Graduate students are admitted to the Faculty in one of the following categories:
Regular
Students may be admitted to a program leading to the master's or doctoral degree, provided admission qualifications are met.
Interdisciplinary Degree
(ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply)
The Interdisciplinary Degree allows a qualified graduate student to pursue thesis-based research (Master's, PhD) in an area that does not fit the traditional disciplinary requirements of only one graduate program. The requirements for the student's program are individually tailored to meet their research interests. Research is carried out under the direction and guidance of a Supervisor, Co-Supervisor and Supervisory Committee whose research expertise is relevant to the disciplinary areas. The student should submit an application form and fee, along with official transcripts and letters of reference to the intended home graduate program. The application must meet the minimum Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements for admission. The prospective home program will work with the conjoint program to establish coursework and candidacy examination requirements. Parchments for the Interdisciplinary Degree will identify both the home and conjoint programs. Contact the prospective home graduate program for further details.
Cotutelle
(admission to cotutelle currently suspended)
(ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply)
A doctoral cotutelle is a single PhD degree jointly awarded by two universities with a transcript and parchment from each. It is designed, supervised and examined by faculty from both universities. Applicants must normally meet the PhD requirements of both universities. An agreed plan of study and support must be established at the outset.
The primary institution may be University of Calgary or another partner institution. Cotutelle admission may be approved at the beginning of the degree or by transfer in the first two years of an existing PhD program.
Joint PhD Degree
PhD students study and perform research at the University of Calgary and one other institution. The University of Calgary may act as the home institution or the collaborating institution. Students will have supervisors at both institutions, and are required to physically attend the collaborating institution as a visiting student researcher for a minimum of six months.
Students enrolled in a joint degree program must first be accepted to a PhD program at their home institution. They must also meet the admission requirements of the collaborating institution and be recommended for the joint degree by their program at their home institution. Students must complete the degree requirements of their respective program at their home institution.
Students receive one parchment from their home institution. Where the home institution is the University of Calgary, the parchment will indicate “Joint Degree offered in collaboration with (Collaborating Institution Name).” Where the home institution is not the University of Calgary, the Joint PhD degree is similarly recognized and recorded. Each joint doctoral degree is administered according to an agreement between the University of Calgary and the partnering institution.
Qualifying
A student who meets the qualifications for admission but lacks the necessary background for a graduate program in a chosen area of specialization may be admitted as a qualifying graduate student. A qualifying student is required to take more courses in a degree program than a regular graduate student. Upon satisfactory completion of a qualifying term or year, the student may be transferred to regular student status. Qualifying graduate students must be full-time registrants in either a master's or a doctoral degree program. Qualifying status will not be granted for a period exceeding one year.
A qualifying student in a thesis-based degree program will be assessed program fees during their qualifying term or year. Upon transfer to regular student status, program fees are assessed again. Note that time spent as a qualifying student does not count as time in the degree program. A qualifying student in a course-based program will pay tuition fees for the extra required courses on a per-course basis.
Conditional Admission for Language Upgrading
An international student may be offered admission into a graduate program conditional on successful completion of the Academic Communication Certificate (ACC). In order to complete the ACC, the student must achieve a minimum grade of "B+" on each course. Programs may require a higher level of achievement, which will be set out in the letter of conditional admission. Eligible students who are offered conditional admission must complete the ACC within one year; after this time the conditional offer of admission is revoked.
Visiting
A student who is registered in a graduate degree program at another university that does not have an exchange agreement with the University of Calgary, and who wishes to engage in course work and/or research at the graduate level at the University of Calgary for credit at their home university, may be admitted as a visiting graduate student. A visiting student must contact the graduate program and obtain approval from the graduate program director, then submit an online application and pay the application fee by one of the deadlines posted on the website at ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/apply. Visiting students pay all applicable general and tuition fees. Visiting students are normally permitted to spend a maximum of one year at the University of Calgary. It should be noted that admission as a visiting student does not guarantee later admission to a graduate program at the University of Calgary.
Admissions