Master of Science (MSc) Thesis-based in Veterinary Medical Sciences
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In addition to Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements, PhD students must complete:
a) course;
*A suitable entry-level biostatistics course may be taken as an alternative to Veterinary Medicine 605 or 610, with permission from the Graduate Program Director.
c) MSc students must take at least 3 additional units that are appropriate to their field of study and have been approved by their Supervisory Committee; and
d) MSc students are required to give one public seminar to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine community prior to scheduling the thesis examination.
All individuals working with humans or animals must have appropriate certification. In accordance with Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines and the University of Calgary VPR office, all individuals who work with animals must register with the Institutional Animal User Training Program to complete the relevant U of C IAUTP online training modules and to determine what additional training is required as determined by their research program and any previous animal use training they may have. No animal work will be permitted until all training has been completed. The IAUTP online training modules can be accessed prior to arrival to the U of C once the student’s UCID is assigned, however, the associated written quiz and live training sessions must be completed after arrival.
In accordance with Tri-Council guidelines, all students performing research involving humans must have the CORE tutorial certificate prior to applying for ethics certification and must receive ethics certification prior to working with human subjects.
Advanced Credit
Advanced Credit may be given for course work completed prior to entry into the program. The applicant must make requests for advanced credit as part of the application for admission.
Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)
The Veterinary Medical Sciences Graduate Program will not permit the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any graduate course offered by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Students admitted to the Veterinary Medical Sciences Graduate program will not be allowed to request the CG Grade for any course that is applicable to their degree; or apply any course awarded a CG grade towards their graduation requirements.
Students may not choose the CG grade for courses taken extra to load.
The use of the CG grade will affect students' eligibility for internal awards.
Credit for Undergraduate Courses
The student's Supervisory Committee may recommend credit for undergraduate courses provided they are relevant to the area of study. Final approval is required by the Graduate Program Director.
Time Limit
In accordance with FGS Academic Regulations, studentsare expected to complete an MSc in two years, with a maximum time of four years.
Supervisory Assignments
Students will normally have identified a permanent supervisor at the time of admission.
In consultation with the student's supervisor(s), a Supervisory Committee will be selected that includes a minimum of two additional faculty members for MSc degrees. The appointment of a supervisory committee shall be completed within three months after starting the program. The Graduate Program Director will approve the composition of the committee.
Co-supervision may be required. See G.J. Supervision for appointment of Co-Supervisor.
Research Proposal Requirements
The VMS Graduate Program requires all Master's students to present a research proposal to their supervisory committee. A copy of the final version of the proposal will be kept in the student’s file.
The research proposal must be accepted by one year after initial registration in the program. For research proposal requirements, see https://vet.ucalgary.ca/current-students/graduate-students/policies-forms.
Thesis Examination
The thesis examination for MSc degrees will consist of a public seminar immediately followed by an open oral examination. In the thesis examination, the supervisor is a full voting member of the examination committee.
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 Committee
The Internal Examiner must be external to the home program.
Full-time graduate students in the VMS Graduate Program will be offered a stipend as per the VMS graduate student funding policy. Funding support for the students may come from a variety of sources, including grants, awards and scholarships. Further information on funding opportunities can be found at https://vet.ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate-students/funding.
Part-time students are not guaranteed VMS program-set minimum funding.