UofC

(Approved by Graduate Council April 2, 2009)

All students must have either an interim advisor or an approved Supervisor at the time of first registration, and a permanent Supervisor no later than the second annual registration. It would help the student in program planning if the selection of a Supervisor were completed as quickly as possible. Students are encouraged to think about and select their areas of specialization as early as possible, and preferably before beginning the program.

The initial selection of a Supervisor should be by mutual agreement between student and faculty member, and approved by the Graduate Program Director. Difficulties or conflicts in selecting or recommending a Supervisor should be referred promptly to the Dean by any of the persons involved.

Continuity of supervision throughout a graduate program is important to a student's success. Normally, faculty members with Continuing Board appointments in the professorial ranks are chosen as Supervisors. However, there are occasions when it is to the student's advantage for a program to recommend the appointment of a Supervisor who does not have a Continuing Board appointment. For example, an individual who holds an appointment that is Specific Term (Contingent, Limited Term, Term Certain), Clinical or Adjunct, or Honorary, or has Emeritus status, or is from outside the University, may be appointed Supervisor. In cases such as these, the Faculty of Graduate Studies requires assurance that the proposed Supervisor will be able to provide continuity.

The proposed Supervisor must understand the commitment expected in terms of time and funding and be familiar with current graduate program and Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations. The Graduate Program Director must ensure that supervision will be provided for the probable time period required for the completion of the degree program.

If the proposed Supervisor is someone from outside the graduate program who does not have a Continuing Board appointment, or is from outside the University of Calgary, a Co-supervisor must be appointed.

The Supervisor should be currently active in research in an area related to the student’s interest. Faculty members working on their own graduate degrees cannot be approved in any supervisory capacity without special dispensation from the Dean.

The relationship between Supervisor and student is an academic one. Where other relationships exist or develop that might give the appearance of conflict of interest they must be immediately reported to the Graduate Program Director who can consult with an Associate Dean or the Dean if the Graduate Program Director is unable to resolve the situation. (See Graduate Studies Conflict of Interest Policy: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/policies-forms/conflict-interest).

In addition to those cases noted above in which it is required that a Co-supervisor be appointed, a Co-supervisor may be appointed by the Graduate Program Director upon the written recommendation of the Supervisor and agreement of the student. The role of the Co-supervisor in this case is to provide supplementary guidance, instruction and research stimulation on a regular or extensive basis.

A Supervisor or Co-supervisor may be from a department, program, or faculty other than the student's home department, program, or faculty. The recommendation must be endorsed by the student. The faculty member's home program should be notified by the relevant Graduate Program Director whenever the faculty member is asked to supervise or co-supervise outside the home program. Such an "external" Supervisor or Co-Supervisor must agree to be responsible to the Graduate Program Director of the student's home department in all matters related to the supervisory responsibilities.

Supervisors should be familiar with the rules and procedures of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and program regulations and requirements.

A student and Supervisor have a shared responsibility to meet on a regular basis.

The Supervisor should act both as a general academic mentor, with emphasis on guidance, instruction, and encouragement of scholarship and research, and as a judge of the student's performance. Because of their own involvement in research and related professional activities, Supervisors should provide professional guidance and research stimulation to their students. A fundamental duty of the Supervisor is to impart to the student the skills necessary to plan and conduct original research.

Specifically, the Supervisor should:

• Work with the student to establish a realistic timetable for the completion of the various requirements of the program of study; discuss with the student and establish mutual expectations for the student's vacation time (students are entitled to two weeks of vacation during the twelve month period, Visit the Academic Regulations for more details: http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/grad/archives/2014/gs-u.html);
• Develop a relationship with the student conducive to research and intellectual growth;
• Guide the student in the pursuit of knowledge and provide constructive criticism in support of the highest standards of research and professional development.

The Supervisor is expected to provide frequent and prompt comments on drafts of the thesis and should attempt to be critically constructive and encouraging but the thesis must be the creation of the student.

(Approved by FGS Council: June 4, 2009)

A program and Supervisor must ensure that the student is provided with adequate supervision during a Supervisor's leave, potentially through the appointment of an interim Supervisor. In doctoral programs, the interim Supervisor should be a member of the Supervisory Committee. Students should be informed well in advance about the Supervisor’s plans for forthcoming leaves of absence. With current means of communication, continued supervision while on a research and scholarship leave is the expectation for faculty members. These arrangements must be communicated in writing to the Graduate Program Director, who bears the responsibility for ensuring continuity of supervision for students in his/her graduate program.

When an interim Supervisor is appointed to cover a period of a Supervisor's absence, the regular Supervisor retains final responsibility for the adequate supervision of the student. Faculty members approved as interim Supervisors must indicate in writing to the Graduate Program Director their willingness to accept responsibility for the day-to-day supervision of such students.

The Supervisor is responsible for scheduling the candidacy examination and the thesis oral examination.

Students should first try to resolve problems with Supervisors by talking to the Supervisor. Supervisory Committee members might be able to give helpful advice in this situation. Problems that are not resolved in this fashion should be discussed with the Graduate Program Director, and then the Department Head or equivalent. If it appears that a solution cannot be reached, the student and/or the Graduate Program Director may consult the Faculty of Graduate Studies for advice about a resolution of the matter.

The Dean of Graduate Studies approves the initial appointment of a faculty member to supervisory duties. If a complaint is made against a Supervisor, the Dean will first discuss the matter with the Department Head or equivalent, and then with the faculty member concerned. The issue may be resolved informally. If the Dean decides that a more formal approach is needed to resolve the dispute, the Dean will inform both the Head and the faculty member of his/her conclusions in writing. If the result of the Dean's investigation is curtailment of the supervisory duties of the faculty member, the Dean will inform the faculty member in writing.

The Supervisor and Graduate Program Director must inform the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the Supervisory Committee composition no later than three months after the appointment of the Supervisor.

The Supervisory Committee should be constituted by the Supervisor in consultation with the student. It will normally consist of the Supervisor and two members, and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and sent to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for information. Committee members may be external to the student's program. At least one of the members of the Supervisory Committee should have had supervisory experience at the doctoral level. If a Co-supervisor and a Supervisor are appointed, the Supervisory Committee will require two other members. Postdoctoral fellows are eligible to serve as committee members. A postdoctoral fellow whose supervisor is on the student’s supervisory committee is not eligible to serve as a member of the examination committee. In such cases, the supervisory committee must include an additional member who is eligible to serve as an examiner.

Persons who are not Board appointees of the University of Calgary may be approved to serve on supervisory committees. A recommendation to the Dean by the Graduate Program Director for such an appointment must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae.

Members of a doctoral Supervisory Committee should provide support to both the student and the Supervisor by expanding the range of expertise and experience available to advise and assess the student. Members should provide constructive criticism and discussion of the student's ideas, methods and performance as the program develops; should be accessible to the student for consultation and discussion; should suggest other sources of information to the student; and must participate in examinations and in periodic meetings with the student and provide regular assessment of the student's progress as required by the program regulations.

Refer to the Thesis and Thesis Examination Regulations and administrative processes for more information: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/managing-my-program/examinations.

Supervisors and Graduate Program Directors must inform students on a regular basis about their academic progress. If a student's performance is judged to be below an acceptable level, this judgment should be expressed to the student formally and in writing at as early a stage in the program as possible. A student may be required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies for reasons of "unsatisfactory progress" (see also section 6.2).

The Supervisor and each continuing student must jointly submit an annual progress report on the student’s performance. This form must be signed by the Supervisor, the Graduate Program Director, and the student, and must be forwarded to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The student must sign the report after the Supervisor and the Graduate Program Director have completed their comments to acknowledge that he/she has reviewed these comments.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies requires that candidates for doctoral degrees sit both an oral candidacy examination and a thesis oral examination. Examiners may participate by teleconference or video conference (including Voice over Internet Protocol services); telephone backup must be available for video conference examinations.

Effective September 1, 2014, Faculty of Graduate Studies implemented new Candidacy regulations. The new Candidacy regulations are available to programs whose program level requirements have been approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies Policy Committee. Students may have the option to opt for the new regulations or the current regulations stipulated in section 6 and 7 of this Calendar depending on the program’s readiness. Visit http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/managing-my-program/examinations for more information.

Candidacy oral examinations are examinations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. No changes in the composition of the examination committee may be introduced without prior approval from an Associate Dean of Graduate Studies or the Dean of Graduate Studies. The faculty of Graduate Studies must be informed of minor changes in the scheduling of the examination (e.g., for illness or weather). Programs are allowed to postpone the examinations by up to two weeks after the scheduled date. Postponements of more than two weeks from the original date can be considered in exceptional circumstances and will require approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Refer to the Thesis and Thesis Examination Regulations and administrative processes for more information: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/managing-my-program/examinations.

Program requirements may include examinations that are in addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements. Programs are entitled to set their own standards of adequate performance in such examinations, provided these are not in conflict with Faculty of Graduate Studies standards. When a student fails to meet either Faculty or program standards, the program may recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies that the student be required to withdraw. (See also section 5.1).

Programs should provide their students, as early as possible, with information about the precise nature and form of program examinations and tests.

Admission to candidacy is an acknowledgement that a student is fully prepared to devote his/her full attention to the dissertation research. For admission to candidacy, the Faculty of Graduate Studies requires that (1) all mandatory course work has been completed, (2) an oral candidacy examination has been successfully passed, and (3) a dissertation research proposal has been approved by the student’s Supervisory Committee. Exceptions may apply to Students in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology and the Doctor of Education programs. Programs may require the examination and proposal to be completed in any order, including approval of the proposal within the examination.

Although the oral candidacy examination is the official Faculty of Graduate Studies examination, graduate programs have the option of adding a written component. If there is a written component, the period during which the written examination and the oral examination are conducted must not exceed one month. The written examination should be circulated among the examiners and may serve as a basis for questioning at the oral. If the student fails the written component of the candidacy examination, the oral examination should still go ahead as scheduled in order to give the candidate an opportunity to defend the written answers, as well as deal with other questions. If an examiner suspects plagiarism or other academic misconduct in the written document, he/she must report this to the Dean of Graduate Studies immediately. For further information, review Guidelines: Chairing Oral Thesis and Candidacy Examinations, at http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/managing-my-program/examinations.

The candidacy examination should focus on the background knowledge of students in their discipline, as well as their preparedness to conduct research of high quality in their particular fields of study.

Although the candidacy examination is a Faculty of Graduate Studies examination, individual programs determine the precise requirements. All programs must have written guidelines describing the examination regulations and the timing of the dissertation research proposal relative to the candidacy examination. These guidelines and regulations must be given to doctoral students as soon as they enter the program.

Assessment of the candidacy examination must take place immediately following the completion of the oral candidacy examination. This assessment should be based on the candidate's overall performance in all components of the examination.

All required course work must have been completed prior to the candidacy examination. Normally, no further course work may be required of a student who has successfully completed the candidacy examinations, but a student may elect to complete additional courses subject to approval by the Graduate Program Director. Exceptions may apply to Students in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology and the Doctor of Education programs.

A student entering a doctoral program with a completed Master's degree must attempt the candidacy examinations and submit a research proposal acceptable to the Supervisory Committee no later than twenty-eight months after initial registration in the doctoral program. A student entering a doctoral program with a bachelor's degree, or transferring into a doctoral program from a Master's program before the Master's program is completed, must attempt the candidacy examinations and submit a research proposal acceptable to the Supervisory Committee no later than thirty-six months after initial registration in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

A written recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies on the composition of the candidacy examination committee must be received in the Faculty of Graduate Studies office at least four weeks before the scheduled date of the examination. The committee will not be approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies earlier than three months before the planned examination date.

Normally, the Candidacy Examination Committee consists of the Supervisory Committee plus two additional members recommended by the Graduate Program Director who shall ensure that no conflict of interest exists between the student or the Supervisor and the additional members of the examination committee. A Post doctoral fellow whose supervisor is on the supervisory committee may not serve on the examination committee. (See Graduate Studies Conflict of Interest Policy: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/policies-forms/conflict-interest.) Normally, the Supervisor is a voting member, but a graduate program may choose to have the Supervisor attend as a non-voting observer. The Graduate Calendar notes programs that have chosen this option.

The examination is chaired by a member of the academic staff appointed by the Graduate Program Director. The Neutral Chair is not a member of the examining committee and is non-voting.

The Supervisor arranges scheduling of the examination. The Neutral Chair presides over the candidacy examination and reports the results to the student. The Neutral Chair gives the report to the Graduate Program Director, who ensures that it is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies within 24 hours of the examination.

Persons who are not Board appointees of the University of Calgary may be approved to serve on candidacy examination committees. A recommendation to the Dean by the Graduate Program Director for such an appointment must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae.

The official Notice of Candidacy Oral Examination form must be received in the Faculty of Graduate Studies office at least four weeks before the time of examination. The form identifies the time and place of the examination, the names of the recommended members of the examination committee, and by the signature of the Graduate Program Director confirms that the candidate has completed course requirements. Exceptions may apply to Students in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology and the Doctor of Education programs. The membership of the examination committee must be approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The candidacy oral examination is a formal examination limited to the examination committee and the student. The Dean of Graduate Studies or Dean's representative and the Department Head or equivalent, or designate, may attend without prior notice.

No one other than a member of the examination committee is allowed to question the candidate. All examiners should be given an opportunity to question the candidate during the early part of the examination, e.g., by rounds of questioning.

Questions to the candidate should be clear and succinct. The student should be given reasonable time to answer. If the student has understood the question and cannot answer, the examiner should pass to another question and not attempt to extract an answer by prolonged interrogation, or by leading the candidate. The chair should guard against any tendency of examiners to interact with each other instead of concentrating on the examination of the candidate.

The candidacy examination should not exceed two hours. This does not include the deliberation time of the Committee.

At the end of the candidacy examination, the student is asked to withdraw from the room. If the program has chosen to allow the Supervisor to attend the examination as a non-voting observer, at the end of the candidacy examination the student and the Supervisor are asked to withdraw from the room. Before any discussion of the candidate's performance, each examiner must identify, by secret ballot, which recommendation (pass/fail) he/she favours. This procedure provides the committee with a frame of opinion upon which to base a full discussion of the student's performance. The examiners then conduct a post-examination discussion, in which the Department Head or equivalent, or designate (e.g., Graduate Program Director), and the Dean of Graduate Studies or the Dean's representative may participate, although they have no vote.

After the final vote, each examiner must record a recommendation of pass or fail on the official Faculty of Graduate Studies Report of Candidacy Oral Examination form. Every effort should be made to reach a unanimous recommendation. Should the outcome of the final vote include one negative vote, the candidate will pass. Should the outcome include two or more negative votes, the committee’s recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies will be "fail".

The final decision will be at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Should the Dean of Graduate Studies uphold the recommendation of "fail", the student will be allowed a re-take of the examination. Within five working days of the failed examination, the Neutral Chair must submit a written report of the examination procedures to the Dean of Graduate Studies and copy it to the Graduate Program Director. Within five working days of the examination each committee member must provide a confidential written report to the Dean of Graduate Studies explaining the reasons for his/her vote and copy it to the Graduate Program Director and the Supervisor. After consultation with the Supervisor, the Graduate Program Director then summarizes the essential points to the student, copied to the Supervisor.

The Neutral Chair must inform the student of the committee's recommendation immediately following the vote of the examination committee. The Neutral Chair will record the final recommendation of pass or fail on the Report of Candidacy Oral Examination form which must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies within one working day of the completion of the examination.

Only one re-take of a candidacy examination will be permitted. The re-take must take place no sooner than two months and no later than six months from the date of the first examination. Normally the composition of the committee will remain the same. In reporting the results of the second examination, the committee will be limited to recommending either a pass (i.e., no more than one negative vote), or fail. A recommendation of "fail" requires that, within five working days, each examiner must submit a confidential written report to the Dean of Graduate Studies, copied to the Graduate Program Director and the Supervisor, detailing the reasons for his/her vote. Within five working days, the Neutral Chair must also submit a written report of the examination procedures to the Dean of Graduate Studies, copied to the Graduate Program Director. If the Dean of Graduate Studies upholds the recommendation to fail, the student will be required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Refer to the Thesis and Thesis Examination Regulations and administrative processes for more information: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/managing-my-program/examinations.

The format of the University degree parchment presented to successful candidates shows the degree, the department or area of study, and the approved area of specialization. Students should ensure that the approved area of specialization identified on the Notice of the Thesis Oral Examination form is correct, before it is sent to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The names of the candidates who have successfully completed the final thesis oral examination will not be added to the convocation list until the Faculty of Graduate Studies receives two unbound copies of the thesis and a Departmental Clearance Form. Students will continue to be assessed continuing fees until cleared for convocation.

A student may apply through the graduate program to the Dean for permission to transfer from one area of specialization to another while remaining within the degree program. Such application must be made prior to the candidacy examination.

A transfer from a doctoral program to a Master's program, within closely related areas of specialization, may be recommended where, in the opinion of the Graduate Program Director and the Supervisor, such a transfer is in the best interest of the student. Such application should normally be made before the candidacy examination. Transfers may be approved if the student is unsuccessful in the candidacy oral examination on the first attempt. The Dean of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Program Director of the Master's program to which the student transfers must approve the transfer.

Courses credited to the doctoral program may be accepted as fulfilling Master's course requirements where applicable, in accordance with program regulations for required Master's course work. Such a student must complete all requirements for the Master's degree.

Transfers from a doctoral to a Master's program should normally be completed no later than the beginning of the student's third annual registration year. All transfer students must complete the Master’s degree program within their fourth registration year.