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Website: http://www.usask.ca/cgsr/
Applications for admission should be submitted on the appropriate admission forms. These applications are first submitted to the academic unit in which the applicant is interested. Graduate Application Fee Applicants for admission or re-admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research are required to submit a non-refundable application fee of $75. This should be in the form of a certified cheque or money order, in Canadian funds only, made payable to the University of Saskatchewan. Deadlines for Application for Admission The College of Graduate Studies and Research normally admits applicants to commence in September of each year. However, some academic units may consider applicants to commence in January or May. Due to limitations of resources including space and supervisor availability, it may not be possible to admit all qualified applicants.
Applicants other than graduates of the University of Saskatchewan must arrange for official transcripts of their academic records from each institution attended to be sent directly to the Head of the academic unit in which they wish to work.
At least three confidential letters of recommendation are to be sent directly to the academic unit. These letters should be from professors or others acquainted sufficiently with the applicant's training and experience to express an opinion on the applicant's ability to undertake graduate training.
All forms for the application process are available from the academic units or from the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office, Room C180 Administration Building, or from the College of Graduate Studies and Research website.
Some academic units require applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination, National Program for Graduate School Selection and to obtain a satisfactory score on the aptitude test, or the Advanced Test, or both. The academic units concerned will inform the prospective applicants of this condition. Arrangements for these tests should be made early in the year by students who expect to start graduate work the following September. Inquiries about the tests should be addressed to G.R.E., Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6000. For information on tests and test dates see the GRE website.
An application is submitted to the academic unit in which the applicant wishes to work. The academic unit will have a recommendation concerning acceptance or non-acceptance to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Applicants will be advised of academic unit decision. If the academic unit recommends acceptance, the application is referred to the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office for further action. Non-acceptance of an applicant often depends on considerations other than those listed in the section on Graduate Admission Requirements. These include availability of facilities for the type of research which the applicant wishes to pursue and of a member of the graduate faculty with time to supervise the proposed research. Applicants should not apply to more than one academic unit at the same time. Successful applicants receive a letter of acceptance signed by the Dean or the Director of Graduate Admissions. Any special conditions pertaining to the student's admission are noted in the letter.
Applicants who need financial support through scholarships, teaching assistantships and fellowships, research assistantships, etc., in order to undertake graduate work should correspond with the Head of the academic unit in which they wish to study or the professors whom they anticipate will supervise their research work.
Students on campus can come to the College of Graduate Studies and Research office to pay by Visa, Mastercard, or Interac. This service is offered to Graduate applicants. A receipt will be given (once approved by credit company) which student can then show to their prospective academic unit.
It is expected that academic units will be able to process complete applications for admission in no more than four weeks, after which time they will either advise the candidate that their application could not be accepted or send a recommendation for admission, along with all necessary documentation, to the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
In most circumstances, the College of Graduate Studies and Research will process recommended applications in no more than two weeks. At this time the candidate and academic unit will be advised that the application could not be accepted or an official letter of offer will be sent to the applicant.
When determining the lead-time needed to complete all the admission requirements by the date of the first expected registration, the following factors should be considered:
It can take up to 6 months after the receipt of the official letter of offer for international students to get a student visa and be allowed to enter Canada.
It can take up to 4 weeks for international applicants to receive their official letter of offer by surface mail. Because of the expense, the College of Graduate Studies and Research cannot courier the official letter of offer to the applicant.
Some academic units only process applications at certain times of the year. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that applicants contact the academic unit to determine the unit's deadline dates for applications.
Special Case applications can take from 6 to 8 months to process because of the complexity and detail of the application process.
Note: Meeting the minimum English proficiency requirement does not assure acceptability to programs in the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
Applicants admitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research are classified into one of several groups, depending on their preparation for graduate work and the type of graduate work they propose to do. Fully-Qualified Applicant Applicants who have an Honours B.A. or B.Sc. degree from this university, or a baccalaureate with Distinction from a professional college of this university, or equivalent standing from another university, and who intend to proceed with graduate work closely related to that for which they received their baccalaureate fall directly into this category. Students from this university, or any other university with equivalent standards of grading, who have a Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 70% during the last 60 credit units or equivalent in their undergraduate study are usually included in this group. Special case admissions require a 75% average. Interdisciplinary admissions require an 80% average. Conditionally-Qualified Applicant Applicants qualified for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research who require additional undergraduate training in certain areas in order to proceed with the graduate courses and research in their selected field. Applicants in this category may take some of the graduate courses for which they have the prerequisite training in parallel with the required undergraduate courses. These applicants should not anticipate meeting the residence requirements for a graduate degree or diploma in the minimum time established by the College of Graduate Studies and Research. These applicants may also be required to pay additional fees depending on the number of courses required in order to become fully-qualified candidates for a graduate degree or diploma. Probationary Applicant Applicants whose academic qualifications are difficult to assess, or whose qualifications are marginal for admission to the graduate program they wish to follow. Applicants in this category may be required to take a certain number of preparatory courses to improve their qualifications. In this case they will be required to pay additional fees. The student's status is reviewed after a specified amount of academic work is completed. If progress is satisfactory the academic unit in which the student is working or the Advisory Committee may recommend to the College of Graduate Studies and Research that the student proceed in a fully-qualified category. Postgraduate Diploma Program Applicant Applicants who are increasing their professional competence by completing the courses required for a postgraduate diploma. Applicants admitted in the Postgraduate Diploma program must have a Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 65% during the last 60 credit units or equivalent of undergraduate study. Exchange Graduate Applicant Students who are registered in a degree program at another university and who are engaged in course or research work at the University of Saskatchewan to be credited toward their degree program. Admission in this category requires the recommendation of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research (or designate) of the institution at which the student is registered for a degree, showing that the work undertaken at the University of Saskatchewan is approved for credit at that institution. There are not normally any additional admission requirements. Non-Degree Applicant Applicants qualified to take selected graduate courses, but not working towards a postgraduate diploma or degree. Courses taken on a non-degree basis do not necessarily reduce the admission requirements or program requirements should the student decide subsequently to apply to a degree program at the University of Saskatchewan. Those who wish to take graduate courses on a non-degree basis must meet regular admission requirements (obtain form GSR105 Permission to take a Graduate Course on a Non-degree Basis and a registration form from the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office). A maximum of six credit units may be taken as a non-degree student.
The University of Regina students intending to take a course at the University of Saskatchewan should use the Saskatchewan Universities Graduate Agreement (SUGA) request form available through the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, The University of Regina and from the College of Graduate Studies and Research at the University of Saskatchewan.
Full-time, fully qualified graduate students at other universities in Western Canada may take courses at the University of Saskatchewan which are required for their program of studies but not available at their home university (normal maximum 6 credit units). A Western Dean's Agreement Authorization Form must be obtained and signed at the home university, then submitted to the host department at the University of Saskatchewan.
Full-time, fully qualified graduate students at other universities in Canada may take courses at the University of Saskatchewan which are required for their program of studies but not available at their home university (normal maximum 6 credit units.) A Canadian University Transfer Agreement (CUGTA) Form must be obtained and signed at the home university, then submitted to the host department at the University of Saskatchewan.
Students in interdisciplinary graduate programs are not restricted by traditional academic boundaries.
Many academic units have graduate programs that allow sufficient flexibility to students to complete an interdisciplinary program while enjoying affiliation with an established unit. Individual Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs are not intended to compete with or replace these programs.
The individual interdisciplinary graduate program is administered by the College of Graduate Studies and Research through the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee. Students interested in graduate interdisciplinary programs are advised to consult with the Chair of the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee and visit the Interdisciplinary website for information on program requirements and on the procedure to be followed in developing their program proposal.
The Supervisor and Advisory Committee are responsible for working with the student to produce the application and program proposal. The application should include: program Supervisor, members of Advisory Committee, course descriptions including complete details on INTD 898 Special Topics and INTD 990 Seminar courses, detailed research proposal identifying the expected outcome of project and approval for the Ethics Committee, sources of support - financial and physical, and any other details the Chair or Committee may require. In the case of the INTD 990 Seminar course, students are expected to attend the Interdisciplinary Seminar series, as well as participate in specific seminars designated by the student's Supervisor. The program proposal must identify proposed courses to be taken at other institutions and sources of funding to support related travel. The completed program proposal will be reviewed by the Chair of the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee, and if acceptable, will be submitted to the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee for approval. To be considered "interdisciplinary", the proposed program must integrate course work and research into a concise program that is not available within the traditional academic setting. As well, the proposed program should not attempt to provide a graduate studies opportunity within a discipline where such graduate studies opportunities are not currently available.
Depending on the individual interdisciplinary graduate program being pursued, various specialized courses are available. See Interdisciplinary Studies in the Course Catalogue section.
The general regulations applicable to P.G.D. programs are as follows:
Admission
Program
Graduation
Project programs leading to the M.Agr., M.B.A., M.C.Ed., M.Ed., M.Eng., M.I.T., M.Math., M.Mus., M.N., M.P.Acc., M.P.H., M.P.T., M.Vet.Sc., and to the M.A. degrees in Economics, English and Sociology are also available. These degrees are intended to serve the needs of students who wish to obtain advanced knowledge in a specialized field, but who do not require traditional research training. All project degree programs include as a requirement the project course (992) or publishable paper (993). In most programs the project course (992) is in addition to the usual 30 credit units required. Other special conditions are mentioned within the Programs by Area section. Many departments offer course-based programs in addition to thesis-based or project-based route. The course-based Master's program will provide graduates with advanced academic training. In such programs the emphasis is on coursework. Details may be obtained from the departments concerned. Ethics approval is required for all research involving animals or humans. A copy of the Ethics approval letter must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research prior to the defence for a thesis-based program and prior to application to graduate for a project-based program. GSR 960.0, Introduction to Ethics and Integrity, is a required course for all first year graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. The purpose of this course is to discuss ethical issues that graduate students may face during their time at the University. In addition to GSR 960, students may need to also take GSR 961 or GSR 962. The student's Advisory Committee will review the student's research area and determine whether or not the student needs to take GSR 961, Ethics in Human Research, and GSR 962, Ethics in Animal Research.Master's Degree with Thesis
A student enrolled for graduate work in an academic unit of the Colleges of Agriculture and Bioresources, Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine becomes a candidate for the M.Sc. degree in the discipline designated by the name of the unit. A student enrolled in an academic unit of the College of Arts & Science usually becomes a candidate for an M.A. degree in the discipline designated by the name of the unit, if the baccalaureate for admission is a B.A. degree; an M.Sc. degree, if a B.Sc. degree. Special conditions may apply for admission to selected programs. These are mentioned in the Programs by Area section of this page. Other Master's degrees with thesis which are available are: M.F.A., M.C.Ed., M.Ed., LL.M., M.Mus., M.N. Prospective students interested in these degrees should consult the relevant section on this page for course and program requirements.
Consult specific programs for the minimum number of credit unit requirements. Other requirements are a thesis on a subject permitting the student to make some contribution to knowledge, and seminars, colloquia and related activities as the student's academic unit may require. The thesis work for a Master's degree seldom takes less than one-half year, and is usually carried out in parallel with the course work.
After an applicant has been admitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the principal academic unit submits, on the student's behalf, a recommended Program of Studies. This should be done as soon as possible on the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS), and not later than twelve months after the time of first registration.
If an applicant has been admitted as a candidate for a Master's degree subject to the satisfactory completion of selected preparatory courses either prior to or in parallel with the required graduate courses, the preparatory courses are designated as such on the Program of Studies. In such cases, the student should not anticipate completion of the requirements for award of the degree in less than two years of residence during regular sessions, or the equivalent. A qualifying examination on the field of specialization may be required by an academic unit either as a means of evaluating the student's ability to proceed with work for the degree or for the award of the degree.
Research for the thesis and its preparation is usually supervised by a member of the academic unit to which the student is attached. An Advisory Committee is appointed, consisting of at least three members, including the academic unit Head or designate who acts as chairperson, the research Supervisor and other members as deemed appropriate. If the student's work for the degree involves other academic units, the Advisory Committee includes the student's research Supervisor and representatives of the units concerned. The Committee is responsible for periodic reviews of the candidate's progress toward the degree and must meet at least annually for this purpose. The Chair of the Advisory Committee will report on the progress of the student to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research once annually. A report indicating unsatisfactory progress will result in further action being taken by the Dean. The role of the Advisory Committee may be filled by a graduate committee of the academic unit. Master's Degree with Project
After an applicant has been admitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the principal academic unit submits on the student's behalf a recommended Program of Studies. This should be done as soon as possible on the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS), and not later than twelve months after the time of first registration.
The project course (992) must be completed in one or two graduate terms depending on full-time or part-time status. Students who are registered full-time in the project course without coursework will be required to complete the project in one graduate term; those students who are registered full-time in the project course with coursework or are registered part-time will be required to complete the project within two Graduate Terms. Master's project students register in the project course (992) or publishable paper (993) only when they begin work on it.
These time guidelines for the project course do not pertain to M.Vet.Sc., M.B.A., or M.P.Acc. students. Master's Degree Coursed-based Option
Special Case Admissions
All faculties tenured in academic units which do not have approved graduate programs may be involved in graduate education by supervising a special case student. Candidates for Special Case admissions should be excellent students as demonstrated by a Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 75% over the last two years (60 credit units). The Special Case Master’s students are administered by the Master’s Committee of the College of Graduate Studies & Research. Instructions for Special Case applications are found on form GSR 405. Students follow regular admission procedures using forms GSR 100 and 101. The academic unit is responsible for completing the remainder of the Special Case application. Transfer from Master's to Ph.D.
Transfers from Master’s to Ph.D. should take place after the first year and no later than the end of the second year of the Master's program. In order to transfer, a Master's student must first pass a qualifying examination, and fulfill other criteria as outlined in the College of Graduate Studies and Research Policy and Procedure manual. This examination can only be taken once. A student failing the qualifying examination or any part thereof shall not be recommended for transfer and must complete the Master’s program. After completion of the Master's, the student can then be considered for admission into a Ph.D. program. Residency Requirements
On-campus residency is a valuable part of a graduate program. The University of Saskatchewan encourages students to spend time on campus interacting with faculty, researchers and other students and participating in the academic life of the university. The College of Graduate Studies and Research has no minimum residency requirements. Individual graduate programs, however, are required to establish their own residency guidelines. Students should check with the individual programs for these guidelines. Time Limit
Candidates for Master's degrees are expected to complete their work with reasonable continuity over a period not exceeding five years. This time is measured from the date of first registration in a course credited toward the program. Transfer Credits
Graduate work of high quality done in a recognized graduate school elsewhere and coming within the five-year time limit may be accepted. Such credits will be transferred only after the student has established a satisfactory record in residence here for at least one-half of a regular academic session, and then only if the academic unit concerned recommends to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research for approval of the transfer of such credits. Normally a student should expect to complete at least 60% of the program requirements at this university. Work already applied toward another degree cannot be accepted. Transferred credit will not reduce the residency requirement at this university. Academic Standards
Students taking courses required to remove deficiencies in their general training or for preparation prerequisite to the chosen field of graduate work must obtain a Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 70% in these courses. A minimum of 70% is required in each undergraduate course. Undergraduate courses may be taken for credit towards a master's degree on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. These must be senior courses at the 300 or 400 level. Students must obtain 60% in each graduate course required specifically for the degree and a Cumulative Weighted Average of 70% for all their courses in this category. Under exceptional circumstances, on recommendation of the academic unit, and with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, a student may be permitted to write a supplemental examination in a graduate course for which a grade of less than 60% was obtained or an undergraduate course for which a grade of less than 70% was obtained. With permission of the Dean, students may repeat the course to raise their standing, or substitute an additional course recommended by the academic unit.
If, in the opinion of the Advisory Committee and the academic unit concerned, a student is not making reasonable progress with any aspect of the program, a recommendation may be made to the Dean that the student be Required to Discontinue as a candidate for the degree. The Dean will take prompt and appropriate action. Languages
The Advisory Committee may require the candidate to demonstrate ability to read publications related to the candidate’s special field of study, in one or more languages other than English. Successful completion of a course in a language (other than English) recommended by an Advisory Committee usually meets the minimum requirement for a reading knowledge of a foreign language. This language requirement may be met by a course, or courses, taken at another university, or by knowledge of the language acquired in other ways. In such cases, supporting evidence must be submitted to the appropriate language department at this university. The language department may set a special examination. The decision of the department is final in such cases. Ethics
Thesis and Project Requirements
A thesis or project presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree must:
It is expected the student will follow the academic unit regulations and the advice of the Supervisor and the Advisory Committee in developing the thesis or project proposal and in establishing whether the thesis or project is ready for examination. In exceptional circumstances the student may request that the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research arrange for an examination without prior academic unit approval. The rules for such an examination are determined by the Dean in consultation with the unit.
The adequacy of the project is decided by an examining committee consisting of the Supervisor, members of the Advisory Committee and other persons as appropriate. Academic units are required to inform students in a timely fashion about the criteria to be used and the procedures to be followed in the examination of Master's project work.
Every thesis must go to oral defence. The adequacy of the thesis is decided by an examining committee. The committee will consist of the academic unit Head or designate, who chairs the examination, the Supervisor, at least one member who served on the Advisory Committee, and the external examiner from another academic unit of the university, who has not been a member of the student's Advisory Committee. The academic unit may recommend the appointment of additional examiners. The examining committee shall be appointed from the College Faculty by the academic unit in consultation with the Dean. The thesis Supervisor may not serve as the chair of the thesis oral examination. The character of the oral examination is decided upon by the Committee, but in general the examination is limited to work done by the candidate for the thesis and to knowledge of matters directly related to it. At the conclusion of the examination, the Committee decides whether the thesis work of the candidate and the subsequent defence of it meet the requirements for the degree. The Committee's decision is reported to the Dean on forms available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research office.
It is the responsibility of the student who may have any disability that could interfere with his/her conduct or ability to respond to questioning at an oral defence, to reveal the extenuating circumstances in sufficient time prior to the defence to allow the Examining Committee and the College of Graduate Studies and Research to take measures to mitigate the situation at the oral exam. The student must inform his/her Supervisor or Graduate Chair, who in turn must inform the College of Graduate Studies and Research office of any potential problems.
The External Examiner shall be appointed by the Dean prior to the thesis examination and shall not have been associated with the preparation of the thesis in any way. The Dean or designate verifies all program requirements are met before approval of the External Examiner and permission to proceed to defence. The External Examiner represents the Dean and shall provide the Dean with a written report following the conclusion of the examination. A form for this purpose is available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research office. Where the External Examiner does not share the majority view, the examination shall be adjourned and the Dean will review the situation and establish appropriate procedures to resolve the matter.
The period between the submission of the examination copies of a Master's thesis and the date of the examination is left to the discretion of the student's academic unit. After the Advisory Committee has agreed the thesis is acceptable for external examination, the graduate chair shall notify the College of Graduate Studies and Research. The College requires three weeks from the receipt of this notification until the date of the defence. After the oral defence, students are expected to make required thesis revisions within the time period determined by the academic unit. Final dates for submission of documentation are found in the Graduate Academic Schedule in this section. No exceptions to these dates will be made. Copies of the Thesis
Electronic Thesis Submission (EDT)
It is mandatory for all students in Master’s thesis programs and Ph.D. programs to submit their theses online at http://library2.usask.ca/etd. Project students may also submit their theses online. Instructions for submission of an ETD can be found on the College of Graduate Studies and Research website.
Bound Thesis Submission
Students should check with their individual departments for the departmental policy on bound thesis submission. The College of Graduate Studies and Research does not require submission of bound theses. Copyright and Subsequent Use of Theses and Projects
The author of a thesis or project claims copyright on the title page. As a condition for the award of a degree, the student is required to sign a form giving permission to the University Library to make the thesis available for inspection and to the Supervisor of the research and to the department in which the research was done to copy and to circulate the thesis for scholarly purposes only, and to make use of material and ideas included in the thesis in the preparation of papers for publication. Where circumstances warrant, theses may be withheld from circulation for up to 12 months. There are also several options available for limitation of circulation of electronic thesis. Recommendation for Award of Degree
The academic units concerned must file a Recommendation for Award of the Degree with the Dean on forms for this purpose, available on the College of Graduate Studies and Research website. It must show how the candidate has met the residence requirements, list the courses to be credited specifically for the degree (including transferred credits) and the exact title of the thesis. The title shown on the thesis cover must be identical to the title which appears on the recommendation form for the award of the degree. The recommendation for the award of the degree must be received in the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office on or before the date, available from the office or under the Academic Schedule established in relation to Convocation. If the recommendation is approved by the College of Graduate Studies and Research, and the student has submitted an application to graduate, then the student's name will be forwarded to Convocation, Student and Enrolment Services, for inclusion in the Convocation Program.
Ethics approval is required for all research involving animals or humans. A copy of the Ethics approval letter must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research prior to the defence. GSR 960.0, Introduction to Ethics and Integrity, is a required course for all first year graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. The purpose of this course is to discuss ethical issues that graduate students may face during their time at the University. In addition to GSR 960, students may need to also take GSR 961 or GSR 962. The student's Advisory Committee will review the student's research area and determine whether or not the student needs to take GSR 961, Ethics in Human Research, and GSR 962, Ethics in Animal Research. The thesis, based upon original investigation, must demonstrate mature scholarship and critical judgement on the part of the candidate, as well as familiarity with tools and methods of research in the candidate's special field. To be acceptable, it must be a worthwhile contribution to knowledge, and warrant publication in whole or in part. It must comply with specifications described in the Guidelines For Preparation of a Thesis. The College of Graduate Studies and Research office will arrange for the microfilming of the thesis by the National Library of Canada, for the publication of the abstract in the journal Dissertation Abstracts, and for the storage of the original copy of the thesis. Students are responsible for reimbursing the college for microfilming costs.Admission
Only an applicant who is fully qualified for admission to postgraduate work at this university and for research in a particular field of study is admitted to a Ph.D. program. This normally means that the applicant will already have completed a recognized Master's program in a field which is relevant to the proposed Ph.D. program of study.
An applicant who is deficient in background training or in courses prerequisite to scholarly work in the chosen field of study and research or who holds a Master's degree whose academic level is in doubt cannot be admitted as a fully qualified candidate for a Ph.D. degree. Such an applicant may be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research for the purpose of removing these deficiencies (see Classification of Admitted Students), but the time spent in doing so can seldom be counted toward the residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree. Applicants holding a Master's degree, the equivalence of which is difficult to assess, will be permitted at the time of admission to register only as probationary students in a Ph.D. program or as a Master's student. After no less than one year and on the recommendation of the academic unit, a student may be considered by the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office for transfer to fully-qualified status in a Ph.D. program if the qualifying examination has been completed successfully.
After an applicant has been admitted to the College, the principal academic unit submits on the applicant's behalf a recommended Program of Studies for approval by the college. This should be done as soon as possible and not later than twelve months after the time of admission. The online form to be submitted by the academic unit on the applicant's behalf lists the courses required to meet the academic requirements for the degree, the particular field of research, the student's research Supervisor and members of the Advisory Committee (see next section, "Supervision"), and any other requirements peculiar to the unit in which the student will be working. Supervision
The selection of a Supervisor should be completed by mutual agreement among student, Supervisor, academic unit Head, or the Dean in colleges without departments, and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. This selection should take place as quickly as possible, never later than the second annual registration. The Supervisor must be a faculty member of the College of Graduate Studies and Research and should be familiar with the rules and procedures of the academic unit, the College of Graduate Studies and Research and those of the university. Both student and Supervisor are responsible for ensuring that all College of Graduate Studies and Research and academic unit regulations and requirements are observed and met.
The work of each student is coordinated by an Advisory Committee. This Committee consists of the academic unit Head or designate who acts as Chair, or the Dean or designate in colleges without departments, who acts as Chair, the student's Supervisor and three or four additional members, selected because of their knowledge of the proposed research field, from the principal unit and related units. One member, designated the Cognate member, must be from a unit other than the principal one. If the student's work for the degree is cross-disciplinary, the Advisory Committee should have representatives from each of the academic units involved. In consultation with the Dean, persons from other universities or from non-University laboratories and groups may be invited to serve on the Committee because of their specialized knowledge of the research field. Such persons must have received formal approval from the Dean. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research is an ex officio member of the Committee.
The Advisory Committee serves to advise the student and to periodically review progress being made in preparing the thesis proposal, developing appropriate methodology, carrying out research and writing the thesis. To facilitate these reviews, the student will submit a written progress report on the research project at least once every twelve months through the research Supervisor. The Supervisor is responsible for distributing a copy of this report to each member of the Advisory Committee. The Committee may require the student to give an oral progress report to explain further and describe the research in progress. The Committee may recommend changes and additions to the student's program and changes to the research project. The Chair of the Advisory Committee will report on the progress of the student to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research once annually. A report indicating unsatisfactory progress will result in further action being taken by the Dean. Special Case Admissions
All faculties tenured in academic units which do not have approved graduate programs may be involved in graduate education by supervising a special case student. Candidates for Special Case admissions should be excellent students as demonstrated by a Cumulative Weighted Average of at least 75% over the last two years (60 credit units). The Special Case Ph.D. students are administered by the Ph.D. Committee of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Instructions for Special Case applications are found on form GSR 405. Students follow regular admission procedures using forms GSR 100 and 101. The academic unit is responsible for completing the remainder of the Special Case application. Residency Requirements
On-campus residency is a valuable part of a graduate program. The University of Saskatchewan encourages students to spend time on campus interacting with faculty, researchers and other students and participating in the academic life of the university. The College of Graduate Studies and Research has no minimum residency requirements. Individual graduate programs, however, are required to establish their own residency guidelines. Students should check with the individual programs for these guidelines. Time Limit
A candidate for the Ph.D. degree is expected to complete the work with reasonable continuity over a period not exceeding six years. This time is measured from the date of first registration in the first work credited toward the program. Transfer Credits
Graduate work of high quality done in a recognized graduate school elsewhere may be accepted for credit at this university. Except in special circumstances, transferred credits will not reduce the minimum residency requirement, but may reduce the amount of course work to be done. In all cases at least six credit units of course work at the graduate level must be done at the University of Saskatchewan, unless otherwise specified by the individual program. Credits are transferred only after the student has established a satisfactory record in residence here for at least one year. Students required by their Advisory Committee to take courses at another university will receive both course credit and residence credit upon satisfactory completion of such courses. Academic Standards
Students are expected to complete with Distinction all work in the courses included in their Program of Studies. Any grade below 70% is unsatisfactory. The Advisory Committee will review such grades and make a recommendation to the College of Graduate Studies and Research concerning the action to be taken. The Advisory Committee will also recommend appropriate action to be taken regarding any student whose progress in the research project or any other component of the Ph.D. program is deemed unsatisfactory. Academic standards applied will be those prevailing in the national and international academic community. Upon recommendation by the Advisory Committee and with approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, a student may be Required to Discontinue at any time from the program for failure to achieve and maintain satisfactory progress and contact with the Supervisor. Languages
The Advisory Committee may require the candidate to demonstrate ability to read publications related to the candidate's special field of study, in one or more languages other than English.
Successful completion of a course in a language (other than English) recommended by an Advisory Committee usually meets the minimum requirements for a reading knowledge of a foreign language. This language requirement may be met by a course, or courses, taken at another university, or by knowledge of the language acquired in other ways. In such cases, supporting evidence must be submitted to the appropriate language department at this university. The language department may set a special examination. The decision of the department is final in such cases. Ethics
Qualifying Examination for Ph.D. Students
Students must satisfy the academic unit by written or oral examination, or by both, that they have the potential to obtain sufficient knowledge of their chosen general field of study to proceed toward candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Responsibility for this examination may be assigned to the Advisory Committee in cases where several academic units are involved. Normally this examination is administered within the first year, preferably within the first four months, of the student's program. The results of this examination are likely to have a significant impact on the Program of Studies developed for the student. The standard which a student must obtain to pass the qualifying examination is at the discretion of the academic unit or the Advisory Committee, as the case may be. A student failing an examination for the first time is permitted a second qualifying examination. A second failure automatically disqualifies the student from further work for that particular Ph.D. degree. This failure may be appealed to the Ph.D. Committee on substantive or procedural grounds. The results of all qualifying examinations must be reported to the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office.
The thesis examination for the award of Master's degree at this or other recognized universities, may, at the discretion of the academic unit and the College of Graduate Studies and Research, be accepted in lieu of the Ph.D. qualifying examination.
The Ph.D. qualifying examination must already have been passed at a suitable level before consideration will be given to recommendations for transfer from a Master's to a Ph.D. program. This particular qualifying examination can only be taken once. Comprehensive Examination and Candidacy
The comprehensive examination covers a broad aspect of the appropriate discipline and may be in written and/or oral form. This examination is usually on topics cognate to the candidate's field of research and is used as a means of judging whether the individual has a mature and substantive grasp of the discipline as a whole. A comprehensive knowledge of the subject will not only help to validate the Ph.D. student as an expert in the general field of choice but will also complement research activity in the specific area under investigation. Normally this examination is scheduled after the student has completed all course requirements and before the beginning of research and doctoral thesis.
Only upon successful completion of the comprehensive examination at an appropriate time during the program is a student permitted to continue scholarly activity towards the Ph.D. degree. The comprehensive examination may be repeated once with the permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The results of all comprehensive examinations must be reported to the College of Graduate Studies and Research office. A second failure will result in the student being Required to Withdraw from the program. This failure may be appealed to the Ph.D. Committee on substantive or procedural grounds. Thesis
Thesis preparation involves a long-term commitment through the stages of preparing a research proposal, completing a literature review, developing methodology, carrying out research and writing the results. Throughout this process the student will maintain contact with the Supervisor, as well as the Advisory Committee. When, in the opinion of the student and the Supervisor, the work is virtually complete and ready for defence, the student will submit a draft of the thesis, substantially in its final form, to the Supervisor. The Supervisor will review the thesis, making any appropriate suggestions to the student and will then submit it to the Advisory Committee. It is the student's responsibility to make available the number of copies needed by the Advisory Committee. When the Advisory Committee has agreed the manuscript is ready for examination the candidate will receive permission to make the final copies required for the Examining Committee.
The Examining Committee consists of at least six persons, as follows: the External Examiner, the Supervisor, three members of the Advisory Committee (including the Cognate member), and the academic unit Head, or designate, who will chair that part of the defence devoted to questioning the candidate.
Permanent members of the candidate's academic unit and of related units may be invited to attend the examination. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research or designate will chair the Examining Committee. A recommendation providing the Dean with a minimum of three suitable persons from whom the Dean may select an External Examiner, is made by the academic unit Head. The Dean invites the External Examiner. All program requirements are verified by the Dean or designate before the invitation is extended to the External Examiner. The External Examiner shall not have been associated with the preparation of the thesis in any way and shall have no conflict of interest regarding the student or the Supervisor on any aspect of the research itself.
When the thesis is ready for defence, two unbound copies are submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research for distribution to the External Examiner and Chair of the Defence. All committee members must also receive an unbound copy. These are circulated by the academic unit Head to the other members of the Examining Committee and such other members of the unit as time permits.
The Ph.D. thesis defence, which is an oral examination, is usually scheduled three to four weeks after the thesis has been submitted to the External Examiner. A candidate who anticipates formal award of the degree at a particular Convocation must ensure that two copies of the thesis, suitable for examination, are taken to the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office in sufficient time to permit the examination process to be completed prior to the deadlines established by the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Students should allow for a minimum of four weeks.
A Dissertation Summary is distributed to the Examining Committee at the time of the examination. It is the responsibility of the candidate in consultation with the research Supervisor to prepare the Dissertation Summary and related material and to submit it to the Dean seven working days prior to the oral. Students are advised to consult with the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office on this matter at least one month prior to the exam.
It is the responsibility of the student who may have any disability that could interfere with his/her conduct or ability to respond to questioning at an oral defence, to reveal the extenuating circumstances in sufficient time prior to the defence to allow the Examining Committee and the College of Graduate Studies and Research to take measures to mitigate the situation at the oral exam. The student must inform his/her Supervisor or Graduate Chair, who in turn must inform the College of Graduate Studies and Research of any potential problem.
A brief evaluation of the Ph.D. thesis must be submitted by the External Examiner to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research indicating that the thesis examination should take place as scheduled. This evaluation must be in the hands of the Dean or designate before the examination takes place.
After the thesis examination, a certification form stating the Committee's decision and signed by members of the Committee, is given to the Dean, or designate, who is present at the examination.
Where the Committee's decision is not unanimous, the majority view will prevail provided that the External Examiner shares the majority view. Where the External examiner does not share the majority view, the examination shall be adjourned and the Dean will review the situation and establish appropriate procedures to resolve the matter. Unless the examination is adjourned for such a reason, the decision of the Examining Committee is final.
It is normal for the Examining Committee to require at the time of the examination that revisions be made to the thesis before final submission. The Examining Committee will establish procedures and name the person(s) responsible for ensuring that the revisions are carried out completely. Candidates are expected to make the revisions promptly. Failure to do so could jeopardize successful completion of the degree.
The candidate must submit the thesis electronically and supply the College of Graduate Studies and Research office with one unbound copy of the thesis. Instructions for electronic submission are found on the College website. Candidates should also consult the College Convocation Officer for details.
The regulations concerning copyright and subsequent use of a thesis are the same as for a Master's thesis (see applicable section on Requirements for Master's Degrees). Bound Thesis Submission
Students should check with their individual departments for the departmental policy on bound thesis submission. The College of Graduate Studies and Research does not require submission of bound theses. Publication
The university does not require the publication of doctoral theses other than electronically in microfilm by the National Library of Canada and University Microfilms International. Each thesis is expected to include material acceptable for publication in scholarly journals of the field in which the candidate has done the research. Each candidate as a condition for award of the degree must sign two forms, one giving permission to circulate microfilm copies of the thesis; the other, permission to the University Library to make the thesis available for inspection and to the research Supervisor and department to distribute copies of the thesis and to use materials and ideas therein in scholarly publications, due recognition being given in all cases to the author of the thesis and to the University of Saskatchewan. For electronic submission, publication permissions are completed online. Recommendations for Award of Degrees
Prior to the thesis defence, the Advisory Committee is responsible for establishing that the candidate has met all other requirements for the award of the degree, as specified in academic unit and College of Graduate Studies and Research regulations and indicated on the student's approved Program of Studies: residence, qualifying examination, courses credited for the degree (including transfer credits), comprehensive examination and any other requirements. The Advisory Committee is responsible for determining when the thesis is ready to go to defence. The written statement to this effect must contain the exact title of the thesis, as it appears on the thesis.
All necessary paperwork provided at the defence must be received in the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office on or before the date, available from the College office, or under the Academic Schedule established in relation to Convocation.
Humanities & Fine Arts
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Physics & Engineering Physics Social Sciences A
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Special Case admissions are available in any department.
Many of the courses have specifically stated prerequisites. Under exceptional circumstances, prerequisites may be waived as approved by the academic unit. Not all courses described are given in any one academic year. As of 2005-2006, certain course abbreviations have changed. Students with credit for a course under its former label may not take the relabelled course for credit. 900-level Courses GSR 980 Courses College of Graduate Studies & Research Courses GSR courses, which are non-credit courses, are not associated with any specific academic unit, but are available on recommendation by the student's Advisory Committee to all registered graduate students. There are no tuition fees for these courses, provided the student is registered for other courses. Students must officially register for these courses in order to attend. These courses do not reduce the course requirements for a graduate degree.
These courses are non-credit courses, not associated with any specific department, but available on recommendation by the student's Advisory Committee to all registered graduate students. There are no tuition fees, provided the student is registered for other courses. Students must officially register in order to attend. These courses do not reduce the course requirements for a graduate degree.
990 Course
Most Master's and Ph.D. programs include a requirement that students register in a 990 seminar course. There is no tuition fee for the 990 course, provided students are registered for other courses. The 990 course carries no credit unit weight and does not reduce course requirements in the required program of study. Unless otherwise specified, a course numbered 990 and described as a seminar does not involve examinations and has no credit attached to it, although a student is required to attend and to participate in the discussions. Students must register in the 990 course at the time of first registration in any program containing a 990 component. This registration must be continuous until they have completed requirements for the course. Once credit has been received, no further registration in the 990 course will be either required or allowed. These seminar courses vary considerably in content. All include reports and discussions on current developments, research and methodology in the field, and all include requirements for student participation and presentations.
992, 993, 994, 995, 996 Courses
All students who are working on their thesis register for 994/995 (Master's Programs) or 996 (Ph.D. Programs). Project courses for students registered in Master's programs without thesis are numbered 992 (project) or 993 (publishable paper). The times and rooms at which courses meet are posted by the academic unit prior to the beginning of a term.
College of Graduate Studies and Research courses are listed in the Course Catalogue section of the Calendar under the following subject headings:
90-100 Exceptional
A superior performance with consistent strong evidence of
80-89 Very Good to Excellent
A very good to excellent performance with strong evidence of
70-79 Satisfactory to Good
A satisfactory to good performance with evidence of
60-69 Poor
A generally weak performance, but with some evidence of
<60 Failure
An unacceptable performance.
Program Requirements
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