Fall 2012 Graduate Calendar

MASTER'S PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Residence: Residence requirements are intended to provide for each student an adequate contact with the University, with the faculty in the field of specialization, and with the library, laboratories, and other facilities for graduate study . It is expected, therefore, that every full-time student in a program leading to the Master's degree will undertake a full program of study at the M2 level for a minimum of one calendar year or its equivalent. Application and interpretation of the residence requirement is the responsibility of the Dean of Graduate Studies . If a student does not expect to fulfil the residence requirement in the normal way, reasons for departing from the norm should be submitted in writing to the Dean and approval secured for the plan before beginning the graduate program. See also the section on "Duration of Study" below.

The residency requirement is not intended to apply to students admitted to graduate programs on a part-time basis.

Duration of Study: The minimum duration of study for the Master's degree is one calendar year beyond the honours Bachelor's degree, or its equivalent. Credit for no more than one-half of the required courses for the program taken at another university may be given at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies , upon the recommendation of the program coordinator. Residency still applies.

Time Limit: Work on a Master's degree must be completed within three consecutive calendar years after the student's first registration, except for certain Master's programs available on a part-time basis. In these latter programs, the time limit will depend on the nature of the program, but will not normally exceed five consecutive years.

If an extension of these time limits becomes necessary, the student should address a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies giving reasons for the request and plans for the completion of the work. A student who exceeds the time limit may be required to take additional qualifying examinations or additional course work, or both.

Course of Study: Course requirements are specified in the program listings. Planning and direction of the student's course of study are the responsibility of the program coordinator or a designated advisor. A specific program of study should be worked out at the time of the student's first registration, in consultation with the program coordinator or an advisor. Students are directed to obtain the approval of the program coordinator or designated advisor for changes in the program of study. Training in methodology may be required, at the discretion of the program.

In consultation with their advisor or the program coordinator, all students must complete an Annual Report which is to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies by May 31 of each year.

Students working toward the Master's degree must maintain at least a B- average in all course work. A candidate for the Master's degree who does not obtain graduate credit in any course may repeat the course once only, and not more than one course may be repeated. Normally, graduate credit will be given only for A or B standing in a course. Concerning credit for C grades, see section "Examination and Grading Procedures". Letter grades or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory may be assigned for theses, major papers, and projects depending on individual program policy.

After consultation between student and professor and authorization by the program coordinator, a graduate course may be recorded as INC (Incomplete) when:

1) the student has completed the class work but is unable to take the end of course examination because of illness or other acceptable reason, or

2)
(a) the student is unable to complete the work for the course because of illness or other acceptable reason, and
(b) the student has done satisfactory work in the course, and
(c) in the opinion of the professor, the student can complete the normally required work in the course without repeating the course in class.

Committees: Research undertaken as part of a Master's program is normally directed and supervised by a Master's committee. By the end of the first term of registration in the thesis, the program coordinator will recommend the appointment of members of the Master's committee, whose appointments must be approved by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Council of Graduate Studies. At the same time the candidate will be required to validate the Non-Exclusive License to the University of Windsor authorizing the University to archive, reproduce, and distribute the thesis.

The Master's thesis committee will include as a minimum the chief advisor from the program, who is a member of graduate faculty, and two other University of Windsor faculty members, one of whom shall belong to a program other than the one in which the student is obtaining the degree. Additional members may be added with the approval of the program coordinator and the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies . The member(s) from outside the program need not participate in the direction of research but shall contribute a judgment on its completion.

The majority of the members of an advisory committee must have graduate faculty status and the supervisor must have graduate faculty status. In the case of co-supervision one of the co-supervisors must have graduate faculty status.

The role of faculty members holding Limited Term Appointments will be limited to participation on Master’s committees and only in the following capacity: co-supervisor; internal department reader; outside department reader.

The Master's committee is also charged with conduct of the final examination of the Master's candidate (see below).

If the research involves human ethics, the faculty supervisor is responsible for the conduct of the study, the ethical performance of the project, and the protection of the rights and welfare of human participants. With the signed approval of the faculty supervisor, the graduate student submits an application to the Research Ethics Board. Research involving human subjects, including the secondary use of data, cannot begin until ethics clearance has been obtained. (Consult the Office of Research Services.)

If the research involves animal care or biohazards, the supervisor of the thesis is responsible for obtaining prior approval from the respective committees governing the above topics. (Consult the Office of Research Services.)