For graduate programs in Environment & Geography

Link to Supp Regs

Proposal – Masters

• No specific deadline: generally expected by the end of the first full year.
• No need to register for anything specific.
• Read the Proposal section in your Supp Regs (4.8.1.1).
• Confirm committee with advisor. Can check with Coordinator to make sure committee is adequate (Supp Regs 4.6).
• Confirm with your advisor that your proposal is adequate, and send it to your committee members. (Typically 10 - 20 pages.)
• Arrange a date for your committee to meet. No outside chair is necessary. Does not need to be advertised or open to visitors.
• Tell the Coordinator so the FGS form can be prepped before the meeting.

Defence – Masters

• Register for GRAD 7000 the term you may want to defend. (No penalties for doing this multiple terms.)
• Read the “Style and Format” section of the Supp Regs (At 4.8.1.1 or 4.9).
• Consult FGS’s “Information for Graduands” list, for the thesis submission deadline for the term you want to graduate.
• Make sure Appointment of Examiners Form is turned into Graduate Coordinator at least a month before you want to defend.
• Send Thesis draft to advisor.
• Advisor sends (or tells you to send) Thesis draft to whole committee (should be At Least two weeks before intended defence date, really much earlier unless you enjoy playing with fire).
• Read the “Oral Examination” section of the Supp Regs (4.8.1.3).
• Set defence date, and at the same time, make sure your advisor picks a Chair for the defence (must come from Dept). Tell Coordinator these details. 
• If any committee member needs to tele-conference into the defence, you must get approval from the Dept Head and FGS. The student and advisor(s) MUST be physically present. Ask the Coordinator for details. Currently must be all by videoconference.
• Coordinator makes a poster and distributes to your colleagues at least a week ahead of time. Must be open to visitors. Student and advisor may decide to share link with whoever they choose.
• Defend!
• Chair or Advisor gives signed paperwork to Coordinator, who sends to FGS (may be delayed until after revisions).
• Revise thesis based on comments; get advisor’s approval.
• Submit thesis to MSpace.
• Graduate and enjoy your degree!

Proposal – Ph.D.

• Normally within the first 18 months.
• No need to register for anything specific.
• Read the Proposal section in the Supp Regs (5.9).
• Confirm committee with advisor. Can check with Coordinator to make sure committee is adequate (Supp Regs 5.2.4).
• Confirm with your advisor that your proposal is adequate, and send it to your committee members. (Typically 20 - 40 pages.)
• Arrange a date for your committee to meet; include Grad Chair in scheduling--needs to chair meeting or designate another chair.
• Tell Coordinator about your time/date/title of the proposal defence at least 3 weeks in advance.
• Coordinator advertises at least a week ahead of time. Must be open to visitors. Student and advisor may decide to share link with whoever they choose.
• If the proposal is accepted (sometimes with revisions), your committee signs the form and returns it in to the Coordinator. If it is not acceptable, make arrangements with the committee to try again within one term.

Candidacy Exam – Ph.D.

• Normally within the first 3 years; must be completed at least one year before graduation.
• Register for GRAD 8010 the term you may want to hold the exam. (No penalties for doing this multiple terms.)
• Read the Candidacy Examination section of the Supp Regs (5.8). Pay attention to specifics around committee members participating remotely, if necessary. Currently must be all by videoconference.
• Arrange question/procedure and scheduling with your advisor and committee.
• Turn in your written response.
• Arrange a date for your committee to meet; include Grad Chair in scheduling--needs to chair meeting or designate another chair.
• Tell Coordinator about your time/date/title of the oral presentation/exam at least 3 weeks in advance.
• Coordinator advertises the open portion of your exam to your colleagues at least a week ahead of time. Must be open to visitors. Student and advisor may decide to share link with whoever they choose.
• If the exam is passed, the committee signs the form and returns it to the Coordinator. If it is not passed, make arrangements with the committee to try again within 6 months.

Defence – Ph.D.

• Register for GRAD 8000 the term you may want to defend. (No penalties for doing this multiple terms.)
• Read the Thesis sections of the Supp Regs (5.10 to 5.12).
• Consult FGS’s “Information for Graduands” list, for the thesis submission deadline for the term you want to graduate.
• Send draft to your advisor(s) and get Ok to:
• Send draft to your committee members.
• Advisor gathers a list of 3 potential External examiners. (New rules allow advisor to contact them to confirm availability in advance.)
• Committee members must sign the Approval to Proceed form.
• Upload the draft and Approval to Proceed form to the Thesis portal in JUMP (Student tab, then Graduate Studies tab).

What happens next?

• Advisor is asked for potential externals.
• WAITING
  • FGS contacts an external, and once they have an “I can do it” response, they send the draft to all examiners.
  • All examiners submit comments to the portal.
  • FGS returns comments to advisor.
• If the thesis is deemed defensible, the student receives the comments, and the advisor works to set the defence date with all examiners.
• If any committee member needs to tele-conference into the defence, you must get approval from the Dept Head and FGS. The student and advisor(s) MUST be physically present. Ask the Coordinator for details. Currently must be all by videoconference.
• Tell FGS the defence date at least 2 weeks before; they will pick a Chair for the defence.
• FGS will send the Department an advertisement for the defence. Coordinator distributes to your colleagues before defence. Must be open to visitors. Student and advisor may decide to share link with whoever they choose.
• Defend!
• Chair or Advisor gives signed paperwork to FGS and/or Coordinator (may be delayed until after revisions). If the defence is not passed, talk to advisor about next steps, possible second defence.
• Revise thesis based on comments; get advisor’s approval.
• Submit thesis to MSpace.
• Graduate and enjoy your degree!