MSc Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 3 units of graded graduate coursework and a thesis. An exception to the course requirement may be made for clinical trainees, such as medical residents, who may be exempt with the consultation and approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.  Students are expected to have completed undergraduate courses in both Cellular Neurobiology and Systems Neuroscience (e.g., equivalent to ZOOL 342 and PHYSL 372). Those lacking this background will be required to take these courses as ‘extra to degree’ in addition to the required 3 units of graded graduate coursework. 

To satisfy The FoMD requirements for core competencies, MSc students must complete at least 3 units of graduate-level coursework that fulfills the competencies in Critical Reading/Thinking or Background Knowledge.  This requirement cannot be met through lab rotation courses (e.g., NEURO 501) or graduate level reading courses (e.g., NEURO 550). Students can meet this requirement by selecting courses from the pre-approved list of Neuroscience courses or, in consultation with their supervisory committees, by choosing other didactic courses that are relevant to their research programs but not on the approved list. A list of pre-approved courses can be found in Appendix 1 and the University calendar.   

Students have the option, in consultation with their supervisor, to complete coursework beyond the minimum requirement of 3 units. The additional coursework may include a lab rotation course, such as NEURO 501 (one term: 3 credits), which involves rotation through a laboratory outside of the primary supervisor's lab. Students may also take a graduate-level reading courses provided it is with a faculty member other than their supervisor. If a student successfully transfers from the MSc to the PhD program, this additional coursework will count toward the 6-unit coursework requirement for the PhD. 

Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative program grade point average of 3.0 (B) throughout their program. Failure to maintain the required GPA will result in a recommendation by the Director of Graduate Studies to GPS that the student be placed on academic probation or required to withdraw.

Students must meet the GPS Ethics and Academic Citizenship Requirement through the completion of the six hour, online, non-credit course INT D 710: Ethics and Academic Citizenship by the end of the first term of registration in their degree program.

The course provides foundational knowledge of ethical principles and relevant university policies, including: academic integrity, plagiarism, research ethics, conflict of interest, workplace ethics, and health.

If a student does not complete the above noted course by the end of their first term of registration in their degree program, their registration in subsequent terms will be restricted until such time as the course(s) is completed and/or a plan for completion is submitted by the student to the Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Note: GPS will send students reminders to complete the requirement prior to the end of their first term (if not completed already).

Students are required to fulfill the Professional Development requirement which has two components and must be completed as specified by GPS. 

1. Students must submit a completed Individual Development Plan (IDP) within 12 months of start of the Master’s program.
2. Students must complete eight hours of professional development activities inspired by the career plan. This must be approved by NMHI and completed at the time of completion for Master’s students”. 

Progress and Fulfilment of the PD hours (eight) is the students’ responsibility but will be monitored in the GPS Annual Progress Report.

All graduate students are required to attend 20 seminars per year anywhere on campus and at least 10 of the seminars must be selected from the list of formal Neuroscience seminars hosted by the NMHI. The majority of seminar attendance should be 'in person' rather than online. A minimum of 4:1 in person to online ratio is expected. The NMHI also hosts a number of seminars where students will be required to attend in addition to the mandatory minimum of 10 weekly seminars per year.

Students must track their individual seminar attendance and include this report in their yearly report which is sent to GPS. Participation in these seminars is a requisite for continuation in the NMHI graduate program.

Every year students must participate in the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute Research Day (NRD). Students are expected to present their work in the form of a poster or oral presentation. It is mandatory each student attends NRD as participation is a requisite for continuation on the NMHI graduate program.

Student progress must be reported to the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) at least once annually using the standardized Progress Report form. Reports are due within 12 months of the student's original program start date. 

Completion of the progress report is mandatory. If a report is not submitted within the required 12-month period, the student’s registration for subsequent terms will be temporarily restricted as a last resort until a plan for completion is established.  In such cases, GPS will assist the student and supervisor(s) in the completion of the report and remove registration restrictions promptly. Both the student and supervisor(s) will receive reminders to complete the report ahead of deadlines, with opportunities to request assistance of extensions. 

For students requiring closer academic monitoring, progress reports should be submitted more frequently, up to once every four months. 

A student who receives two consecutive evaluations of “In Need of Improvement” or one “Unsatisfactory” rating will normally be required to withdraw from their program. This recommendation will be made by the Director of Graduate Studies to the Dean of GPS.