General Information
Master's degree students in project, thesis or practicum routes to degree completion and doctoral students are required to submit a Supervisory Committee Approval form. Revisions to existing supervisory committees require completion of the Supervisory Committee Revision form.
This form is NOT REQUIRED for Master’s students in the coursework, major paper, comprehensive exam or portfolio completion routes.
Committee Formation Requirements
| Master's Degree: | The committee consists of at least three members including the supervisor. One member is normally from outside the program. |
| Doctoral Degree: | The Graduate Academic Calendar requires, at a minimum, that a PhD supervisory committee be composed of at least four members, including the supervisor. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the Program in which the candidate's research is being carried out. Some programs have developed specific requirements for supervisory committee formation. Students should ensure they review the relevant Graduate Academic Calendar section and consult with their Supervisor and/or Program Chair. |
- A member of a supervisory committee who has an adjunct or emeritus position with UNBC cannot be the sole supervisor of a graduate student.
- A faculty member who leaves UNBC cannot remain as the sole supervisor for a graduate student.
- Additional information must be included on the form for committee members who are external to UNBC.
- If, at any point, more than one member of a supervisory committee is absent from the University for an extended period of time (including during sabbaticals), arrangements should be made so that the progress of the student is not impeded. No more than one member of a supervisory committee should be on an extended absence at any one time.
External Committee Members
In order to add a Committee Member external to UNBC to a supervisory committee, the following criteria should be met:
- An experienced and well qualified expert
- Established reputation in the area of the thesis, project or dissertation research
- Able to judge whether the academic work is acceptable at a university comparable to UNBC
- Assistant/Associate/Full Professor at a university or of comparable stature if not at a university
Deadlines
| Program | Deadline for Supervisory Committee Formation |
|
MA Development Economics
|
Within the first semester of registration for the thesis or project |
|
MA Disability Management
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |
|
MA English
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |
|
MA First Nations Studies
|
By the middle of the second semester of enrollment (or by February) |
|
MA Gender Studies
|
By end of third semester of registration |
|
MA History
|
Consult program for deadline |
|
MA International Studies
|
By the end of the fourth semester of registration |
|
MA Natural Resources and Environmental Studies
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MA Political Science
|
Within the first semester of registration for the thesis or project |
|
MA/MSc Interdisciplinary Studies
|
Formed during admissions process, paperwork within the first semester of study |
|
MEd Counselling
|
Consult program for deadline |
|
MEd Multidisciplinary Leadership
|
Consult program for deadline |
|
MEd Special Education
|
Consult program for deadline |
|
Master of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Biochemistry
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Business Administration
|
Consult program for deadline |
|
MSc Chemistry
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Computer Science
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Health Sciences
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Mathematics
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Natural Resources and Environmental Studies
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Physics
|
By the end of the first semester of enrolment |
|
MSc Psychology
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |
|
MScN
|
Family Nurse Practitioner students do not have supervisory committees. Required for thesis and project students only. Consult program for deadline |
|
MSW
|
Within one semester of first registration in the thesis or practicum |
|
PhD Health Sciences
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |
|
PhD NRES
|
Beginning of the second semester of enrolment |
|
PhD Psychology
|
By the end of the second semester of enrolment |