Your graduate program

Expectations

You are expected to be familiar with the rules of the University, but especially the  Graduate Supervision Policy, which includes rules for much more than just supervision. These are the formal rules, but there are some general expectations about the standard of your work and what it means to be a graduate student. The calendar has sections on:

• Standards for Master's Degrees
• Standards for Doctoral Degrees
• Student Responsibilities

In addition, the Chemistry Department has a statement of expectations:

Expectations for the timely completion of graduate degrees

Approved November 2016

Graduate degrees in Chemistry at UVic are thesis or dissertation based, which means that  research is the most important component of your degree. The unstructured nature of a research-based degree contrasts the more programmatic nature of course-based degrees. In this context, a key component of a successful postgraduate degree in chemistry is to be efficient and productive. We define “timely completion” as the desirable outcome of  completing MSc or PhD program requirements within 2 or 4 years respectively.

You will have other activities in your life including other academic commitments (coursework, candidacy), employment (teaching assistantships), and other extra-curricular/ personal activities. Timely degree completion requires your sustained focus on, and dedication to, your research; your other activities should not compromise your research effort.

Your thesis/dissertation describes the outputs of your research. It is the nature of research that success is hard to predict, and output is not usually a simple function of time applied. The application of a regularly-scheduled 40-hour week (i.e. a “job” approach) is therefore not typically a successful strategy. Success in undergraduate degree programs routinely requires studying, reading, writing, etc. during some evenings and weekends. Similarly, students in other post-graduate degree programs (e.g. medicine, law) put in long hours studying. In this context, your research activities should be considered as analogous (in terms of commitment) to studying – it’s the main effort in pursuit of a successful degree.

So, we encourage you to work hard: Assess your level of effort on the basis of what you have actually accomplished, not just on the time you have spent. Develop a sense of urgency in planning, executing, and completing tasks. Be motivated by, and invested in, your research. The effort you put into your research should be guided largely by your own dedication. Take intellectual ownership of your research. Take charge of your skill and knowledge development.

Postgraduate study is also the next step in your professional career. Your thesis/dissertation is a program requirement, but there are other outputs that will define your future success. In chemistry, research publications are authored jointly by the student and supervisor, reflecting time and intellectual input by both parties. The time you spend researching the literature, drafting the paper, creating figures, tables, and graphics, and editing develops valuable skills that will serve you throughout your career – no matter what direction that takes you. Giving presentations in meetings or at conferences (another common activity for graduate students) is another example of a transferable skill.

Approach your degree as a professional. Be reliable, punctual, organized. Make sure whatever you do is of high quality. Learn to manage your time effectively and efficiently. Develop a sense of how long any specific task will take you to execute  and plan accordingly. Research can be an inherently unstructured process, so do what you can to make it structured. To stay focused and motivated, it often helps to have organized activities to force you to manage your time and to do something every day. Develop skills to plan not just for the short term, but for the intermediate and longer terms (weeks-months).

Individual supervisors will communicate any specific expectations (beyond the general ones presented here) to you in writing at the outset of your program.

Ethics and Academic and Research Integrity

Equity and Human Rights

The University promotes a safe, respectful and supportive learning, working, and living environment. University policies prohibit discrimination, harassment, and sexualized violence. We understand that such behaviours can undermine student success. The Equity and Human Rights office (EQHR) is a resource for all Uvic community members, including students. EQHR provides education, information, assistance and advice in aid of building and supporting an inclusive and respectful campus. When issues and concerns arise, EQHR assists those involved through the range of support and resolution options available under the Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response policy and Discrimination and Harassment policy. EQHR staff are available by appointment—contact information and resources can be found at  uvic.ca/equity.

The Department of Chemistry expects everyone participating in university activities in the department to model respectful behaviour and abide by applicable university policies. For more information please contact  chemeqhr@uvic.ca or see the departmental secretary in person at Elliott 302, who will help you or direct you to the appropriate person.

Academic and Research Integrity

Students are responsible for adhering to the  Academic Integrity Policy for graduate students. This covers such things as plagiarism, cheating on exams and fabricating data. Plagiarism is misrepresenting the ideas or words of others as your own, and is considered a serious offense. Please make sure you understand what exactly is meant by this, since the standard may be different from what you are used to. There is helpful information on this on the University website. Cases of plagiarism can be factors in withdrawing a student from their degree.

Your research is likely funded at least in part by one of Canada's federal funding agencies (NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR) and these agencies have a common policy on  Responsible Conduct of Research. This covers the obvious things such as falsifying data, but also covers such things as keeping complete and accurate records of your experiments so that they can be verified by others. Your messy lab book may be illegal! The policy mainly covers the procedures to follow if the rules are broken, because the agencies require the funded institutions to have specific internal policies, in this case UVic's  Policy on Scholarly Integrity.

Your supervisor

Part of the application process is choosing your supervisor. You supervisor is a mentor, who will guide you to successful completion of your degree. Most research groups in Chemistry have weekly research meetings in which you will present and discuss your research results with your supervisor and the other members of your research group. Some supervisors have separate regular meetings with their graduate student, and so you will be in regular contact with your supervisor. The Chemistry department has no rules on the frequency you meet your supervisor, but the  Graduate Supervision Policy(5.9d) requires that your supervisor meet with you at least twice per term.

Your supervisor may ask you to write reports, drafts or research papers or other text. The supervisor is expected to give you timely feedback on papers, theses and other written material. For papers, theses or dissertations, the  Graduate Supervision Policy (5.9f) specifies that this be normally with 20 business days.

Supervisory committee

Your supervisory committee oversees all aspects of your graduate program. Having members who are close to your area can be helpful in getting help with your research, perhaps on issues a little outside your supervisors expertise. The committee will be involved in all formal decisions involved in your program, including any problems that arise. You have the right to call a supervisory committee meeting to discuss any conflicts or supervisory issues that arise. If this is to discuss a conflict with your supervisor, see the Graduate Advisor, who can initiate a supervisory committee meeting, or can help you through other means. The  Graduate Supervision Policy has more to say about the role of the supervisory committee

Your supervisory committee needs to be established in the first term of your degree. Discuss the membership of your committee with your supervisor; you must be consulted in this decision.

MSc committees have at least two members.

1. Your supervisor
2. A co-supervisor or member. Usually this second person is from the Chemistry Department, though they may come from another UVic department.
3. Optional third member (can be from Chemistry or another UVic department)

When it is time for your final defence, your examining committee will be your supervisory committee plus your examiner. At least one of the examining committee must be from a department or institution outside chemistry. If you have a member on your supervisory committee from outside Chemistry, then it is possible for your examiner to be from the Chemistry Department.

PhD committees have at least three members.

1. Your supervisor
2. Co-supervisor/member (a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry)
3. Outside member (a faculty member from another department at UVic)
4. Optional fourth member.

Courses

The Calendar gives the MSc course requirements and PhD course requirements in Chemistry. Make sure that you have read them. Some additional information that may be helpful is given below:

• At UVic a one-term lecture course with approximately three lectures per week is worth 1.5 units. A "module" worth 0.5 units contains about 1/3 this amount of work and three such modules can be substituted for a lecture course.
• Discussion courses are 1.5 unit courses in which you discuss papers from the literature. These come in two versions  Chem 680 (for physical/analytical chemists) or  Chem 670 (for organic/inorganic chemists).
• You also have to take  Chem 505. This is a pass/fail module that deals with professional topics such as searching the literature/ethics and plagiarism/paper writing, etc. This is called a module because it is a short course worth 0.5 credits, but it cannot be used as one of the three modules that substitute for a lecture course.
• Each term you will register in Chem 509 (seminar) and either Chem 599 (MSc research) or Chem 699 (PhD research), as well as any lecture, discussion or module courses that you are taking. The research courses are just formal recognition that you are doing research, and there are no additional requirements associated with them. For Chem 509, you are required to attend  departmental seminars once or sometimes twice a week. You get an INP (in-progress) grade at the end of the term. Later in your degree you will present a seminar to the department and will receive 1.0 units of credit for Chem 509. There is more information about this below.
• Consult your supervisor about the choice of discussion and lecture courses. In general it is recommended that you complete your coursework as soon as possible, after which you can focus exclusively on your research. MSc students can complete all their coursework in one term, by taking one discussion course, one lecture course and Chem 505. On the other hand, there are limited lecture courses and modules offered in any given term so you might delay until a desired course is offered. For students concerned about their ability in English to complete the discussion courses, it is recommended that you sit in on the first available discussion course even if you do not take it for credit, and can take it for credit later. Consult your supervisor and the course instructor about this. Note that if you attend the course without registering, you cannot later decide you want credit for it.

Chem 509 course requirements

Graduate students must register for Chem 509 in both terms of every Winter Session during their degree program.

Enrolment in Chem 509 requires that students attend Chemistry Department Seminars as described in the syllabus each academic year (see below), and attend both Graduate Student Research Days (GSRDs) in November and February, and give a departmental seminar, normally in Term 4 or 5 of the MSc program or Term 10 or 11 of the PhD program.

A "COM" grade is assigned for Chem 509 when you submit your “Request for Oral Exam” upon completion of your thesis, as long as you have attended the requisite number of seminars for that term, and have given your departmental seminar. If you are submitting mid-term, consult with the instructor for the number of seminar attendances needed.

Graduate Student Research Days (GSRDs)

Graduate students give their departmental seminars during two GSRDs. These one-day mini conferences happen during the November and February Reading Breaks. The exact format will vary depending on the number of students presenting, and will be communicated early each term.  All graduate students are required to attend these events. The GSRDs include poster sessions; every graduate student must give one poster or oral presentation at a GSRD during each academic year.

The Chem 509 instructor will schedule all presentations for the two GSRDs, in consultation with supervisors. In July, student speakers will be told in which GSRD they are scheduled to present. In September, poster presenters will be told in which GSRD they are scheduled to present.

Co-op and Internships

Co-op and internship opportunities, where you work in an industry, are possible in a Chemistry program, at the discretion of your supervisor. Acceptance of these may (or may not) change your overall funding picture or the timeline for completion of your degree, candidacy exams etc. Consult with your supervisor and the Graduate Advisor.

Evaluation

Each term, the student and supervisor will discuss the student's progress and the expectations for the coming term. Find details about each stage of the evaluation process:

• Research progress evaluation & review
• Transferring from MSc to PhD
• PhD candidacy exam
• Degree timelines
• Writing your thesis or dissertation
• Planning to defend
• Your defense exam
• Submitting your final thesis

The faculty of graduate students is soon to implement a system in which an annual report is forwarded to them.