Graduate Student Services

What should I take next?

If you are wondering which courses are required in your program, it is best to talk to your Supervisor or Program Advisor. You may also wish to view your program manual and the University of Alberta Calendar to see if there are specific courses you need to complete throughout your degree.

Why can’t I add a course?

There are a few reasons why you may be unable to add a specific course. Make sure you read the error message carefully that appears when you try to enroll.

• You are over the course weight limit: Graduate Students can only take up to 18 units of course weight per term. If, including your new course, you are over 18 units of course weight, you will be unable to add the course. You will need to drop one of your courses before adding the new course.
• You are adding an undergraduate course: Graduate students are unable to enroll in courses that are 400 level or lower. You will need assistance from a Graduate Advisor to enroll in your course. Please contact grad.ales@ualberta.ca and obtain permission from the instructor or your supervisor to enroll.
• You are enrolling in an individual study course: Individual study courses have specific procedures to enroll. Please contact grad.ales@ualberta.ca for more information.
• You are enrolling in a restricted course. Please click on the course section for more information about restrictions on the course.

Why can’t I drop a course?

Graduate students in thesis programs need to be full-time students unless you are given special permission. This means that Beartracks will not allow you to drop below the 9 credit limit and become a part-time student. If you would like to drop a course, you will need to first enroll in another course, such as Thesis 909. 

Course-based students must be enrolled in 1 course each semester. If you are enrolled in 1 course and would like to drop that course, please add another course first or swap your course.

How do I enroll in Thesis (THES) credits

Students are responsible for their own registration in Fall/Winter terms. Students may choose whichever THES section they require to get them to 9 credits,  depending on their individual needs.

Auto added registration occurs in Spring and Summer terms only.  GPS will auto-enroll students in THES 906 in Spring and summer terms.

How do I enroll in an off-campus course?

If you live 80km or more away from the University of Alberta, you may be eligible to enroll in an off-campus thesis section. Please ensure that your address is up to date in the Profile section of Beartracks and contact the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies about registering in an off-campus thesis course.

What is the Professional Development Requirement?

Before the end of your degree as a Masters Student or before the end of the first 3 years as a PhD student, you are required to complete 8 hours of professional development. What is acceptable as professional development is determined by your Supervisor. Opportunities can be found on the GPS website as well as your department website. When you complete your Professional Development requirement, please send your IDP and PD completion form to grad.ales@ualberta.ca. 

What is the Ethics and Academic Citizenship Requirement?

All Graduate Students must complete their Ethics and Academic Citizenship requirement during their degree. It is recommended that Masters students complete their requirement in their first term and that PhD students complete their requirement in their first two terms. Masters students must complete INT D 710. PhD students must complete INT D 710 and INT D 720. Students in the department of Agricultural Food & Nutritional Sciences must also complete their CORE certificate. Once students complete their CORE certificate, please email it to grad.ales@ualberta.ca. 

How do I change my specialization?

If your supervisor agrees that your specialization should change, you can contact grad.ales@ualberta.ca to complete a Recommendation for Change of Category form. You may be asked to provide a letter along with your form that the ALES Grad team will send to the department chair to evaluate your specialization change. If approved, the form will be sent to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) to update your specialization.

What is the Tuition Payroll Deduction Program?

If you are receiving a stipend from your supervisor, your tuition and fees will be deducted automatically from your pay cheque at every pay date. Please review this website for details about the automatic payroll deduction. 

How do I complete my degree as a thesis-based student?

All thesis-based students must present their thesis, pass their thesis defense and submit their thesis to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Your supervisor is responsible for organizing your thesis defense. For more information about formatting your thesis, please see the Thesis Preparation, Requirements and Deadlines page.You can then apply for convocation.

How do I complete my degree as a course-based student?

All course-based students must complete all requirements for their degree before a Report of Completion form is completed by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. This form is then submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. You can then apply for convocation.

Can I take a leave from my program?

As a Graduate Student, a leave of absence is available to you for many reasons. These reasons can relate to maternity leave, professional opportunities, medical reasons, bereavement, or a regular leave of absence in which a student desires a break from their program. Each type of leave has their own implications, and you may be required to pay non-instructional fees while on leave or experience impacts to your funding if you are receiving stipends. 

If you are considering taking a leave of absence, please come talk to a Grad Advisor in person in Ag/For 2-06 or email grad.ales@ualberta.ca and we will be able to assist you with the process and look at your options with you. You can also find more information in the Graduate Program Manual and the University of Alberta Calendar.