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Supervision

The supervisory relationship is a foundation of graduate education, particularly in the doctoral stream programs.

The primary responsibility for graduate supervision rests with the graduate unit but good supervisory practice entails responsibility of the student as well.

Choose a Supervisor

The responsibility to find a supervisor, in most graduate units, rests with the student. Securing a supervisor may even be a condition of admission. Some graduate units assign a supervisor, typically in master’s programs. How do you know? Check graduate handbook of your graduate unit.

Get Advice and Support

Talk to your graduate unit. Read your graduate handbook. Know what procedures your graduate unit has in place to help you find a supervisor, or to change a supervisor in the unlikely event that becomes necessary.

SGS can also help. Consult the SGS Graduate Supervision Guidelines handbook. It is a great resource for information on the supervisory relationship. There are also division specific Supervisory Checklists, on the SGS website.

Identify Clear Expectations

Your supervision relationship will benefit from having clear, shared expectations with your supervisor. Set timelines for each stage of work. Identify preferred methods of communication. Discuss intellectual property issues. Complete an Intellectual Property Awareness Form. Identify publication expectations and other matters.

Know Your Deadline

All doctoral students are required to have a supervisor and supervisory committee in place by the end of the second year of their program. Some graduate units have earlier deadlines. Know your deadline. Compliance with the deadlines is required to maintain satisfactory progress and good academic standing in your degree program.

Maintain Healthy Supervisory Relations

A doctoral student is expected to meet with the supervisory committee at least once a year, and more often if the committee so requires. Supervisory Committee meetings are vital for Monitoring Doctoral Progress in a doctoral program.

For further information on Maintaining Good Academic Standing and Supervision is found in the General Regulations section of the SGS Calendar and on the Policies and Guidelines page of the SGS website.

When Problems Arise

Should a problem arise in your supervisory relationship, try to resolve the difficulty amicably through informal discussion first. If that does not resolve the problem, there are several avenues to pursue within your graduate unit: the supervisory committee, the Graduate Coordinator and the Chair of the department. If the graduate unit is unable to find a satisfactory solution, advice may be sought from the Vice Dean Students, School of Graduate Studies. If all else fails, and if the nature of the issue is academic, a student has recourse to a formal academic appeal.