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 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

All MSc and PhD students must defend a written research proposal to their supervisory committee. For additional information about the PhD research proposal, refer to: http://wcm.ucalgary.ca/gse/files/gse/csm-candidacy-examination-process-effective-september-1-2015.pdf.

Required Examinations

Doctoral Candidacy

To enter candidacy, doctoral students must: (1) successfully complete all required courses, (2) attend Research Integrity Day (3) successfully complete the CIHR Sex and Gender in Research online training module(s), (4) have the thesis research proposal approved at a thesis proposal evaluation meeting, and (5) successfully complete a Field of Study oral examination. Specific details of the examination format and other candidacy requirements can be found at: https://wcm.ucalgary.ca/gse/files/gse/csm-candidacy-examination-process-effective-september-1-2015.pdf.

Thesis Examination

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

PhD students are expected to give a public seminar prior to the examination. During this public seminar, members of the examining committee will not be permitted to ask questions, and this presentation is not considered part of the examination.

PhD examinations will consist of an open oral examination. If the student has not given a public seminar immediately prior to the examination, they may be offered the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation at the beginning of the examination.

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s research, including a relevant written sample of the materials related to the thesis, before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Examination Committee

For a doctoral thesis examination, the examination committee will consist of the supervisory committee, an internal/external examiner (who may be internal to the student’s home program), PLUS an external examiner who is external to the University of Calgary. The external examiner must be approved by the program director and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Neuroscience Medicine

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General Program Information