Student supervision

Graduate student supervision is performed by university members with a graduate faculty appointment in the program.

Each master’s and doctoral student has a faculty advisor or research supervisor to provide guidance throughout the program. 

The following are addressed by the university’s policy on responsibilities of graduate program directors, faculty advisors, research supervisors and graduate students:

• Faculty advisor appointments
• Faculty advisor responsibilities
• Research supervisor appointments
• Research supervisor responsibilities

Student responsibilities

Graduate students are expected to be familiar with the university’s policies and procedures for graduate studies and other applicable university-wide policies. The responsibilities of graduate program directors, faculty advisors, research supervisors and graduate students policy provides additional information on graduate student responsibilities.

Other relevant university policies can be found in the university’s policy library.

Student-research supervisor conflicts

It is the responsibility of the university and its faculties to ensure that all graduate students receive appropriate and fair supervision. This relationship is important to a student’s successful completion of a graduate program. 

Information on student and faculty advisor or research supervisor conflict can be found in the university’s policy on responsibilities of graduate program directors, faculty advisors, research supervisors and graduate students.

Additional information on discussing and aligning expectations of supervisors and graduate students can be found on the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

Conflict of interest in supervision

The university’s conflict of interest in research policy states: “Conflict of interest may take various forms and may arise in various contexts. Broadly speaking, a conflict of interest will exist whenever a university member has an interest that adversely affects or provides an incentive to affect the member’s conduct of [their] university activities.”

When a faculty member chooses to supervise a graduate student, they should be aware of the university’s conflict of interest in research policy and must disclose any conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

The conflict of interest in research policy can be found in the university’s policy library.