Guidance for the use of Generative AI in Graduate Studies - School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

With ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies recognizes the need for guidance on the ethical and responsible use of generative AI technologies in graduate work.

You have an obligation to act with academic integrity and abide by the syllabus for each course, and the expectations for each milestone, including the thesis or major project, within your graduate degree program. This obligation applies regardless of the physical or virtual location of graduate program activities. Where you are uncertain, ask your graduate program chair (or equivalent) for guidance.

AI at Western

Foundational Principles for Responsible AI Use in Learning, Teaching, and Research

Please refer to AI at Western, the University’s central hub for practical guidance on using generative AI tools, for the Principles of Using AI to guide your engagement with generative AI.

AI at Western Principles of Using AI

Guidance for Use

In performing activities that are part of the degree requirements (for example, course work, milestones, and thesis research), graduate students may fall under the categories of both student and researcher as outlined in the Guidance by Role for Western University.

Students

For course work, the use of generative AI must abide by the course learning activities and policies, as outlined in the syllabus. Where you are uncertain, ask your course instructor for guidance.

For research, scholarship, and creative activities, the use of generative AI should be discussed with the supervisor(s) and supervisory committee. Any plan for the use of generative AI must follow the Principles of Use outlined above and must be reviewed as necessary to ensure ongoing adherence to these principles. Description and disclosure of the use of generative AI in research methods, scholarship, and creative activities should be consistent with the requirements of the discipline(s) or field(s) of study. Where you are uncertain, ask your supervisor(s), supervisory committee, or graduate program chair (or equivalent) for guidance.

Researchers

The use of AI in primary research, scholarship, and creative activities is governed by the same policies and regulations that govern non-AI-assisted research at Western. Graduate student researchers are expected to abide by the policies governing responsible conduct of research at Western. Researchers must also abide by any policies or guidance regarding the use, and disclosure of use, of generative AI provided by the agencies, organizations, foundations, and companies which fund their research. This requirement also applies to graduate scholarship and award applications. When disseminating their findings, researchers must abide by the policies of event organizers and publishers regarding disclosure of generative AI use.

Graduate Studies GenAI Conversation Starter Series

As generative AI continues to reshape teaching, learning, and research, open and informed conversations are essential to ensuring its responsible and effective use within graduate education. The Graduate Studies GenAI Conversation Starter Series provides practical guidance and discussion prompts to help graduate students, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), supervisors, and instructors establish shared expectations around the use of generative AI. These resources are designed to foster transparency, academic integrity, and meaningful dialogue while recognizing that appropriate uses of AI may vary across disciplines, research contexts, and instructional settings.

GenAI Conversation Starters for GTA Course Instruction GenAI Conversation Starters for Thesis Research and Writing