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School of Graduate Studies (2009/2010)

To be considered for admission to a Graduate Diploma program, the minimum requirements will normally be a second-class degree from a university of recognized standing, in an appropriate area of study.

A candidate admitted to a Graduate Diploma program, who has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Faculty/School/Department concerned their ability to pursue research at the master's level, may be permitted subsequently to transfer his/her candidature to that of a master's in the affiliated program area and will thereafter be awarded only the master's at the end of his/her candidature.

To be considered for admission to a Master's program, the minimum requirements will normally be a second-class degree from a university of recognized standing, in an appropriate area of study.

1. To be considered for admission to a Ph.D. program, the minimum requirements will normally be a Master's degree from a university of recognized standing, in an appropriate area of study. Other students may be considered for admission to a Ph.D. program provided that:

   1. they have been registered in a Master's program for a minimum of 12 months, and have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Faculty/School/Department concerned their ability to pursue research at the Doctoral level. Such transfer should take place no later than the 5th semester of the student's Master's program as indicated under UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS - Fees and Charges in the University Calendar; or

   2. they hold a Bachelor's Degree with Honours, or equivalent, from a university of recognized standing, and that the Faculty/School/Department is satisfied of the students' ability to pursue research at the Doctoral level.

2. To be considered for admission to the Psy.D. program, the minimum requirements will normally be an undergraduate honours degree in Psychology that includes senior courses as indicated under the Regulations Governing the Degree of Doctor of Psychology.

Only in exceptional circumstances, and only upon the recommendation of the Faculty/School/Department concerned, will the Dean consider applicants who do not meet the requirements in 1. or 2. above.

Since English is the primary language of instruction at this University, all applicants seeking admission to the School of Graduate Studies must possess an adequate knowledge of written and spoken English as a prerequisite to admission. Regardless of country of origin or of citizenship status, applicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. This demonstration may take one of the following forms:

1. Successful completion of the equivalent of three years of full-time instruction in an English language secondary institution as recognized by Memorial University of Newfoundland including successful completion of at least two courses in English Language and/or Literature at the Grade XII (or equivalent) level. Please note that these courses must be other than English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) courses.

2. Successful completion of a baccalaureate degree from a recognized University where English is the language of instruction and from which transfer of credit may be allowed by Memorial University of Newfoundland.

3. Successful completion of a post-graduate degree program at a recognized University where English is the language of instruction and from which transfer of credit may be allowed by Memorial University of Newfoundland.

4. Submission of official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a paper-based score of 550 (or higher)/computer-based score of 213 (or higher) or Internet-based with a score of 80 (or higher) and the Test of Written English (TWE) with a score of 4 (or higher).

5. Submission of the official results of the Michigan Test of English Proficiency with a score of 85% (or higher).

6. Submission of the official results of the English Language Testing Service (ELTS) Test with an average band score of 6.5 or higher.

7. Submission of official results of the Carleton Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment with a minimum score of between 50 and 60 in each of four bands, with at least 2 band scores of 60.

8. Submission of official results of the Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST) with a Band Level 4.5 in the listening comprehension and reading comprehension sub-tests and a score of 4 in writing.

9. Only in exceptional circumstances and only upon the recommendation of the Department/Faculty/School concerned, will the Dean consider applicants who do not meet one of the requirements listed in 1-8 above.

Particular Departments/Faculties/Schools may require greater strength in English communicative skills than is indicated by the achievement of minimum scores outlined in 4., 5., 6., 7., and 8. above. Any such additional requirements are detailed in the appropriate section of the Calendar.

1. Students who have been admitted under English Proficiency Requirements, Clauses 4. - 8. above, will be required to take an English language placement test on arrival at Memorial University of Newfoundland. On the basis of the test results, students may be required to complete successfully a course of language study designed to bring their English, in any or all of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, to a level required for graduate studies. A final assessment of the students' proficiency in these areas will normally be made no later than the end of the third semester following their first registration in the School of Graduate Studies. As a result of this assessment, and in consultation with the student's academic unit and the Department of English Language and Literature, there may be a recommendation for termination of the student's program.

2. Notwithstanding Additional Requirements above, if a student's Department is not satisfied with the student's ability to communicate in English, then the student may be required to complete successfully the relevant component(s) of the course of study referred to in Additional Requirements. The Department will be required to take this action within three semesters of the student's admission to a graduate program. At the end of this period the Department may recommend, but not require this procedure.

Students who have completed undergraduate programs at universities which issue documents in languages other than English or French shall submit notarized English translations of all supporting documentation, including, but not limited to, transcripts, degrees, and diplomas.

1. Application for admission to graduate studies must be made either online or on the appropriate form in duplicate to the School of Graduate Studies. The application must be supported by an official transcript of the applicant's university record. If the applicant is a graduate of another university or college, a copy of the Calendar of that institution must be included upon request.

   Most graduate programs have September start dates; however, some programs accept students for January and/or May admission. Deadlines for submission of applications can be as early as November for the following September; therefore, applicants should inquire about program start dates and application deadlines of the academic program of interest (see www.mun.ca/become/graduate). Non-Canadian applicants should allow four to six months for processing of official documents with Immigration authorities.

2. Admission to graduate studies shall be upon acceptance by the Dean after assessment of the qualifications of the applicant but no candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit of specialization recommends acceptance along with a proposed program of study and a proposed Supervisor or advisor or, where appropriate, a tutor. Successful applicants will be notified by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

3. The applicant may be required to appear for an interview before a final offer of admission is made.

4. It is recommended that the applicant refer to the appropriate section of this Calendar to ascertain if additional testing information or documentation is required when making initial application.

5. The University reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant.

1. All graduate students must be registered in each semester for the graduate program registration appropriate to their discipline (see note) until all academic requirements for the degree have been met, except during periods for which leaves of absence have been granted (see Leaves of Absence).

   Note:

   e.g., Linguistics 9000, Chemistry 9000 or, in the case of Medicine, Medicine 9900.

2. A student registered in a graduate diploma, Master's, Ph.D., or Psy.D. program may not concurrently pursue studies leading to any other degree without the prior approval of the Dean.

Students intending to withdraw from their program must inform the Dean of Graduate Studies in writing. The period of withdrawal from a program without incurring liability for that semester's fees is three weeks after the first day of lectures in the semester in question, as stated in the University Diary. Requests received after the end of the regular registration period, and approved, will be charged an administration fee (see Fees and Charges).

1. Students will register for courses at the times indicated in the University Diary.

2. Students not admitted to a graduate program may enroll in graduate courses with the permission of the Head of the appropriate academic unit.

1. Within two weeks following the first day of lectures in any semester, as stated in the University Diary, a graduate student may, upon the approval of the appropriate Head of academic unit, add a course or courses to his or her registration for that semester.

2. Within seven weeks after the first day of lectures in any semester, as stated in the University Diary, a graduate student may, upon the approval of the appropriate Head of academic unit, drop a course or courses from his or her registration for that semester without prejudice.

3. After the period described in 2. above has expired, and up until the last day of lectures, any student who is prevented from completing a course by illness, bereavement or other acceptable cause, duly authenticated in writing may, upon the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate academic unit, drop that course without academic prejudice.

1. Each student in graduate studies shall spend such time in the program as decided by the academic unit of specialization and approved by the Dean, and be subject to the following minimum residency.

   1. Except where provided for elsewhere in this calendar, each student for a Master's Degree shall normally spend at least two semesters in residence as a graduate student at this University.

   2. Except where provided for elsewhere in this calendar, each student for a Ph.D. or Psy.D. shall normally spend at least three semesters in residence as a graduate student at this University.

      To be resident as a graduate student of this university a student must be registered as a graduate student at Memorial University of Newfoundland and participate in a community of learners and instructors (formally or informally) who are joined together by the practices and standards of a profession or an academic discipline. For most students this will involve taking courses or engaging in research while resident on campus. These attributes may, however, be found elsewhere and it is possible therefore that the residency requirement may be satisfied in an off campus location. In such cases the Dean of Graduate Studies must be satisfied that the attributes are met.

   3. Except where provided for elsewhere in this Calendar, each student for a graduate diploma shall normally spend at least one semester in residence as a graduate student at this University.

2. The maximum period of a graduate program shall be seven years beyond first registration.

1. General

   1. A leave of absence is a period of time during which a student is not required to register; no fees are assessed; and the time granted is not counted in the maximum time period permitted for a graduate program (see Period of Study).

   2. In the event that circumstances prevent a student from pursuing his/her program, the student may apply to the Dean of Graduate Studies for a leave of absence.

   3. A student may normally apply for only one leave of absence during his/her program. The maximum leave of absence shall normally not exceed 12 months.

   4. An application for leave will normally be made before the end of the registration period in the first semester for which leave is requested. Requests received after the end of the regular registration period, and approved, will be charged an administration fee (see Fees and Charges).

2. Parental

   A student may apply for a leave of absence in the case of pregnancy/birth/adoption of a child. (Such leave will be considered separately from 1.c. above.)

1. Candidates should consult the appropriate Degree and Department/Faculty/School regulations for information concerning the specific program requirements.

2. Graduate diploma programs shall not normally comprise more than 50% of the master's in the same area.

1. Each candidate is required to pass a comprehensive examination (see Comprehensive Examinations, Ph.D. and Psy.D. Comprehensive Examination).

2. Each candidate shall present a thesis embodying the results of original research.

3. Candidates should consult the appropriate Department/Faculty/School regulations for information concerning the number and specific credit hours that may be required for a program.

4. Candidates may pursue a specified part of their research elsewhere provided that prior permission has been obtained from the Dean on the recommendation of the Head of the academic unit in consultation with the Supervisory Committee.

Given the analytical and scholarly demands of study at the graduate level, graduate students are expected to demonstrate an advanced facility with written English in meeting the demands of their course work and, where applicable, in the writing of any end-of-program research report, folio, comprehensive examination, or thesis.

Any changes in the candidates's program of studies must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the appropriate academic unit.

The Animal Care Unit offers a seminar in animal care at least once annually. The seminar is administered by the School of Graduate Studies. All graduate students whose degree requirements involve experimentation on living vertebrate animals are required to attend this seminar normally at the first offering following commencement of their program.

All graduate students are required to complete the Graduate Research Integrity Program (GRIP), which is administered by the School of Graduate Studies and offered annually in the Winter semester. Successful completion of GRIP is normally required in the first offering following program commencement and will be annotated on the student's transcript.

1. A student completing a graduate degree program in the School of Graduate Studies will follow the degree and Faculty/School/Department regulations in effect in the year in which the student first registers for his/her current program. However, students may elect to follow regulations introduced subsequent to their initial registration.

   Note:

   The foregoing notwithstanding, in the case of students who have submitted a thesis/report/folio, or students in a non-thesis program who have taken a comprehensive examination, the option of changing regulations is no longer available.

2. When there is doubt as to which degree or Departmental regulations may be followed, the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies will decide which are the appropriate regulations.

3. Notwithstanding these guidelines, the University may place limits on the time permitted to complete a program under any given set of regulations. In addition, detailed scheduling of courses and/or work periods may be changed as the University deems appropriate or necessary.

All such transfers require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, on the recommendation of the Head of the appropriate academic unit.

1. A student who has successfully completed graduate courses at Memorial University of Newfoundland prior to admission to a graduate program may apply to transfer appropriate courses to that program, provided such courses have not been used to satisfy other Degree requirements.

2. A student who has successfully completed graduate courses as part of one graduate program at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and who is subsequently admitted to another program, may apply to transfer appropriate courses to the current program, provided such courses have not been used to satisfy other Degree requirements.

3. A student who has successfully completed graduate courses at another institution recognized by Senate may, on admission to a graduate program at Memorial University of Newfoundland, apply to transfer appropriate courses to the current program, provided such courses have not been used to satisfy other Degree requirements.

4. Students who successfully complete a graduate diploma program may transfer the course credits earned in that program towards a master's degree if these credits meet the requirements of the master's in the affiliated area in which the graduate diploma was granted.

   Affiliated Master's programs for graduate diploma programs currently offered by the School of Graduate Studies are as follows:

   Medicine

   Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology - Master of Science in Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology)

   Graduate Diploma in Community Health and Humanities - Master of Science in Medicine (Community Health and Humanities)

   Education

   Graduate Diploma in Post-Secondary Studies (Health Professional Education) - Master of Education (Post-Secondary Studies)

   Marine Studies

   Graduate Diploma in Fisheries Resource Management - Master of Marine Studies (Fisheries Resource Management)

5. In programs requiring a minimum of 12 credit hours or more, transfer of credit hours in graduate courses referred to in 1, 2, and 3 above shall not exceed 30% of the total number of credit hours required. In programs requiring fewer than 12 credit hours, a maximum of 3 credit hours in graduate courses referred to in 1., 2., and 3. above shall be considered eligible for transfer.

6. Graduate courses referred to in 1., 2., 3., and 4. above shall not be considered eligible for transfer if they have been completed more than seven years prior to the date of admission into the current program.

Academic regulations notwithstanding, the University reserves the right in special circumstances, to modify, alter or waive any regulation in its application to individual students where, in the judgement of the appropriate University Officer or Committee, there is sufficient justification for doing so.

1. Waivers of course prerequisites/co-requisites may be granted by the Head of an academic unit.

2. Waivers of Departmental regulations may be granted by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Head of an academic unit.

3. Requests for waiver of a degree or general regulation must be submitted to the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies.

Students have the right to appeal against decisions of the Head of an Academic Unit, the Dean or Academic Council. Appeals must be made in writing clearly stating the basis for the appeal and should be directed as follows:

1. Appeals against decisions of the Head of an Academic Unit will be made directly to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

2. Appeals against decisions of the Dean may be made to the Academic Council, School of Graduate Studies. Letters of appeal should be directed to the Chair of the Appeals Committee, c/o School of Graduate Studies.

3. Appeals against decisions of the Executive Committee of the Academic Council may be made to the Academic Council, School of Graduate Studies. Letters of appeal should be directed to the Chair of the Appeals Committee, c/o School of Graduate Studies.

4. Appeals against decisions of Academic Council may be made to the Senate of the University. Letters of appeal should be directed to the Secretary of Senate, c/o Office of the Registrar.

1. Students shall write their examinations in graduate courses at a time to be determined by the Head of the academic unit on the recommendation of the Faculty member(s) concerned.

2. A written copy of the course outline, including method of evaluation in the course, shall be provided to each student in the course as early as possible, and in any case not later than two weeks after the start of the course.

3. The final evaluation submitted to the Registrar shall consist of one of the following letter grades with the appropriate numerical equivalent:

   Letter Grades	Numeric Grades	Points Per Credit Hour
   A	80-100%	4
   B	65-79%	3
   C	55-64%	2
   D	50-54%	1
   F	below 50%	0
   PWD (pass with distinction) - indicates excellent performance	no numeric grade	not applicable
   PAS (pass) - indicates performance meets expectations	no numeric grade	not applicable
   FAL (fail) - indicates failing performance	no numeric grade	not applicable
   DR (drop) - drop without academic prejudice	no numeric grade	not applicable
   DRF (drop fail) - drop with academic prejudice	0%	0
   ABS (absent) - absent for acceptable cause	no numeric grade	not applicable
   INC (incomplete) - incomplete pending final grade	no numeric grade	not applicable

4. Supplementary examinations are not permitted.

1. Failure to attain a final passing grade of A or B in a program course shall lead to termination of a student's program unless:

   1. the regulations for a particular degree allow the student to repeat the course. Only one such repeat will be permitted in a student's program. Failure to obtain a grade of A or B in the repeated course shall lead to termination of the student's program.

   2. the Dean of Graduate Studies approves a repeat of the course, upon the recommendation of the Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee supported by the Head of the Academic Unit, where 1.a. above does not apply. Such recommendations must provide sufficient grounds for a repeat. Only one such repeat will be permitted in a student's program. Failure to obtain a grade of A or B in the repeated course shall lead to termination of the student's program.

   Note:

   In exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Graduate Studies may approve a substitute course in place of the repeat upon the recommendation of the Supervisory Committee and Supervisor supported by the Head of the Academic Unit. Failure to obtain a grade of A or B in the substituted course shall lead to termination of the student's program.

2. Failure in a non-program course will not normally result in termination of a student's program.

3. The Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee may recommend that a candidate be required to withdraw from the program, if after consultation with the candidate, the candidate's non-course work is deemed to have fallen below a satisfactory level.

4. When Departmental requirements for a degree requires an examination of a candidate's reading knowledge of a language(s) other than English, the examination shall be set and marked by the appropriate language Department, or by an authority as determined by the Head of the academic unit and Dean. The results of the examination will be transmitted to the candidate by the Dean.

1. Graduate students who are prevented by illness, bereavement or other acceptable cause, duly authenticated, from writing final examinations may apply, with supporting documents within one week of the original examination date to the appropriate Head of the academic unit to have their examinations deferred.

2. The Department's decision, including information on the appeals route open to the student in the case of a negative decision, must be communicated in writing to the student and to the Dean of Graduate Studies within one week of the receipt of the student's complete application.

3. In those cases where the Department accepts the extenuating circumstances the student may be permitted to write a deferred examination or, with the consent of both the Department and the student, the grade submitted may be based on term work alone.

4. An interim grade of 'ABS' will be assigned by the academic unit in the case of a student granted a deferred examination. This grade will be replaced by the final grade which must be received by the Office of the Registrar within one week following the commencement of classes in the next academic semester or session.

5. Students who are prevented by illness or bereavement or other acceptable cause, duly authenticated, from writing a deferred examination, may apply, in writing, with supporting documents within one week of the scheduled date of the deferred examination to the appropriate Department Head to have the examination postponed to a time not later than the last date for examinations in the semester following that in which the student was enrolled in the course.

6. The Department's decision, including information on the appeals route open to the student in the case of a negative decision, must be communicated to the Registrar, to the student and to the Dean of Graduate Studies within one week of the receipt of the student's complete application.

1. For good cause a grade of 'Incomplete' may, with the approval of the appropriate Department or academic unit, be submitted. This 'Incomplete' grade shall, however, be valid only for one week following the commencement of classes in the next academic session as stated in the University Diary. In the event that a mark has not been received by the Registrar within the prescribed deadline, the 'Incomplete' grade shall be changed to '0 F'.

2. Clause 1. notwithstanding, for acceptable cause an extension of time not exceeding the end of the semester following that in which the 'Incomplete' was given may be permitted by the Head of the academic unit. "Acceptable cause" in these cases must be duly authenticated and will be illness, bereavement, serious problems of a personal nature or the like.

3. Changes in grades for graduate courses must be submitted on the appropriate form, which must be signed by the course instructor and approved by the Head of the appropriate academic unit who will submit such changes to the Registrar.

   Note:

   A grade of less than 65% cannot be changed without the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

1. Students may apply to have a final examination paper re-read whether or not they have obtained a passing grade in that course.

2. Students who wish to have a final examination paper re-read must make written application to the Registrar enclosing a fee of $50.00 per paper within one month of the release by the University of the grade reports. If the mark is raised after re-reading, the fee is refunded. If the mark is unchanged or lowered, the fee is forfeited.

1. The composition of the Comprehensive Examination Committee is specified in the Degree and Departmental regulations, and the Committee is appointed by the Dean. The Dean of Graduate Studies or delegate may exercise the right to attend. All members of the Committee including the Chairperson, but excluding the Dean of Graduate Studies, shall be voting members.

2. In this examination the candidates must demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the academic discipline as defined by the academic unit in which they are students. Therefore, in order to be eligible to sit the examination, all course requirements must be completed.

3. Members of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall decide the results of the comprehensive examination as indicated in a.-d. below:

   1. The category of 'pass with distinction' will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field. This category requires unanimous support of the Comprehensive Examination Committee.

   2. The category of 'pass' will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of their chosen area and requires a simple majority vote.

   3. The category of 're-examination' selects those candidates with an understanding of their research area that lacks sufficient depth and scope as indicated by a simple majority of the Comprehensive Examination Committee. Only one such re-examination is possible and students in this category are not eligible for the award of 'pass with distinction'. If a re-examination is to be held, it must be conducted not less than one month and not more than six months after the first examination. The decision of the voting members of the Committee following this re-examination can only be 'pass' or 'fail' decided by simple majority. Failure will lead to immediate termination of the candidate's program. There is no option for further re-examination.

   4. Students awarded a 'fail' are deemed, by unanimous vote of the Comprehensive Examination Committee, to be unable to demonstrate an adequate understanding of their research area. The candidate's program is terminated. A simple majority vote will default to the award of 're-examination'.

4. The Chairperson of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall report to the Head of the academic unit who shall report to the Dean. The result of the comprehensive examination(s) shall be reported to the candidate by the Dean.

1. The candidate shall submit to a comprehensive examination, which may be written or oral or both as determined by the academic unit. Candidates shall normally take the examination no later than the end of the seventh semester in the doctoral program. Unless an extension is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies, failure to take the examination at this time will result in the termination of the candidate's program.

2. This examination, whether written or oral, shall be conducted by a Committee appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the academic unit. It shall consist of the Head of the academic unit (or delegate) who shall be the Chairperson, the candidate's Supervisor [or, where a Supervisor has not yet been appointed, the Graduate Officer or Chair of the Graduate Studies (or equivalent) Committee], the Dean of Graduate Studies (or delegate), and at least three other members, the total voting members to be an odd number. All members of the Committee including the Chairperson, but excluding the Dean of Graduate Studies, shall be voting members.

3. In this examination, the candidate must demonstrate a mastery of those sub-disciplines appropriate to his/her research area, as defined by the academic unit in which they are students. Those sub-disciplines upon which the candidate will be examined should be made known to the candidate no later than three months prior to the examination. The candidate must further be able to relate the specialization of his/her research to the larger context of these sub-disciplines.

4. Members of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall decide the results of the comprehensive examination as indicated in a-d below:

   1. The category of 'pass with distinction' will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field. This category requires unanimous support of the Comprehensive Examination Committee.

   2. The category of 'pass' will be awarded to candidates who demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of their chosen area and requires a simple majority vote.

   3. The category of 're-examination' selects those candidates with an understanding of their research area that lacks sufficient depth and scope as indicated by a simple majority of the Comprehensive Examination Committee. Only one such re-examination is possible and students in this category are not eligible for the award of 'pass with distinction'. If a re-examination is to be held, it must be conducted not less than one month and not more than six months after the first examination. The decision of the voting members of the Committee following this re-examination can only be 'pass' or 'fail' decided by simple majority. Failure will lead to immediate termination of the candidate's program. There is no option for further re-examination.

   4. Students awarded a 'fail' are deemed, by unanimous vote of the Comprehensive Examination Committee, to be unable to demonstrate an adequate understanding of their research area. The candidate’s program is terminated. A simple majority vote will default to the award of 're-examination'.

5. The Chairperson of the Comprehensive Examination Committee shall report to the Head of the academic unit who shall report to the Dean. The result of the comprehensive examination(s) shall be reported to the candidate by the Dean.

Each Master's candidate shall be assigned a Supervisor by the Dean, on the recommendation of the Head of the academic unit, or the Dean of the faculty concerned.

1. Each candidate shall be assigned a Supervisor by the Dean, on the recommendation of the Head of the academic unit or the Dean of the faculty concerned.

2. A Supervisory Committee shall be appointed for each candidate by the Dean. The Supervisory Committee shall consist of the Supervisor (co-supervisors) who shall act as Chair, and normally at least two other members. In no circumstances may the Committee membership be fewer than two members. The membership of the Committee shall be nominated by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the faculty concerned, after consultation with the Supervisor and the candidate.

3. The Supervisory Committee shall forward its reports and recommendations to the Dean via the Head of the Department or the Dean of the faculty concerned.

4. The functions of the Supervisory Committee shall be, inter alia,

   1. to decide, in consultation with candidates, the program of study, the subject of research, and the title of the thesis, and to recommend these for approval to the Dean;

   2. to monitor the candidate's progress in their course programs and their research;

   3. to report at least annually to the Dean on the candidates' progress and, at the same time, to advise on their continuation in the program; and to make such other reports and recommendations about the candidates to the Dean as it may deem necessary.

   4. to recommend to the Dean, after consultation with the candidates, necessary changes in the program of study, the subject of research, or the title of the thesis;

   5. to recommend to the Head of the academic unit or Dean of the faculty the timing of the comprehensive examination;

   6. to report to the Dean that the thesis is ready for examination by completing a Supervisor Approval Form, which is to accompany the thesis upon its submission to the School of Graduate Studies.

   7. to recommend to the Dean suitable persons to act as members of the Thesis Examining Board.

1. At least annually, the Supervisor, Supervisory Committee or the Department shall make evaluations of a student's progress in a program. Recommendations concerning continuation, amendment, or termination (see Termination of a Graduate Program) of a candidate's program, are sent to the Dean, who shall take appropriate action. Students shall be advised of the contents of this evaluation and the subsequent recommendation(s).

2. The Supervisor, Supervisory Committee or the Department, shall forward its reports and recommendations to the Dean via the Head of the academic unit or the Dean of the faculty concerned.

The Thesis/Report Guide Supplement (www.mun.ca/sgs/go/guid_policies/guidelines_intro.php), approved by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies, provides the details for the examination process, general form and style of the thesis/report, required forms, number of copies, etc., required under this regulation.

1. Candidates must submit the thesis/report at least four months before the University Convocation at which the award of the Degree is expected (see University Diary in current edition of University Calendar for exact date). The School of Graduate Studies does not accept any responsibility for completing the prescribed procedure in time for the nearest Convocation unless theses or reports are submitted by the prescribed dates in any current academic year.

2. A thesis/report may not be submitted until the candidate has fulfilled:

   1. All course requirements, if any

   2. All language requirements, if any

   3. The comprehensive examination, if required, and

   4. All other academic requirements of the academic unit concerned.

1. Final examiners for the thesis/report will be appointed by the Dean on the recommendation of the academic unit. There will be two examiners for a Master's thesis. Examiners shall normally be those who have completed a graduate degree at the doctoral level, including a thesis, in the discipline or cognate area. Those serving as examiners shall not have been involved in the preparation of the thesis/report.

2. Examination of the thesis/report will result in one of the following recommendations by each examiner. The thesis/report is:

   1. acceptable without modifications; or

   2. acceptable, modifications are required but the thesis does not have to be re-examined*; or

   3. unacceptable. The thesis/report requires modification and re-examination**; or

   4. totally unacceptable - the thesis/report is failed.***

   • *Modifications may include corrections of typographical errors and errors in nomenclature, improvement in phrasing, or rewriting of sections of the thesis/report. Modifications may be indicated in the text or listed separately;
   • **Modifications might include (but are not limited to) the rectification of one or more of the following deficiencies: (1) misinterpretation and/or misuse of the matter covered, omission of relevant materials, unfounded conclusions, illogicality of argument, improper analysis of data and the like; (2) bad writing, (3) unacceptable physical presentation. A detailed list of problems should be included with the report;
   • ***A detailed list of the reason(s) for failure must be included in the report.

3. If all examiners recommend that the thesis/report is totally unacceptable, then the thesis will be failed, and shall not be re-examined.

4. If an examiner recommends that the thesis/report is unacceptable, and this recommendation is accepted by the Dean, then the student may apply to the Dean for permission to resubmit the thesis for re-examination in one of the following ways:

   1. to submit a modified thesis/report to the original examiners.

   2. to submit a modified thesis/report to new examiners.

   3. to submit the original thesis/report to an Examination Board to be appointed by the Dean.

5. If a thesis/report is re-examined, the candidate will not be awarded a pass unless all examiners find the thesis acceptable.

6. Under no circumstances may a thesis/report be re-examined more than once.

Candidates for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy and the Degree of Doctor of Psychology must submit a written dissertation deemed acceptable by the University, and demonstrate their ability to defend their work in a public oral examination. For this reason, the final decision on whether a candidate will be recommended for the award of the degree is made only at the conclusion of the oral examination (see The Examination Process).

1. Responsibilities of the Thesis Examining Board

   The work of each candidate will be assessed by a Thesis Examining Board. Its first responsibility is to determine whether the thesis successfully demonstrates the candidate's competence to undertake independent research work. The Board must be satisfied that the work contributes significantly to knowledge in the field of study; that the contribution is of high scholarly merit; that the candidate is aware of the pertinent published literature; that it is written in a satisfactory style; and that it is free from typographical and other mechanical errors. The second responsibility of the Board is to conduct a final oral examination of the candidate and to then recommend to the Dean of Graduate Studies whether the candidate should be awarded the Degree.

2. Composition of the Thesis Examining Board

   The members of the Thesis Examining Board will be appointed by the Dean on the recommendation of the Head of the academic unit who will have consulted with the supervisory committee. The Board shall consist of four members. Normally these will be the candidate's Supervisor (who serves on the Board in a non-voting capacity), two examiners from within the University, and one from outside the University. However, when circumstances warrant, a second external examiner may be substituted for one of the internal examiners with permission of the Dean. Examiners shall normally be those who have completed a graduate degree at the doctoral level, including a thesis, in the discipline or cognate area. Members of the supervisory committee other than the Supervisor are ineligible for appointment to the Board. Those serving as examiners shall not have been involved in the preparation of the thesis/report.

3. The Examination Process

   1. The voting members of the Board shall submit written reports on the thesis containing an assessment of the quality of the written work and a recommendation as to whether the candidate should be permitted to proceed to an oral examination and defence of the work. An examiner may recommend:

      1. that the candidate be allowed to proceed to the oral defence of the thesis*, or;

      2. that the candidate not be allowed to proceed to the oral defence at this time**; or

      3. that the candidate should be failed.

      *Any suggested corrections or revisions should be outlined in the examiner's report. It is understood that it will be the responsibility of the Supervisory Committee to discuss the suggested changes with the candidate, to determine which should be incorporated in the thesis before its final submission.

      **This recommendation reflects the examiner's opinion that further research, re-analysis of data, or thorough rewriting of the material is required. The thesis may, however, be re-submitted for examination.

   2. No candidate will be permitted to re-submit a thesis more than once. If the Dean decides that the thesis must be revised before it can be orally defended (as specified in 3.a.ii.) the resubmitted thesis will be examined by a Board which may differ in whole or in part from the original. In the case of a re-submitted thesis an examiner may recommend only:

      1. that the candidate be allowed to proceed to the oral defence of the thesis; or

      2. that the candidate should be failed.

   3. After receiving the reports from all three voting members of the Board the Dean will consider the recommendations and determine whether an oral defence of the thesis will be scheduled.

   4. The Final Oral Examination and Defence of Thesis will take place at a time and place to be determined by the Dean of Graduate Studies and will be chaired by the Dean or his/her delegate. The presence of all members of the Examining Board is normally required.

   5. Following the defence, the Board will meet in camera to render a final assessment of the thesis and the candidate's ability to defend his/her work. The Board may recommend one of the following outcomes:

      1. Passed with distinction (Awarded to candidates who demonstrate superior knowledge of their chosen field; this category requires unanimous support of the Board. A simple majority vote will result in a recommendation of 'passed'.)

      2. Passed*

      3. Passed Subject to Conditions**

      4. Re-examination required***

      5. Failed****

      *This recommendation may have attached to it the requirement that the candidate complete certain specified revisions to the satisfaction of the Supervisory Committee, the Head of the academic unit and the Dean. These revisions must have been specified in the written appraisal submitted prior to the Oral Examination.

      **This recommendation is made if there are revisions beyond those specified in the written appraisal submitted prior to the Oral Examination. This recommendation must have the conditions attached and cannot include the option of re-examination.

      ***The members of the Thesis Examination Board may attach to this recommendation a list of any requirements which they feel are appropriate.

      ****Re-examination not permitted.

   6. If the members of the Board are unanimous in their recommendation, the Chair of the Examination may accept this recommendation and inform the candidate of the decision. In any other case, however, the delivering of any final decision shall be deferred pending further consultation within the School of Graduate Studies.

   7. No candidate shall be permitted more than two Oral Examinations.

The final version of Master's, Ph.D., and Psy.D. theses/reports found acceptable with or without corrections shall be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies within 6 months of the date on which the thesis/report and the student's examiners' reports are returned to the student's academic unit. If a corrected thesis/report is not submitted within 6 months the student is considered to have withdrawn from the program. After this time, the student must apply to be readmitted.

Master's, Ph.D., and Psy.D. theses/reports requiring re-examination shall be resubmitted to the School of Graduate Studies within 12 months of the date on which the thesis/report and the examiner's reports are returned to the student. Students requiring resubmission and re-examination of theses/reports must maintain their registration during this period. Failure to resubmit the revised thesis/report within 12 months will result in termination of the student's program.

Publication of material before submission of the thesis/report for examination is permitted. The School of Graduate Studies and Supervisor should be informed of such publication.

Candidates expecting to graduate at any particular Convocation must apply online to the Office of the Registrar at www.mun.ca/regoff/ at least by the time of the submission of the Thesis, Project Report or Internship Report required by their program, or, if applicable, by the date of the final comprehensive examination.

In the course of a graduate degree program students are expected to learn those principles which constitute proper academic behaviour. Within the University Community there is a collective responsibility to maintain a high level of scholarly integrity. Dishonesty has no place in the academic community. Academic misbehaviour cannot be condoned or even appear to be condoned. Students have the responsibility to ascertain those actions which could be construed as dishonest or improper. Certain flagrant violations are listed below under Academic Dishonesty. Students are reminded that for guidance on proper scholarly behaviour they should seek assistance from their instructors and supervisors. The Graduate Students' Union will provide students with information on their legal rights and the information that advice about acceptable writing standards is available through the Writing Centre.

Academic offences shall be deemed to include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

1. Cheating: Cheating on examinations, theses, assignments, work term reports, projects, internship reports, or any other tests.

   Cheating includes copying from another student's work or allowing another student to copy from one's own work, consulting with any unauthorized person during an examination or test, or using unauthorized aids; or knowingly recording or reporting false empirical or statistical data. The work referred to includes examinations, theses, assignments, work term reports, projects, internship reports, or any other tests which are to be used in judging the student's performance in a course or program of study, or on any special tests which the University may offer.

2. Impersonation: Impersonating another student or allowing oneself to be impersonated.

   By impersonation is meant the imitation of a student or entrance into an arrangement with another person to be impersonated for purposes of taking examinations or tests or carrying out laboratory or other assignments.

3. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of presenting the ideas or works of another as one's own. This applies to all material such as theses, essays, laboratory reports, work term reports, design projects, seminar presentations, statistical data, computer programs and research results. The properly acknowledged use of sources is an accepted and important part of scholarship. Use of such material without acknowledgment, however, is contrary to accepted norms of academic behaviour.

4. Theft of examination papers or other material: By theft is meant obtaining by an improper means examination papers, tests, or any other such material.

5. Use and/or distribution of stolen material: The use of material which the student knows to have been improperly obtained and/or the distribution of such material is considered to be an academic offence.

6. Submitting false information: This offence includes falsifying, submitting or causing to submit false academic transcripts, forms or records, credentials, medical or other certificates, or making a false or incomplete declaration to the University.

7. Submitting work for one course which has been or is being submitted to another course without express permission to do so: This includes the presentation of an essay, report or assignment to satisfy some or all of the requirements of a course when that essay, report, or assignment has been previously submitted or is concurrently being submitted for another course without the express permission of the professor(s) involved.

1. When a member of the University community has grounds for belief that an academic offence has been committed, that person will report the matter without delay to the Head of the Department or the appropriate academic officer (i.e., Dean or Director) of the unit in which the offence occurred. In the case of non-academic units, such as the Office of the Registrar, Library and Computing Services, the matter shall be referred through the University Officer in charge of that unit. The student should be informed of the suspicion as soon as possible in an effort to avoid further improper behaviour. There should then be an immediate direct attempt to resolve minor offences between the instructor or Supervisor and the student(s) concerned at the Departmental level. Only if resolution proves impossible, or one party is dissatisfied with the resolution, should the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer become further involved.

2. If, in the judgment of the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer (in consultation with the Dean of Faculty) the alleged offence against University regulations is such as to warrant resolution through the School of Graduate Studies, the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer will refer the matter to the Dean of Graduate Studies, and procedures for resolution by the School of Graduate Studies will be implemented.

3. If, in the judgment of the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer, the offence warrants resolution through Departmental procedures, the individuals involved will be advised to attempt to resolve the matter without proceeding to a formal hearing. In the event that no resolution is possible between the individual parties, the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer will institute proceedings through the School of Graduate Studies. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer to ensure that fairness and impartiality are achieved in the treatment of students.

4. The principle of anonymity shall apply. All written documents shall refer to the student by number and the faculty member by letter.

If, upon receiving a report of an alleged academic offence the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer, decide that an attempt should be made to resolve that matter within the Department the following procedures shall apply:

1. The Department Head or other appropriate academic officer shall request that the accusor and the accused meet with him (or her) and at the meeting the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer shall state the allegation, indicate the range of applicable penalties, and arrange a second meeting between the accusor and the accused only.

2. At the second meeting the parties (accusor and accused) shall endeavour to obtain a mutually satisfactory resolution of the matter.

3. The parties (accusor and accused) shall report jointly to the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer on the result of their second meeting.

4. If the report is of a resolution which the Department Head or other appropriate officer considers to be fair and equitable the matter shall be considered closed. If the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer considers the reported resolution to be unfair and/or inequitable he or she will endeavour to obtain an alternative satisfactory resolution directly with the parties.

5. Should all reasonable efforts to obtain a Departmental resolution fail, the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer will refer the case to the Dean of Graduate Studies and shall inform the accusor and the accused accordingly. From this stage onward procedures for resolution by the School of Graduate Studies will apply.

If the matter cannot be resolved following the Procedure for Departmental Resolution as outlined above, or if the allegation involves a major breach of University regulations, the following procedures shall apply:

1. If the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer (in consultation with the Dean of his faculty) is satisfied that the student has a serious case to answer, he or she shall inform the student in writing of the nature of the case against him or her. In addition, the Department Head or other appropriate academic officer shall report to the Dean of Graduate Studies who shall immediately appoint a disinterested Investigator from the membership of the Academic Council of Graduate Studies. The Investigator will interview separately the accusor and accused and relevant witnesses. At these interviews, the Investigator, the accusor, the accused and relevant witnesses all have the right to be accompanied by a registered student or a member of the Faculty or Staff of the University.

2. Upon completion of these interviews, the Investigator shall submit a written report of all findings to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

3. The Dean of Graduate Studies shall present this report to both the accusor and accused for perusal and comment. Once in receipt of this report, the accusor and accused shall have two weeks in which to submit to the Dean of Graduate Studies any additional comments on the report that he or she wishes to be considered.

4. Upon receipt of all information from the Investigator as well as comments from the accusor and accused, the Dean of Graduate Studies shall strike an ad hoc committee to review the case and make recommendations to the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies. The Investigator may be asked to attend the meetings of the ad hoc committee to answer questions and provide information pertinent to the case, but shall be absent from the formal discussion and voting.

5. The Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies shall take appropriate action in accordance with the section headed "Penalties".

The imposition of any of the penalties listed below does not preclude further action under the Criminal Code of Canada. A student who has been found guilty of an academic offence will be subject to a penalty or penalties commensurate with the offence. The range of penalties and their determination is given below. Enforcement of penalties resulting from Procedures for Resolution by the School of Graduate Studies will be overseen by the Registrar. Some cases may warrant more than one penalty for the same offence, and previous academic misconduct will be taken into account in determining penalties. Penalties resulting from Department resolution shall be limited to 1. and 2. Penalties shall be imposed on the basis of the student's status at the time of the offence.

1. Reprimand: This shall be in the nature of a warning by the Department Head, or appropriate academic officer or an appropriate Committee to the student that his/her behaviour has been unacceptable to the University.

2. Reduction of grade: A reduction of grade will apply to an examination, test, or assignment to which an offence is relevant, and will be decided by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies upon the recommendation of the Department concerned in the case of a resolution by the School of Graduate Studies, or by a Department Head, or appropriate academic officer in the case of a Departmental resolution. Since graduate students must obtain a B grade in required courses and a pass in additional courses a reduction of grade could lead to termination of program.

3. Probation: The period of probation will be determined by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies. The impact of being placed on probation is that the commission of any further academic offence during the period of probation may lead to suspension or expulsion.

4. Suspension: Suspension will apply to a course, department, faculty, school, or the University. The period of suspension will be determined by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies and shall not exceed three consecutive semesters, and shall be part of the allowable time for a graduate program.

5. Expulsion: The recommendation for expulsion from the University will be made by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies to the President for his/her final decision. Prior to the President's decision, the Secretary of the Academic Council will notify the accused, in writing, of the recommendation for expulsion from the University. The accused will be allowed a period of two weeks following the date of release of such notification to lodge an appeal before the President's final decision concerning expulsion from the University. Any such appeal should be made in writing to the Executive Committee of Senate.

6. Revocation of Degree: The recommendation will be made by the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies that the Senate rescind a degree that has been obtained by submission of fraudulent or plagiarized work.

7. Rescinding of Admission and Degree Revocation: The submission of false information (see Academic Dishonesty Offences) in support of an application for admission to Memorial University of Newfoundland is an Academic Dishonesty Offence. In the event that this offence is discovered after the granting of a degree, the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies may recommend to the Senate that the student's admission be rescinded and that the degree(s) granted to the student be revoked.

In the event that a student has been found guilty of an Academic Dishonesty Offence and when a penalty has been determined, a notation on the student's transcript may be made by the Registrar as provided for in Transcript Entries below.

Transcript entries shall relate to the penalty(ies) imposed as follows:

* The transcript entries for 'probation' or 'suspension' will be removed entirely upon the expiration of the penalty.
Penalty Reprimand Reduction of Grade Probation Suspension Expulsion Revocation of Degree	Transcript Entry No transcript entry Entry of final grade for course "On probation at the University for academic misconduct until Day, Month, Year"* "Suspended from the School of Graduate Studies for academic misconduct until Day, Month, Year"* "Expelled from the University for academic misconduct" "Degree revoked for Academic Dishonesty"

The disposition of documents relating to allegations under these procedures shall be as follows:

1. The cases where the allegation was either found "not proven" or "unfounded" no documentation shall be retained.

2. In the case of a resolution effected through the procedures for Departmental resolution, all documentation shall be retained in the office of the relevant Department Head or other appropriate academic officer.

3. In the case of a resolution effected through the procedures for resolution by the School of Graduate Studies all documentation shall be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.

Appeals against decisions of the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies made under Procedures for Resolution by the School of Graduate Studies shall be directed to the Executive Committee of Senate.

Grounds for termination of a graduate program are as follows:

1. 1. Failure to comply with the conditions of admission into a program, unless the conditions of admission have been changed with approval of the academic unit and the School of Graduate Studies; or

   2. Failure to register in any semester by the final date for adding courses (see Registration, Program Registration 1.);

   3. Failure to obtain the required grades in courses as stated in the appropriate degree regulations (see Evaluation);

   4. Failure in comprehensive examinations (see Comprehensive Examinations);

   5. Demonstrated lack of progress in a program supported by written documentation;

   6. Recommendation of the Supervisory Committee (see Supervision);

   7. Failure of Thesis, Project or Internship (see Theses and Reports);

   8. Academic misconduct as outlined under General Regulation, Academic Behaviour governing the School of Graduate Studies.

2. The foregoing notwithstanding the University reserves the right to require students to discontinue their program or to deny them admission where, in the opinion of the Academic Council of the School of Graduate Studies, following appropriate professional consultation, there is a reasonable likelihood that a student's health or conduct could result in endangering the lives, health or safety of other persons on campus or in settings related to the student's university studies.

3. The foregoing notwithstanding, the School of Graduate Studies reserves the right to require students to discontinue their studies, or to deny them re-admission, where a student has been determined to have engaged in unprofessional conduct. The code of ethics of each profession will serve as the guideline as to what constitutes unprofessional conduct. However, should there not be any statements of what constitutes unprofessional conduct, the following standard will apply:

   Unprofessional Conduct: That conduct which involves a breach of the duties required by professional ethics.

1. A student whose program of studies has been terminated for any of the reasons outlined under Termination of a Graduate Program may apply for admission to a new program of studies leading to the same degree.

2. Notwithstanding the above, a student whose program of studies has been terminated under Termination of a Graduate Program, 1.e., shall be readmitted to the existing program only under the following conditions:

   1. on the recommendation of the appropriate academic unit;

   2. on the payment to the University of those registration fees which would have been payable had the student remained in continuous registration during the period since the termination of the program;

   3. on the understanding that the time period during which the student was not registered shall be considered as part of the maximum time permitted for the completion of the degree.

1. Clinical Epidemiology - See Master of Science in Medicine

2. Community Health and Humanities - See Master of Science in Medicine

3. Fisheries Resource Management - See Master of Marine Studies

4. Health Professional Education - See Master of Education (Post-Secondary Studies)

5. Post Masters Nurse Practitioner - See Master of Nursing

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