Organization of the School of Graduate Studies
Divisions
Graduate Education Council
Graduate Units Back to top
Graduate Programs
Graduate Faculty
The School of Graduate Studies is responsible for the oversight of all graduate programs in the University of Toronto and for developing and implementing appropriate regulations and operating procedures for admissions, programs of study, and completion of degree requirements. Individual graduate units are responsible for maintenance of the official academic records of graduate students.
According to its Constitution (PDF), the School of Graduate Studies is governed by a Council and is organized into four divisions. Each of the departments, centres, and institutes (referred to generally as graduate units) belongs to one of the divisions.
The Divisions
- Division I – Humanities
- Division II – Social Sciences
- Division III – Physical Sciences
- Division IV – Life Sciences
Graduate Education Council
The Graduate Education Council is an academic advisory body reporting to the Governing Council of the University of Toronto. The Council consists of 35 elected members and numerous ex-officio members. Each division elects five faculty members and three students to the Council; the President of the Graduate Students’ Union is an ex-officio member. There are three administrative staff seats. The Council is chaired by the Dean.
The Council is primarily responsible for determining policies and regulations affecting the administration and operation of graduate studies, and for advising Governing Council on initiatives in graduate studies. The Council is concerned with the quality of graduate education across the university as a whole.
Graduate Units
Graduate units (including departments, centres, and institutes) offer degree programs and courses and conduct research.
Each graduate student is enrolled in one of the graduate departments/centres/institutes which offer graduate study. Interdisciplinary studies may be undertaken within collaborative programs, but a student must first register in a home graduate unit. The graduate unit is responsible for ensuring that each student is admitted and enrolled in an appropriate program of studies and is responsible for thesis/research supervision in conformity with the policies and procedures of the School of Graduate Studies.
The Coordinator of Graduate Studies is responsible for the administration of graduate affairs within the unit, under the direction of the chair or director
School of Graduate Studies Centres and Institutes
The centres and institutes within the School of Graduate Studies have two major roles: the creation and development of graduate interdisciplinary programs of teaching and of research, and the fostering of new disciplines where these cannot proceed easily within the existing University structure.
Some centres and institutes do not offer degree programs in their own areas, but offer teaching through seminars and through the sponsorship of collaborative programs.
Graduate Programs
Graduate programs are listed alphabetically in Section 8 of the SGS Calendar. They are also described on the University of Toronto Web site at www.gradschool.utoronto.ca.
Degree Programs
A diverse range of both research-oriented and professional programs are offered at both the master's and doctoral levels. The University also participates in a limited number of joint degree programs involving collaboration between two or more graduate units or universities.
Collaborative Programs
The School of Graduate Studies currently offers more than 35 graduate collaborative programs. Collaborative programs emerge from cooperation between two or more graduate units. The collective experience of the participating graduate units provides the student with a broader base from which to explore a novel interdisciplinary area or some special development in a particular discipline.
The student must be admitted to, and enrol in, one of the collaborating graduate units and must fulfil all the requirements for the degree in the home unit and any additional requirements of the collaborative program. Each collaborative program is designed to allow a focus in the area of specialty. On successful completion of the program, the student receives a transcript notation.
Combined Programs
The University of Toronto offers a number of combined programs involving two existing degree programs in different disciplines. The combination may comprise two graduate programs or a graduate and an undergraduate program. In most cases, the combination involves at least one professionally oriented program.
Diploma Programs
A limited number of graduate diploma programs are offered.
Conjoint Programs
The University of Toronto and the Toronto School of Theology offer a limited number of graduate conjoint programs.
Graduate Faculty
Responsibility for directing all elements of graduate teaching and supervision rests with members of the graduate faculty.
Appointments to the graduate faculty are made by the chairs and directors of the graduate units in the School. Appointments are made in one of three categories:
- associate member
- full member
- member emeritus
Graduate faculty membership permits an instructor to perform specified functions. An associate member may generally be permitted to teach graduate courses, supervise master’s theses, assist in the supervision of doctoral theses and serve as a voting member of a final oral examination but not as chair. A full member may perform all duties of an associate member as well as act as major supervisor of a doctoral thesis and chair of a final oral examination. A member emeritus may be permitted to chair a final oral examination and carry out one or more of the duties of a full member. Members emeriti may continue to serve as major supervisor of a doctoral or master’s thesis but only take on new supervision with the approval of the graduate chair or director.
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