Last updated: December 3, 2021 @ 10:27AM

Academic Regulations and University Policies

For details, visit brocku.ca/university-secretariat/faculty-handbook/section-3/#B._Graduate_Academic_Regulations/

I. Confidentiality and Release of Student Records

A. Protection of Privacy
Brock University collects and retains student and alumni personal information under the authority of The Brock University Act, 1964. This information is related directly to and needed by the University for the purposes of admission, registration, graduation and other activities related to its programs, being a member of the Brock University community and attending a public post-secondary institution in the Province of Ontario.

The information will be used to admit, register and graduate students, record management achievement, issue student identification cards, and administer and operate academic, athletic, recreational, residences and other University programs.

Information on admission, registration and academic achievement may also be disclosed and used for statistical and research purposes by the University, other post-secondary educational institutions and the provincial government.

Personal information provided for admission and registration and any other information placed into the student record will be collected, protected, used, disclosed and retained in compliance with Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (R.S.O. 1990, c.F.31).

B. Student Access
Students have the right to inspect all documents contained in their own record, with the exception of evaluations and letters of reference supplied to the University with the understanding that they be kept confidential.

Students have the right to request that erroneous information contained in their records be corrected and that recipients, of any information found to be in error, be advised of the correction.

Students wishing to inspect their record must make an appointment with the Director or Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

All official transcripts will be complete and unabridged. Partial transcripts cannot be issued. Transcripts issued directly to students bear the notation "Issued to Student".

Documents pertaining to a student's achievement at another institution, which may have been received by the University, will not normally be released or redirected to another institution.

C. Employee and Student Organization Access
Employees of the University are permitted access to information contained in student records, if they need to know the information in order to perform their official duties. As a general rule, only employees involved in some aspect of academic administration or student affairs are given access to the contents of student records.

In addition to collecting personal information for its own purposes the University collects specific and limited personal information on behalf of the Graduate Students' Association (GSA), as well as constituent organizations authorized by the GSA. The GSA uses this information for the purposes of membership administration, elections, annual general meetings, transit passes, health plan and for other authorized purposes. Information provided is released by the Faculty of Graduate Studies to GSA upon entering into a written confidentiality and privacy agreement outlining the terms, conditions and purpose for the release.

D. Third Party Access
It is University policy to make a minimum of information freely available to all inquirers. The University will disclose information about students who have graduated, which is considered to be public information as follows:
1.  degree(s) obtained and the dates conferred by the University, and in most circumstances,
2.  scholarships and the dates awarded.
3.  Except as specified below other information contained in the record (including current registration status and program of study) will be disclosed only with the student's written consent. This restriction applies to requests from parents, spouses, credit bureaus, police, CSIS and immigration and other government agencies. Specified records or portions thereof may be provided to persons or agencies pursuant to a court order, summons or subpoena directing the University to release information; to Statistics Canada and the Ministry of Education in connection with enrolment audits; or in accordance with the requirements of duly constituted professional licensing and certification bodies.
  In emergency situations involving the health and safety of an individual, or in compassionate situations, the Director of Graduate Studies or designate may, if it is considered to be in the best interest of the student, authorize the release of information needed to contact the student.

E. Notification of Disclosure of Personal Information

I. Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the national statistical agency. As such, Statistics Canada carries out hundreds of surveys each year on a wide range of matters, including education.

It is essential to be able to follow students across time and institutions to understand, for example, the factors affecting enrolment demand at post-secondary institutions. The increased emphasis on accountability for public investment means that it is also important to understand 'outcomes'. In order to carry out such studies, Statistics Canada asks all colleges and universities to provide data on students and graduates. Institutions collect and provide to Statistics Canada student identification information (student's name, student ID number, Social Insurance Number), student contact information (address and telephone number), student demographic characteristics, enrolment information, previous education, and labour force activity.

The Federal Statistics Act provides the legal authority for Statistics Canada to obtain access to personal information held by educational institutions. The information may be used only for statistical purposes, and the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act prevent the information from being released in any way that would identify a student.

Students who do not wish to have their information used are able to ask Statistics Canada to remove their identification and contact information from the national database. On request by a student, Statistics Canada will delete an individual's contact information (name, address, or other personal identifiers) from the PSIS database. To make such a request, please contact:

By email: statcan.PSIS-SIEP.statcan@canada.ca

II. Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

The University is required to report student-level enrolment-related data to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development as a condition of receipt of its operating grant funding. The Ministry collects this enrolment data, which includes limited personal information such as the Ontario Education numbers, student characteristics and educational outcomes, in order to administer government postsecondary funding, policies and programs, including planning, evaluation and monitoring activities.

Brock University is required to disclose personal information such as Ontario Education Numbers, student characteristics and educational outcomes to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development under s. 15 of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development Act, R.S.O., 1990, Chapter M. 19, as amended. The Ministry collects this data for purposes such as planning, allocating and administering public funding to colleges, universities and other post-secondary educational and training institutions and to conduct research and analysis, including longitudinal studies, and statistical activities conducted by or on behalf of the ministry for purposes that relate to post-secondary education and training.

Further information on the collection and use of student-level enrolment-related data can be obtained from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development website: http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/ or by writing to the Director, Postsecondary Finance Branch, Postsecondary Education Division, 7th Floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M7A 1L2.

F. Name Changes
As Brock is committed to the integrity of its student records, each student is required to provide, either on application for admission or in personal data required for registration, his/her legal name. Any requests to change a name, by means of alteration or deletion, substitution or addition, must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. Upon making application for graduation a student may be asked to provide proof of his/her name.

G. Transcripts
Copies of student transcripts will be issued at the student's request, subject to reasonable notice. Requests should be submitted through the student's self-serve portal. Transcripts issued directly to the student are stamped "Issued to Student". Partial transcripts cannot be issued. The Office of the Registrar cannot be responsible for transcripts lost or delayed in the mail.

H. Withholding of Degree or Grades
Only the Faculty of Graduate Studies may release final grades. No student owing the University fees or fines will receive a diploma, certificate, transcript or a statement of final grades or have any such statements communicated to parties outside the University, until such time as the debts have been cleared to the satisfaction of the University.

II. Student Status
Graduate students must be identified as completing their graduate program on either a full-time or part-time basis and must be registered on a continuous basis from the point of admission to completion of the graduate program unless they have applied for and received approval for inactive status or a leave of absence.

Each graduate program determines whether a particular graduate program may be taken at Brock on a full-time or part-time basis.

Students are defined as having either full-time or part-time status at the time of admission and are expected to complete their degree under the admission status. Requests for changes to status will be reviewed by the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and only approved in extenuating circumstances.

Students admitted to graduate studies at Brock may not pursue two degrees concurrently (at Brock or elsewhere).

Definitions

Full-time Students
Full-time graduate students are defined as students whose main purpose is graduate study for the purpose of obtaining a graduate degree. Graduate study differs from undergraduate study in that it is for most students an activity that is highly concentrated, demanding and all-consuming.

Full-time graduate students are defined according to regulations as follows:
1.  they must be pursuing their studies as a full-time occupation and identify themselves as full-time graduate students in all documentation;
2.  they must be considered by the University to be in full-time study;
3.  they must maintain regular contact with their graduate program director and supervisor;
4.  they must be geographically available and visit the campus regularly. Without forfeiting full-time status, a graduate student, while under supervision, may be absent from the university (e.g. visiting libraries, doing field work, attending a graduate course at another institution, etc.) provided that, if any such absence exceeds four weeks in any one term, written approval of the student's absence by the Graduate Program Director is forwarded to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies (or designate); (see https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/new-students/student-forms)
5.  Full-time graduate students must limit University employment to no more than 520 hours of paid work per year, with a maximum of 240 hours per academic term. This applies to all paid employment on campus and includes Graduate Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships.
Part-time Students
Students who are admitted to part-time studies are restricted to a less than full-time program of study. There is no restriction with respect to time spent on paid employment. Part-time students may register in a maximum of 1.0 credit per term, in addition to thesis and MRP registration. (A part-time MEd student may register in a maximum of 1.0 credit in each of the Spring and Summer MEd terms.) Not all programs offer the option to study part-time.

Part-time students should consult with their Graduate Program Director regarding course selection and course load per term.

Inactive Students
If, for some acceptable reason, a student is unable to take courses in a specific term, inactive status must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Permission must be obtained before the start of the academic term for which the student is seeking inactive status (via the Request for Inactive Term Form found at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/new-students/student-forms). During an inactive term, the student pays the inactive fee and retains library privileges. Inactive terms do not extend the final completion date by which degree requirements must be completed. Normally, inactive terms may not be consecutive and no more than two inactive terms may be taken during any graduate degree program. Students on inactive status will not be eligible to receive University fellowship support or other financial support from the University.

Leave of Absence Students
A leave of absence from a graduate program will be granted only in exceptional circumstances which will include parental and maternity leave, medical leave, compassionate leave, or work leave which requires the student to leave the geographic area. Cases will be considered on an individual basis and must have the approval of the supervisor (if applicable) and the Graduate Program Director before they are submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for approval. A graduate student granted a leave of absence will not be registered and will not be required to pay fees for the duration of the leave. Students on leave will not be eligible to receive university fellowship support or other financial support from the University. In the case of funding by an external agency, the regulations of the granting agency will apply. The length of time for completion of the degree will be extended by the duration of the leave. While on leave students will not normally be entitled to use University facilities and resources, or receive supervision. Leaves of absence are for a maximum of three consecutive terms. Normally, a student will not be granted more than one leave of absence during a graduate degree program. A leave of absence cannot be followed by an inactive term.

Request for Leave of Absence Forms are available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies or the Graduate Studies website at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/new-students/student-forms

III. Residency Requirement
The residency requirement of a graduate degree program is the minimum number of terms in which the student must be registered prior to degree completion.
·   For Master's degrees except MBA and MAcc, the minimum requirement is 3 terms (one year) of full-time registration.
·   For part-time students 6 terms (two years) of study is required to fulfil the residency requirement.
·   The minimum requirement for MAcc students is 2 terms of full-time registration.
·   The requirement for MBA students is 2 terms of full-time registration or 4 terms of part-time registration.
·   A Doctoral degree requires a minimum of 9 terms (three years) of full-time study after a Bachelor's degree or 6 terms (two years) after a Master's degree.

IV. Degree Requirements
Each graduate program specifies and outlines the graduate program degree requirements in their graduate program entry within the Graduate Calendar. Links to the graduate program calendar entries are found at: brocku.ca/webcal

Course Substitutions
A Graduate Program Director may approve degree requirement course substitutions up to a maximum of 25% of program requirements (excluding the thesis or major research paper). Such course substitutions must be reported to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, preferably at the time of course registration.

Questions regarding program/degree requirements should be addressed to the graduate program.

V. Applicable Calendar
Students who have maintained enrolment in each calendar year (May to April) may complete the degree program using the Academic Regulations section and program degree requirements operative in the year in which that program was entered, or any subsequent Calendar published while enrolled. Students who interrupt their studies for more than one calendar year (by not enrolling in at least 1 credit) become subject to the Calendar regulations in effect at the time of their re-registration.

VI. Degree Completion Time Limits
Each graduate program has a defined time to completion which is the number of graduate terms normally required to complete the program. Graduate funding periods are typically tied to the program's defined time to completion and are specified in the graduate program calendar entry. Additionally, there are university maximum time limits for the completion of graduate degree programs.

University Maximum Time Limits

Master's Degrees

Full-time students
Full-time students must complete all degree requirements within three years from the date of first registration.

Part-time students
All part-time master's students, except MBA, must complete all degree requirements within five years from the date of first registration.

Part-time MBA students must complete all degree requirements within six years from the date of first registration.

Part-time MPH students must complete all degree requirements within four years from the date of first registration.

Doctoral Degrees

Full-time students
Full-time students must complete all degree requirements within six years from the date of first registration.

Part-time students
Part-time students must complete all degree requirements within eight years from the date of first registration.

Where a student is permitted to change status from full-time to part-time, or vice versa, the fraction of time remaining under the previous status will apply to the new status.

Extension of Degree Time Limits
In exceptional circumstances, an extension of time permitting further registration may be granted. Extension requests, detailing the exceptional circumstances, must be received by the Faculty of Graduate Studies four weeks prior to the start of the term in which the extension begins, and all requests must be approved by the student's supervisor (if applicable), the Graduate Program Director and the Dean of Graduate Studies (or designate). An extension will only be granted if approved by the graduate program concerned. A request for Extension of Degree Time Limits form can be found at: https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/current-student-forms

VII. Registration Policies and Procedures

All graduate students must maintain continuous registration in each successive term from the time of initial registration until degree requirements are complete, unless they have been granted an inactive term or a leave of absence. Forms can be found at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/student-resources/forms/. Students are responsible for ensuring that they register at the appropriate time for each term, as indicated in the Schedule of Important Dates. See brocku.ca/webcal/ (Select Current Graduate Calendar).

Students who fail to register for any term and have not been granted an inactive term or leave of absence, will be withdrawn from their program to study. To continue, the student will be required to apply for reinstatement into the program. The request for reinstatement must be approved by the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The program may also make recommendations regarding the retention of previous course credits. A reinstatement application fee is charged. If enrolment is allowed to lapse a second time, the student will not be reinstated. The Application of Reinstatement Form can be found at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/student-resources/forms/.

Students must remain continuously registered to the end of the term in which they complete the degree requirements. Completion means that all corrections have been made to the thesis or major research paper and the final approved copy has been submitted to the graduate program or uploaded to the Digital Repository.

Credit will be given only for those courses for which the student is formally registered. A student will receive no credit for any work completed during a term in which the student was not properly registered.

It is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are registered by the appropriate deadline date. Students who fail to register by the deadline date will be charged a late registration fee.

Students must check their student account via Student Self-Serve for fees owing. To access and check a student financial account, sign into the University portal, my.brocku.ca, click on Student Self-Serve, then from the list of options click on Financial History. It is important for students to check their Brock email regularly, for messages from the Student Accounts Finance Office regarding their financial account. Graduate funding information is available through the my.brocku.ca Student Self-Serve, click on GradStuFunding. Via this screen, students have the capability to see all graduate student funding items processed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, that have been paid, per term, as well as funding committed for the current academic year.

Final Stage Status

Students approved for Final Stage Status by their graduate program must have completed all course work, and must have a complete draft of their Major Research Paper or Thesis, that their supervisory committee agrees requires no further research or additional chapters/sections. Students approved for Final Stage Status must be able to complete their exit requirement within the subsequent term. Final Stage Status may be awarded only once and for only one term. The Final Stage Status Form is found at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/current-students/student-forms

Master of Accountancy
All students are required to register for both the Winter (January - April) and Fall (September - December) terms, unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Master of Professional Accountancy

All students are required to register for the Spring Business English and Skills Transition program (1 month – August) and the Fall (September-December), Winter (January-April) and Spring (May-August) terms, unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Master of Business Administration and MBA ISP
MBA students are required to register for both the Fall (September-December) and Winter (January-April) terms, ISP students must also register for the Spring Business English and Skills Transition program (1 month - August), unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Master of Applied Disability Studies (MADS)
All MADS students are required to register for each of the three academic terms (Fall, Winter, Spring) unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Master of Arts, Master of Applied Gerontology, Master of Business Economics, Master of Professional Kinesiology, Master of Public Health, Master of Science, Master of Sustainability and Doctoral programs
All MA, MAG, MBE, MPH, MPK, MSc, MS and PhD students are required to register for each of the three academic terms (Fall, Winter, Spring) unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Master of Education
MEd students are required to register in three academic terms per year: Spring (May-June) or Summer (July-August), Fall (September-December) and Winter (January-April) unless they have received approval from the graduate program and the Faculty of Graduate Studies for interruption of their program.

Extra Courses
A full-time graduate student, with the permission of his/her Graduate Program Director, may take up to one extra graduate credit (or two half credits) or one extra undergraduate credit course (or two half credits) including audit status courses, that are not directly related to their graduate degree program. Students must declare a course to be Extra at the time of registration. No additional fee above that charged for the graduate program degree requirements will be levied for these courses. Extra courses are subject to the same regulations as courses required for the degree but cannot be used for credit toward the degree. Extra courses are not included in the calculation of the student's average. Extra courses must be taken concurrently with degree required courses and cannot be taken after completion of degree requirements.

Audit Courses
Graduate students wishing to attend courses without completing assignments and writing examinations must register as auditing the course. Students must have approval from the instructor of the course and their Graduate Program Director. No credit or assessment of performance will be awarded. Changes from audit to degree status or vice versa, are accepted by the Faculty of Graduate Studies no later than the last day to add a course (of that term). All audit courses are coded as extra courses.

Repeating a Course for which a Passing Grade has been Awarded
Students may repeat a course for which they have received a passing grade. The grade awarded for a repeated course will supersede the grade from the first attempt at the course regardless of whether it is higher or lower. Both grades will remain on the student's transcript but the second grade, whether higher or lower, will be used in the computation of the student's average. No course may be repeated more than once.

Repeating a Failed Course
Students may repeat a failed course, but no course may be repeated more than once. Both grades will remain on the student's transcript but the second grade will be used in the computation of the student's average.

A student may repeat no more than a total of one credit.

Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan (OVGS)
The Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan allows graduate students of an Ontario university to take graduate courses at another Ontario university while remaining registered at their own university. The plan allows students to bypass the usual application for admission procedures. Registration is not complete until prior approval has been received from both the host and the home universities.

A student who is classified as an Ontario Visiting Graduate Student will register and pay fees to the home university but will pay no fees to the host university. A description of the course must be attached to the form (course outline if available). No more than one credit (two half credit courses) will be allowed as OVGS credit. The course(s) selected must be at the graduate level and required for the student's degree program and not available at the home (Brock) university. Such courses may not be "extra" or "audit" courses for the student. Ontario Visiting Graduate Student forms are available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies or the Graduate Studies website: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/current-students/student-forms

If the selected course is dropped after the commencement of classes, the OVGS course withdrawal form must be submitted. Notification must be received prior to Brock University's and host universities published deadlines. A proof of withdrawal may be required.

Letters of Permission
A student may request a Letter of Permission from the Faculty of Graduate Studies in order to take a course or courses at another university (outside of Ontario) as a visiting student. The Letter of Permission application form is available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/new-students/student-forms

The student must be in good standing, that is, having successfully completed a minimum of two graduate credits with a minimum overall B average. Brock credit will not be granted to students who Challenge for Credit, on a Letter of Permission, at the host institution. The student must indicate the specific course(s) he/she wishes to take and provide the Faculty of Graduate Studies with the course description(s) from the calendar of the host university. Course(s) requested should be relevant to a student's degree program and must be approved by both the student's academic department/program and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Approval shall be at the discretion of the department/program and Dean, who shall base the decision on the applicant's overall academic record, the appropriateness of the particular course to the applicant's program and on any other factors deemed relevant.

If a letter of permission is granted to a currently registered student, it will be provisional pending successful completion of the progression requirements for that session.

On return to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of the approved application, the Faculty of Graduate Studies will forward a Letter of Permission to the host university. Students should contact the host university to determine any course access limitations imposed on visiting students.

Students must formally request that the host university forward an official transcript to Brock. The transcript must be received within eight weeks of the course end date as specified on the application for the Letter of Permission. Failure to provide an official transcript will result in the automatic assignment of a failing (F) grade in each course attempted on the Letter of Permission.

Not more than one credit (two half credit courses) may be taken at other universities on a Letter of Permission to fulfil graduation requirements for any graduate program at Brock.

Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will not be included in the calculation of the graduate student's Brock University average.

Credit will be granted only when the course is completed successfully with a minimum grade of "B" or 70% at the host institution. Course credit will be granted equal in value to the course weight assigned by the host institution. Any course attempted under a letter of permission shall be recorded on the Brock University transcript as a Pass/Fail grade. The exact name and title of the course(s) taken, the name of the host institution, and the grade assigned by the host institution, will appear as a notation on the Brock University transcript.

If the selected course is dropped after the commencement of classes, notification in writing, and an official transcript or statement, must be submitted immediately by the student to the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Brock University.

Students granted permission to take the final course(s) of their program on a Letter of Permission must ensure that grades, in the form of an official transcript, are received by the Faculty of Graduates Studies by April 25 for those wanting to graduate at Spring Convocation and September 5 for those wanting to graduate at Fall Convocation.

Drop/Withdrawal of Courses

Students wishing to change their course registrations during the drop period may do so through the Web until the system closes for the session. After the system closes, students must submit the Registration Course Add/Drop Form to the Faculty of Graduate Studies by the withdrawal deadline date as published in the Schedule of Important Dates. See: brocku.ca/webcal (Select Current Graduate Calendar)

While it is a courtesy to inform the instructor of withdrawal from a course, this does not constitute official withdrawal from either a course or the University.

The date of withdrawal from a course, following the course change period, will be recorded on the student's official transcript.

Grades will be recorded on students' transcripts for all courses in which they have officially registered and from which they have not officially withdrawn.

A student who drops or withdraws in good standing may be entitled to a refund of tuition fees in accordance with the refund schedule. See: brocku.ca/safa/drops-withdrawals-and-refunds/

Voluntary Program Withdrawal
Graduate students wishing to voluntarily withdraw from a graduate program must consult with the graduate program concerned and submit the Notice of Voluntary Withdrawal Form to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The form is available from the Graduate Studies website: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/student-resources/forms/

Required Withdrawal from Course

Graduate students may be required to withdraw from a graduate course(s) due to academic or non-academic misconduct.

Required Withdrawal from Graduate Program

Graduate students may be required to withdraw from a graduate program due to unsatisfactory performance or academic or non-academic misconduct.

Personal Time Off

Students may take up to two weeks per year (14 calendar days) in personal time off, plus statutory and non-statutory holidays during which the University is closed. This personal time off must be negotiated between student and supervisor and/or Graduate Program Director. Time off should not compromise the progress of a student's studies, including the fulfillment of course requirements. Students must ensure that laboratory activities and experimentation are either completed or arrangements made for others to continue ongoing work. Time sensitive deadlines must be taken into consideration. Time off cannot be carried forward from year to year. Time off should be requested as far in advance as possible.

Academic Accommodation for Religious Obligations
Brock University acknowledges the pluralistic nature of the student community such that accommodations will be made for students who, by reason of religious obligation, must miss an examination, test, assignment deadline, laboratory or other compulsory academic event. Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of religious obligation should make a formal, written request to their instructor(s) for alternative dates and/or means of satisfying requirements. Such requests should be made during the first two weeks of any given academic term, or as soon as possible after a need for accommodation is known to exist (i.e., posting of the examination schedule), but in no case later than the second-last week of classes in that term.

When a student's presence is required prior to the date on which classes begin, any student who cannot meet this expectation of attendance for reasons of religious obligation should notify the Faculty of Graduate Studies, in advance.

Accommodation is to be worked out directly and on an individual basis between the student and the instructor(s) involved. Instructors will make accommodation in a way that avoids academic disadvantage to the student. The type of accommodation granted will vary depending on the nature, weight and timing of the work for which accommodation is sought. In cases regarding academic accommodation of students on the basis of religious obligation, any dispute unresolved by discussion between the student and instructor may be appealed, first to the Graduate Program Director and thereafter to the Dean of the Faculty in which the student is registered. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Faculty Dean, the student may then appeal to the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student may then appeal to the Student Appeals Board.

VIII. Research Policies and Procedures

As Brock University has signed the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, being the agencies of the Government of Canada charged with promoting and funding research and research training in Canada, all students must comply with the Agreement including all related Policies, Frameworks, Regulations, and Guidelines with respect to areas such as conflict of interest in research, integrity in research, research involving humans and animals , biohazardous materials, etc. For further information, we encourage students to visit: https://brocku.ca/research-at-brock/office-of-research-services/

Research Involving Human Participants

At Brock University, human research refers to activities where data from human participants are used as part of an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a disciplined inquiry or systematic investigation. Human participants are those individuals whose data, or responses to interventions, stimuli, or questions by the researcher, are relevant to answering the research question. The definition of human participant research also extends to secondary and/or non-public sources of information; identifiable, private information about an individual(s) such as that found in health records; and research involving human biological materials from persons living or dead.

All human participant research must undergo ethics review prior to commencing and receive clearance from a Brock University Research Ethics Board (REB) regardless of whether the procedures used are invasive or non-invasive. This policy applies to funded and non-funded research involving human participants conducted in any location on or off campus by Brock University faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduate students and to anyone conducting research under the auspices or within the jurisdiction of Brock University. If you are in doubt as to whether your research requires REB review, please contact the Research Ethics Office reb@brocku.ca or (905) 688 5550, extension 3035 for advice.

As part of the application for human ethics clearance, graduate students must provide a certificate of completion for the Course on Research Ethics (CORE) on-line tutorial. Graduate students who conduct human participant studies strictly based on secondary analysis of a) human tissue or bodily fluids; or b) data from non-public sources—provided there is no involvement or interaction with human participants, are encouraged to complete the entire CORE tutorial. However, at minimum, these students must complete modules 1 (core principles), 2 (defining research), and 5 (privacy and confidentiality) before submitting a research ethics application.

Failure on behalf of researchers to adhere to Brock University's human research ethics policies and procedures will result in an investigation according to REB compliance procedures and may constitute misconduct under the Brock University Research and Scholarship Integrity Policy.

Please see: brocku.ca/research/ethics-and-research-reviews/human-ethics for additional information and the procedures you must follow to obtain research ethics clearance at Brock. For further information on research ethics guidelines we encourage students to visit: brocku.ca/research-at-brock/office-of-research-services/research-ethics-office

Research Involving Animals

All research that involves the use of animals must be reviewed and approved by the Brock University Animal Care and Use Committee prior to the initiation of such research or instruction. Please note that no work with animals can be ordered or obtained prior to approval of animal protocol by Brock Animal Care and Use Committee. See: https://brocku.ca/research-at-brock/office-of-research-services/animal-care-services/

Radiation and Biohazard Safety

At Brock University, safety is everyone's responsibility. All members of the university community should be thoroughly familiar with their safety responsibilities, strive to follow safety practices at all times, act proactively to prevent accidents and injuries, communicate hazards to supervisors, and be prepared for emergencies that may occur in the workplace or on campus. Brock University requires that health and safety be a primary objective in every area of operation and that all persons utilizing University premises comply with procedures, regulations and standards relating to health and safety. See brocku.ca/hr-ehs/environment-health-safety/academic-safety for additional information.

Field Safety

Brock University is committed to ensuring that scholarship and research is carried out in a safe and responsible manner. In particular, Brock recognizes the importance of encouraging faculty members, staff and students to engage in research beyond the campus walls. However, while all research involves the assessment and management of risk, the level of risk can vary with scholarship.

Risk in field research may include, but is not limited to, the risk to physical health emotional well-being and personal safety. The risks may arise because of the nature of the research itself, from the physical climate, or from the political, social, economic and cultural environment of the fieldwork location.

It is the policy of the University to encourage such activities as may be appropriate to the scholarly needs of the research program of its faculty members, students, affiliated research personnel, and staff and to take every reasonable precaution to protect the personal health, safety and security of its participating members.

In practice, responsibility for safety in field research rests primarily upon the persons who directly supervise and carry out the research on location. Such persons are expected at all times to exercise good judgement and must take all reasonable care in the circumstances to protect the personal health and safety of participating team members. See: http://www.brocku.ca/university-secretariat/facultyhandbook/section3#C_3 to review the Policy on Safety and Liability for Field Research and the related forms/appendices. See brocku.ca/hr-ehs/environment-health-safety/academic-safety for additional information.

Integrity in Research and Scholarship

Integrity is fundamental to the process of research and scholarship and misconduct damages the entire academic enterprise. While responsibility for maintaining standards of conduct in research and scholarship resides with all members of a research team, it is the responsibility of the university to provide an atmosphere which fosters the highest standards of integrity.

Accordingly, Brock University acknowledges and accepts responsibility for maintaining ethical standards in research and scholarship, and agrees to investigate and resolve promptly and fairly all instances of alleged misconduct.

It is the purpose of this policy to set down principles that promote integrity in research and scholarship, to define categories of misconduct in research and scholarship, and to establish procedures to investigate allegations of research misconduct.

It is expected that all faculty, other employees, including those employed on grants and contracts, and students who engage in research at or under the auspices of Brock University will acquaint themselves with this Policy and all existing regulations and codes of conduct before commencing or continuing with any further research (Section III: 8 Research Ethics, Faculty Handbook; Article 11 - Academic Freedom, Article 12 - Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members, Article 14 - Integrity in Research and Scholarship Article 18 - Conflict of Interest, Article 38 - Patents, and Article 39 - Copyright of the BUFA/Brock Agreement on the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Faculty; Academic Regulations and other appropriate sections of the Graduate Calendar; and all future policies and regulations or codes of conduct respecting research and scholarship that may be introduced at Brock University). See: brocku.ca/university-secretariat/facultyhandbook and https://brocku.ca/webfm_send/21442 for additional information.

Intellectual Property

For work done by a student, research assistant or post doctoral fellow, Brock has the following guidelines related to the interpretation of copyright and other aspects of intellectual property rights. These guidelines distinguish, in general, between items done solely by the student and those undertaken as part of a joint research effort. In the former case, the intellectual property is primarily the student's, but the University reserves certain rights as detailed in the remainder of this section. In the latter case, the intellectual property rights involve the student, the research supervisor (and possibly other individuals as well), the University, and on occasion the financial sponsor of the research. (If the work is anticipated to have commercial possibilities, it is required that the parties involved agree in writing beforehand on the sharing of any financial returns.) While no policy can anticipate or cover all possible situations, the University Policy on Integrity in Research and Scholarship and these guidelines are intended to cover the rights of current and former Brock students, research assistants and postdoctoral fellows both while attending the University, and after they leave the University, whether with or without a degree.

Similarly, while it is difficult to provide a definitive definition of intellectual property (IP), the Government of Canada (Consumer and Corporate Affairs Canada: "Intellectual Property: What It Means To You") indicates that there are at least six types of IP:
1.  Patents, for inventions and the creation of new kinds of technology;
2.  Copyrights, for literary, educational, artistic, dramatic and musical works;
3.  Trademarks, for words, symbols or pictures used to distinguish the goods or services of one person from those of another;
4.  Industrial Designs, for the shape, pattern or ornamentation of an industrially produced object;
5.  Integrated Circuit Topographics;
6.  Plant Breeders Rights.
7.  At Brock, given our mission and types of undergraduate and graduate programs, the most likely types of intellectual property to be created includes theses, dissertations, cognate essays, research papers, books, poems, plays, scripts, essays, articles, dictionaries, maps, lyrics, musical scores, sculptures, paintings, photographs, films, videos, tapes, computer software, databases, records, tapes, cassettes, educational materials, WEB based materials and inventions (new kinds of technology). To be protected by law, an item must satisfy three criteria: a) it must be an original creation; b) it must be a specific expression of an idea, not the idea itself; and c) the item must be fixed in a physical form. These creations may occur via term papers, theses or dissertations, research or cognate essays, course projects, cases, studio or laboratory assignments, etc.

Examinations, Reports and Papers Done as Part of Course Requirements

When work that is eligible for copyright is submitted to meet a requirement of a course, the University acknowledges the student's ownership of the copyright, but places the following conditions on the submission of the work to meet course requirements.
1.  The original physical document becomes the property of the University. This applies particularly to examination answer scripts, and may also be applied to term papers and other course work.
2.  Except for examination answer scripts, the University receives a royalty free, non-exclusive licence to make copies of the work for internal use within the University, and to circulate the work as part of the University library collection.

Theses and Project Reports

As with other papers, the University recognizes that the student holds copyright to the finished thesis. Copies of the thesis shall have on them in a prominent place on the title page the international copyright notice. The student is required to sign a licence to the University library and an additional licence to the National Library. These licences grant the two libraries permission to reproduce the thesis and to circulate it, but do not affect ownership of the copyright.

However, the University also recognizes that the ideas in the thesis will often arise from interaction with others. In some cases, this interaction will have been solely with the thesis supervisor; in other cases, a larger research team will have been involved. For this reason, it is understood that the copyright refers only to the written document of the thesis. The ideas themselves including any advances in theory, data, patentable ideas, or commercial exploitation of the work may or may not be the exclusive property of the student.

For the student who has worked closely with a supervisor, or as part of a research group, the rights to publish, patent or commercially exploit the results of the research are shared with the supervisor and/or the research group, and with the University. In those cases in which the work has been supported in part by research grants or contracts, there may be other conditions affecting any patent or commercial exploitation. The student should be made aware that such conditions might apply before work begins and bears some responsibility to enquire as to details if they have any concerns.

Computer Programs

Computer programs written as part of employment duties, as for example by a teaching assistant, are the property of the employer, as specified in the Copyright Act. Computer programs written as part of course work, a project or a thesis may also have value as a potentially marketable intellectual property.

The University recognizes that such software may arise in two different ways, and accordingly has two policies. In setting forth these policies, it is understood that in those cases in which software development draws upon other software owned or licenced by the University, the terms and conditions of the licence or purchase must be followed.
1.  Where a student develops such software at the direct request of a supervisor, and under supervision, it is assumed that there is joint ownership of the intellectual property rights. In such cases, it is recommended that the individuals involved co-author a working paper documenting the software, rather than including it as an appendix to a thesis or report. Prior agreement between the student and supervisor that this is to be the case would be helpful.
2.  Where a student develops such software on his/her own, as for example for an independent project in a course, copyright remains with the student. As a condition of using University computing facilities, the student is required to grant the University a royalty-free licence to use the software. This includes the right of the University to distribute copies of the software to Brock faculty, staff and students for the University's administration, education and research activities. This licence does not include the right to use the software for commercial purposes.
3.  Further, Graduate Studies encourages all graduate students to have a thorough conversation with their graduate supervisor about intellectual property in an attempt to navigate any potential intellectual property issues in advance. Graduate Studies has created an IP Checklist to help students begin a conversation with their graduate supervisors about intellectual property matters (a copy of which can be found at: brocku.ca/graduate-studies/new-students/regulations-and-policies/

Research Data

As with computer software, the University recognizes that research is conducted and data are acquired in two different fashions. When the data are acquired as part of a joint or collaborative effort, such as one relying on the equipment within a laboratory, they are not solely the property of the student, although some of the data may ultimately appear in tables or appendices in a completed thesis.

As a general rule, such data are the joint property of the student and the research supervisor, either of whom has the right to make it available to other individuals. Both student and supervisor are responsible for insuring that proper acknowledgment of the contributions of the student, supervisor, and other members of the research team is made when the data is released in any form.

When the data is acquired through the student's individual effort, and without the use of University laboratories or funding, then it is usually the property of the student making that effort. However, exceptions may occur when the student collects data using research instruments including interview schedules and questionnaires developed wholly or in part by the research supervisor or by some other person or agency. In such instances the right to ownership and/or use of the data may be shared among the parties involved.

Given the range of possible alternatives it is not possible to set absolute guidelines in advance covering all such situations. Consequently, it is strongly recommended that students and supervisors make clear agreements in advance concerning the ownership and use of data collected in this fashion. Ownership of data may also be affected by the terms of a research contract that has supported the work.

Equipment
If University resources have been applied to the construction or design of equipment, it is not the property of the student, but of the University. Equipment constructed or designed as part of course or thesis work is the property of the student if the work, materials, and workroom space have been provided by the student or other non-University source. Ownership of newly constructed equipment may also be specified in a research contract that has supported the work.

Graduate Student Intellectual Property Form

All graduate students must read and familiarize themselves with the Intellectual Property guidelines and policies of the university (as described above). In addition, the Policy on Integrity in Research and Scholarship requires graduate students and their graduate supervisors to sign an Intellectual Property Form indicating their agreement with the University policies and guidelines or indicating any specific arrangements that have been made that differ from these policies and guidelines. Please see: https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/student-resources/regulations-and-policies/.

Further, Graduate Studies encourages all graduate students to have a thorough conversation with their graduate supervisor about intellectual property in an attempt to navigate any potential intellectual property issues in advance. Graduate Studies has created an IP checklist to help students begin a conversation with their graduate supervisors about intellectual property matters (a copy of which can be found at: https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/student-resources/forms/.

IX. Examinations

Graduate instructors will indicate on the course outline and grading scheme whether formal or informal scheduled examinations are required.

Examination scripts must clearly identify the requirements for completing the examination. The duration in hours and minutes, if relevant, must also be identified. The following statements will routinely be placed on final examination scripts: No examination aids other than those specified on the examination scripts are permitted (this regulation does not preclude special arrangements being made for students with disabilities). Translation dictionaries (e.g. English-French) or other dictionaries (thesaurus, definitions, technical) are not allowed unless specified by the instructor and indicated on the examination paper. Use or possession of unauthorized materials, or electronic devices, will result in a charge of academic misconduct under the university's academic integrity policy.

When an instructor transmits grades for a course to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the examination scripts shall be kept by the instructor for a period of time not less than six months. After that time, they must be shredded. Students have the right to inspect their examination paper under faculty supervision.

If a student is unable to write a formally scheduled examination, or having begun the exam is unable to complete it for reasons of ill-health, a deferred examination will be granted provided adequate supportive documentation has been submitted. Requests made on the basis of compassionate grounds, religious obligations, or other extenuating circumstances will be judged on a case-by-case basis.

Any medical request for a Deferred Examination must be supported by a completed Brock University Student Medical Certificate (and include any relevant medical documentation) certifying that the student was not capable of attempting the examination at the scheduled date and time. A student must first contact the instructor for permission to write a Deferred Examination. Any such application must be accompanied by required supporting documentation and must be submitted within seven working days following the examination.

If the student is not able to contact the course instructor or if the course instructor is not willing to give the student permission to write a Deferred Examination, the student may contact the Director of the Graduate Program, within ten working days following the examination, to submit a request for a Deferred Examination. The Graduate Program Director will forward the request and his/her recommendation to the department Chair (for department based graduate programs) or the Faculty Dean (for programs not located within a department) for consideration and decision.

If not satisfied with the outcome of the request, the student may then refer the matter to the Dean of the Faculty offering the course. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Faculty Dean, the student may then refer the matter to the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student may appeal to the Student Appeals Board.

Deferred examinations will normally be written no later than the end of the subsequent graduate term.

X. Evaluation of Student Performance

Grades
The following grades are awarded for graduate courses:
A+ - 90-100
A - 80-89
B - 70-79
C - 60-69
F - 59 or lower

Grading Scheme used prior to 2010-2011
A - 80, 82, 85, 88, 90, 92, 95, 98, 100
B - 70, 72, 75, 78
C - 60, 62, 65, 68
F - 58 or lower

IN (Incomplete) is a temporary grade granted to a student, in exceptional circumstances who has been unable to complete some part of the term work in a course. A grade must be submitted no later than 56 days from the last day of classes in each term. In the case of the thesis, major essay or project, an IN grade should only be granted when the thesis or major research paper is essentially complete (only minor revision or thesis defence scheduling required). If the IN is not replaced by a letter grade within 56 days, the IN will be changed to the default grade.

IP (In Progress)
A grade of IP may be awarded if a student fails to complete all course requirements within the prescribed time limit. A student who receives an IP grade for a course, must re-register for that course in the term following that for which an IP grade is received. With the exception of the thesis, major research paper or proposal courses, no half-credit graduate course shall be denoted IP for more than one term.

Pass/Fail
A grade of P or F will be awarded for courses completed on Letter of Permission (LOP). The actual grade awarded and the institution that awarded it will be noted at the bottom of the official Brock transcript. Pass/Fail is also used for the evaluation of thesis courses.

AG (Aegrotat standing)
Aegrotat standing is the granting of credit for a course(s), based on the course work already completed, when no further assessment - for example, a deferred examination - is considered feasible because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. Students may only be granted Aegrotat Standing with the approval of the Dean of the Faculty offering the course.

SP (Deferred examination)
A deferred examination has been granted.

CR (Credit)
The satisfactory completion of a graduate credit course for which letter and percentage grading is not feasible.

NC (No-Credit)
The unsatisfactory completion of a graduate credit course for which letter and percentage grading is not feasible.

SA (Satisfactory)
Used for co-op work terms, internship options and non-credit courses.

UN (Unsatisfactory)
Used for co-op work terms, internship options and non-credit courses.

W (Withdrawn)
Where xx is the week of withdrawal

NR (Not reported)

NW (Not withdrawn)

For graduate courses the grades A+, A, B, C, F, IN (Incomplete), IP (In Progress), Pass/Fail, CR/NC (Credit/No-Credit), SA/UN (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory), NW (Not Withdrawn), or AG (Aegrotat standing) will be recorded on the transcript.

For all graduate programs except the MBA, GDBA, and MSc in Materials Physics (ISP) programs, graduate credit is only earned for courses in which a grade of A+, A or B is awarded.

For graduate courses in the MBA and GDBA programs, the grades A+, A, B, C, F, In (Incomplete), IP (In Progress), Pass/Fail, CR/NC (Credit/No-Credit), SA/UN Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, NW (Not Withdrawn), or AG (Aegrotat standing) will be recorded on the transcript. Grades A+ A, B, and C are considered to be passing grades and eligible for graduate credit. However, of the twenty half-credits required to complete degree requirements, a maximum of two-half credits at the C level may be used for MBA degree credit and the student must achieve an overall minimum B average in the twenty half-credits that comprise degree requirements to be eligible to graduate. Of the ten half credits required to complete the GDBA diploma requirements, a maximum of one-half credit at the C level may be used for GDBA diploma credit and the student must achieve an overall minimum B average in the ten half-credits that comprise degree requirements to be eligible to graduate.

For graduate courses in the MACC, MPAcc, GDAC and MSc in Materials Physics (ISP) programs, the grades A+, A, B, C, F, IN (Incomplete), IP (In Progress), Pass/Fail, CR/NC (Credit/No-Credit), SA/UN Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, NW (Not Withdrawn), or AG (Aegrotat standing) will be recorded on the transcript. Grades A+ A, B, and C are considered to be passing grades and eligible for graduate credit. However, of the ten half-credits required to complete MACC and MSc in Materials Physics (ISP) degree requirements, a maximum of one-half credit at the C level may be used for degree credit and the student must achieve an overall minimum B average in the ten half-credits that comprise degree requirements to be eligible to graduate. Of the fifteen half-credits required to complete MPAcc degree requirements, a maximum of two-half credits at the C level may be used for degree credit and the student must achieve an overall minimum B average in the fifteen half-credits that comprise the degree requirements to be eligible to graduate. No grades at the C level may be used for degree credit in the GDAC.

Major research paper or project grades shall be reported to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in the usual fashion with letter and numerical grades. If a failing grade is awarded for a major research paper or project, the student will be withdrawn from the program.

Thesis grades for master's and doctoral programs shall be reported to the Faculty of Graduate Studies as either a Pass or Fail grade. A Passing grade must be further differentiated as one of: Acceptable as is, Acceptable with minor revisions, Acceptable with major revisions. A failing grade will be awarded if two or more committee members find the thesis unacceptable or if the External Examiner does not approve the thesis. If a failing grade is awarded for a thesis, the student will be withdrawn from the program.

No graduate student can fulfill more than 25% of the minimum degree requirements by courses utilizing the Credit/No-Credit method of evaluation.

Grading Procedure
Each instructor shall make available to the class at the beginning of the term, the method by which student performance shall be evaluated.

Grade Changes
After grades have been submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies they may not be changed except by submission of a Request to Change a Grade Form (found at: https://brocku.sharepoint.com/Departments-Faculties/faculty-of-graduate-studies) signed by the instructor and the Graduate Program Director. Requests made for changes of grade beyond 180 days from the end of the term in which the grade was assigned, must also include the signature of the Faculty Dean.

Academic Performance Information
Student academic performance information is available following the end of each term of study via mybrocku.ca/portal
Final grades may only be released by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Minimum Academic Performance and Academic Probation

Graduate students must achieve and maintain satisfactory academic performance to be eligible to continue in a graduate program. Graduate program committees will review the performance of their enrolled graduate students on a regular basis, preferably each term.

At minimum, graduate programs will ensure that there is a formal meeting of each PhD supervisory committee at least once within the academic year (May-April). Each PhD supervisory committee must report annually on the student's progress and the Graduate Program Director must forward such reports to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The report will formally document the supervisory committee's assessment of the progress of the student in the program.

Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative average of at least a B- (70 per cent) during each term of study. If a graduate student falls below the minimum cumulative average the student will be automatically placed on academic probation for the subsequent term by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Additionally, a graduate program may recommend required program withdrawal. A probationary student must achieve the required minimum cumulative average, normally during the probationary term, to be eligible to continue as a graduate student.

In graduate programs with a research exit requirement (thesis, major research paper) satisfactory academic progress during the research phase will be determined through academic progress reviews by the graduate program committee (normally once per term) as outlined in the program's Graduate Handbook. An unsatisfactory academic progress decision, as determined by the graduate program committee, may result in a program's decision to place the student on academic probation for the subsequent term or a request for required program withdrawal.

Calculation of Averages
The average which is used to determine academic standing is computed by dividing the sum of the numeric grades assigned to credits by the total number of credits attempted.

*Average = The sum (credit weight x grades) divided by the Total number of credits attempted **See regulations on repeated courses.

Only courses taken at Brock University and on OVGS as part of the graduate degree will be used in determining a student's average. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will be marked as Pass/Fail and will not be used in determining any student average. The exact name and title of the course taken on Letter of Permission, including the grade received at the offering institution, will be included as a note on the student's transcript. Courses designated as Extra will not be used in determining any student average. Courses awarded as Advanced Standing or Transfer Credit will not be used in determining any student average.

For the purposes of calculating averages, a value of 45 percent is used for all "F" grades of 45 or lower.

XI. Graduate Supervision and Supervisory Committees
The role of a supervisor is threefold: to advise, to monitor and to mentor. Supervisors not only provide guidance, instruction and encouragement in the research activities of their students, but also take part in the ongoing evaluation and examination of their students' progress and performance. Supervisors and students have a mutual obligation to meet on a regular basis. The frequency of such meetings will depend on the discipline/field of study, type of program, and the students' progress. At least one, preferably several, meetings should be arranged in each academic term. Supervisors should also be reasonably accessible for meetings requested by their students.

The Policy on Integrity in Research and Scholarship requires graduate students and their graduate supervisor to sign an Intellectual Property Form indicating their agreement with University policies and guidelines or indicating any specific arrangements made that differ from these policies and guidelines.

The graduate supervisor should discuss with graduate students under their supervision, at an early stage of their program, authorship practices within the discipline and encourage the dissemination of research results by publication in scholarly and research journals, presentations at conferences, and seminars.

The graduate supervisor should discuss with graduate students under their supervision other relevant university policies, including the Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy and the Occupational Health and Safety Policy.

Each graduate program will ensure that a graduate supervisor and supervisory committee are designated for each graduate student completing a required major essay, project or thesis requirement.

The graduate supervisor in consultation with the graduate student will propose the supervisory committee composition. The committee composition must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and must be in place and operational by no later than the proposal stage of the major essay, project or thesis.

A thesis supervisory committee must at minimum comprise three members, the graduate supervisor and two additional faculty members. At least one of the three must be a full-time Brock University faculty member. A project or major essay supervisory committee must at minimum comprise the graduate supervisor and a second reader. Any changes to the composition of the supervisory committee must be made in consultation with the graduate student and the Graduate Program Director. The student or any member of the supervisory committee may, with just cause, request in writing a change in the composition of the supervisory committee.

If either the graduate student or supervisor wishes to initiate a change in supervisor and the change cannot be resolved at the graduate program level, a request must be presented in writing, with explanation, to the Graduate Program Director, and approved by the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Graduate Program Director.

The graduate supervisor will inform graduate students under their supervision, and the Graduate Program Director, of any anticipated extended supervisor absence. In cases where the absence will be for a period of one month or more, supervisors will arrange for suitable communication methods and/or interim supervision e.g. through the use of supervisory committee members. Such arrangements will be communicated, by the supervisor, to graduate students under their supervision, and the Graduate Program Director.

If a student's graduate supervisor leaves Brock University during the student's program, the Graduate Program Director has the responsibility to ensure that the student can exercise one of the following options:
1.  Remain at Brock and change supervisor and perhaps major research paper, project or thesis topic.
2.  Remain at Brock and complete the existing major research paper, project or thesis even though the appropriate expertise may not be available at Brock for supervision. In this case, the supervisory committee may seek advice from experts off campus, or may arrange for the student to work off campus. It will be the responsibility of the supervisory committee (augmented, if necessary, by outside expertise), to advise the student on all matters regarding the major essay, project or thesis preparation. The student is not precluded from seeking advice from the former Brock faculty member, but the former Brock faculty member has no privileged position with respect to the major research paper, project or thesis. The supervisory committee will take precedence in all cases.
3.  Apply to transfer to the university to which the student's former supervisor has moved.
4.  Any special arrangements described in ii) or iii) above must be approved by the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

XII. Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Each graduate program offering a doctoral degree is responsible for establishing detailed doctoral candidacy requirements. These requirements must be outlined as part of the graduate program's procedures. Admission to doctoral candidacy is a judgment by the supervisory committee and graduate program that the student is prepared to complete successfully the requirements of the doctoral degree. Doctoral students must normally complete all candidacy requirements within 36 months of first registration.

To be admitted to candidacy the student must successfully achieve the following:

Once a student is admitted to candidacy, the student cannot be required to undertake additional required course work. Graduate programs will notify the Faculty of Graduate Studies when admission to candidacy requirements have been fulfilled and the notation will be added to the graduate students' record.

XIII. Graduate Research Proposals
Graduate students completing a major research paper, project or thesis must submit and have approved by their supervisory committee a proposal of research in accordance with their graduate program's procedures.

Following approval of the research design, human or animal ethics approval (or any other necessary approval) must be secured prior to the commencement of the research study.

As part of the application for human ethics clearance, graduate students must provide a certificate of completion verifying that they have completed the Course on Research Ethics (CORE) on-line tutorial. The on-line tutorial is found at: http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/education/tutorial-didacticiel/

Although CORE training is not mandatory for students who do not intend to engage in research with human participants, these students are still encouraged to complete the tutorial to learn more about identifying ethical issues in the design, conduct and oversight of research.

XIV. Graduate Theses, Major Research Paper Documents
Master's and doctoral thesis documents must adhere to the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum format requirements and any program specific format requirements.

The format requirements for major research paper or project documents are specified and outlined by individual graduate programs.

If a thesis or major research paper or project is to be edited by a professional editor, the student must obtain written permission from the students' supervisor and Graduate Program Director. The extent of editing provided must not exceed the guidelines set out by the Editors' Association of Canada in its Guidelines for Ethical Editing of Theses/Dissertations.found at http://www.editors.ca/hire/guidelines-editing-theses. Graduate programs may require the student to submit a marked-up copy of the major research paper, project or thesis along with the final version to demonstrate the editing that has occurred. If an editor is used, specific acknowledgement must be included in the major research paper, project or thesis.

XV. Thesis Defences
Graduate thesis defences will normally be open defences. A request for a closed defence must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and will be based on certified medical or compassionate grounds.

The arrangements for a thesis defence will commence once all members of the supervisory committee have signed off indicating their approval that the student and the thesis are ready for defence.

The examination committee of a master's thesis defence will minimally comprise the supervisory committee and an external examiner from outside the university or from outside the program but within the University. The approval of the external examiner is the responsibility of the Faculty Dean or designate. In exceptional circumstances, an external examiner who is external to the supervisory committee but internal to the program may be appointed. Such an examiner will have to be approved by both the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

The examination committee of a doctoral defence will minimally comprise the supervisory committee, an internal examiner (from outside the graduate program but within Brock University) and an external examiner. The approval of the external examiner is the responsibility of the Dean of Graduate Studies or designate.

Typically a thesis defence will occur four to six weeks following the external examiner's receipt of the thesis document. External examiners shall submit their report no later than one week prior to the defence. External examiners shall, as part of their report, identify whether the thesis is ready for defence and whether the thesis is to be recommended for submission to internal/external thesis award competitions.

If the external examiner reports that the thesis is not ready for defence, the student must revise the thesis within a reasonable period of time in response to the examiner's comments and the thesis will then be resubmitted to the external examiner. A decision by the external examiner that the thesis is not ready for defence is binding.

A change of external examiner, in exceptional circumstances, must be justified in writing to the Faculty Dean or designate for a master's thesis and the Dean of Graduate Studies or designate for a doctoral thesis.

The external examiner's report will be shared with the examination committee and the graduate student prior to the defence.

The recommended format and procedures for a master's thesis defence are outlined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Each graduate program will publish their approved master's defence procedures. The Faculty Dean or designate will chair master's defences.

The required format and procedures for a doctoral defence are outlined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The Dean of Graduate Studies or designate will chair doctoral defences.

If a student is unable to attend the defence, or having begun the defence is unable to complete it for reasons of ill-health, a deferred defence will be granted provided adequate supporting documentation has been submitted. Requests for a deferral of a defence will be considered on the basis of compassionate grounds or other extenuating circumstances and will be judged on a case-by-case basis by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The defence will normally be re-scheduled within one month of the original defence date.
Students should typically be given two to four weeks to complete minor revisions which are to be approved by the graduate supervisor and four to twelve weeks to complete major revisions which are to be approved by the graduate supervisor and the chair of the defence.

Extraordinary exceptions to thesis defence procedures must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

XVI. Submission and Deposit of Thesis

Submission of thesis
When the thesis is in its final form (following defence), has been approved by the graduate program, and meets FGS Thesis Format Specifications, the student will submit the thesis to the Brock University Digital Repository for review by FGS. The student must also submit to the Faculty of Graduate Studies the Certificate of Approval, the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Non-Exclusive License to Reproduce Theses, and the Brock University thesis and Major Research Paper Copyright Licence. Under certain circumstances (e.g. to protect confidential commercial information, patentable material, pending application, or where immediate commercial publication is anticipated) a graduate student may request a restriction on the circulation of the thesis for up to a period of twelve months.

XVII. Academic Integrity/Academic Misconduct

brocku.ca/academic-integrity

Brock University encourages the pursuit of knowledge and scholarship through the provision of academic programs and a learning environment of the highest quality. Academic Integrity is a core value that supports the University's mission.

It is expected that graduate students shall demonstrate competency in the acknowledgment of the work of others and an understanding of the rigour of academic study, by acting ethically and with integrity in all academic work as well as in the conducting of research and the reporting of research results. The trust Brock University bestows on its graduate students demands a higher standard of care be taken in the pursuit of graduate scholarship.

All graduate students have the responsibility to familiarize themselves with the Academic Integrity Policy as well as any policy related to their participation as a member of the University community, brocku.ca/webfm_send/28409 (Code of Student Academic Conduct).

See the Policy for specific information regarding the determination of academic misconduct offences and outcomes.

XVIII. Graduate Student Appeals
All graduate students have the right to appeal academic decisions. An appeal is a request that an academic decision (e.g., a grade or standing in a program) be changed, based on the evidence supplied by the student or that a regulation be waived on compassionate grounds or because of extenuating circumstances.

Appeal decisions (at all stages) will normally be made within 10 working days following receipt of the appeal and communicated electronically to the student as soon as possible. If the decision cannot be made in the posted timeframe, the student will be contacted to discuss an appropriate time frame for the decision and response.

The procedure of appeal varies according to the type of the appeal. The various procedures are outlined below.

Graduate students are entitled to bring one faculty, staff or student member of Brock University to any appeals meetings.

Types of Appeals

Appeal of Grades

Students who have a question regarding an academic decision in a course (including grades) must first discuss the matter with the course instructor or their supervisor (in the case of their thesis or major research paper), and the Graduate Program Director. If not satisfied with the decision/result of the appeal, the student may then refer the matter to the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies who will render a joint decision. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Deans, the student may then appeal to the Senate Student Appeals Board.
Appeals of final grades, including the assignment of a failing grade for non-attendance in a course, must be made within 30 days of the posting of grades by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Failure of a course itself is not a valid reason for appeal. If the absence of the instructor or other factors make an appeal within 30 days impossible, the intention to appeal should be indicated to the Graduate Program Director within 30 days of the posting of grades by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Appeals Related to Academic Requirements/Decisions

A request for an exemption to a graduate program degree requirement must be directed to the Graduate Program Director of the student's program. If not satisfied with the outcome of the request, the student may then refer the matter to the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the joint decision of the Deans, the student may then appeal to the Senate Student Appeals Board.
A request for an exemption to a University degree requirement must be directed to the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the joint decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student may then appeal to the Senate Student Appeals Board.

Appeals of academic decisions made by the Graduate Program Committee and/or Graduate Program Director (e.g., required program withdrawal) must be directed first to the Graduate Program Committee or Graduate Program Director who made the decision. If not satisfied with the outcome of the request, the student may then refer the matter to the Faculty Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the joint decision of the Deans, the student may then appeal to the Senate Student Appeals Board.

Requests for Retroactive Registration and Backdated Withdrawal

Within 30 days of the last day of classes, a backdated withdrawal will be considered upon the receipt of a request to the Faculty of Graduate Studies which is supported by documentation verifying medical reasons (Brock University Medical Certificate) or compassionate grounds that prevented the student from withdrawing by the required date for doing so. Requests submitted without supporting documentation will not be considered.

Prior to the last day of the course duration, a request for retroactive registration will be considered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies upon the receipt of supporting documentation that outline the reason(s) why formal registration did not occur. This documentation must be accompanied by Registration Form signed and dated by the course instructor, and Graduate Program Director, verifying that the student has been in continuous attendance.

Requests under C. i) and C. ii) are considered by, and a decision rendered by, the Director of Graduate Studies (or designate). There is no charge for this request.

Students wishing to appeal the decision of the Director of the Faculty of Graduate Studies may refer the matter to the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies, the student may then appeal to the Senate Student Appeals Board.

Appeals of Charges of Academic Misconduct

All appeals of academic misconduct decisions made jointly by the Faculty Dean and Dean of Graduate Studies may be appealed to the Senate Student Appeals Board within 30 days of the date of the letter informing the student of the decision and/or penalty.

Medical Appeals

The University endeavours to accommodate students whose studies become interrupted, or who may be unable to complete academic work, or write a test or examination, due to an incapacitating medical condition. In these situations, the student must complete the Brock University Medical Certificate and include any relevant medical documentation to support his/her request for academic accommodation based on medical grounds. The University may, at its discretion, request more detailed documentation in certain cases.

Appeals Procedures

Method of Appeal to the Student Appeals Board
All appeals directed to the Student Appeals Board must be received in type-written form. Submissions not received in this form will be returned to the student without decision. Appeals should be submitted to the Associate Registrar, Academic Information and Protocol, Office of the Registrar and must provide any additional documentation not submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies and must be accompanied by the appeal fee.

Appeals must clearly state the arguments and expectations of the student. The responsibility is on the student to demonstrate the validity of their appeal and to provide full and appropriate supporting documentation. Dissatisfaction with, or ignorance or neglect of University policy or published deadlines shall not constitute sufficient grounds for appeal.

Appeals of academic decisions must be made within 30 days of the date of the letter informing the student of the academic decision or within 30 days of the posting date of grades which informs the student of the academic decision and/or final grade.

Appeals of a charge of academic misconduct must be made within 30 days of the date of the letter informing the student of the decision of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

A student may abandon an appeal at any time during the appeal process.
Hearings at the Student Appeals Board
Meetings of the Student Appeals Board are held in camera.

In accordance with the rules of natural justice, students appealing to the Student Appeals Board have a right to a fair hearing. This includes the right to be notified of the date at which the student's appeal will be considered, the right to attend and present verbal arguments and the right to question the Dean of Graduate Studies (or the person designated by the Dean).

Students must inform the Associate Registrar, Academic Information and Protocol, Office of the Registrar, of their intention to attend the meeting.

Students are entitled to bring one faculty, staff or student member of Brock University (who shall act as an advisor) to the meeting of the Student Appeals Board.

Where a member of the University community has a close personal relationship, defined as any relationship, arising from being a member of immediate or extended family (parent, guardian, partner, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, or in-law) with a student; that person shall not participate in or contribute to that student's appeals hearing.

Where a member of the University community and the student are engaged in activities (academic work, research projects, teaching programs, employment situations, etc) where the member of the University community is a Faculty supervisor, manager, or in a position of authority; that person shall not participate in or contribute to that student's appeals hearing.

In situations where the relationship of a member of the University community and a student may pose a real, apparent, or potential conflict of interest; both parties must formally disclose in writing the conflict of interest, upon discovery, to the Administrative Co-ordinator, Student Appeals Board prior to the hearing.

If a student has asked to attend the meeting of the Student Appeals Board, the Dean (or the person designated by the Dean) whose decision is being appealed will be invited to attend the meeting of the Student Appeals Board.

The Student Appeals Board may request the attendance of appropriate individuals to appear before the Board to provide information pertinent to the appeal.

Where the appeal is against an assigned final grade, the faculty member named in the appeal will be invited to attend the meeting of the Student Appeals Board.

In instances where a faculty member, Graduate Program Director, or Faculty Dean is named in an appeal, the student's submission will be available to the individual named.

At the request of the student, the written response of the faculty member, Graduate Program Director, Faculty Dean, or the Dean of Graduate Studies to an appeal will be made available to the student.

The student and the Dean of Graduate Studies, and where applicable the Graduate Program Director, faculty member, or Faculty Dean, will be informed, in writing, of the decision of the Student Appeals Board.

The decision of the Student Appeals Board is final.

XIX. Degree Completion

Degree Audit
The graduate program submits to the Faculty of Graduate Studies the completed Graduate Record Form indicating that all degree requirements have been satisfactorily completed. The completion of graduate degree requirements outlined on the Graduate Record Form will be reviewed and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies (or designate). If academic documentation for graduation is not submitted by the student's program at least one month prior to the convocation date, the student will be required to postpone graduation to the following convocation

Intention to Graduate
Intention to Graduate is processed online via the University portal, my.brocku.ca. Click on Student Self Serve, then from the list of options click on GraduationApp. Payment is made online and the application can be tracked through the various processing stages. Application deadlines are July 1 for Fall Convocation and February 1 for Spring Convocation. For details regarding the convocation ceremonies go to https://brocku.ca/registrar/convocation

Candidates should note that in addition to the Intention to Graduate Form, all degree requirements must be completed by the dates published in the academic calendar before any degree will be awarded.

The convocation ceremony is physically accessible for both graduands and their guests.

Diplomas
Diplomas are prepared for students who have completed degree requirements as prescribed by Senate. Diplomas are presented at Convocation to students graduating from a degree program. Degree program graduates who are not able to attend Convocation will have their diploma/certificate mailed to the address indicated on their Brock account.

Diplomas will be designed to indicate the degree name on the first line, the program and/or field of specialization (where applicable) on the second line, and Co-op designation (where applicable) on the third line.

Replacement of Diploma
Graduates may request, with payment of the required fee, a duplicate or reprinted diploma or certificate. A "duplicate copy" of a student's diploma or certificate will be issued 1) when a student requires a second copy of their diploma or certificate; 2) when, on request for a new diploma, the first copy of the diploma is not returned; and 3) when a statutory declaration (stating that the diploma or certificate has been lost, destroyed) is not submitted. A diploma or certificate will be "reissued" (noting the date of reissue) when the first diploma or certificate is returned or a statutory declaration is submitted. The words "duplicate copy" or "reissued" will be affixed to all diplomas and certificates requested in this manner.