• 30 credit units of coursework, at least 18 of which are at the 800-level in the same field of study
• Designed to be completed within a two-year period

• 9 – 12 credits of coursework completed at the graduate level

Designed to provide students with a good understanding of current issues and methods in a discipline to apply this understanding in practical or professional contexts.

Course-based programs will provide students with a broader background in the field of study through coursework. Aside from the research activities embedded within the coursework, programs have a few activities specifically dedicated to conducting research or reporting results.

• At least 30 credit units of coursework with at least 24 credit units completed at the graduate level.
• At least one full year in length, and should be able to be completed within two years.

Designed to meet the needs of students who wish to obtain advanced knowledge in a specialized field with limited research experience.

Designed to introduce students to advanced levels of knowledge and scholarship within a field of study through focused research experiences.

Students will gain an understanding of the field and the scholarly skills required for advanced research in the discipline, typically through a combination of coursework and focused research creation or mobilization.

• At least 24 credit units of coursework, with a maximum of 30 credit units (inclusive of the research-project course). A minimum of 18 credit units of that work must be at the graduate level.
• Research project, typically worth between 0 and 6 credit units, depending on the program. The project may be an application of research or a research project. The research component of the degree may entail the application of research outcomes or a separate research project.
• At least one full year in length, and should be able to be completed within two years.

• At least 9 credit units of coursework at the graduate level.
• At least one full year in length, and should be able to be completed within two years.
• Thesis proposal (optional).
• Annual committee meetings.
  • Thesis defence.

• Requires substantial coursework and will vary by program.
• Expected completion in three years.
• May require written and/or oral exams in relevant or essential aspects of the discipline; an internship or exhibition; and satisfactory defense of applied research presented in the form of a dissertation or acceptable substitute at a level commensurate with professional work in the area of study.

Designed to cultivate a thorough understanding of the subject matter, autonomy, creativity, sound judgment skills, ethical maturity, and academic integrity, exceptional written and oral communication skills, and analytical thinking skills.

Students will develop the ability to initiate and evaluate work in their field and must make an original contribution of significance to the advancement of knowledge.

Master's degree 70%

Or

80% in last 2 years of Bachelor's

• No minimum requirement for coursework. Required coursework will vary by program.
• Expected completion in four years.
• Annual committee meetings.
• Candidacy Assessment, including dissertation proposal.
• Dissertation defense.

* As defined in the Academic and Curricular Nomenclature Policy – page 14.

 Revisions approved to Policy 20 (20.2)
by CGPS Council June 19, 2025

Staged Implementation

Degree Level Expectations

Master's Level (thesis-based)

Doctoral Level

USask Graduate
Competencies

Depth and Breadth of
Knowledge

Students will be able to:

• understand the knowledge in their area of study
• possess critical awareness about current problems and/or new insights at the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice

Students will be able to:

• synthesize and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge and concepts at the forefront of their academic discipline or area of professional practice
• master a significant range of principal skills, techniques, tools, practices and or materials that are associated with a highly specialized body of work or field of learning

Knowledge

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Awareness of Limits of
Knowledge

• appreciate complex knowledge and concepts, and the potential contributions of other interpretations, methods, and disciplines

• appreciate the limits of knowledge including the limitations of their own work and discipline, and the potential contributions of other interpretations, methods, disciplines, and other ways of knowing

Knowledge of
Methodologies and
Research

A conceptual understanding and methodological competence that enables students to:

• comprehend how established techniques of research and inquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline
• critically evaluate current and advanced research and on the basis of that competence, demonstrate an original application of knowledge or the development of a sustained argument
• identify ethically designed research involving Indigenous communities in relation to the field of study as appropriate
• design research to address a gap in the scholarship in the discipline or area of professional competence
• critically assess the ethical implications of emerging technologies and use them appropriately given context and purpose
• support others in using technologies appropriately in learning and/or discovery processes.

A conceptual understanding and methodological competence that provides students with the ability to:

• conceptualize, design, and implement research for the generation of new knowledge, applications, or understanding at the forefront of the discipline and to adjust the research design or methodology in the light of unforeseen problems
• make informed judgments on complex issues in specialist fields, sometimes requiring new methods
• produce original research, or other advanced scholarship, of a quality to satisfy peer review, and to merit publication in disciplinary appropriate forms
• engage with other disciplines and operate in inter- or multi-disciplinary teams
• ethically design research that takes diverse perspectives and lived experience into account and are aligned with information governance principles (e.g., OCAP, CARE)
• make informed judgements about the use of existing and emerging technologies across their research and professional lives.
• lead others in using technologies ethically and effectively, and help others make calls about the ethical and appropriate use of technology.

Research practice

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Leveraging
Technology

Application of Knowledge

Students will be able to:

• address complex issues and make judgments based on established principles and techniques
• apply an existing body of knowledge in the research and critical analysis of a new question or of a specific problem or issue in a new setting
• be aware of the broader implications of applying knowledge to particular contexts and ways of knowing
• describe the disciplinary lens through which they conceptualize a problem
• identify the appropriate methodological approaches to questions at the forefront of discipline(s) or professional practice(s)

Students will be able to:

• undertake pure and/or applied research at an advanced level
• contribute to the development of academic or professional skill, techniques, tools, practices, ideas, theories, approaches, and/or materials
• create and undertake diverse projects and effectively manage and monitor projects, programs, and people
• evaluate the broader implications of applying knowledge to contexts and ways of knowing
• engage with other disciplines and operate collectively with multiple or interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems

Research practice

Adaptive Design &
Problem Solving

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Knowledge

Adaptive Design &
Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Teaching

Students will be able to:

• share ideas, issues, and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences, orally, visually, and in written form.
• develop and support a sustained argument or expression, clearly communicating layers of complex ideas coherently.

Students will be able to:

• explain complex and/or ambiguous, ideas, issues, and conclusions clearly and effectively, and translate knowledge for a variety of stakeholders, orally, visually, and in written form
• create scholarly work that communicates their ideas successfully to the standards expected in peer and expert review
• adjust communication style to meet the needs of learners
• communicate expectations to others and provide effective feedback
• adjust teaching content, approaches, and assessments to respect diversity of learners and acknowledge local place and peoples

Communicate
Meaningfully

Nurturing Successful
Relationships

Professional Capacity /
Autonomy

Ethics

Students will be able to:

• engage in their work with initiative, personal responsibility and accountability
• possess skills necessary for employment requiring complex decision making
• demonstrate the intellectual independence for continuing professional development
• conduct research according to principles for responsible conduct of research
• collaborate with others to mobilize personal and collective capacities
• assess their position and power in specific contexts, and utilize agency and advocacy to nurture relationships within their academic context

Students will be able to:

• demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and largely autonomous initiative in complex situations
• possess the intellectual independence to be academically and professionally engaged and current
• lead change and adapt successfully to changing environments
• reflect on and apply ethical principles in decision making and research practice, including the impacts of social and cultural diversity in the discipline
• oversee research adhering to principles for responsible conduct of research, including research data management and security
• lead ethically and create shared visions aligned with goals
• utilize frameworks that aid the understanding of cultural differences and develop, manage, and maintain effective partnerships and relationships among colleagues and stakeholders.

Cultivating Well-being

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Intercultural Society

Nurturing Successful
Relationships

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Intercultural Society