Senate Academic Policies and Procedures and SGPS Regulations

General Introduction

Scope
Senate Academic Policies and Procedures and SGPS Regulations apply to all graduate programs and students, unless otherwise stated, within Western and its affiliated university colleges.  Reference to program, department, Faculty, etc. should be interpreted within the context of Western and its affiliated university colleges. 

These policies, procedures and regulations are being revised within the spirit of ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ at Western University with a goal to decolonize and Indigenize the processes and procedures guiding thesis research, scholarship, and creative activity.  This includes acknowledging and addressing the hierarchies and the limitations of Euro-Western knowledges and cultures that currently govern our university policies and regulations.  We will create space and recognize the value of research, scholarship, and creative activity from a broad range and variety of perspectives.    

Indigenous Peoples comprise many Nations within Canada and possess intellectual, research, and academic sovereignty.  These regulations have been revised with the goal of expanding beyond and interrogating their Euro-Western focus (an on-going process) to respect and make explicit the rights of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination. These regulations affirm the rights of graduate students to produce research, scholarship, and creative activity based on Indigenous knowledges, languages, and methodologies.  In this regard, we recognize that the goals of Indigeneity extend beyond the borders of Canada. 

Definitions related to Senate Academic Policies and Procedures can be found here.

Graduate Studies Academic Year  
The academic year consists of three terms:  Fall term, beginning September 1; Winter term, beginning January 1; and Summer term, beginning May 1.

For our Calendar of Events, please refer to: https://grad.uwo.ca/academics/calendar_of_events.html.

Graduate Programs Currently Offered 
For a complete listing of all graduate programs currently offered, refer to:  https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/programs/index.cfm 

 

Senate Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Integrity
  • Policy
    1. Academic Integrity Module
Admissions Assessing Student Progress in Multi-Year Research-Based Programs
  • Policy
    1. Overview
    2. Meeting Program Expectations
    3. Annual Progress Evaluations

  • Associated Procedures
    1. Annual Progress Evaluations
    2. Annual Progress Evaluations and the Use of Pathfinder
    3. Guidelines When a Student is Not Meeting Degree Expectations
    4. Sustained Lack of Progress: Guidelines for Withdrawal for Failure to Meet Program Expectations
    5. Pathfinder and Confidentiality
External Scholarships on Transcripts
  • Policy
    1. External Scholarships on Transcripts
Graduation Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Associates
  • Policy
    1. Preamble
    2. Definition
    3. Terms and Conditions
Program Design - Course Registration
  • Policy
    1. Adding or Dropping Courses
    2. Auditing Graduate Courses
    3. Repeated Courses
    4. Incomplete Courses
    5. Adding, Auditing or Withdrawing from Undergraduate Courses
    6. Recognition for Prior Equivalent Work

  • Associated Procedures
    • Auditing a Graduate Course
    • Enrolling in an Undergraduate Course
Program Design - Courses, Milestones & Course Outlines Registration
  • Policy
    1. Initial Registration
    2. Registration Requirements
    3. Categories of Registration
    4. Transfer From Master's to Doctoral Degree Status in a Program
    5. Leave of Absence
    6. Withdrawal
    7. Admission After Withdrawal
    8. Time Away From Studies and Vacation Time

  • Associated Procedures
    • Registration and Fee Payment
    • Refunds
    • Enrolling in an Interdisciplinary Combined PhD Option
    • Leave of Absence
Thesis
  • Policy
    1. General
    2. Doctoral Programs
    3. Master's Programs
    4. Completion of All Non-Thesis Degree Requirements

  • Procedures - Format & Content
    1. Thesis Format
    2. Length
    3. Copyrighted Material and Permissions
    4. Confidentiality Agreement
    5. Contents
    6. Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD)
    7. Style

  • Procedures - Exam & Submission
    1. Doctoral Candidate - Completion of the Thesis Degree Requirement
    2. Master's Candidate - Completion of the Thesis Degree Requirement

SGPS Regulations

Financial Support
  • Regulation
    1. Funding for Students in Research-Based Programs
    2. Academic Requirements and Eligibility for a Student Funding Support Package
    3. Program Duration and Eligibility for Financial Support
    4. Minimum Annual Funding Package for Doctoral students
    5. Completion of a Student's Program
Graduate Programs
  • Regulation
    1. Research Degree Programs at Western
    2. Professional Degree Programs at Western
Professional and Career Engagement SGPS Membership
  • Regulation
    1. Categories of Membership
    2. Duration
    3. Privileges, Criteria and Qualifications
    4. Retirement
    5. Faculty Members Who Leave Western for Reasons Other Than Retirement
Supervision
  • Regulation
    1. General
    2. Supervisory Roles
    3. Expectations and Requirement of Supervisors
    4. Expectations and Requirement of Students in Thesis-Based Programs
    5. Changing a Supervisor
Support Services for Students with Disabilities
  • Regulation
    1. Commitment to Barrier-Free Accessibility
    2. Accessible Education
Visitor & Exchange Programs
  • Regulation
    1. Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Program
    2. Exchange Agreement with Canadian and International Universities
    3. Canadian Universities Graduate Transfer Agreement
    4. Credit Courses at Non-Partner Universities
    5. Full-Time Students on Exchange Programs
    6. Visiting Graduate Students (for Research Only)

SGPS Statements and Guidance

Personal Information Collection and Use  

The University of Western Ontario collects personal information under the authority of the University of Western Ontario Act, 1982, as amended.  The information is related directly to and needed by the University for the purposes of recruitment, admission, registration, progression, graduation, administration, and other activities related to its programs.  Such information is used to administer and operate academic, athletic, recreational, student development, student employment, financial aid, and other University programs and activities, including residence operations and alumni and development activities and programs, and to determine eligibility for student awards, scholarships and financial support, and administer financial aid and government financial assistance programs. 

It is the policy of the University to consider the following information about current and former students to be publicly available and to provide it to third parties upon request: 

  • student's full name  
  • Faculty(ies)/Schools in which student is/was enrolled  
  • degree(s) awarded by Western and date(s) conferred  
  • academic or other University honors or distinctions  

At any time, an individual may request that this information cease to be made publicly available by contacting the Office of the Registrar, in writing. 

Personal information may be used for statistical and research purposes by the University, other post-secondary educational institutions, researchers, and the provincial and federal government.  The University discloses specific and limited personal information to recognized student organizations for the purposes of administering their programs including membership administration, health plan, elections, and issuing of bus passes.  Personal information of students enrolled in an Affiliated University College is shared with the Affiliated University College. 

Select information may be shared with third parties, including: award donors; government funding agencies to process financial assistance applications; financial institutions to confirm student enrolment; independent student loan administration companies to process student loan documents; collection agencies for outstanding accounts; municipalities for debts owed by students; and contracted service providers acting on behalf of the University. 

Credit card information is transmitted to an independent processing company in order to process payments.  

Personal information may be disclosed to third parties in the course of an investigation of misconduct.  Information relating to misconduct and/or falsified documents may be shared with other educational institutions. 

For answers to questions about the University's collection, use, or disclosure of  personal information, please contact the Director of Administration, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Room 1N07 International and Graduate Affairs Building, 519-661-2111 ext. 84636.  For further information please refer to Western University’s privacy website:  https://www.uwo.ca/vpfinance/legalcounsel/privacy/.