(1) | Students are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their application and registration. Please read the Calendar carefully. If you are in doubt about the regulations pertaining to your graduate program, consult the appropriate University official.
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(2) | The University of Alberta Calendar will be made available to every graduate student at or before registration.
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(3) | Both the University Calendar and the Calendar of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (also referred to as FGSR) set forth the intention of the University of Alberta at the time of publication with respect to all matters contained therein. The University reserves the right at any time to deviate from what appears in the Calendar, either in order to serve the best interests of the University, or because of circumstances or occurrences beyond the University's reasonable control. The University expressly denies responsibility or liability to any person or persons who may suffer loss or who may be otherwise adversely affected by such change.
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(4) | University deadlines are set out in the Academic Schedule. Please note that graduate student deadlines may differ from undergraduate student deadlines.
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(1) | The Student: Graduate students are ultimately responsible for their own programs. They are expected to read the Calendar and any other relevant documents to become familiar with all regulations and deadlines relating to their programs. The students' fundamental responsibilities include ensuring that their registration is accurate and does not lapse, submitting appropriate forms to the department for signature and processing, and paying all fees required by the deadline dates set out in the Calendar.
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(2) | The Supervisor and Supervisory Committee: The supervisor is directly responsible for the supervision of the student's program. In this capacity, the supervisor assists the student in planning a program; assists in ensuring that the student is aware of all program requirements, degree regulations, and general regulations of the department and the FGSR; provides counsel on all aspects of the program; and stays informed of the student's research activities and progress. The supervisor is also charged with ensuring that students conduct their research in a manner that is as effective, safe, and productive as is possible. The supervisor must prepare a program of studies for the student; arrange for and attend all supervisory committee meetings and the candidate's examinations, ensuring that these are scheduled and held in accordance with FGSR regulations; and must review the thesis both in draft and in final form.
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(3) | The Department: The term "department" applies both to a department and to a nondepartmentalized faculty or to an extra-departmental graduate program. The term "department" also refers to the chair, graduate coordinator, director, or any other individual officially designated as being responsible for graduate programs.
 The department must assure that supervisors are aware of and are meeting their supervisory or advisory obligations, and in turn, that students are performing satisfactorily.
The department's graduate coordinator is the official representative of the department to its graduate students.
The department oversees the supervision of all graduate students enrolled in its programs and serves as the chief liaison with the FGSR. It is responsible for ensuring that the student receives proper supervision and that the regulations and requirements of the FGSR are met. The department is responsible for recommending and keeping the FGSR informed of any development in or changes relating to the student's program, including the appointment of the supervisor and supervisory committee members (where applicable) and changes to that membership, change of student status, course and program changes, scheduling of examination dates, and so on.
The department maintains open communication with its students concerning any problem; and in the event of a conflict in the supervisor-student or advisor-student relationship, the graduate coordinator discusses the issues with the student and supervisor or advisor in a timely fashion (see Section 8 of the graduate program manual for further information).
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(4) | The Graduate Coordinator: The term "graduate coordinator" also refers to associate chairs, associate deans, directors, or any other individual officially designated as being responsible for the unit's graduate programs. The department's graduate coordinator is the official representative of the department to its graduate students. Graduate coordinators must be tenured or tenure-track faculty members. Relationships between graduate coordinators and the staff and students in their program(s) should be academic. Any personal relationships that alter or affect this academic relationship may constitute a conflict of interest (e.g., familial or intimate relationship, business relationship). In addition, a conflict of interest may arise when graduate coordinators make decisions concerning students that they supervise. In accord with GFC policy, any possible conflict of interest should be disclosed. Persons may not act as graduate program coordinators for matters in which they have a conflict of interest.
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(5) | The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Office (FGSR): The term "FGSR" refers to the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research or designate.
The FGSR Office is responsible for the general administration of graduate programs, from the admission and registration of graduate students through to convocation. The office houses documentation related to application, admission, programs, course grades, examinations, awards, and theses.
The FGSR is ultimately responsible for the admission of students; for the setting of minimum entrance requirements and minimum academic standing requirements, and for ensuring that these are met; for approving all changes to students' programs; for the approval of supervisors, doctoral supervisory committees, and examining committees; and for submitting to the Council of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research for approval changes affecting policy, general and degree regulations. In the event of a serious conflict in the supervisor-student or advisor-student relationship, the FGSR works with the department to attempt to resolve the issues (see Section 8 of the graduate program manual).
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(6) | Guidelines for Supervisors, Academic Advisors, and Graduate Students
a. | Guidelines for Supervisors
The Supervisor, with the support of the home department and the FGSR
1) | provides an environment for the student that is conducive to research and in which the student can grow intellectually;
| 2) | provides appropriate guidance to the student on the nature of research and the standard expected, and is accessible to give advice and constructive criticism; at the beginning of the supervisory relationship, the student should be made aware in writing of the expectations held by the supervisor and the department that are not already defined in the Calendar and graduate program manual;
| 3) | with the student establishes a realistic timetable for completion of various phases of the program;
| 4) | considers a graduate student a junior colleague;
| 5) | ensures that there are sufficient material and supervisory resources for each graduate student under supervision;
| 6) | works with the student to establish the supervisory committee as soon as possible after the start of the program and ensures that it maintains contact and formally meets at least once a year with the student;
| 7) | when going on leave or an extended period of absence, ensures that the student is adequately supervised by the provision of an acting supervisor. In the case of doctoral students this should be a member of the supervisory committee;
| 8) | ensures that the student is aware of the student's guidelines (as listed below) and, when necessary, assists the student in meeting these;
| 9) | sets up committee meetings and examinations after consultation and with full knowledge of the student;
| 10) | maintains open communication with the student concerning any problem; and in the event of a conflict in the supervisor-student relationship, discusses the issues with the student and graduate coordinator in a timely fashion (see Section 8 of the graduate program manual for further information).
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| b. | Guidelines for Academic Advisors
The academic advisor is essential to the successful pursuit by the student of the course-based master’s degree. The academic advisor will
1) | provide appropriate guidance to the student in course selection, course changes, and progress within the program;
| 2) | meet with a full-time student no less than two times in an academic year and will meet with a part-time student no less than once in an academic year;
| 3) | explain the rationale and review with the student any administrative and/or curricular changes that have occurred since their last scheduled meeting and any impact that such changes will have (or potentially might have) on the student's progress;
| 4) | where appropriate, consider a graduate student a junior colleague;
| 5) | maintain open communication with the student concerning any problem; and in the event of a conflict in the advisor-student relationship, discuss the issues with the student and graduate coordinator in a timely fashion (see Section 8 of the graduate program manual for further information).
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| c. | Guidelines for Graduate Students
Graduate students should
1) | make themselves aware of the contents of the graduate portions of the Calendar and take responsibility for their own programs in that the Calendar sets out the requirements for the various programs;
| 2) | be aware of possible scholarship opportunities, and seek advice and assistance from the department in making applications, etc;
| 3) | be aware of the supervisor’s and any departmental expectations;
| 4) | inform the supervisor or advisor regularly about progress, and provide the supervisor with an annual report for distribution to the supervisory committee;
| 5) | maintain open communication with their supervisor or advisor and graduate coordinator concerning any problem; and in the event of a conflict in the supervisor-student or advisor-student relationship, discuss with the supervisor or advisor and graduate coordinator in a timely fashion (see Section 8 of the graduate program manual for further information);
| 6) | make research results accessible (beyond their appearance in a thesis) to an appropriate audience.
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