Program Procedures

This document contains the Graduate Program Regulations of the Department of Biology that have been passed by the Committee of the Whole (COW) and can be altered at any time by COW. 

Formally stated regulations are required (a) to ensure fairness to both students and professors, and (b) to facilitate administration.

Some of the regulations are University ones (mostly of the Faculty of Graduate Studies) which the department cannot override. 

Others are departmental regulations, each of which has been formally approved by the Committee of the Whole.  The departmental regulations are subject to change by the Committee of the Whole. 

A student need adhere only to the departmental regulations that pertained in the year he or she entered the program (except that the Preliminary Examination is governed by regulations in effect at the time a student successfully completes the Admission to Candidacy Examination, ATC).

Students and supervisors should read through the regulations at least once. Forms and additional explanatory material are available under the Graduate Studies menu of the Biology Department website.

Any circumstance not specifically covered in these regulations or by the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar will be dealt with by the Graduate Coordinator on an ad hoc basis in consultation with the Graduate Directorate as appropriate. 

Appeals of such decisions, the application of the regulations in this document, or other decisions of the Graduate Coordinator or members of the Graduate Directorate should first be made to the departmental Chair, then the Dean of Graduate Studies, and then (if no satisfactory agreement has been reached) to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Appeals Committee. 

Students should bring general concerns about the graduate program to the attention of student representatives (Biology Organization of Graduate Students; BOGS) on the Graduate Directorate. 

Concerns of a specific nature should be addressed to the Graduate Coordinator.

One-Year MSc

MSc expected to take two years to complete, student pays full fees for one year, thereafter the continuing fee.

Two-Year MSc

MSc expected to take two years to complete, student pays full fees for two years, thereafter the continuing fee.

Part-time MSc

MSc, time lines doubled from above.

PhD

PhD degrees are expected to take 4 to 4.5 years to complete, student pays full fees for each year enrolled in the program.

More details of the requirements of the different programs are given below.

All applications will be considered by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the department.

Recommendations to admit or not admit a student are sent to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. These recommendations are based on the academic qualifications and record of the student and availability of:

• a supervisor in the area of biology in which the student wishes to study who is willing to supervise him/her
• financial support for the student (usually a scholarship, often partly or fully from the supervisor’s research grants)

Students with full-time employment are not accepted for full-time graduate study but may apply for a part-time MSc program (see sections 4.5, 4.2and 8.11).  Because no part-time PhD program is available in Biology, full-time employees who wish to study for a PhD must obtain a leave of absence.

Students who have an Honours BSc in biology, or have graduated from an approved university with 20 undergraduate credits (or equivalent academic experience) and an adequate concentration in biology, may be accepted into a one-year MSc program (see sections 6.1 and 8.2 for definitions and requirements of different programs).

Students holding a combined Honours degree in biology or a discipline which prepares them well for the particular area of biology in which they wish to do graduate work may be accepted into a one-year MSc program.

However, if a significant change of discipline is to occur between undergraduate and graduate studies, the student will be required to register in a two-year MSc program (see sections 6.1and 8.2 for definitions and requirements of different programs).

Students with a general BSc, and those who have graduated from an approved university program with less than 20 but no less than 15 undergraduate credits (or equivalent academic experience) may be accepted into a two-year MSc program provided that they have an outstanding academic record and a minimum of four classes in biology (see sections 6.1 and 8.2 for definitions and requirements of different programs).

Where the level of undergraduate experience cannot be readily assessed, students may be accepted initially into a two-year MSc program but after arrival and with approval from their Supervisory Committee, may apply for transfer to a one-year MSc program after taking the Admission to Candidacy Examination (section 4.2).  

Application for transfer must be supported by full documentation of undergraduate experience.

Students with a BSc Honours or an equivalent degree in biology and who wish to proceed directly to a PhD will normally be asked to register initially in a one-year MSc program.

They can, if they so wish, apply for an in-course transfer to a PhD program at their Admission to Candidacy Exam (ATC exam).

Students who have a MSc in biology or an allied field from an approved university may be accepted into a PhD program (see sections 6.1 and 8.2 for definitions and requirements of different programs).

Students with a masters degree in a non-biological subject or from an unapproved university may in exceptional cases, be accepted into a PhD program (see sections 6.1 and 8.2 for definitions and requirements of different programs).  

The Biology Department normally does not accept students in the Faculty of Graduate Studies qualifying student program.  

Students can upgrade their background by taking classes in the undergraduate faculty as special student status (non-degree) students.

Students who have taken graduate classes at Dalhousie or elsewhere before applying for graduate studies, and who have not used these classes for another degree, can apply for appropriate graduate credit, although these cannot usually be used to account for more than half the required credits from the degree.

Students are recommended to pursue full-time studies whenever possible and applications for part-time MSc study must be accompanied by a letter explaining the circumstances that prevent full-time residency.

Applications are dealt with by the same procedures as those for full-time study and the same general admission requirements apply, although part-time students do not generally require a scholarship.

Faculty regulations defining part-time studies are set out in section 4.3 of the Graduate Calendar.  

For departmental requirements see sections 7.2  and 8 of this document.  

Applicants who are employed and who must obtain special privileges from the employer to pursue graduate work must include written consent from the employer with their application.

Normally, applications for in course transfer to a different program (e.g, MSc to PhD) will first be considered at the Admission to Candidacy exam in January to May of the student's first year, assuming the student commenced the program in September (see section 11).  

If approved, transfers take effect at the beginning of the next academic year.

Students with undergraduate experience equivalent to an Honours BSc and with a minimum of either nine full-credit classes in biology, or six in biology and three in allied subjects related to their graduate studies may apply for transfer from a two-year MSc to a one-year MSc program at any time after the admission to candidacy exam during their first year of study.

Applications for transfer between full-time and part-time MSc studies will be considered at any time.  

Time spent in each program will be prorated in assessing degree and residency requirements.  

Requests should be made to the Graduate Coordinator.

Students registered in the PhD program may apply for transfer into the one-year MSc program by written request to the Graduate Coordinator after consultation with the supervisor.

A change of supervisor requires permission from the Graduate Coordinator who, along with at least one other faculty member, will listen to the student’s reasons for change.

Applications may be made at any time if a suitable and willing new supervisor is available. 

If his/her assistance is requested, the Graduate Coordinator or designate may help arrange the change, after consulting the existing and proposed supervisors and examining the student's graduate record.

Leave of absence, suspension of studies for up to a term, or parental leave may be given according to the regulations in 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 of the Graduate Calendar for medical reasons or because of:

• a serious problem outside the student's control (leave of absence)
• an unexpected emergency (suspension of studies)
• pregnancy, birth or adoption (parental leave).  

Students should apply in writing to the Graduate Coordinator, with the request countersigned by their supervisor, who will forward the request to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

It is the student's responsibility to register on the day(s) specified for graduate student registration.

All students, each term, must register via the web at Dal Online.  

Students who require an extension to their Program or have an outstanding progress report will not be permitted to register until the extension or progress report has been officially approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Registration information is on the Faculty of Graduate Studies web site (which include deadlines).  

New students should initially register for REGN9999 and the thesis (BIOL9000 for MSc students and BIOL9530 for PhD students).  

Registration for particular classes is usually carried out after the initial meeting with the Graduate Coordinator.  

All students should register for the thesis each term, and for classes only in the term(s) that the class is taken.

If graduate students allow their registration to lapse they will be considered to have withdrawn, and will be required to apply for re-admission (contact Graduate Coordinator).

A full-time student is one who has not yet completed the requirement for a full-time Program in which he or she is registered, and who is registered for at least two and a half full-credit classes (including the thesis).

A part-time MSc student is one who has not yet completed the residency requirement for a part-time program in which he or she is registered, and who is registered for two or less full-credit classes.

A continuing student is a student who is not in the first year of her/his program and who has either completed the course requirements in a degree program or is in the process of completing them and is still completing other requirements (usually principally the thesis).

A student must meet the requirements for the program for which she/he is registered in order to graduate.

Each is designated by the minimum period of full-time study required for the degree (section 6.1).

Equivalent part-time MSc programs have the same requirements except that the minimum time to be spent in each program is tripled.

Minimum class requirements are given below for each program

	MSc	PhD	PhDT (T for transfer)
Number of Half-credit classes	4	2	4
BIOL5700: Communication skills	Compulsory	Compulsory, unless previously taken at Dalhousie	Compulsory
BIOL5705-6: Modules	Compulsory		Compulsory
Other Graduate ClassesTwo 3-credit-hours	Two 3-credit-hours	Two 3-credit-hours	Two 3-credit-hours
*May include BIOL5700, BIOL5710 or BIOL5720.
Students who have already taken BIOL5710 wishing to take another half credit of modules can register for BIOL5720.

All graduate students must take normally in their first year: Communication Skills (Biology 5700), unless they have previously taken it at Dalhousie, and the Graduate Module (Biology 5705), unless they are PhD students, normally in their first year.

The Graduate Module Courses (Biology 5705 and Biology 5706) consist of three month-long modules chosen from a list prepared by the module coordinator (as well as graduate modules given at the Nova Scotia Agriculture College).  

The Module Coordinator, a faculty member appointed by the departmental Chair, is responsible for organizing the Graduate Module class, assigning final grades (the average of the grades for the three modules taken) and transmitting them to the Registrar.

Required graduate classes are numbered in the 5000 series, and may be given by the Biology Department or other departments at Dalhousie University.

No class may be assigned a graduate number without approval from the Graduate Coordinator and Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Special topics classes may be arranged with faculty members, honourary adjunct professors or honourary research associates.

They may include a combination of directed reading, seminars, written assignments, individual study and discussion or laboratory projects in a prescribed area. Students should approach potential instructors directly with their requests.

Each topic must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, using a form (see below) on which the instruction and evaluation are described and agreed to by the instructor and student.

Permission is not normally given for students to take a class from their research supervisor.

The instructor communicates the grade to the Graduate Coordinator who is responsible for entering the grade into Banner.

Download special topics form [PDF-65KB]

At the discretion of the Supervisory Committee, supervisor or ATC examiners, a student may be directed to take for credit classes needed to make up deficiencies or acquire skills considered beneficial but of subsidiary importance.  

If these are undergraduate level classes they are designated as ancillary, to be passed with a minimum grade of B-.  

They must be reported to the Graduate Coordinator or Stream Chair at the interview in September and are listed on the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS).

They may not be used for graduate credit.

Students may also elect or be required to audit classes relevant to their Program. No credits are received for these.  

A maximum of one audit class is allowed for each year of the specified Program (i.e. one for a one-year MSc, two for a two-year MSc, etc).  

Continuing Students may not audit. However, additional classes may always be audited if paid for with extra fees.

All classes not designated audit or ancillary at the September interview are considered to be required and must be passed with a grade of at least B-.  

Classes in which a student fails to obtain this grade may not be reclassified as audit or ancillary at the end of term.

Failure to obtain the minimum grade in any class disqualifies a student from further graduate study and from graduation unless permission is obtained from the Dean of Graduate Studies to reenter the program.

Students who wish to continue must apply immediately to the Graduate Coordinator for readmission.  

The Graduate Coordinator will review the application with the student's Supervisory Committee or supervisor and a recommendation will be submitted to the departmental Chair for consideration by the Dean.

For all graduate degrees from the Biology Department a satisfactory thesis embodying contributions to original research must be presented and successfully defended in a public oral examination (sections 14 to 16).

• Each graduate student must complete teaching assistantship or demonstrate for a total of at least two half-credit classes (see section 18).  Only teaching assistantships & demonstrators, not marker, positions can be used to fulfill this requirement.

The normal time limits for the completion of degrees are:

•  MSc, full-time: four years
•  MSc, part-time: five years
•  PhD: six years

Two annual extensions may be granted by Graduate Studies.  

Requests for extensions should be made on the progress report forms (section 13).  

The second extension is FINAL.

A student who decides to withdraw from graduate studies must notify the Dean of Graduate Studies, Chair of the Department and the Graduate Coordinator by letter. A form available here must be filled out:
https://dalu.sharepoint.com/sites/graduate-studies/SitePages/forms.aspx?_ga=2.165381695.1885044772.1718199278-430875499.1717183407

Refund of fees will be calculated from the date this letter is received.

Students should meet with their supervisor before classes begin and work out a program of suitable classes for each year of study.  

It is the supervisor's responsibility to arrange this meeting but he/she may need reminding by the student.

• In selecting appropriate classes, bear in mind the following:
• Students in full-time PhD or one-year MSc programs should take all formally taught required classes in their first year, if possible. However, to take advantage of classes offered only in alternate years, etc., the specified number of class credits in a degree program may be spread over more than one academic year.
• All graduate students must enroll for Thesis Research (BIOL9000 for MSc thesis; BIOL9530 for PhD thesis) even though they may expect to make little progress in that year.
• Graduate credit is obtained only for graduate classes. Classes given at both graduate and undergraduate level have two numbers and the correct one must be used (5000 or above if taken as a graduate class).

Students should begin classes on the first day each class is given.  

Consult the University timetable in the Biology Department office and appropriate notice boards.

This will be completed at the September (or January for January-starts in their first year) interview by the Graduate Coordinator or the Stream Chair and requires the entry of program requirements in the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS).

Any change in classes after the interview must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator or a Stream Chair, who updates the ‘program’ form in the Graduate Student Information System (GSIS).

The graduate program of the Biology Department is organized into these streams.

• Ecology and Evolution
• Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology

Each stream is coordinated by one or more Chairs who are appointed by the Committee of the Whole for a three-year term.

Each entering graduate student must choose a stream to be a member of.

Stream Chairs are responsible for interviewing continuing students in their stream at the annual interview conducted in September. Stream Chairs are also responsible for chairing the admission to candidacy (see section 11) and preliminary examinations (see section 12).

The rules for determining the composition of a supervisory committee are established by FGS, not by the Department of Biology.

The essentials are as follows:

1. Every committee member must be a member of FGS, either REGULAR or ADJUNCT member (See below for definitions).
2. At least 50% of the committee must be REGULAR or ADJUNCT (RETIRED) FGS members
3. At least one person in the committee must be in the Department of Biology
4. Thesis candidates should have one supervisor or two co-supervisors and at least two additional members. This means that a student with a single supervisor will have a committee with minimum 3 people but a student with 2 co-supervisors will need a committee with at least 4 people.

FGS memberships: There are two types of membership: Regular and Adjunct. A REGULAR member is a current Dalhousie faculty or a retired faculty with a paid post-retirement appointment. There are 4 types of Adjunct FGS memberships: Adjunct (Retired): Retired Faculty without a post-retirement paid position. Adjunct (Scholars): Non-Dalhousie scholars, Adjunct scholars (postdoctoral fellows), Adjunct (indigenous advisor scholar).

To become an FGS member applicants should submit a request accompanied by their CV to the Chair of the Biology Department Appointments and Awards Committee (AAC). An FGS membership application will then be submitted by the Chair of AAC to fgs.memberships@dal.ca. 

More Information on FGS membership can be found at:

https://dalu.sharepoint.com/sites/graduate-studies/SitePages/membership.aspx?_ga=2.152169721.1581593600.1720054297-430875499.1717183407

This is a summary of information available on the FGS site: More detailed information on Committee composition can be found at:

https://academiccalendar.dal.ca/Catalog/ViewCatalog.aspx?pageid=viewcatalog&catalogid=130&chapterid=8668&loaduseredits=False

Other considerations:

• An Adjunct (Scholar) may serve on only one committee or co-supervise only one student in total.
• An Adjunct (Scholar) Postdoctoral Researcher may co-supervise Master's students and serve on supervisory and examining committees. They may not serve on the supervisory or examining committees of their supervisor’s students.
• Only one Adjunct (Scholar) Postdoctoral Researcher may serve on a given Master’s or PhD supervisory or examining committee.

Admission to Candidacy Guidelines can be found here.

All students must be admitted to candidacy for a graduate degree before submitting a thesis.

Requirements for admission will normally be completed during the first nine months in which a student is registered.

Information about procedures is obtainable from the Biology office or the Biology Department website.

Admission to Candidacy is based on presentation of an acceptable research proposal and successful defence of this proposal before an examining committee.  

The examiners will consider not only the merit and feasibility of the proposal but also the student's knowledge of methodology, literature and general academic background in areas relevant to the research.

The ATC will constitute the first meeting of the potential Supervisory Committee. The supervisor will not participate in direct examination of the student but will vote on the decision.  

The ATC will be chaired by a Stream Chair, or by the Graduate Coordinator/designate at the request of the Stream Chair (e.g. when the Stream Chair is supervisor, external examiner, or otherwise unavailable).  

In addition to the potential Supervisory Committee, the examining committee will consist of one external examiner from within the university.  The supervisor is asked to suggest a potential external examiner.

In selecting a date for the examination, the student will have consulted the Supervisory Committee members as to their availability.  

In the event that a potential Supervisory Committee member would be unavailable, the student will inform the Graduate Coordinator who will find an alternative examiner. At least two examiners, in addition to the supervisor/co-supervisors, Chair and external examiner must be present for the ATC exam to be valid. Only one member of the examining committee may take part remotely via phone or video conferencing.

Decision will be by simple majority vote; the alternatives are pass/conditional pass/repeat/fail.  The Chair will vote only if the committee vote is tied.

A conditional pass will be given if the student requires further background preparation. Appropriate classes or remedial effort must be assigned. A timeline for completion of conditions must be given. The Graduate Coordinator will ensure that these conditions are completed.

Students whose performance is unsatisfactory but capable of improvement will be asked to repeat the examination by a specified date. As far as possible, they will be reexamined by the same committee.  

A failure is given when the student’s performance at the Admission to Candidacy Examination indicates that they are not suitable for graduate studies in Biology. Failure results in academic dismissal (according to FGS regulations). If the student wishes to be readmitted, he/she should apply to the Graduate Coordinator to petition FGS for readmission. If readmitted, the student must repeat and pass the ATC examination within 12 months.

MSc students may request transfer to the PhD program at the time of their ATC. Students who have successfully completed the ATC for the Masters program and who wish to apply for transfer to the PhD program, are also eligible to be considered under the following provisions:

• the request for transfer will normally take place within the student's first four terms of study (if not permission of the Faculty of Graduate Studies is required).
• the student must defend a new proposal and must take a second ATC examination
• the composition of the examining committee for the second ATC will normally but not necessarily be the same as for the first ATC.
• the student must defend a new proposal appropriate for a PhD candidacy and must take a second ATC examination the composition of the examining committee for the second ATC will normally but not necessarily be the same as for the first ATC.

Students in a part-time MSc program may elect to delay the candidacy defence for up to one year beyond the normal time subject to agreement of the supervisor.  

In all such cases, the student shall meet with the provisional Supervisory Committee at the end of the first year of study, to present a progress report.  

For all postponements in the date of the ATC examination beyond the first 9 months of study, written requests should be made to the Graduate Coordinator, with the request supported by the supervisor.

The purpose of the preliminary exam is to:

•  evaluate whether the PhD student is making sufficient progress on the PhD to soon advance to the Defense.
  
• Identify any potential weaknesses that can be addressed prior to the Defense.

Preliminary examinations are normally to be held more than 30 months after commencing the graduate program. We encourage students to aim at taking their preliminary exam ideally as close as possible to month 37 and no later than month 54 after start of their program. However, we understand there can be circumstances that may require students to take longer than 54 months.

With the purpose of the exam in mind, the supervisor and PhD student should decide on the timing of the exam, given the guidelines above and the availability of the Supervisory Committee members. At least four weeks in advance, the supervisor should contact the Graduate Secretary and provide the names and contact information of members of the Supervisory Committee and suggested External Examiner. The Graduate Secretary along with the Graduate Coordinator will schedule the examination and arrange for a Chair. The Graduate Secretary will notify the student and Examining Committee of final arrangements, including the date, time and room of the examination.

A guide to the preliminary examination from the Biology Department is available here: https://www.dal.ca/faculty/science/biology/graduate/graduate-forms-and-guidelines0.html

Each student must submit an annual progress report within the Graduate Studies Information System (GSIS), at least one month before the anniversary of the student’s admission date (i.e. 1 Aug for September start students) beginning with the second year of registration.  

Registration and scholarship funding may be delayed if progress reports are not submitted on time. Requests for extensions beyond the usual program time limits are made on the GSIS forms.

An acceptable thesis will describe in clear and concise language an original contribution to knowledge of sufficient value to merit publication. It must be prepared according to instructions published by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and conform to university requirements for theses.

The thesis must be written by the student but advice and criticism from members of the supervisory committee, especially the supervisor, should be sought during its preparation.  

Students are also encouraged to present a synopsis for discussion and conditional approval before beginning to write, but formal approval by the supervisory committee is not mandatory.  

Responsibility for the document presented rests with the student. The examining committee, in judging the thesis, is concerned primarily with the quality of the work and evidence of original contributions to knowledge.

It may be helpful for students, when preparing their thesis, to examine approved Biology Department MSc and PhD theses.

The thesis should be concise, bearing in mind the need for scholarly discussion, clear presentation of experimental method and results, and adequate review of the main issues.  A student may opt to submit some or all of the thesis as a series of related papers.  However, if this is done, the Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations referring to this option must be adhered to carefully.  Students are encouraged to publish the results of their work at any stage of their graduate program but must avoid conflict of copyright.

Department copying facilities may be used to prepare examination copies of a thesis.

A submitted thesis should have been read and approved by the supervisor, or designate, (both MSc and PhD) and other members of the supervisory committee (PhD).  

The supervisor and, in the case of PhD students, other supervisory committee members indicate that they consider that the thesis is suitable for submission by signing the thesis submission form.  

There are separate thesis submission forms for MSc and PhD theses.  

A student has the right to submit a thesis which has not been approved by the supervisor or Committee, but they must sign the appropriate part of the thesis submission form, indicating that they are aware that they are doing this without departmental support.

The thesis submission form can be found here: https://dalu.sharepoint.com/sites/graduate-studies/SitePages/forms.aspx#theses-and-defences

An electronic copy of the MSc thesis along with the Biology Department MSc Thesis Submission form completed by the student and supervisor must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.

A minimum time of three weeks must be allowed the external examiner to read the thesis.

The submitted thesis must follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies format guidelines.

Detailed information on procedures and guidelines for MSc thesis defence is available from the Biology Office.

An electronic copy of the PhD thesis along with the completed PhD Thesis Submission Form and PhD Examination Information Form must be submitted at the same time to the Faculty of Graduate studies. See Faculty of Graduate Studies Guidelines on Preparing for a Doctoral Defence

The PhD thesis submission form has to be completed by the student, supervisor and committee members and submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

At the time of submission, the candidate should provide a brief abstract of the significant findings, no longer than 350 words, suitable for publication in a public notice of the defence.

An electronic copy of the PhD thesis must also be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator for distribution to the internal examining committee members.

The examination will be held no earlier than four weeks after submission of the thesis, thereby allowing adequate time for the thesis to be read by the external examiner.

The submitted thesis must follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies format guidelines.

Information on thesis submission deadlines and convocation are published each year by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and are strictly adhered to.  

Final submission of a MSc thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies must be accompanied by a completed Master’s Thesis Approval Form signed by the supervisor, and examining committee members.

Forms required by the Faculty of Graduate Studies for final thesis submission (PhD and MSc) are the Dalhousie Thesis Licence Agreement and Student Contribution to Manuscripts (if applicable).

Faculty of Graduate Studies require all theses to be submitted electronically via DalSpace.

MSc Thesis
The examining committee is normally the supervisory committee, an external examiner and a full-time associate or full professor in the Biology Department who chairs the examination.  

The Supervisor provides the names (including contact information) of at least three potential external examiners to the Graduate Coordinator in order of preference, at least eight weeks prior to the anticipated date of the defence. The Graduate Coordinator, assisted by the Graduate Secretary, will contact the potential external examiner. Supervisors or students should not contact potential examiners. A copy of the potential external examiner’s CV is submitted to the departmental Chair for final approval.

The external examiner should be knowledgeable and experienced in the area of research covered by the thesis, and must not have been involved in the thesis work, or other research, of the student.  The external examiner should not be currently associated with Dalhousie University (either as an employee or with an honorary appointment).

The external examiner does not normally attend the defence but submits a written report beforehand.  

Supervisors should provide the Graduate Secretary or Graduate Coordinator with the necessary information for arranging the defence.

PhD Thesis
The examining committee consist of the supervisory committee, external examiner, departmental representative (nominated by the departmental Chair) and a nominee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies who chairs the examination.  

The names of at least three suitable external examiners (along with contact information), approved by the Supervisory Committee, is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator in order of preference, by the Supervisor. The Graduate Coordinator, assisted by the Graduate Secretary, will contact the potential external examiner. Supervisors or students should not contact potential examiners. The Request to Arrange an Oral Defence Form along with the name and CV of the potential external examiner is submitted to FGS at least 12 weeks prior to the anticipated date of the defence.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies will issue a formal invitation to the external examiner once a date and time has been set and will send a copy of the thesis to him/her at least four weeks before the defence.  

The external examiner should be an acknowledged expert in the field of research being examined in the thesis. Also refer to the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘Conflict of Interest Guidelines’ for external examiners of Doctoral thesis.

The external examiner submits a report at least one week prior to the defence to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and attends the defence.  

Supervisors should provide the Graduate Secretary or Graduate Coordinator with the necessary information for arranging the defence.

The time, date, modality, and place of MSc examinations are arranged by the Graduate Secretary in the Department of Biology upon being contacted by student/supervisor.  The MSc examination can be taken as an “in-person”, “online”, or “hybrid” exam. The “in-person” mode allows up to one online participant over TEAMS. In the “online” mode everyone is online. The “hybrid” mode allows more than one online participant but requires special consideration at the time of room booking. The student/supervisor must specify which mode is chosen when contacting the Graduate Secretary to arrange the examination date. An outline of all procedures to be followed for arranging MSc examinations is available from the Biology Office. Potential dates for PhD examinations are communicated to the Biology Department Graduate Secretary who then passes this information to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. PhD examinations are held at a central location on campus. For PhD examinations, the Faculty of Graduate Studies Office will send announcements to departments.

Because extensive revision may be asked for, students should not enter commitments that prevent them from devoting full attention to correcting inadequacies immediately after the examination.

The thesis shall be defended orally before the examining committee and any other interested persons who choose to attend.  A public announcement of the examination shall normally be posted before the event.

A defence consists of a 10-20 minute survey by the candidate of the scope of the problem and main achievements. This is followed in MSc examinations by presentation of the external examiner's report (by the Chair) and the student's response. In PhD examinations, the Chair will give priority to the external examiner where one is present. After the remaining examiners and the audience have questioned the candidate, the examiners deliberate in camera, basing the decision both on the quality of the thesis and the candidate's ability to defend it.

The outcome of MSc examinations is decided by the majority opinion of examiners present. No PhD thesis shall be accepted without approval of the external examiner, except that a negative opinion of an external examiner who does not attend the defence should not prevail over the unanimous opinion of other examiners present and voting.

Theses are graded on a pass or fail basis.  A thesis can be:

• Accepted as submitted
• Accepted on condition that specified corrections are made. The supervisor is normally asked to monitor the required changes and a time limit is set by the examining committee. Revisions should be made in the same typescript - insertions by pen are not acceptable. Pagination must be changed, if necessary, so that all numbering is consecutive.
• Rejected with permission to submit a revised thesis. When resubmitted, the thesis will be re-read by an examining committee, containing at least two members from the original committee. The thesis shall be sent to an external examiner who may be the original external examiner if Chair of the examination considers this desirable. The revised thesis shall be defended in the usual way.
• Rejected. The rejection may be on grounds of form as well as content. The candidate, research supervisor or departmental Chair may appeal this decision to the Chair of the examination. If the evidence presented appears sufficiently strong, the Chair shall initiate the procedure for a re-examination. No more than one appeal may be entertained.

Regulations governing theses defence may be varied only if permission is obtained in writing. For MSc theses, discretion lies with the departmental Chair; for PhD theses, with the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students are responsible for submitting to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Office the corrected and approved thesis.

 Information on thesis submission deadlines and convocation are published each year by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and are strictly adhered to.

For detailed information visit:

https://dalu.sharepoint.com/sites/graduate-studies/SitePages/submitting.aspx?_ga=2.240878211.1885044772.1718199278-430875499.1717183407  

Faculty of Graduate Studies require all theses to be submitted electronically via DalSpace.

Submitted theses are accessible online via DalSpace. To obtain a bound copy of the thesis, students and supervisors must contact directly and make arrangements with a binding company.

As part of their graduate training, all students must teach in at least two half-credit classes. Students with external supervisors may teach in classes in the supervisor’s home Department or Faculty. Only demonstrator, not marker, positions can be used to fulfil this requirement.

This will occupy normally 3-6 hours per week. Students that TA at Dalhousie University will be paid in accordance with the CUPE rate. Students should examine the posted TA advertisements and apply to the TA Coordinator for TA positions.

TA credit may be given to students with prior teaching experience for one equivalent course regardless of how many courses were taught prior to the student’s admittance in a graduate program.

A student's supervisor is responsible for costs directly associated with research for the thesis (except in occasional cases where there is a written agreement between student and supervisor before the student enters the program) but all costs associated with writing and presenting the thesis are the student's responsibility.

This is available on a competitive basis from several sources. The Graduate Admissions Committee recommends students to the Dean and appropriate university committees for all internal scholarships and awards.

In arriving at these recommendations it uses:

• class grades
• references from supervisors and other knowledgeable persons

Students in full-time degree programs need full scholarship support at a level determined by the Graduate Admissions Committee for the duration of their programs.  No student may start their program until the source of secured funding has been demonstrated. 

If the student has, through no fault of their own, failed to complete their thesis in the standard two years (MSc) or four years (PhD), the supervisor will normally support the student for up to an additional three months (MSc) or six months (PhD) from their research grants when necessary, at a minimum of 80% of their full support.

Students planning to present their research at a scientific meeting may apply to the Dean of Graduate Studies for a grant towards their expenses, at least a month before the conference, on the conference travel grant form.

A student may expect only one travel grant up to a total of $500 during the course of a degree program. Receipts for expenses must be submitted to the Dean's office; otherwise the travel grant will be recorded on the student's T4 form as income.

The Patrick F. Lett Graduate Students Assistance Bursary is funded by an endowment from Dr. Lett. Its purpose is to assist Biology graduate students supervised by a Faculty member in the Biology Department in financial need either in emergency situations or with the loss of previous sources of support.

Bursaries awarded can be used to support the student's research, living expenses, tuition, books, lodging and travel that relates to his or her research.

The criterion is need. Application forms and guidelines are emailed to all graduate students several times a year and are available in the biology department main office

The GAC has four faculty members elected for three-year terms by the Department of Biology Committee of the Whole, and one graduate student elected by the Biology Organization of Graduate Students (BOGS). It elects its own chair for a three year term from the faculty members.

The GAC processes all applications for graduate studies and recommends qualified students to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for admission, with financial support where appropriate. It is responsible for monetary aspects of the graduate program and selects or ranks students for scholarships, awards and other forms of financial support.

The GAC is responsible for drawing up the department's budget for graduate scholarships and submitting it to the Chair of the Department of Biology and the Faculty of Graduate Studies as requested. In doing so, the GAC reviews the needs and eligibility of continuing students for scholarship support and allocates funds accordingly. At an appropriate time after the Department of Biology budget allocation is known and the award of Killam and NSERC postgraduate scholarships has been announced, the GAC allocates Dalhousie Graduate awards to new students.

The Graduate Coordinator is appointed for a three-year term by the Committee of the Whole. This person is responsible for general administration of the graduate program and for channeling information to and from the Faculty of Graduate Studies Office. He/she is assisted by the Graduate Secretary.

The Graduate Coordinator, and Graduate Secretary maintain all graduate student records and help students with any difficulties they may encounter.

Each year before classes have started in September, the Graduate Coordinator and the Stream Chairs interview each graduate student who is registered but has not defended a thesis. At this meeting graduate program forms and program update forms are be completed.

Meeting purpose

• Update departmental records.
• Check that the student is meeting departmental and Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements.
• Offer appropriate advice and listen to suggestions or criticisms on any aspect of the graduate program.

The Graduate Coordinator is responsible for taking whatever steps are needed to correct mistakes or deficiencies revealed by these interviews.

In November the Graduate Secretary will distribute to all first year students information about the admission to candidacy examination. The Graduate Secretary will schedule the examinations. The Graduate Coordinator will inform students of the results and follow up all issues arising from the examinations.

Graduate Coordinator responsibilities

• Consult appropriately when any student has failed two attempts at a Preliminary Examination and advise the departmental Chair on a course of action.
• Consider all applications for program extensions beyond the usual limits.
• Consider applications for in-course transfers (section 4).
• Consider all applications for readmission to graduate studies from students who have failed classes (section 4).
• Solicit and approve all graduate classes, including special topics classes
• Update procedures manual (this document).
• Consider all grievances from students concerning their graduate work, and listen to advice or criticism on any aspect of the graduate program in general.
• Conduct an evaluation of the graduate program by means of a graduate student survey every three years
• Call and chair meetings of the Graduate Directorate (section 22).
• Present a report on the graduate program at the Biology Department Annual General Meeting.

Graduate Secretary responsibilities

• Take minutes at Graduate Directorate meetings.
• Assist in preparing by August each year the departmental booklet “Graduate Classes for Biology Students.”
• Assist in preparing the departmental entry for the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar.
• Inform the Registrar's office of any changes in graduate class offerings not included in the University timetable for the current year.
• Give students mail slots.
• Maintain student records.
• Setup ATC examinations.
• Set up preliminary examinations.
• Setup MSc thesis defences.
• Liaise with the Faculty of Graduate Studies in setting up PhD thesis defences.
• Assists Graduate Coordinator and Chair of Biology Department in management of program

This consists of the stream Chairs, the Chair of the GAC, the Executive Assistant, two student representatives appointed by BOGS,  and is chaired by the Graduate Coordinator.

It reviews all policy recommendations from stream and committee chairs as well as student representatives and transmits them to the Committee of the Whole.

On request, it advises the Graduate Coordinator on dealing with situations and procedures not covered in this book.

The supervisor must meet with the student to select a program before classes commence.  

If the student is not on campus by this time, the meeting must take place within one or two days of arrival.  

Students on campus and unable to meet their supervisor should consult the Graduate Coordinator.

The responsibilities of the supervisor at his/her first meeting with the student are:

• To help the student plan classes and other course work and advise on all requirements for the degree sought.
• To determine which classes are required and whether any should be designated ancillary or audit.
• To ensure that the student has suitable working space and facilities for research.
• For overseas students, to advise on matters such as health insurance, social security numbers, etc., and to ensure that housing and finances are adequate.

Responsibilities of students towards supervisors, and supervisors towards students are laid out in the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies Regulations. A document outlining these mutual responsibilities will be provided to students and supervisors for their signature ensuring mutual awareness.

Before a student is admitted to be supervised by an external supervisor, the supervisor must be appointed membership in the Faculty of Graduate studies. Individuals with Adjunct (FGS) membership with the Faculty of Graduate studies must identify a willing co-supervisor from the full-time biology department faculty. External supervisors must be in good standing in terms of fulfilling their responsibilities as laid down in the Graduate Program Procedures.

Supervisors have the right “to terminate supervision and advise the student to find another supervisor where evidence shows the student does not heed advice and ignores recommendations for changes in the research and thesis, or if the student is not putting forth a reasonable effort”.   (see section 9.4.4 of the Faculty of Graduate Studies Regulations).

If the supervisor decides to invoke this right:

(I) It should only take place after three (3) letters of warning to the student. The letters should include details on the cause for the warning, any proposals for remedy with reasonable timelines and a request for a written response. A record of the warning letters and the student's written response should be kept by the supervisor and copies sent to the Graduate Coordinator.

(II) The supervisory committee should be advised and a meeting should be called at an early stage when problems arise or immediately after the first written warning is given to the student.

(III) The supervisor must inform the student, department Chair and Graduate Coordinator of the intent to terminate supervision in writing. The Graduate Coordinator will inform the Dean or Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the supervisor’s intent to terminate supervision.    

(IV) If the supervisor exercises her/his right to discontinue supervision, and the student agrees, then:

a) The supervisor may stop contributing to the student's stipend effective on termination of supervision.

b) The student with the assistance of the Graduate Coordinator and Chair may attempt to find a new supervisor.

c) If no supervisor can be found by the end of the following academic term then the student must withdraw from the program.

(V) If the supervisor exercises her/his right to discontinue supervision, the student may request that a review committee be formed to consider the case. The committee will review the case and make a recommendation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for or against dismissal.

a) The review committee of at least five members will consist of:

• the student's supervisory committee (excluding the supervisor);
• two members of the Graduate Directorate (not members of the supervisory committee) or designate nominated by the graduate coordinator; and
• one graduate student nominated by BOGS (not a member of the supervisors research group)

b) The review committee will first elect its chair from amongst its members, and then consider the arguments and perspectives of the supervisor, student, and anyone else who they think may have relevant information.

c) The supervisor will continue any financial commitments to the student's stipend until a recommendation is made by the review committee.

d) If the review committee agrees (by majority vote with the chair breaking ties) to recommend dismissal the student may appeal the decision through the Faculty of Graduate Studies Student Appeals Committee (see section 12 of the Faculty of Graduate Studies Regulations).

e) However, if the review committee does not recommend dismissal then:

• If no suitable alternative supervisor within the Biology Department can be found by the student and Graduate Coordinator, the Chair of the Biology Department will attempt to find a new supervisor for the student. If no supervisor can be found by the end of the following academic term then the student must withdraw from the program.
• The previous supervisor will continue any financial commitments to the student's stipend until a new supervisor is found or the student withdraws from the program. Should suitable alternative financial support not be found then the Biology Department is obliged to continue the student's stipend for the remainder of the full two years (if MSc) or four years (if PhD).

The Supervisory Committee is recruited by the student, taking account of advice from the supervisor.  This committee is responsible for guiding the graduate student through his/her degree program.  It consists of the supervisor and other persons with expertise or interests relevant to the student's field of study.  Its composition must be reported to the Graduate Coordinator when the student applies for admission to candidacy.  The Supervisory Committee for both PhD and MSc students consists of the supervisor/co-supervisors and at least two others.  Supervisory Committee members may be chosen from outside Dalhousie University, however:

(i) Students supervised by adjunct professors at other institutions must have a co-supervisor from within the full-time faculty of the Biology Department.

(ii) All member of the supervisory committee must be members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Dalhousie University.
 

(iii) At least half the supervisory committee members must be regular members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Dalhousie University.

The student may change the composition of his/her Supervisory Committee by application to the Graduate Coordinator, after consulting with their supervisor and those members of their Committee they wish to add or remove.

The first meeting of the potential Supervisory Committee is usually at the Admission to Candidacy Examination (ATC) (see section 11).

Supervisors should encourage students to consult other members of their Supervisory Committee, either individually or as a group, whenever it would be useful.  Students have the right to call a committee meeting at any time but should do so at least once per year.  The committee should also have opportunities to criticize the work in progress and make alternative suggestions before it appears in thesis form.  Supervisors and students are therefore encouraged to call the committee together to discuss research progress as often as necessary.

It is recommended that students write a report of all their supervisory committee meetings other than the ATC exam, Preliminary exam, and defence, and circulate it to their supervisor and committee for comments.