MSc Thesis and Final Examination

The thesis should be prepared following Thesis Preparation, Requirements & Deadlines as outlined by GPS.

University of Alberta has several services to assist students with academic writing. Please consult the Academic Success Centre.

The purpose of the MSc final examination is to assess the student’s knowledge of the literature relevant to their research area, understanding of the procedures used to collect and analyze their data, understanding of the significance of their research in the context of their research area, and knowledge of the limitations and pitfalls of their chosen methodology.

At least half of the examiners must have a MSc degree or higher.

• The chair is a member of the NGPC who is not the supervisor and is appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies. The Chair is not an examiner.
• The supervisor(s) and supervisory committee members are ex-officio members of the examining committee.
• The committee must include one university examiner or one specialized knowledge examiner.

A university examiner is a member of the University of Alberta community who is knowledgeable in the field and comes fresh to the examination. They must not be (or have been) a member of the supervisory committee or have been connected with the thesis research in a significant way. The examiner should not have been associated with the student, outside of usual contact in courses or other non-thesis activities within the University, nor be related to the student or supervisor(s). A university examiner should not be a former supervisor or student of the supervisor(s). Eligibility for university examiners is described in detail in the University Calendar.

A specialized knowledge examiner is a person who has knowledge or professional expertise that is relevant to the thesis research (such as a health practitioner or an Indigenous community member) and does not have a full-time academic appointment at a university that confers graduate degrees. A specialized knowledge examiner comes fresh to the examination. They must not be (or have been) a member of the supervisory committee or have been connected with the thesis research in any way. The examiner should not have a close personal association with the student or the supervisor.

The committee will review the thesis document and conduct an oral examination to test the student's knowledge of the thesis subject and of related fields. The final decision of the examination committee will be based both on the quality of the thesis document and on the student’s performance in defense of that document.

Students must submit a completed thesis to the supervisory committee with sufficient time so that each member can provide a form indicating their decision on its suitability for defence at least five weeks prior to the examination. The exam date cannot be set before members of the supervisory committee recommend, on the “Preliminary Acceptance of Thesis” form, that the thesis is acceptable for examination. The supervisory committee members can each sign a different form; all signatures do not have to be on the same form. The Preliminary Acceptance of Thesis form(s) must be submitted by the student to the Graduate Program Administrator (GPA). 

Once the GPA receives all the signatures as supplied by the student, they inform the supervisor. It is then the responsibility of the supervisor to arrange the date, time, and place of the exam at least 5 weeks prior to the exam and to send the information to the GPA.

The GPA will arrange for the chair from among the members of the NGPC. The GPA will then inform the supervisor and student of the chair. The GPA will email the supervisor the GPS form “Notice and Approval of a Master's Final Oral Examining Committee & Examination Date.” The supervisor must sign the form and return to the GPA.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide a hard and/or electronic copy of the thesis to the chair of the examining committee three weeks prior to the date of the exam.

The GPA submits the ‘‘Notice of Examining Committee & Examination Date” to GPS three weeks prior to the date of the exam and a chair for the exam must be arranged, 

The student must provide the GPA with the exact name of the thesis as soon as it is known and at least a few days prior to the exam.

A formal public seminar is not required for an MSc degree but can be scheduled if the student and/or supervisor like to hold one prior to the exam. It would be attended by the supervisory committee and other interested individuals. If a seminar takes place, the GA can work with the student and supervisor to find an appropriate room. Please provide the NMHI office with a seminar title and abstract at least 3 weeks in advance so the seminar notice may be circulated. If the student does not present a public seminar the final examination will be preceded by a 30-minute presentation attended by the supervisory committee. Following the seminar, the examining committee and the candidate shall proceed to the oral component of the final examination, which will be held in a closed session and conducted in accordance with GPS regulations.

The decision of the examining committee will be based both on the content of the thesis and on the student’s ability to defend it. One of the following outcomes of the final examination is appropriate:

• Adjourned
• Pass
• Pass subject to revisions
• Fail

There is no provision for a final examination to be ‘passed subject to major revisions’.

A majority of examiners must agree to an outcome of Adjourned. All or all but one of the examiners must agree to an outcome of ‘pass’, ‘pass subject to revisions’ or ‘fail’. Usually, the chair of the examining committee is not an examiner and does not vote. If the examining committee fails to reach a decision, the Department will refer the matter to the Dean of GPS, who will determine an appropriate course of action.

For further details on examination outcomes, consult Section 8 of the GPS Graduate Program Manual.

Following completion of the final oral examination at which the thesis is passed or passed subject to revisions, the student shall make the appropriate revisions where necessary and submit the approved thesis to GPS within 6 months of the date of the final oral examination. The Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute may impose earlier deadlines for submitting revisions.

If the thesis is not submitted to GPS within the 6 month time limit, the student will be considered to have withdrawn from the program. After this time, the student must apply and be re-admitted to GPS and register again before the thesis can be accepted.

If the final oral examination is adjourned, the 6 month time limit will take effect from the date of completion of the examination where the thesis was passed with or without revisions.

In order to be eligible for convocation students must submit their thesis to GPS for approval before the deadline dates set out in the Academic Schedule of the Calendar. Students must also ensure that they are registered in the appropriate Thesis course in their last semester prior to convocation.