Definitions

The key person(s) in a graduate student's program and to whom the student consults with and reports to regarding program progress. In most cases, the Advisor refers to the student's supervisor; however, depending on the graduate program and progress in the program, the Advisor may vary. See the table below for details:

Table 1: Program-specific definitions for Advisor

Program(s)

Advisor

 

Supervisor/ Supervisory Committee once established 

Department and/or Faculty/ School

Final Project instructor

Graduate Program Office

Master of Arts

X

X1

 

 

Master of Counselling 
(Project or Professional Portfolio route)

X

 

 

X2

Master of Education(Capstone route)

 

 

 

X2

Master of Education 
(Project route)

X

 

 

X2

Master of Education 
(Thesis route)

X

 

 

X2

Master of Fine Arts

X

 

 

 

Master of Health Services Management

 

 

 

X

Master of Music

X

 

 

 

Master of Nursing 
(Project route)

 

 

X

X3

Master of Nursing 
(Thesis route)

X

 

 

X3

Master of Science 

X

 

 

 

Master of Science(Management) 

X

 

 

X4

Doctor of Philosophy

X

 

 

 

Doctor of Philosophy(Education)

X

 

 

 

 
 

1For Economics majors only until a supervisor is determined by the end of the first academic term of study.

2Until the student declares the Project or Thesis as culminating activity and the Supervisory Committee is approved. Master of Counselling students completing a professional Portfolio remain with the relevant Graduate Program Office as Advisor

3Until end of second academic term when student declares Project or Thesis as culminating activity

4Until supervisor is determined no later than the end of the first academic term of study

 

In Arts and Science, a committee associated with a Department plays a role in managing graduate programs, including making admission and funding recommendations, and designating Chairs for certain student committees.

For each graduate program, or appropriate group of graduate programs or majors, there is a Graduate Program Committee (GPC), acting on delegated authority from Graduate Council, for general supervision of the program. See the School of Graduate Studies Governing Principles for details.

For program-related assistance, all graduate students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to contact the appropriate graduate program office (e.g., School of Graduate Studies Office, Graduate Studies & Research in Education, Dhillon School of Business Graduate Programs Office). See the School of Graduate Studies website for details.

A project is generally intended as an application to an existing methodology or procedure. Often, people will use the project as a demonstration or as an implementation of something that does not currently exist in their system. Thus, it is more practice oriented, even though it still must have a solid grounding in the literature. Students engage in systematic inquiry of a topic relevant to their educational practice. This inquiry is grounded in theory and research. Methods of inquiry may be qualitative and/or quantitative.

A thesis is theory oriented and begins with the posing of a question that will in some way contribute to the building or validating of theory. Considerable depth is expected in the review of literature, the application of a discipline and clearly described methodology for dealing with the research question, a thorough description of the results of the work (both descriptive and connotational), a synthesis of the research findings with extant literature, and implications of the research for both theory and practice.

Table 2: Program-specific definitions of Thesis

Program(s)

Definition of Capstone/Thesis/Project/Portfolio

Master of Arts

Thesis manuscript

Master of Counselling (Project route)

Project Paper

Master of Counselling (Portfolio route)

Portfolio

Master of Education (Project route)

Project Paper

Master of Education (Thesis route)

Thesis manuscript

Master of Education (Capstone route)

Capstone Paper and presentation

Master of Fine Arts

Research Project and Support Paper

Master of Health Services Management

Integrated Experience Point Project

Master of Music

Research Project/lecture recital and Thesis

Master of Nursing (Project route)

Project Paper

Master of Nursing (Thesis route)

Thesis manuscript

Master of Science

Thesis manuscript

Master of Science (Management)

Thesis manuscript

Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis manuscript

Doctor of Philosophy (Education)

Thesis manuscript