LLM Thesis Advisor FAQs

As the principal mentor for a graduate student, the Thesis Advisor coordinates the Thesis process, including the preparation and grading of the Thesis Proposal, the preparation of the Thesis, and the oral defence of the Thesis. The Advisor recommends qualified faculty members to be appointed to the Thesis Advisory Committee. When the Thesis Proposal is ready, the Thesis Advisor gives tentative approval of the final proposal for presentation to the Thesis Examining Committee. Thesis Advisors also submit yearly Progress Reports to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Law, and then the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The Thesis Advisor completes and submits the Advisor Student Guidelines form (on JUMP), as soon as possible after registration but no later than the submission of the first Progress Report. The student must also complete this form.

ASG Instructions

The Advisory Committee is organized by the Thesis Advisor and approved by the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies. It will normally consist of 3 members – the Advisor and two Examiners. At least two members of the committee must be members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The thesis examiners’ role is evaluative. They provide feedback and grade the Thesis Proposal, as well as the final Thesis.

The LLM Thesis Advisor recommends Examiners to the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Law, who appoints them to the Committee.

The Thesis Proposal should be 10-15 pages in length and includes an introduction, a context section, the theoretical background of the study, the methodology to be used, the research questions, and the significance of the study.

Yes. Proposals are submitted to the Thesis Advisory Committee, but after 9 credit hours of coursework are completed. Normally students submit their Thesis Proposals within three months of completing their coursework.

No, but the Thesis Proposal must still be approved by both the Thesis Advisor and Examiner(s).

Yes, and the Thesis Advisory Committee meeting to consider the proposal must adhere to the procedure outlined in the LLM Supplementary Regulations.

The Thesis is graded Pass or Fail by a majority of the Thesis Committee.

The Thesis should also demonstrate that the candidate has made an original contribution to knowledge in the field of human rights research. It is 20,000-25,000 words of double-spaced typescript, including notes and bibliography.

Research involving human subjects must receive ethics approval from the relevant University of Manitoba Research Ethics Board before any data collection may commence.

Deadlines for graduation are found in the University calendar. All program requirements must be completed before students may be recommended for graduation.

Yes. The defence is open to all members of the University of Manitoba community.

The Examining Committee is normally be the same as the Thesis Advisory Committee.

The final examination for the LLM Thesis proceeds in two stages: a) the student will first present a summary (10-15 minutes) of the research contribution; and b) the examination of the candidate’s thesis. The examination portion should not exceed 70 minutes.

Typically two (2) rounds of questioning are permitted: the first of 10 minutes for each Examiner, and the second of 5 minutes for each Examiner. The Examining Committee then meets in private to determine whether the Thesis passes and whether revisions are necessary.

The Thesis is graded on its merits according to the following categories:

• Acceptable, without modification or with minor revision(s); or
• Acceptable, subject to modification and/or revision(s); or
• Not acceptable. 

The Advisor and Examiners must submit the Thesis final report to the Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Law, who submits it to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The student must upload their final Thesis in correct format to MSpace.