being required to withdraw.
Each student's program of study must be approved by the home graduate program.
Some graduate programs require competence in languages other than English. The graduate program in which the student intends to write the thesis/doctoral dissertation shall determine the number of such languages and a satisfactory level of competence.
Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies regulations for master's degrees provide for full- or part-time studies, as well as for programs with thesis and programs without thesis. The choice of these options lies with the individual graduate program and student. Graduate programs are also free to prescribe work beyond the minimum requirements described below. Students should contact graduate programs directly for more information on program options.
Program Requirements (Thesis and Non-Thesis Programs)
The minimum course requirements are 30 course credits, of which at least 24 must be numbered 500 to 699. A maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 may be counted toward the requirements of a master's degree. A comprehensive examination in the form of a final written and/or oral examination is at the discretion of the graduate program.
In specific programs, minimum requirements may be higher than 30 course credits. Undergraduate courses numbered 300 to 499 may account for no more than 20% of the course credit requirement.
Courses numbered 100 to 299 and courses taken through Continuing Studies may not be counted towards the requirements of a master's degree program.
Students should consult the graduate program listing in the Calendar for more information.
Note: Courses listed in the Calendar under graduate programs may not all be offered annually. Students should consult the graduate program listing in the Calendar for more information.
Exemptions
Students may be exempted from specific course requirements if the graduate program is satisfied that the student has acquired the knowledge from courses previously taken or from experience. Exemptions do not reduce the total credits required for a degree. In such cases, the graduate program should substitute a more appropriate course. The exemption from the specific requirement must be recorded on the student's academic record.