Revisions approved Section 4.1
by CGPS Council January 19, 2024		 Implementation
January 19, 2024

4.1. STUDENT PROGRAM OF STUDIES

The student’s program of studies, in conjunction with the requirements outlined in the USask Catalogue, will provide a guide for students to follow to complete their programs. Within the first year of a student’s program, the advisory committee will work with the student to develop and approve an individualized program of studies. For non-thesis/dissertation students, the graduate chair or designate will develop the program of studies with the student.

The program of studies must be approved by the graduate chair and entered into the student’s record by the academic unit.

Changes to course requirements or supervisor and advisory committee composition must be kept up to date in the student record by the academic unit.

Undergraduate courses credited towards a graduate program must be at the senior (I.e., 300-400) level and not exceed the following limits:

  • Ph.D. – 0 credit units
  • Master’s program with ≤ 9 credit units – 0 credit units
  • Master’s program with 10 – 15 credit units – 3 credit units
  • Master’s program with > 15 credit units – 6 credit units
  • PGD – 12 credit units

Exceptions may be considered by CGPS on a case-by-case basis when a rationale is provided by the graduate chair.

See 7.1.4. Registration in Undergraduate Courses for more information.

The program of studies is entered into the student information system (currently Degree Works) by the academic unit.

Policy exception requests must be submitted to CGPS via the CGPS Service Desk.

4.2. ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS

Revisions approved Section 4.2
by CGPS Council March 26, 2026		 Implementation
May 1, 2026

The advisory committee or graduate chair must complete a progress report annually with each graduate student following a synchronous meeting with that student. It is the responsibility of the student and the supervisor to ensure that this meeting takes place and that the report is completed and submitted to CGPS. 

Any report indicating unsatisfactory progress should be communicated to the graduate chair with a clear plan to address deficiencies and for reassessment in a reasonable timeframe.  A second unsatisfactory progress report may lead to a recommendation that the student be required to discontinue and be referred to CGPS for further action (See Section 15).  Within the first year of study, a plan and timeline for completion must be developed by the student and advisory committee and revisited in each subsequent progress report.

Progress reports are submitted in PAWS by the academic unit. Students can view their own individual progress reports through PAWS.

Academic units may use their own forms instead of the GPS 210 form if they wish, but any such alternate form must include, at minimum, all of the information included in the current version of the GPS 210. 

4.3. TIME IN PROGRAM

Revisions approved Section 4.3
by CGPS Council March 26, 2026		 Implementation
May 1, 2026

A variety of factors can affect time in program. Both the student and the supervisor and/or graduate chair for course and thesis students share the responsibility for time in program.

Time in program is measured from the beginning of the first term of registration for work which is included in the Program of Studies (for example, if a student transfers from a master’s to Ph.D. program, the time in program begins when registration in the master’s program began). Any periods of approved leave or suspension are excluded from time in program.

Program time limits are four years for master’s and postgraduate diploma (PGD) programs, and six years for doctoral programs unless otherwise stated for the specific program in the University Catalogue. Time limits for the completion of graduate certificates are set by academic units, if applicable.

4.3.1. TIME IN PROGRAM EXTENSIONS

Time in program extensions may be granted to students who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to finish their program within the time limits.

Well before a student reaches the time limit of the program without completing program requirements, the student will meet with their advisory committee (research-based students) and/or graduate chair (course-based and project-based students) to discuss whether an extension to time in program would be a suitable alternative to program withdrawal.

If the reasons that the student has not yet completed the program requirements include supervisory issues, the graduate chair will consult with the head of the academic unit.

Initial Extension

The academic unit has the authority to approve one extension to time in program of up to 12 months/three academic terms for master’s, PGD, graduate certificate (if applicable), or doctoral students.

Additional Extensions

If the student’s program requirements are still incomplete after an extension given by the academic unit, a request may be submitted to the Dean of CGPS for one (master’s, PGD) or two (doctoral) additional extensions of up to 12-months/three academic terms each.

Plan and Timeline for Completion 

Thesis-, dissertation-, and project-based students who will reach the time limit of the program without completing program requirements must meet with their supervisor to draft a plan and timeline for completion. A synchronous advisory committee meeting must be held to discuss, finalize, and approve the plan. The plan must also be approved by the program’s Graduate Chair on behalf of the academic unit.

  • For unusual circumstances when completion takes longer than one-year, a synchronous advisory committee meeting must be held and satisfactory progress must be demonstrated to support the application for additional extensions, if applicable.

Course-based and project-based students must meet with the graduate chair or equivalent to prepare a plan and timeline to completion.

Topics to be discussed and documented in the plan and timeline include:

  1. Program requirements completed to date (e.g., coursework, exams, fieldwork)
  2. Program requirements that remain outstanding (e.g., analysis, writing, defence)
  3. Reasons for the delay in completing requirements, actions taken to address them
  4. A detailed plan and timeline to completion
    • Indicate plan and time required for each remaining program requirement
    • If time required exceeds one-year timeframe of an extension, include plan for what clear indicators of satisfactory progress will be achieved during the present extension, and what will be achieved during additional extensions, if applicable.
  5. Expectations for working together while on extension, such as:
    • How often the supervisor and student will meet
    • How often the advisory committee and student will meet
    • Responsibilities of all parties (i.e., student, advisory committee members) surrounding communication, revisions, and feedback.

Students on extension are responsible for maintaining continuous registration and paying applicable tuition and fees.

Appeals and Withdrawals

The Dean of the CGPS, or designate, will consider appeals from students whose initial request for extension to time in program has been denied by the academic unit. Students may appeal the decision of the academic unit within 10 business days from the dates the decision was formally released. 

  • The academic unit must inform CGPS of an extension denial. If an appeal is not received from the student by the end of the period of notice, the student will be withdrawn from their program by CGPS. 
  • Students denied an extension by the Dean of CGPS will be withdrawn from their program. 
  • The decision of the Dean to deny an extension may be appealed under the procedures for the appeals of standing in program. 

Academic units must submit for the Request for Extension to Time in Graduate Program via the CGPS Service Desk. (https://cgps.usask.ca/onboarding/grad-toolkit/roadmaps/thesis-roadmap/drafting.php) and must include:

  • Approved plan and timeline for completion 
  • Applicable advisory committee minutes and/or progress reports and 
  • In cases of additional extensions, demonstrated progress by the student

The Dean of CGPS may, at their discretion, request a meeting with relevant parties (e.g., student, supervisor, graduate chair) as part of the review process for requests of additional extension. 

Once an extension has been processed by CGPS, the appropriate contacts in the academic unit will be notified by CGPS. 

4.4. PROGRAM TRANSFERS

Revisions approved Section 4.4
by CGPS Council March 26, 2026		 Implementation
May 1, 2026
All program transfer requests must be submitted to CGPS. These requests must include both the transfer request from the student and the approval of the academic unit receiving the transfer student. A new program of study must be submitted by the graduate chair, and a new advisory committee must be established. Time in program starts from the first class credited towards the program sought.

4.4.1. TRANSFER BETWEEN ACADEMIC UNITS

Students admitted to a graduate program may transfer to another program at the same level in another academic unit. It is the student's responsibility to communicate with both academic units before any change is made. The student may not begin work in the new program until the transfer has been approved by CGPS, and until the academic unit to which the student wishes to transfer has indicated formal approval to receive the student.

4.4.2. TRANSFER FROM OR INTO POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA

Master's students may transfer into an existing postgraduate diploma at any time during the program with the approval of the graduate chair.

Postgraduate diploma students who were fully qualified as master's students at the time of admission are eligible to transfer into a master's program at any time with the approval of the graduate chair.

Postgraduate diploma students who were not fully qualified as master’s students at the time of admission to the postgraduate diploma are eligible to be recommended for transfer to a master’s program by the graduate chair provided the following condition is met:

  • The student has completed at least 9 credit units at the 800-level, and has achieved a minimum average of 70% and no grade below 60% in those 9 credit units. The 9 credit units most recently completed at the 800-level will be considered. Exceptions are subject to the approval of CGPS.

Any recommendation to transfer from a postgraduate diploma to a master’s program shall be forwarded by the academic unit to CGPS.  Maximum amounts of undergraduate course content eligible for credit within a master’s degree shall be applicable to students transferring from a postgraduate diploma to a master’s program.

4.4.3. TRANSFER BETWEEN THESIS, PROJECT, AND COURSE-BASED MASTER'S PROGRAMS

Students may transfer from a program with a thesis to one with a project, or vice versa, where this option is available with the approval of their supervisor, advisory committee, and graduate chair.

4.4.4. TRANSFER FROM PH.D. PROGRAM TO MASTER'S PROGRAM

Students may transfer from a Ph.D. program to a master’s program with a thesis or a project with the approval of their supervisor, advisory committee, and graduate chair.

Students who have entered a Ph.D. program directly from a bachelor’s degree who do not meet the academic standing required for continuation in the program will be given the opportunity to revert to the master’s degree program in their field, and successful work done towards the Ph.D. degree will be credited towards the master’s degree.

4.4.5. TRANSFER FROM MASTER'S PROGRAM TO PHD PROGRAM

Transfer from a master’s program to a Ph.D. program takes place after the end of the first year and no later than the end of the second year in the program.

A synchronous meeting of the student's advisory committee must be held to determine if a transfer is appropriate. If approved by the committee, the academic unit will forward the recommendation documentation to CGPS. The following conditions must be met to recommend the transfer: 

  1. The transfer aligns with the student’s motivations and personal and career objectives.
  2. The student has completed at least 9 credit units at the 800-level, and has achieved a minimum average of 80% and no grade below 70%. Exceptions are subject to the approval of the dean, CGPS, or designate.
  3. There is evidence the student has the requisite writing and oral communication abilities, research skills, and disciplinary knowledge, to be able to satisfy the requirement of a doctoral candidacy assessment, and successfully complete a Ph.D. dissertation.

Requests for transfers should come from the academic unit by using the Graduate Student Transfers Form in the CGPS Service Desk.

The request must include minutes from the formal synchronous meeting of the student's advisory committee and must include rationale for the transfer. 

4.5. PROJECT AND THESIS REQUIREMENTS

The adequacy of the project or thesis is decided by an examining committee consisting of the Supervisor, other members of the Advisory Committee and other persons as appropriate. The thesis, project or publishable paper presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree must:

  1. Deal in an academically satisfactory way with a definite topic related to the major research field
  2. Demonstrate ability on the part of the candidate to do independent study and investigation
  3. Be written in good scholarly style and conform to the requirements of a style manual approved by the academic unit
  4. Comply in presentation features with specifications of the CGPS. Regulations regarding the preparation, submission, and examination of Master's and Ph.D. theses are published in the Catalogue.

A Ph.D. thesis, based upon original investigation, must demonstrate mature scholarship and critical judgment on the part of the candidate, as well as familiarity with tools and methods of research in the candidate's chosen research field.

Theses may be produced in either the traditional style or the ‘manuscript’ style, which consists of a manuscript, or cohesive series of manuscripts, written in a style suitable for publication in appropriate venues

Issues of copyright must be addressed should one or more of the manuscripts be accepted for publication or already in print.

All Master’s thesis students and Ph.D. students are required to submit their thesis or dissertation in electronic form.

Provision can be made for restricting access to a completed thesis for one year, with the possibility of up to two, one-year extensions. Access may be restricted completely, or allowable for only on-campus use.

Format guidelines and templates can be found on the Grad Hub - Thesis Roadmap.

Academic units which require students to provide a bound copy of the thesis or dissertation must establish a written and published policy regarding the submission of bound copies for storage within the academic unit or the personal library of the supervisor.

Access restrictions must be requested in writing to the CGPS, and agreed to by both the student and the supervisor. Requests for extensions of the restrictions must be made well in advance of the release date.

4.6. ETHICS REQUIREMENTS

All graduate students must fulfill the ethics requirements in accordance with policy 5.2. If students are conducting research with animals or humans, they must secure ethics approval from Research Excellence and Innovation (REI).

GPS 960.0: Introduction to Ethics and Integrity is a required course for all graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan. All students will complete modules dealing with integrity and scholarship, relationships, conflict of interest, conflict resolution and intellectual property and credit.

For detailed information please refer to the Course and Program Catalogue.

4.7. SAFETY RESOURCES TRAINING

In addition to coursework, examinations and research, a student may be required to complete one or more non-credit safety courses.

Examples of possible required ‘safety’ courses are: Biosafety, Chemical Safety, Radiation Safety, Hazardous Waste Management/WHMIS, UCACS Education and Training Program (Animal Care) etc.