Master of Science (MSc) Thesis-based, Community Health Sciences Medicine

Each student is expected to attend and participate in the regularly scheduled CHS-OIPH seminars.

Research Integrity Day

Research Integrity Day is a Research Ethics session offered several times each year. All graduate students in the Cumming School of Medicine are required to attend Research Integrity Day in the first year of their program as part of their course requirements. See the Graduate Science Education https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/research-integrity-day for details and to register for the Research Integrity Day session.

Sex and Gender Training Module

The inclusion of Sex and Gender in Research programs is becoming more prominent. All graduate students in the Cumming School of Medicine are required to complete one of the CIHR sex and gender online training modules found at https://www.cihr-irsc-igh-isfh.ca/ within the first year of their program.

Advanced Credit

Open Studies Students may take courses before applying for admission to a graduate program. However, these students are not eligible to enrol in the Block Week course: Introduction to Community Health Sciences (course) or Health Research Methods (course). A maximum of 6 units, completed at a satisfactory level (minimum "B+") and within three years of admission to the graduate program, may be credited toward a student's degree requirements. Completing courses does not guarantee admission into the program.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

The Graduate programs in the Cumming School Medicine will not permit the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course offered by the Cumming School of Medicine.

Students may not choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students' eligibility for internal awards.

Credit for Undergraduate Courses

The program does not normally give credit for undergraduate courses.

Time Limit

Completion times follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations (see Time Limits):

Maximum completion time for a thesis-based master’s program is four years. Expected completion time is two years.

Supervisory Assignments

The selection of a graduate supervisor must be by mutual agreement between the student and the faculty member concerned at the time of the application to the program and approved by the Graduate Program Director. Supervisors must commit to supporting the student for the duration of their graduate studies, before admission is recommended.

Supervisory committees, required for both master’s and doctoral students, are established based upon the needs of the student and the expertise of the committee members, following discussions between the student and the supervisor and approved by the Graduate Program Director. A supervisory committee, consisting of a supervisor and co-supervisor (if applicable), plus two additional members, must be in place no later than 3 months after the student's first registration in the program.

Research Proposal Requirements

The supervisory committee must approve the formal Thesis Proposal prior to students commencing their research. MSc research proposals should be submitted and approved within 12 months of the start of program.

After approval by the student’s supervisory committee and before commencement of data collection, all proposals are submitted to the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board for ethical review, and some are submitted to the appropriate committee for impact review.

Required Examinations

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, the program requires:

Thesis Examination

All students in thesis-based programs (MSc and PhD) must successfully pass the Final Thesis Oral Examination (see Thesis Examinations).

All MSc examinations in MDCH will consist of a 10‐minute presentation by the candidate followed by an open oral examination. No public seminar is expected.

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the supervisory committee must have reviewed the student’s draft thesis document before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Examination Committee

For MSc thesis examinations, the examination committee will consist of the student’s supervisory committee (which includes the supervisor) plus an Internal/External Examiner, who may be internal to the student’s home program.

Students will receive a graduate stipend as outlined in the Cumming School of Medicine Funding Policy found at https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/student-payments.

Funding opportunities can be found at https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/current-student-program-overview/community-health-sciences.