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NEUROSCIENCE
GRADUATE PROGRAM
Student Guide
2015-2016
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0.0.Contact Information ....................................................................................... 5
2.0.0. FAQ .............................................................................................................. 6
3.0.0. Registration ................................................................................................... 7
4.0.0. Graduate Course Requirements .................................................................... 7
5.0.0. Seminar Requirement .................................................................................... 9
6.0.0. Financial Support for Students ...................................................................... 9
7.0.0. Teaching Assistantships .............................................................................. 10
8.0.0. CUPE and GSA Health Care Coverage ...................................................... 11
9.0.0. Supervisory Committees and Meetings ...................................................... 11
10.0.0. Combined PhD. Programs ........................................................................ 13
11.0.0. Transfer from the MSc to PhD. program .................................................. 14
12.0.0. PhD. Comprehensive Exam ...................................................................... 15
13.0.0. MSc. Thesis and Defence ......................................................................... 21
14.0.0. PhD. Thesis and Defence .......................................................................... 23
15.0.0. Career Opportunities ................................................................................. 25
16.0.0 Academic Integrity ..................................................................................... 27
17.0.0. Students of MiNDS Association (SOMA) ................................................ 29
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This document is not intended to replicate or modify the information found in the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Calendar. If there is any discrepancy between this document and the SGS Calendar, then the School of Graduate Studies Calendar shall prevail. Students and faculty are encouraged to look at the SGS Calendar for information about:
• Graduate study at McMaster; • General regulations of the School of Graduate Studies; • University regulations; • Graduate fees and financial assistance; • University regulations affecting graduate students; • University services; • Fellowships, scholarships, bursaries and other awards; • University governing bodies; • Student appeals; and • Degree programs (including degree requirements).
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A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MINDS McMaster University is renowned for the creation of innovative teaching systems that accelerate student development. Nowhere is this more evident than in the breakthrough thinking that led to the creation of McMaster’s Neuroscience Graduate Program, also known as MiNDS (McMaster Integrative Neuroscience Discovery & Study). More than 80 faculty members from across the campus have collaborated on the development of McMaster's Neuroscience Graduate Program - a program designed to break through those conventional boundaries that inhibit leading-edge, interdisciplinary research and study. The MiNDS program covers the broadest spectrum of neuroscience possible: cellular and molecular; clinical and health; cognitive; computational; neurotech; and systems and behavioural. MiNDS connects students with an internationally recognized faculty of researchers and scholars, working within a closely knit, resource-rich research environment. Current research projects within the faculty are aimed at improving human health and discovery in areas such as neural development, behavioural genetics, perception, pain, motor learning, vision, hearing, cancer, Alzheimer's, autism, Parkinson's, depression, dementia, anxiety, and neurotechnology.
Dr. Kathryn Murphy, Director Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout, Associate Director
Neuroscience Graduate Program
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1.0.0. CONTACT INFORMATION
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Dr. Kathryn Murphy PC315 905-525-9140 Ext. 23025 [email protected]
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout (905) 522-1155 Ext. 35123 [email protected]
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Sandra Murphy PC416 905-525-9140 Ext. 23009 [email protected]
STUDENTS REPRESENTATION:
Students of MiNDS Association (SOMA) [email protected]
http://www.facebook.com/groups/studentsofmindsassociation
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2.0.0. FAQ
2.1.0. PARKING
McMaster has a variety of parking options available for students and visitors. A complete listing of these fees and applications for parking passes can be found at http://parking.mcmaster.ca/
2.2.0. GRADUATE STUDENT RULES AND REGULATIONS
Please refer to School of Graduate Studies Calendar and the School of Graduate Studies website.
2.3.0 GRADUATE STUDENT HEALTH PLAN AND DENTAL BENEFITS
The Graduate Student Association and CUPE 3906 provide Graduate students with extended health and dental benefits. (see section 8.0 for further details) For detailed information about these benefits, including coverage, how to make a claim, and how to opt-out of these benefits, please visit http://gsa.mcmaster.ca/healthplan.html or http://www.workingatmcmaster.ca/faculty-staff/cupe/
2.4.0. WHO TO ASK FOR HELP:
2.4.1. ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS:
All administrative questions about the program should be directed to Sandra Murphy. She can be reached directly via email at [email protected].
2.4.2. FINANCIAL QUESTIONS:
Your pay as a graduate student will fluctuate throughout the year, depending on your T.A. hours, scholarships and status (i.e., MSc vs. PhD). If you suspect that there is an error in your pay, you should access your account information through MOSAIC and/or contact Sandra. If you see an error in your account, you may also contact the Student Accounts and Cashier’s office directly.
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2.4.3. ACADEMIC QUESTIONS:
Your supervisor is the best resource for all of your academic questions. Do not hesitate to approach your supervisor for academic clarification, guidance and advice.
2.4.4. STUDENT LIFE QUESTIONS:
The Students of MiNDS Association (SOMA) is your best resource for questions about student life, extra-curricular activities, housing, and the City of Hamilton in general. MiNDS students come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. If you have specific questions, SOMA can help connect you with a senior MiNDS student who can answer your questions.
3.0.0. REGISTRATION
All students will be required to register before the beginning of the new academic year. Registration will now take place in MOSAIC. As soon as details are available the information for registration will be updated on the SGS website and here.
Although Neuro 700: The Nervous System is a required course in the first year of graduate studies, upper years have more choice in their course selection.
For a full list of courses offered each semester you can check the course calendar in MOSAIC.
4.0.0. GRADUATE COURSE REQUIREMENTS
4.1.0. SGS #101 AND SGS #201
All graduate students will be required to complete the on-line course SGS #101- Academic Research Integrity and Ethics and SGS #201- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) within the first twelve months of entering graduate studies at McMaster University. A graduate degree at McMaster University cannot be obtained without successfully passing these courses.
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4.2.0. 700 LEVEL NEUROSCIENCE
All students (MSc & PhD.) will be required to take the 700 level Neuroscience course The Nervous System (full year) in the first year. This course will cover the breadth of the field of Neuroscience in a series of modules, different instructors will contribute to teaching the modules, and the course will be directed by a course coordinator.
Neuroscience is a very broad discipline covering topics from molecular biology, to the development of neuroprosthetics, to new treatments for neurologic and psychiatric disorders and this course will provide an introduction to these fields. It will cover the structure and function of the nervous system from the properties of neurons to the organization of higher level neural functions. The goal of this course is to present current theories and research from the different areas of Neuroscience research that will prepare students for more advanced studies in Neuroscience.
4.3.0. PHD. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
PhD students will also be required to take a minimum of 1 one-term 700 level course (i.e., a half-course) beyond the 700 level Neuroscience course (The Nervous System) that must be from the list of Neuroscience courses. The list of Neuroscience courses cover the 6 areas represented in the graduate program: Clinical & Health Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience, Systems & Behavioural Neuroscience, Neurotech; as well as Statistics and Quantitative Methods for research. See the MiNDS website for a full list of 700 level courses available. For course descriptions please refer to the Graduate Calendar. Please note not all courses are offered every year. Plan ahead to ensure you are able to get the course(s) you desire or require by consulting the graduate calendar.
4.4.0. ORIENTATION SESSIONS AND HEALTH & SAFETY COURSES
At the start of graduate studies, you will be required to complete a series of orientation sessions depending on the nature of the lab you will work in. Such sessions may include Bio-safety training, Central Animal Facility Training, WHMIS core, Waste Management, Radio-isotope management and Health
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Sciences Library Tour. In addition, Mandatory online health and safety courses covering slips, trips and falls, ergonomics, WHIMIS office, fire safety and asbestos must also be completed.
4.5.0. GRADUATE COURSE ENROLLMENT
To enroll in most graduate courses, you will need the permission of the instructor or the department offering the course. When deemed appropriate, they (the department or program) can then add a requisite to your record so that you are able to sign up for the course in Mosaic. You will also need approval from your supervisor before registering for any additional courses.
5.0.0. SEMINAR REQUIREMENT
5.1.0. JOURNAL CLUB AND COLLOQUIA
Each month the Neuroscience Graduate Program invites different researchers to expose students to a variety of topics in neuroscience. The Thursday before the colloquium, students participate in a “Meeting of the MiNDS” journal club to discuss publications relating to the speaker’s talk. The papers and discussion questions are released ahead of the meeting via e-mail. It is a requirement of the program to attend the Colloquia, journal club and all associated meetings.
5.2.0. SYMPOSIA
Each year the Neuroscience Graduate Program holds a themed summer symposium. Over 3 days, distinguished speakers are invited to give talks on their field of expertise. Students are invited to take part in a poster presentation session. Details are released in advance.
6.0.0. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
There are a variety of funding options available to students. Each year, students in the Neuroscience Graduate Program will receive minimum financial support in the amount of $20,000 per year in the Master’s Program and $24,000 per year for PhD students, which includes a TA or RA in Lieu of TA position. International
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students may be eligible for visa bursaries. Additional scholarships may be awarded to individuals with high academic standing and/or who hold external awards. Further information regarding tuition costs (which can be deducted directly from one’s financial support) can be found at:
http://graduate.mcmaster.ca/current-‐students/financial-‐matters.html
Students in the program are expected to apply to tri-council external scholarships each year. Some of the major external awards include OGS, NSERC and CIHR. Students are advised to look into the award deadlines at the beginning of each year as deadlines can be as early as October 1st. Below is a link to a list of other scholarships that students can apply for.
http://graduate.mcmaster.ca/scholarships-‐and-‐funding.html
If awarded an external scholarship, some or all of your internal scholarships will be replaced with the external scholarship.
Students are also able to apply for travel awards to attend conferences, work/study and research travel experiences. Please visit the SGS website for a list of external/internal travel awards including the Graduate Students’ Association travel awards.
The Neuroscience Graduate Program also offers travel awards each year that must be matched by your supervisor. Please answer all of the questions in this survey to apply for a MiNDS travel award.
7.0.0. TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
Most MiNDS students are awarded a half TA (equivalent to 130 hours of teaching) per year. Prior to the start of the academic year, an email from the program coordinator will prompt you to select your preferences for your TAship from a given list. TA positions are available for courses in term 1, 2, or 3. They may also be available for seminars or workshops on topics such as improving writing techniques. TA positions will then be assigned to each graduate student. Specific TA duties will be assigned by the faculty member responsible for that course. Pay for your TAship will be paid bi-weekly during the months that you are employed as a TA or RA in Lieu of TA.
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8.0.0. CUPE AND GSA HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
8.1.0. CUPE DENTAL PLAN
If you hold a Teaching/Research Assistantship (of 130 or more hours per year), you are a member of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 3906, Unit 1. Union dues will be deducted from your TA pay.
As a Neuroscience Graduate Student (with a ½ TA), you receive health care coverage from the GSA and dental and vision coverage through the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local (CUPE) 3906.
The instructions for opting-out of the Dental Plan or for obtaining family coverage are covered in a separate document. Please visit the CUPE website or office for information.
8.2.0. GSA HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
The McMaster GSA Health Plan provides students with unique health benefits. The Plan was designed by students for students and provides many important services, reimbursing you for expenses not covered by a basic health-care plan (i.e. OHIP), or the equivalent (e.g. UHIP for international students). This includes costs such as prescription drugs, alternative health practitioners, medical equipment, travel health coverage, and more. All full-time and part-time graduate students who are GSA members and who pay GSA and McMaster fees are automatically enrolled in the plan and pay an annual premium.
More information about this health plan can be found at:
GSA Health care coverage: http://www.ihaveaplan.ca
9.0.0. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEES AND MEETINGS
Each student (Masters or PhD) is responsible, together with their supervisor, to select and organise their supervisory committee. The supervisory committee must include the student’s supervisor and, at a minimum, two additional members who are faculty members of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. The committee membership must be approved by the Program Director or Associate Director before the first meeting. This committee will guide the student throughout their
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graduate thesis, both supporting and evaluating the student. Any changes to this committee must be approved in advance by the Program Director. Each Neuroscience Graduate Student is required to meet with their supervisory committee within the first six months of their entry into the program. Following this meeting each student is required to meet with their supervisory committee at least once per year unless the committee believes that more frequent meetings will be beneficial or necessary.
9.1.0. THE SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE
The Supervisor, assisted by the Supervisory Committee, will provide leadership and guidance to the student, as well as evaluate the student’s progress throughout the time the student is registered in the program. The student, along with their supervisor must select at least two Neuroscience Graduate faculty members to guide and support the student. With permission, the student can also select one additional committee member from outside the program who have special or significant expertise to support the student. Committee members are generally selected based on their ability to effectively support and enhance the student’s research and/or progress through the program. All committee membership must be approved by the Program Director before the first meeting.
9.2.0. SUPERVISORY MEETINGS
Once the supervisory committee has been selected and approved, the student must organise a formal meeting with the entire committee. Each Neuroscience Graduate Student is required to meet with their supervisory committee within the first six months of their entry into the program. Following this meeting each student is required to meet with their supervisory committee every twelve months unless the committee believes that more frequent meetings are beneficial or necessary. It is the student’s responsibility to organize and coordinate a suitable date, time, and location so that all of the members of their committee can attend supervisory committee meetings. This is a formal meeting and it is therefore advised that the student prepare a report ahead of time to submit to their supervisor and committee to outline what will be covered in the meeting. The meeting should also consist of a formal and well-prepared presentation and question and answer period.
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Following the meeting, a signed Committee Meeting Report must be submitted to the program co-ordinator
10.0.0. COMBINED PHD. PROGRAMS
The Neuroscience Graduate Program is a flexible and open program and allows its students to complete their PhD training in a variety of ways, including combined degrees.
10.1.0. COMBINED MD/PHD. PROGRAM
Students wishing to study Medicine at McMaster have the opportunity to complete a combined MD/PhD through the Neuroscience Graduate Program. The M.D./PhD. program is run through the Faculty of Health Sciences. Students must be accepted into the M.D. program in order to be eligible. In brief, students enrolled in this program complete the requirements for M.D. and PhD separately over the span of 6-7 years. Please note that not all Neuroscience Graduate supervisors accept students for enrollment in the MD/PhD program. For up to date information about admissions, expectations and timelines please go to: http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/mdphd/
10.2.0. OTHER COMBINED DEGREES
In previous years, Neuroscience Graduate Students have successfully completed other graduate degrees while completing their PhD in the MiNDS program (e.g., MBA and PhD). Neuroscience Graduate Students are allowed to pursue other combined degrees, it is important that they be aware of the following:
1. The MD/PhD program is the only combined program recognized by the University. Enrolling in other programs will require that you to complete the requirements for both your PhD and other degree concurrently. You must remain enrolled as a full-time Neuroscience Graduate Student throughout this process. You should make sure that the concurrent degree you wish to pursue can be completed in a part-time capacity.
2. Completing two degrees concurrently requires a high degree of organization and strong academic skills. Students are expected to complete all the administrative work and to schedule their time accordingly in order to complete degree requirements for both programs.
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3. Before attempting to complete a concurrent degree, you must consult your
supervisor. Not all supervisors will be willing to support a student who is unable to spend 100% of their time on their PhD studies and not all projects can accommodate such a request. The request must also be approved by the MiNDS Program Director.
11.0.0. TRANSFER FROM THE MSC TO PHD. PROGRAM
Students who wish to transfer to the PhD program without completing their Master’s degree transfer should do so between 6 to 12 months of starting the program and this transfer process should be completed before the end of August. The procedure requires a written report and an oral presentation of their Master’s research work and that which they plan to do for their PhD. The steps that need to be taken to initiate their transfer to PhD are:
1) The student should discuss the prospect of transferring to the PhD with their supervisor and their supervisory committee members.
2) The student’s supervisor may request that the supervisory committee meet to discuss the work done so far in the MSc program and what is required to be done before a transfer meeting can occur.
3) Once the supervisor and the committee agree to a transfer meeting, then the student advises the Neuroscience Graduate Program of their intention to transfer to the PhD stream.
4) At least one week before the transfer meeting, the student must submit a transfer report to their supervisory committee. The report is written in the format of a Journal of Neuroscience manuscript (the organization of a Journal of Neuroscience manuscript can be found at http://www.jneurosci.org/site/misc/ifa_organization.xhtml). The content of the report must cover the work done to date in the MSc as well as information on what the research that the student plans to do in the PhD. program.
5) The student must prepare a 15-20 minute presentation on the work done to date in the MSc program and the work that is to be done for the PhD.
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Typically, PhD transfer meetings are scheduled for 1 ½ hours to allow time for the presentation, questions and discussion.
6) The transfer meeting can have one of several outcomes : a. The candidate is permitted to transfer to the PhD program without
completing their Masters. b. The candidate is asked to schedule another transfer meeting after a
few more months of further research. c. The candidate can proceed to the PhD program after completing
the MSc. d. The candidate is invited to complete the MSc only.
7) The student must submit a completed/signed Supervisory Committee
Meeting Report Form and a Transfer Form (provided by the program coordinator).
The candidate must submit (a) the Supervisory Committee Meeting Report form, (b) the Transfer From, and (c) the written transfer report to the Neuroscience Graduate Program coordinator after the meeting.
12.0.0. PHD. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
All PhD candidates are required to pass a comprehensive examination prior to graduating. The PhD comprehensive requirement must be completed within 20 months of beginning the PhD degree and is designed to examine the student’s ability to:
-‐ define a major question in neuroscience research -‐ evaluate the research literature critically -‐ design experiments to address the research question
The student, in consultation with their supervisory committee, will select an area of concentration. The comprehensive examination will take the form of a grant-style research report (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) style open operating grants competition proposal) focused on the area of concentration selected.
Students are encouraged to meet with their comprehensive exam committee to discuss the scope of the grant proposal and to review the reading list. The student
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will submit the written grant proposal and be examined orally on the proposal, as well as their knowledge in the area of concentration.
Committee members are encouraged to mentor the student during the comprehensive examination process by providing feedback about the grant proposal, 2-4 readings that the student should be familiar with, and discussing the student’s ideas.
The committee must include:
-‐ the student’s thesis supervisor (non-voting member & Chair), -‐ one member from the students Supervisory committee (must be a MiNDS
faculty member), -‐ two additional members from the Neuroscience faculty.
When a student is co-supervised only one supervisor will participate in an official capacity on the comprehensive committee as the Chair. The Chair’s role is to adjudicate the oral component of the examination, support the student in developing the topic for the comprehensive examination, and ensure that the student has prepared for the oral exam.
The written proposal, oral presentation, and answers to questions will be evaluated within the framework of the 3 objectives of the comprehensive examinations (ability to define a major research question; evaluate the literature; design experiments to address the research question).
The student’s performance on each component (written proposal, oral presentation (20 minutes), answers to questions) and the overall comprehensive will be judged as:
-‐ Pass with Distinction, -‐ Pass, -‐ or Fail.
Students who fail the overall evaluation will be given a second opportunity to take the comprehensive exam. Please refer to the School of Graduate Studies Calendar for further information.
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12.1.0. ORAL PRESENTATION
In the oral component of the comprehensive examination, the student is expected to provide reasoned arguments in support of his/her interpretation of the scientific area under study, to demonstrate his/her ability to use the information acquired to formulate a hypothesis, and develop an experimental plan that addresses the hypothesis, and to rationalize weaknesses and strengths of the experimental approach. The student and the supervisory committee will agree on a topic that is of interest and value to the student and that is meritorious of independent study. The following steps outline the process involved in undertaking the comprehensive examination.
1. The student, in consultation with the supervisor, notifies the Program of which time period the examination will be taken.
2. The student, in consultation with his/her supervisory committee, will select a topic for the grant proposal. The supervisory committee will identify possible examiners based on the selection criteria outlined above.
4. The student will register for the comprehensive examination by completing and submitting the comprehensive examination form (on line link provided by program coordinator). The student will then have 6 weeks to prepare the written grant proposal (CIHR format: 11 pages, excluding the one-page summary, references and figures).
5. The student will notify the Program of the members of the comprehensive exam committee.
6. The student will deliver a hard copy of the grant proposal to all members of the examining committee 1 week before the oral examination date.
7. Prior to the oral exam, all Examiners will assess the written grant proposal by completing the evaluation form.
8. The student will present and defend the grant proposal to the Comprehensive Examination committee.
9. The Examination Chair will inform the student verbally of the result of the examination and send the original signed examination form to the Program.
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12.2.0. EVALUATING THE COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL, PRESENTATION, AND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
The information below will help the committee members to evaluate all 3 components of the comprehensive exam and provide an overall evaluation. This information is modeled on the guidelines provided to reviewers for CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship applications.
The committee members will evaluate each part of the comprehensive (proposal, presentation, answers to questions) and provide an overall evaluation using the guidelines outlined below (i.e., 12.2.1 to 12.4.2). These evaluations will be used as the starting point for the discussion among committee members. The Chair will guide this discussion and help the committee to arrive at a final decision as to the result of the comprehensive.
The different levels of Pass and Fail are internal to the program and are to help the committee provide clear feedback to the student. The final evaluation sent to the School of Graduate Studies is either Pass, Pass with Distinction, or Fail.
The Chair will ensure that one evaluation form is filled out, signed by all of the committee members and the student, and that it is submitted to the Director of the Neuroscience program. The Chair will also meet with the student to go over the feedback from the comprehensive evaluation.
12.2.1. WORKING DEFINITION
A carefully planned, systematic comprehensive proposal aimed at clearly answering a question in Neuroscience research. An organized and clear presentation aimed at effectively communicating an appropriate level of information.
12.2.2. WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The ideal comprehensive is one that is best for the candidate given their education, experience and interests. It is the right balance of challenge, importance of research question, and demonstration of the candidate's knowledge of the area.
Remember that it is not the project per se that is being assessed. It is the project as an integral part of the candidate's development as a graduate student researcher,
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the expansion of their knowledge of the field, and a demonstration of their ability to effectively communicate ideas and knowledge.
12.3.0. EVALUATION BENCHMARK
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12.4.0. COMPREHENSIVE EXAM EVALUATION
12.4.1. A BENCHMARK COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL
The information below is a summary for a benchmark proposal. It provides the committee members and the candidate with descriptive information about what is expected for a comprehensive evaluation of a Pass – Strong (the 3rd box from the top of the table in section 12.3.0).
Information on a hypothetical candidate is presented as though it has been extracted for you from a CIHR application form by another reviewer.
The benchmark proposal presents information on a hypothetical candidate adapted from an application to the Fall 2005 CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship competition.
You will note from the previous page that there are descriptions for 4 levels of performance suitable to be assigned a Pass. This summary below fits the Pass - Strong description. Committee members are encouraged to discuss the descriptors on a case by case basis to arrive at an appropriate overall evaluation. Remember that these are guidelines designed to help calibrate the committee members and student about the expectations for the comprehensives in the Neuroscience program.
12.4.2. SUMMARY OF A BENCHMARK COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
-‐ The candidate's research project (written and oral) was presented with the appropriate level of information and knowledge. When technical terms were introduced they were, with a few exceptions, adequately explained. The principal research hypothesis was reasonably well articulated.
-‐ The project appeared to be a good fit with the candidate's background. It extends the candidate’s background - but clearly builds on their knowledge and skill set while still exploring a new area and research strategies. It appeared to be a good complement to the candidate’s research work for the PhD.
-‐ The proposed research question is likely to impact on future research in the area. There is also a high likelihood that results will be relevant to
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clinical practice. [note: clinical relevance is not a requirement for the Neuroscience comprehensives.]
-‐ The project would probably be considered moderately innovative by others working in the area. The work is doable and, with few exceptions, the experimental design is appropriate.
-‐ There seems to be a good fit between the candidate's project and their career goals. The proposal, presentation and answers to questions showed elements of independent thinking.
-‐ The candidate’s knowledge of the area seems well balanced. The candidate’s ability to answer questions was, with a few exceptions, good and showed that they have an adequate understanding of the strengths and limitations of their research proposal
13.0.0. MSC. THESIS AND DEFENCE
The thesis is a coherent document that provides a complete and systematic account of the research work accomplished by the writer and provides a detailed account of the student’s research. Ultimately, the student’s supervisory committee will approve the writing style and format that is appropriate for the thesis. However, a good starting point is the thorough outline described by the School of Graduate Studies. Please consult the Guide for the Preparation of Master’s and Doctoral Theses’
http://graduate.mcmaster.ca/current-students/completing-your-degree.html
The following points are meant to briefly summarize the requirements for the MSc thesis and oral defence. The student is highly encouraged to review additional guidelines set by The School of Graduate Studies, the supervisory committee, and The School of Graduate Studies Calendar.
13.1.0. PERMISSION TO WRITE
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Although a supervisory committee meeting is not needed to receive permission to write a Master’s thesis, it is important to meet with the committee members to determine if there is enough data collected to produce the thesis. If the committee agrees that the student has met the objectives of the thesis work, the student may begin to shift focus from data collection, to preparation of the thesis for defence.
13.2.0. APPROVAL OF THESIS BY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE AND SUBMISSION TO SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
To meet the requirements for a Master's degree, the thesis must be submitted by the student to the graduate program prior to the defense, either in an electronic form or, if preferred, as a hard copy. The student should submit the first completed draft to the supervisor for critical comments. After revision, the student should submit a complete version to the individual supervisory committee members, who will act as examiners and to the program coordinator. The final draft should be submitted no later than the date specified in the ‘Sessional Dates’ section of the School of Graduate Studies Calendar for the degree to be recognized at the appropriate convocation.
13.3.0. ORAL THESIS DEFENCE
An oral presentation describing the student’s Master’s research will be made to a committee of at least 3 faculty members approved of by the Director. Often, this examination committee will be the supervisory committee along with a Chair assigned by the program. When the thesis is approved for defence, the student arranges the time and place of the oral examination, per the availabilities of the examination committee and notifies the program coordinator of the time and place so that a Chair can be found for the meeting (at least 2 weeks is generally required). The examination will consist of an oral overview (15 - 20 minutes) of the thesis given by the student, followed by a series of questions asked by the members of the Examination Committee in turn. All examiners are expected to ask at least one relevant question. At the end of the defence, the Examination Committee will consider the student’s performance in a closed session. The Chair will then call the student into the room to give the committee's decision. In the event that a re-examination is necessary, the examination committee will remain the same.
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13.4.0. CHANGES TO THESIS DOCUMENT
After a successful defence, the Chair of the examination committee will inform the student of any changes required by the examiners. The Chair will initial and give the student’s supervisor a form [entitled Final Thesis Submission Sheet] indicating whether minor or major changes are required to the thesis. After all changes have been made, the supervisor will sign the form and the student must submit this completed form to the School of Graduate Studies for his/her Final Submission to be published to MacSphere, an online, open-access repository of theses and other publications.
13.5.0. SUBMISSION OF THESIS
All candidates who have successfully completed their oral defence, and have made all required revisions must file an electronic version of their final thesis to MacSphere. They must also forward the “Final Thesis Submission Form” to the Thesis Coordinator at the School of Graduate Studies after it has been signed by the defence committee. The thesis will then be officially published. The student will receive an email confirming the official day of publication of the thesis.
14.0.0. PHD. THESIS AND DEFENCE
The thesis is a comprehensive document in electronic format (e-thesis) providing a detailed account of the student’s research. The thesis may take the form of a ‘classic’ thesis or a ‘sandwich’ thesis. Please consult the Guide for the Preparation of Master’s and Doctoral Theses for instructions on preparation of the thesis and detailed procedures leading towards defence. The following guidelines are meant to provide students, faculty, and staff with a brief overview of the requirements for the thesis and the oral defence. Individuals are encouraged to review additional guidelines set forth by The School of Graduate Studies, including that noted above and The School of Graduate Studies Calendar
14.1.0. PERMISSION TO WRITE
It is not a formal requirement of the Neuroscience Graduate Program that a formal supervisory committee meeting be convened to obtain permission to write the thesis. Students are encouraged to be writing components of their thesis throughout their study period. However, a supervisory committee meeting is required to determine whether a sufficient amount of data has been collected for
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the preparation of the PhD thesis. As such, the purpose of the committee meeting prior to the defence is to transition from a focus on collecting data to preparing the thesis for defence. A 2/3 majority decision of the committee is required for the student to be given permission to prepare the thesis for defence.
14.2.0. APPROVAL OF THESIS BY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE AND SUBMISSION TO SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Approval of the thesis by a majority of the student’s supervisory committee is required before proceeding to oral defence. Once majority approval is received, the student should submit their request to defend by accessing the ”Thesis Portal” on the School of Graduate Studies website, and using the online Electronic Thesis Defence Submission Tool. In addition to submitting the thesis document, the student in consultation with their supervisory committee, will indicate their preferred thesis defence dates to the Thesis Coordinator. The Thesis Coordinator will reply to committee members confirming the potential defence dates and indicating that the thesis is defensible.
14.3.0. SELECTION OF EXTERNAL EXAMINER
When the thesis has been deemed worthy of defence by the supervisory committee, the Thesis Coordinator will contact the student’s supervisor to request a list of potential candidates to serve as the external examiner. The external examiner may be able to evaluate the written thesis document but not attend the oral defence. In such a situation, the Thesis Coordinator will arrange an internal external examiner (i.e., someone from within the University to attend the oral defence). If the external examiner does not approve the written thesis for defence, the student must make the appropriate changes, and have them approved by the external examiner before the student may proceed to the defence. All examiners will be notified of the date, time, and location of the oral defence by the Thesis Coordinator.
14.4.0. ORAL THESIS DEFENCE
Once the thesis is approved by the external examiner, a defence will be convened by the Associate Vice-President and Dean of Graduate Studies, who will chair the defence (or appoint a delegate on their behalf, the usual procedure). The student will determine whether the defence will be public (open to all members of the University community) or private. Quorum for the oral defence will be the Chair
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of the examining committee (a non-member of the supervisory committee), plus four examiners (including the external or designated internal examiner). Following the student’s presentation and response to questions, the examining committee will discuss the student’s performance in the absence of the student and visitors. The Chair will ask for a vote by examiners on: 1) acceptance or rejection of the written thesis document, and; 2) the success or failure of the defence. The student will be invited back into the room and advised of the outcome of the vote. If the written thesis is approved conditionally, the student will be advised of the conditions to be met. An Examination Report will be completed, signed, and submitted by the Chair to the School of Graduate Studies. In the event the student fails the defence, the student must be advised by the Chair and examining committee what must be completed to improve the written thesis document and/or the oral defence. The student will then have an opportunity to resubmit the written thesis document and/or oral defence.
14.5.0. CHANGES TO THESIS DOCUMENT
Following the thesis defence, the student will likely be required to make changes to the written thesis document. The examination committee will decide whether the changes that need to be made are ”minor” or ”major”. If the changes are deemed to be minor, only the student’s supervisor is required to oversee and review the changes. The revised thesis does not have to be commented on by the entire supervisory committee. If the changes are deemed to be major, then the thesis will need to be reviewed by all examiners who will determine whether it can be approved or if it is in need of further revising. It is possible that the examination committee will ask the student for a re-defence.
14.6.0. SUBMISSION OF THESIS
The thesis must be electronically uploaded to the MacSphere. The thesis will then be officially published. The student will then receive an email confirming the official day of publication of the thesis.
15.0.0. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Students in the Neuroscience Graduate Program have access to tremendous career opportunities. The Neuroscience Graduate Program is active in alerting and
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encouraging students to take advantage of various career opportunities and related activities. McMaster University is home to a vast graduate student support that enables to students to make the most out of their graduate degree.
Below is a list of several of the services available to Neuroscience Graduate Students. Please refer to the websites listed for more information.
15.1.0. OSCARPLUS
OSCARplus is McMaster University's Online Career Portal, which is managed collaboratively across all five career centres on-campus to provide support for student career development, recruitment and experiential education needs.
The 5 centres include: Student Success Centre Centre for Business Career Development Engineering Co-op and Career Services Faculty of Social Sciences, Experiential Education Science Career and Co-operative Education
15.2.0. STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE
Your success is at the core of the services and programs offered by the Student Success Centre at McMaster University. Our long-standing commitment will support you from the time you accept your offer of admission up to 5 years after graduation in the areas of student orientation, academic skills, leadership, service-learning, volunteerism, educational planning, employment and career transition.
15.3.0. MCMASTER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Mac 10 connects you with the resources to help you succeed professionally and the opportunities to engage in lifelong learning - and have a little fun, too! Mac10 is a program geared to alumni, but many of the events are open to current McMaster graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
15.4.0. GRADUATE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
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The School of Graduate Studies' Graduate Professional Skills is a program that focuses on ensuring McMaster grad students are equipped with the skills necessary to achieve success.
15.5.0. CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP IN LEARNING
The Centre For Leadership in Learning is designed to enable student success in teaching and learning. Whether you'd like to discuss an idea for the classroom, are keen to adopt learning technologies or have an interest in researching your teaching and learning, we have a wide variety of pedagogical and technical resources, as well as friendly faces, to help.
15.6.0. MITACS (OFF-‐CAMPUS PARTNER)
Mitacs is a national, non-profit research organization that offers unique research and training programs to help develop the next generation of innovators – with vital scientific and business skills. McMaster's Graduate Studies works closely with Mitacs to bring quality top-quality programming to Neuroscience Graduate Students.
16.0.0. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The Neuroscience Graduate Program follows the guidelines set by McMaster University’s Academic Integrity Policy. The following excerpts are taken from the McMaster University Academic Integrity Policy. For procedures in cases of academic dishonesty please refer to the Office of Academic Integrity and the complete policy
16.1.0. PREAMPLE
The main purpose of a University is to encourage and facilitate the pursuit of knowledge and scholarship. The attainment of this purpose requires the individual integrity of all members of the university community including all graduate and undergraduate students.
16.2.0. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
16.2.1. DEFINITION
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Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way that results or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage. Wherever in this policy an offence is described as depending on “knowingly”, the offence is deemed to have been committed if the person ought reasonably to have known.
16.3.0. ACADEMIC WORK
Academic work includes any academic paper, term test, proficiency test, essay, thesis, research report, evaluation, project, assignment or examination, whether oral, in writing, in other media or otherwise and/or registration and participation in any course, program, seminar, workshop, conference or symposium offered by the University. For graduate students, comprehensive/qualifying exams, any research work, and thesis work (a thesis proposal, or thesis draft, or draft of one or more chapters) also constitute academic work and must adhere to standards of academic integrity.
16.4.0. STUDENTS (UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE)
Students are responsible for being aware of and demonstrating behaviour that is honest and ethical in their academic work. Such behaviour includes:
-‐ following the expectation articulated by instructors for referencing sources of information and for group work
-‐ asking for clarification of expectations as necessary -‐ identifying testing situations that may allow copying -‐ preventing their work from being used by others, e.g. protecting access to
computer files -‐ adhering to the principles of academic integrity when conducting and
reporting research Students are responsible for their behaviour and may face penalties under this policy, if they commit academic dishonesty
16.5.0. GRADUATE STUDENTS
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Graduate students, having been deemed admissible to higher studies, are expected to be competent in the acknowledgement of other people’s work, whether that work is in print or electronic media. Graduate students are expected to understand the demands of ethical conduct of research and reporting research results. All graduate students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the definition of research misconduct in the University’s policy, namely, “a researcher must be honest in proposing, seeking support for, conducting and reporting research; a researcher must respect the rights of others of these activities”.
16.6.0. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY OFFENCES
For a list of examples of academic dishonesty please refer to http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity.
17.0.0. STUDENTS OF MiNDS ASSOCIATION (SOMA)
The Student of MiNDS Association (SOMA) is a student organization that aims to enrich student life, enhance the academic experience, and provide community outreach opportunities to the graduate students in the MiNDS program. We represent students that work in various facilities across McMaster, such as:
1. Faculty of Science 2. Faculty of Health Sciences 3. Faculty of Engineering 4. Faculty of Social Science 5. Faculty of Humanities
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students are located at different parts of McMaster University and the Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton family of hospitals. MiNDS is a rapidly growing program with an increasing student body that all share an interest in the neuroscience field. SOMA acts to bring these students together and provide a venue for more interaction. To accomplish an environment of increased collaboration and community, SOMA aims to provide various types of events and services that include:
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• Afternoon Recharge (coffee events) • Games night • Graduate orientation event • Professional development • Community outreach • Charity fundraising/awareness events • Peer mentoring
It is our goal to enrich the McMaster graduate student experience through events and programming geared towards the needs and wants of the MiNDS student body. To achieve this we have 3 areas of focus:
1) Social enrichment 2) Academic enrichment 3) Community outreach
Our core values are that of collaboration, cooperation, and communication. The strength of our program is the diversity of the students and faculty across different departments and areas of research. By working together we can bring new insight into our research questions and come up with novel solutions
SOMA was founded September 2012. We are planning to have a successful year and we hope to have your support.
