G
H
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management
Master of Environment and Sustainability
Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability
2015-16
School of Environment and Sustainability
University of Saskatchewan
Room 323, Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK
Canada S7N 5C8
www.usask.ca/sens
Telephone: (306) 966-1985
Facsimile: (306) 966-2298
E-mail: sens.info@usask.ca
The informa on in this handbook was accurate at the me of prin ng (August 2015).
Any changes made to this informa on will be communicated to the
SENS community via e-mail and the SENS website.
On the cover, clockwise from top le : SENS students and alumni Raea Gooding, Ranjan
Da a, Jada Koushik and Manuel Chavez-Or z; Cara Baldwin (MSEM program) presents
her poster at the 2015 SENS Student Symposium; students and faculty collect ecological
data at Saskatoon’s Northeast Swale during the 2013 Ecoblitz event.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Table of Contents
The School of Environment and Sustainability .........................................................................................1
A Message from the Execu ve Director ...................................................................................................2
A Message from the Graduate Chair ........................................................................................................3
Vision, Mission, and Core Values .............................................................................................................4
Graduate A ributes .................................................................................................................................5
SENS Graduate Programs: Overview .......................................................................................................6
The University of Saskatchewan...............................................................................................................7
The City of Saskatoon...............................................................................................................................8
Commitment to Equity .............................................................................................................................9
Reasonable Accommoda on..................................................................................................................10
Faculty and Staff ....................................................................................................................................11
Administra ve Guidelines: Master of Sustainable Environmental Management ...................................15
Administra ve Guidelines: Master of Environment and Sustainability ..................................................23
Administra ve Guidelines: Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability ............................33
Core Courses ..........................................................................................................................................47
Elec ve Courses - 2015/16 .....................................................................................................................48
Students.................................................................................................................................................51
Appendix 1: SENS Graduate Student-Supervisor Agreeement ...............................................................53
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 1
The School of Environment and Sustainability
The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) is an interna onal model of excellence and des na on site for interdisciplinary, problem-oriented and experience-based learning for issues dealing with environment and sustainability. We aim to
provide high-quality mentorship of interdisciplinary researchers and prac oners within the context of sustainability educa on.
Our faculty bridge mul ple disciplines across the natural, physical and social sciences, as well as the humani es and engineering, to address the most challenging environmental and sustainability issues faced by society. We are pleased to welcome you
to the SENS community.
This handbook contains informa on about policies and procedures governing the SENS graduate programs. While the School
has worked to ensure that its procedures adhere to the standards of the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR)
at the University of Saskatchewan, should the informa on in this handbook conflict with CGSR procedures, faculty, staff, and
students should contact the School’s Graduate Chair to resolve the conflict.
SENS is an
internaƟonal model
of excellence and
desƟnaƟon site for
interdisciplinary,
problem-oriented,
and experiencebased learning for
issues dealing with
environment and
sustainability.
MES graduate Noel Galuschik at her field
site. Photo by MES graduate Raea Gooding.
2 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
A Message from the Execu ve Director
Welcome to the School of Environment and Sustainability!
You have just joined the ranks of an elite group of people
engaged in a unique brand of problem-oriented, interdisciplinary scholarship. We are happy to have you here and are
excited for the many ways that you will contribute to the
vibrant community that makes up SENS. Be prepared for
opportuni es and challenges as you grow both professionally
and personally during your me with us.
Our faculty and students reflect the interdisciplinary focus
of the School and come from diverse backgrounds, including
geography and planning, hydrology, biology, watershed modelling, environmental toxicology, anthropology, engineering,
policy, and educa on. We expect students to seize opportunies to build upon their exis ng knowledge base, while inves ga ng other disciplines with which they are less familiar. This
requires imagina on, flexibility, and discipline to ensure your
graduate degree works for you. You are ul mately in control
of your educa onal des ny. Seize it!
Throughout the year, you will receive no ces about School
events as well as about ways in which you can become
involved. Whether you choose to par cipate in the SENS
photo contest or you volunteer to help with logis cs for an
event, your contribu ons are valued. In addi on to these
opportuni es, I encourage you to be an ac ve member of the
School of Environment and Sustainability Students’ Associa on
(SENSSA).
Should you have ques ons regarding any aspect of your
graduate program, please contact the School’s graduate secretary, Irene Schwalm (irene.schwalm@usask.ca or 966-1985),
who will always be more than pleased to assist you.
I look forward to following each of you through your graduate
career here at SENS and in your careers beyond.
Best wishes for success.
Toddi Steelman, PhD
Execu ve Director
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 3
A Message from the Graduate Chair
Dear Students:
A very warm welcome to the School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) on behalf of our faculty, staff and the University of
Saskatchewan. Since our incep on in 2007, and through the hard
work of our faculty and staff, we have grown into a vibrant and
na onally unique interdisciplinary environmental program with a
con ngent of faculty from a broad range of fields. However, the
true asset of the School is our students, who con nue to impress
with their ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to exchange their
views and perspec ves on all topics related to the environment.
SENS is pleased to offer you a wide variety of perspec ves,
exper se and development opportuni es in each of our three
graduate programs. We have developed a strong and truly interdisciplinary curriculum that includes field, experien al and interac ve lecture components. You will soon see that the collaboraon and interac on that develops between students and faculty
will provide you with an excellent interdisciplinary founda on
to inves gate and understand the interac ons between humans
and the environment.
I am looking forward to mee ng and working with each one of
you during your me as a student in one of our three graduate
programs.
Welcome to the SENS community!
Markus Hecker, PhD
Graduate Chair
4 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Vision, Mission, and Core Values
Vision: The School of Environment
and Sustainability is an interna onal
model of excellence and des na on
site for interdisciplinary, problemoriented and experience-based
graduate and undergraduate learning
for issues dealing with environment
and sustainability.
Mission: We enable sustainable
communi es and environments
through collabora ve research and
teaching, graduate student engagement, and community involvement.
We broaden understanding and
develop champions of environmental
sustainability by crea ng, exchanging,
and transla ng knowledge using
diverse perspec ves.
Core Values: As a School, we value:
• Scholarly dialogue and debate
regarding environment and
sustainability
• Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary scholarship
• Innova on and academic excellence among students and
faculty
• Student growth and success
• Systems and holis c approaches
to environmental sustainability
• Working on a variety of spa al
and temporal scales
• Collabora on in teaching,
research, and engagement
• Consulta ve and coopera ve
decision-making
• Respec ul and substan ve
•
•
•
•
engagement with wide communi es
Inclusion of different ways of
knowing
Suppor ng sustainable and
healthy communi es and
environments
Making a difference through
public discourse, delibera ve
processes, and informed ci zenship
Leading by example through
a en on to our own environmental footprint
Associate Professor Vladimir Kricsfalusy and MSEM alumnus
Nicholas Howi . Photo by PhD candidate Ana-Maria Bogdan.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 5
Graduate A ributes
SENS graduates ...
Think holis cally with ethical intent
• Apply cri cal and crea ve thinking to sustainability problems
• Transcend disciplinary boundaries to achieve harmonious integra on of human and natural systems
• Iden fy and assess how human and natural systems work and interact
Deeply understand sustainability
• Explain and understand the origins and mul ple dimensions of sustainability
• Think across and within systems
• Develop a fulsome vocabulary to demonstrate a deep understanding of sustainability
• Understand how complexity and uncertainty affect the sustainability of socio-ecological systems
Integrate a range of perspec ves and ways of knowing
• Demonstrate and encourage respect for a range of perspec ves and ways of knowing
• Are able to ar culate the benefits and limita ons of a range of perspec ves and ways of knowing
• Are profoundly aware of their own posi on, its strengths, limita ons, and assump ons
Are ambassadors for sustainability and agents of change
• Mobilize theory into prac ce to solve problems
• Ask bold/difficult/challenging ques ons
• Are courageous, tenacious risk-takers in the face of change
• Can perceive prac cal solu ons and new insights to sustainability challenges
Have research exper se
• Can work effec vely in interdisciplinary, inter-cultural and/or cross-sectoral teams
• Understand the process of research
• Know how to design and execute effec ve interdisciplinary research
• Can synthesize, integrate, analyze and evaluate data for the purpose of crea ng new knowledge
• Know how to conduct research ethically
Demonstrate collabora ve, leadership and professional skills in knowledge sharing
• Can work effec vely in interdisciplinary, intercultural and/or cross-sectoral teams
• Can plan and manage sustainability projects and research
• Can effec vely manage self in the context of sustainability projects (e.g. se ng realis c deadlines, being reliable, working
effec vely under uncertainty, solving problems, maintaining a posi ve a tude, modelling professional conduct)
• Can facilitate, mediate, translate, and communicate knowledge to appropriate audiences in
many different forms
Have a substan ve area of exper se in keeping with
their program of study
• Demonstrate excellence within their chosen
field of study
• Can create, analyze, synthesize and communicate within their field(s) of study
• Can communicate their exper se effec vely to
those outside that field
SENS Grads at Convoca on
6 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
SENS Graduate Programs: Overview
The School of Environment and Sustainability offers three innova ve graduate programs:
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (MSEM): Our MSEM students transcend disciplinary boundaries
to manage complex problems and address sustainability challenges from the local to the global context. This intensive
professional program is intended to be completed in one year of study and provides students with hands-on learning
opportuni es and develops their project management skills. Students address real-world issues by working with a
public, private, research or non-profit partner, or on a faculty member’s project. Graduates go on to work in industry,
the non-profit sector, the public sector and in research organiza ons. (24 credit units of course work and a 6 credit
unit project).
Examples of MSEM projects:
• A Mechanism for Benchmarking the Sustainability of the University of Saskatchewan Agricultural Prac ces and
Opera ons
• Environmental Sustainability Policy and Prac ce in Aboriginal Educa on Se ngs in Canada
• Biodiversity Conserva on: Recommenda ons for the City of Saskatoon
Master of Environment and Sustainability (MES): The MES is a thesis-based program that provides students with
the opportuni es and skills to advance their understanding of environmental and sustainability challenges in today’s
world. Educa on in complex problem-solving, the founda ons of sustainability, and research skills prepares students
to play a significant role in knowledge genera on, transla on and decision-making. Students can explore the meaning
of interdisciplinary research by considering a wide range of scien fic, technical, poli cal, social, economic, and ins tuonal factors that shape environmental and sustainability problems, their management and their poten al solu ons.
(Minimum: 12 credit units of course work plus a thesis).
Examples of MES Thesis Research:
• Phosphorus Cycling and Water Quality in an Agricultural Watershed
• A tudes, Trust, and Wildlife Co-management in Igluligaarjuk, Qamani’tuaq, and Tikirarjuaq, Nunavut, Canada
Strengthening Sustainability Assessment in Town Planning in Rural Saskatchewan
Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability (PhD): This disserta on-based degree is for students who
want an advanced educa on in researching 21st century environmental and sustainability challenges. Our PhD
students a ain a deep understanding of sustainability concepts while designing and implemen ng their own original
research. These interdisciplinary scholars demonstrate excellence in their fields of study and are ready to become
leaders in academia, industry, non-profit organiza ons and the public sector. (Minimum: 6 credit units of course work
plus disserta on).
Examples of PhD Disserta on Research:
• Re-Learning our Roots: Youth Par cipatory Research, Indigenous Knowledge, and Sustainability through
Agriculture
• Sustainable Energy Futures: Toward an Integrated Strategic Environmental Assessment Process for Energy
Planning
• Social and Ecological Dimensions of Prairie Conserva on: Linking Ranchers, Rangeland Health and Abundance
for Three Grassland Songbird Species at Risk
PhD candidate Aimee Schmidt
took this photo at Wapusk
Na onal Park in 2013.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 7
The University of Saskatchewan
Established in 1907 by an Act passed by
the Legisla ve Assembly of the Province
of Saskatchewan, the University of
Saskatchewan is located on the South
Saskatchewan River in the City of Saskatoon. The University’s mission statement is: The University of Saskatchewan
belongs to the people of Saskatchewan.
As an academic community, our mission
is to achieve excellence in the scholarly ac vi es of teaching, discovering,
preserving and applying knowledge.
The University of Saskatchewan is home
to the following Colleges and Schools.
Most of these offer programming at both
the Master’s and PhD levels. Programs
leading to a Postgraduate Diploma are
available in many areas.
• College of Agriculture and Bioresources
• College of Arts and Science
• College of Den stry
• College of Educa on
• College of Engineering
• College of Graduate Studies and Research
• College of Kinesiology
• College of Law
• College of Medicine (including the School of Physical
Therapy)
• College of Nursing
• College of Pharmacy and Nutri on
• Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
• N. Murray Edwards School of Business
• School of Environment and Sustainability
• School of Public Health
• Western College of Veterinary Medicine
In 2014-2015, 16,851 students were enrolled in undergraduate programs at the University of Saskatchewan and 3,112
were enrolled in graduate studies.*
Other organiza ons with facili es at the University of
* University of Saskatchewan. Informa on Strategy and Analy cs. 2014.
“Student Headcount and Demographics.” www.usask.ca/isa/sta s cs/
students/headcount-demographics.php Website accessed June 11, 2015.
The U of S in autumn. Photo courtesy
U of S Communica ons.
Saskatchewan include Environment Canada, the Na onal
Research Council, the Saskatchewan Research Council, and
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The Canadian Light Source
Synchrotron is also on campus. A research park, Innova on
Place, is located north of the university.
8 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
The City of Saskatoon
Located on the South Saskatchewan River, Saskatoon is
the largest city in the province of Saskatchewan. On
December 31, 2014, the popula on of the city was
257,300 people.
Agricultural produc on, mining, food processing, and
manufacturing are significant for Saskatoon’s economy.
Research conducted at the University of Saskatchewan
also plays a vital role.
“Saskatoon” comes from the Cree word misaskwatomina,
the saskatoon berry. Aboriginal peoples have lived in
this area for more than eight thousand years—you can
learn about this history at Wanuskewin Heritage Park,
located just outside of Saskatoon (h ps://wanuskewin.
com/). European se lers arrived in the early 1880s.
Three villages, Saskatoon, Nutana, and Riversdale, grew
up around the river, and they joined to become the Town
of Saskatoon in 1906.*
Saskatoon has four dis nct seasons. Summer temperatures range from 20 to 35°C. Winter temperatures vary
between 5 and -40°C. Saskatoon is one of Canada’s
sunniest ci es, with sunshine in excess of 2,000 hours
annually. The average annual precipita on is approximately 38 cm; one quarter of this is snow. The weather in
Saskatoon can fluctuate widely over the course of a day or
a week.
* City of Saskatoon. 2015. “Life in Saskatoon.” h ps://www.saskatoon.
ca/new-saskatoon/life-saskatoon Website accessed June 11, 2015.
Downtown Saskatoon. Photo courtesy
U of S Communica ons.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 9
MES student Bre Mackinnon collec ng
samples in the Saskatchewan River Delta, March
2014.
Commitment to Equity
The School of Environment and Sustainability fully supports the equity goals of the College of Graduate Studies and Research
and the University of Saskatchewan. To address equity issues in the key areas of access, support, curriculum, research opportuni es, methodology, and pedagogy, the School of Environment and Sustainability makes the following commitments:
• The School’s Graduate Chair will serve as Equity Advisor;
• SENS offers equal opportuni es for men and women of all backgrounds to par cipate in its programs;
• To increase the enrollment of Aboriginal students, the School will consider eligible for scholarship support all Canadian
applicants from this group with a cumula ve weighted average of 75% in the final two years of full- me undergraduate
study (for the Master of Environment and Sustainability program) or during their Master’s program (for the Doctor of
Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability program);
• The School recognizes that support should not merely be of a financial nature, but in addi on, includes moral and social
support. To enhance the feeling of belonging to the School and par cipa on in the School’s ac vi es, various ini a ves
will be undertaken on an ongoing basis. These ini a ves include, but are not limited to, an orienta on process for new
students, support for a graduate student associa on for the School, annual mee ngs of all graduate students with the
Graduate Chair on issues of interest, inclusion of graduate student representa ves on School commi ees, where appropriate, and inclusion of graduate students in School ac vi es, as appropriate;
• Because role models are important in the decision to enter graduate studies, the School will take equity considera ons into
account in the appointment of faculty, research assistants, and teaching assistants. The School will endeavour to provide
role models for designated groups whenever possible in its selec on of invited speakers;
• The School will endeavour to meet the special needs of any persons in designated groups, including alternate scheduling of
classes, part- me or full- me status, me limits for program comple on, and residency requirements; and,
• The Equity Advisor will advise the Admissions and Awards Commi ee of any special needs of students with disabili es who
apply to or who are accepted into the graduate program.
10 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Reasonable Accommoda on
SENS recognizes that, on occasion, extenua ng short-term circumstances or on-going needs may affect the ability of
students to par cipate fully in some aspects of their program, such as ENVS 806, the field course, a requirement for the
MSEM program. Students may seek accommoda on should this be the case. Any accommoda on must be discussed
and resolved well in advance. When a student seeks accommoda on, the supervising faculty member will be involved.
All accommoda ons, however, will be reviewed and approved by the Execu ve Director in advance of the accommodaon.
This set of principles below guides the process by which an accommoda on can be determined. It assumes that
accommoda on is NOT an emergency, nor a situa on rela ng to health or disability. These situa ons are addressed by
separate University policies.
Principles:
1. Recognizing the diversity of situa ons, each situa on will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
2. Accommoda on is a three-way responsibility involving the student, faculty supervisor and, if necessary, the
Graduate Chair. All policies of the College of Graduate Studies and Research will be respected.
3. It is incumbent upon the student to raise with the faculty advisor any request for accommoda on with sufficient
me such that a fulsome discussion, nego a on, and accommoda on request can be addressed. Except in the
case of emergencies, last minute requests are not considered reasonable. Students with a need for accommodaon must raise this need with the faculty advisor when research or course expecta ons are discussed or upon
acceptance of entry into the program, whichever comes first.
4. Accommoda on does not cons tute a demand for a specific outcome. Hence, all par es are invited to discuss a
range of possible alterna ve arrangements to address any issues or concerns arising from their du es.
5. Where accommoda ons address situa ons related to travel or expense claims related to research, SENS will be
guided by University of Saskatchewan and Tri-Agency policies. Tri-Agency policies will apply only to awards made
through the Tri-Agencies.
6. Where accommoda ons relate to teaching or classroom ac vi es, SENS will be guided by University of Saskatchewan policies.
7. Accommoda ons outside of teaching and research will be based on the best judgment of all par es.
8. Where resolu on cannot be determined readily, the persons involved will seek assistance from Human Resources
or the College of Graduate Studies and Research, if applicable.
9. In all cases the final determina on of whether an accommoda on is reasonable or cons tutes undue hardship
for SENS, the Execu ve Director of SENS will make the final decision. If necessary, the Execu ve Director will seek
guidance from Human Resources and/or the College of Graduate Studies and Research in making this determina on. Except in emergency situa ons, the Execu ve Director will review and approve the accommoda on in
advance of its implementa on. When the Execu ve Director is in a conflict of interest, an alterna ve decisionmaker will be enlisted.
10. The type and dura on of the accommoda on for each student will be set out in wri ng and filed with the
student’s record.
11. All ac ons must be consistent with current and applicable collec ve agreements, legisla on and university
policies. These principles will be reviewed as necessary to reflect any policy or legisla ve changes.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 11
Faculty and Staff
The School of Environment and Sustainability is overseen by an Execu ve Director. The School’s core faculty hold either
standard or primary-joint appointments directly with the School, or they hold secondary-joint appointments with the
School, in which case their main affilia on is with another academic unit. Several of the School’s faculty are affiliated
with the Global Ins tute for Water Security or the Toxicology Centre.
Administra on
Toddi Steelman, Execu ve Director
toddi.steelman@usask.ca
Maureen Reed, Assistant Director - Academic
Sharla Daviduik, Administra ve Officer
maureen.reed@usask.ca
sharla.daviduik@usask.ca
Tracey McHardy, Financial Officer
Meagan Hinther, Communica ons Specialist
Andrea Eccleston, Environmental Programs Coordinator
Irene Schwalm, Graduate Secretary
sens.finance@usask.ca
meagan.hinther@usask.ca
andrea.eccleston@usask.ca
irene.schwalm@usask.ca
Charlo e Hampton, Financial and Administra ve Assistant
c.hampton@usask.ca
Faculty
MJ Barre , Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability
Helen Baulch, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Global Ins tute for Water Security
Ken Belcher, Professor
Department of Bioresource Policy, Business, and Economics, College of Agriculture and Bioresources/
School of Environment and Sustainability
mj.barre
@usask.ca
helen.baulch
@usask.ca
ken.belcher
@usask.ca
Douglas Clark, Associate Professor, Centennial Chair of Human Dimensions of Environment and Sustainability
School of Environment and Sustainability
d.clark
@usask.ca
Markus Hecker, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Predic ve Aqua c Ecotoxicology
Graduate Chair, Chair of Admissions and Awards Commi ee
School of Environment and Sustainability/Toxicology Centre
markus.
hecker
@usask.ca
Andrew Ireson, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, College of Engineering/
Global Ins tute for Water Security
andrew.
ireson
@usask.ca
Tim Jardine, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Toxicology Centre
m.jardine
@usask.ca
Paul Jones, Associate Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Toxicology Centre
paul.jones
@usask.ca
Vladimir Kricsfalusy, Associate Professor AP, MSEM Program Coordinator
School of Environment and Sustainability
Colin Laroque, Professor
Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources/School of Environment and Sustainability
Yanping Li, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Global Ins tute for Water Security
vladimir.k@
usask.ca
colin.laroque
@usask.ca
yanping.li
@usask.ca
12 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Faculty
Karsten Liber, Dis nguished Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Toxicology Centre
Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt, Associate Professor, Chair, Engagement Commi ee
School of Environment and Sustainability/Global Ins tute for Water Security
Philip Loring, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability
Jeff McDonnell, Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Global Ins tute for Water Security
Christy Morrissey, Associate Professor
Department of Biology, College of Arts and Science/School of Environment and Sustainability
Bram Noble, Professor
Department of Geography and Planning, College of Arts and Science/School of Environment and Sustainability
Saman Razavi, Assistant Professor
School of Environment and Sustainability/Global Ins tute for Water Security
Maureen Reed, Professor, Chair, Academic Programs Commi ee
School of Environment and Sustainability
Fran Walley, Professor
Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources/School of Environment and Sustainability
Howard Wheater, Professor, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Water Security
School of Environment and Sustainability/Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, College of
Engineering/Global Ins tute for Water Security
karsten.liber
@usask.ca
karl-erich.
lindenschmidt
@usask.ca
philip.loring
@usask.ca
jeffrey.mcdonnell
@usask.ca
christy.morrissey@
usask.ca
b.noble
@usask.ca
saman.razavi
@usask.ca
maureen.reed
@usask.ca
fran.walley
@usask.ca
howard.wheater@
usask.ca
Associate Faculty
Angela Bedard-Haughn, Associate Professor
Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
angela.bedardhaughn
@usask.ca
Sco Bell, Professor
Department of Geography and Planning, College of Arts and Science
sco .bell
@usask.ca
Lalita Bharadwaj, Associate Professor
School of Public Health
Ryan Brook, Assistant Professor
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources/
Indigenous Land Management Ins tute
lalita.bharadwaj
@usask.ca
ryan.brook
@usask.ca
Geoff Cunfer, Associate Professor
Department of History, College of Arts and Science
geoff.cunfer
@usask.ca
Jim Germida, Professor
Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
jim.germida
@usask.ca
Michael Gertler, Associate Professor
Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Science
Jill Gunn, Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Planning, College of Arts and Science
Suren Kulshreshtha, Professor
Department of Bioresource Policy, Business, and Economics, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
Marcia McKenzie, Associate Professor
Department of Educa onal Founda ons, College of Educa on
michael.gertler
@usask.ca
jill.gunn
@usask.ca
suren.
kulshreshtha@
usask.ca
marcia.mckenzie@
usask.ca
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 13
Associate Faculty
David Natcher, Professor
Department of Bioresource Policy, Business, and Economics, College of Agriculture and Bioresources/
Indigenous Land Management Ins tute
david.natcher
@usask.ca
Mehdi Nema , Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering
medhi.nema
@usask.ca
Catherine Niu, Associate Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering
catherine.niu
@usask.ca
Robert Patrick, Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Planning, College of Arts and Science
robert.patrick
@usask.ca
jeremy.rayner@
usask.ca
Jeremy Rayner, Professor
Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
Jafar Soltan, Associate Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering
jafar.soltan
@usask.ca
Ryan Walker, Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Planning, College of Arts and Science
ryan.walker
@usask.ca
clint.westman
@usask.ca
Clinton Westman, Associate Professor
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Science
Chelsea Willness, Assistant Professor
Department of Human Resources and Organiza onal Behaviour, Edwards School of Business
willness@
edwards.usask.ca
Students survey their study area.
Photo by Raea Gooding, MES graduate.
14 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Adjunct Faculty
Glenn Benoy, Interna onal Joint Commission
Murray Bentham, Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan
Alex Bond, Senior Conserva on Scien st, RSPB Centre for Conserva on Science
Steve Chapra, Professor, Tu s University
John-Mark Davies, Biologist, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency
Monique Haakensen, President and Principal Scien st, Contango Strategies Ltd.
Andrew Harwood, Project Manager/Fisheries Biologist, Ecofish Research
Allison Henderson, Wildlife Ecologist, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
Michael Hill, Wetland and Wildlife Ecologist, SNC-Lavalin
Keith Hobson, Research Scien st, Environment Canada
Mark Johnston, Senior Research Scien st, Ecosystems, Environment, and Forestry, Saskatchewan Research Council
Naveed Khaliq, Ocean, Coastal, and River Engineering, Na onal Research Council of Canada
Gun Lidestav, Researcher, Sec on of Forest Resource Analysis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Murray MacKay, Research Scien st, Environment Canada
Merle Massie, Post-doctoral Fellow, University of O awa
Hans Peterson, re red, Safe Drinking Water Expert
Tetsu Sato, Research Ins tute for Humanity and Nature
Jeff Sereda, Senior Aqua c Habitat & Popula on Ecologist, Saskatchewan Water Security Agency
George Sherk, Consultant
Judit Smits, Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
Garth van der Kamp, Research Scien st, Environment Canada
Elaine Wheaton, re red, formerly with Climatology, Saskatchewan Research Council
SENS faculty member
Christy Morrissey (right),
explains bird banding to
students at the Redberry
Lake Biosphere Reserve.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 15
Administra ve Guidelines:
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management
Students from a wide variety of
disciplines – ranging from the arts
and social sciences to the life and
physical sciences, pure and applied
– are eligible to apply to the MSEM
program. As such, no specific
background training is required,
but students should have sufficient
background to pursue their chosen
area of study.
Students may be admi ed on a condional basis if they require addi onal
courses to provide appropriate
background training, but otherwise
meet admission requirements. These
courses will not be credited toward
graduate degree requirements, but
may be completed concurrently with
graduate courses taken toward those
requirements. Once specified courses
have been successfully completed,
the student will be recommended for
fully-qualified status.
Students may be admi ed on a probaonary basis if their academic qualificaons are difficult to assess or do not
meet standards for admission. Students
in this category will be assigned courses
as specified by the Admissions and
Awards Commi ee, which will form
the basis for assessment of ability to
con nue as fully qualified.
Academic Integrity
Guidelines for Academic Conduct*
at the University of Saskatchewan
are approved by University Council.
The University of Saskatchewan also
hosts a website regarding academic
and non-academic integrity, which is
defined as: Integrity is expected of all
* University of Saskatchewan. Office of the
University Secretary. “Academic Honesty.” h p://
www.usask.ca/secretariat/governing-bodies/
council/resources/guidelines-for-academicconduct.php#honesty Website accessed June 23,
2015.
students in their academic work – class
par cipa on, examina ons, assignments, research, prac ca – and in their
non-academic interac ons and ac vi es
as well.
What academic integrity means for
students:
• Perform your own work unless
specifically instructed otherwise.
Check with your instructor about
whether collabora on or assistance
from others is permi ed.
• Use your own work to complete
assignments and exams.
• Cite the source when quo ng or
paraphrasing someone else’s work.
Discuss with your professor if you
have any ques ons about whether
sources require cita on.
• Follow examina on rules.
• Discuss with your professor if
you are using the same material
for assignments in two different
courses.
• Be truthful on all university forms.
• Use the same standard of honesty
with fellow students, lab instruc-
MSEM student Cara Baldwin presents her project
proposal at the 2015 SENS Student Symposium.
tors, teaching assistants, sessional
instructors and administra ve staff
as you do with faculty.†
† University of Saskatchewan.
Academic Integrity
Awareness. “Integrity Defined.” h p://www.
usask.ca/secretariat/student-conduct-appeals/
Integrity Defined.pdf Website accessed June 23,
2015.
16 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
MSEM Program Residency and Timeline
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements are met. Graduate students and those involved
in graduate studies are strongly encouraged to ensure that students move as expedi ously as possible through their
programs. Master’s programs, whether full- or part- me, are limited to five years in length. This me is measured
from the beginning of the first term of registra on for work which is included in the program of studies (this may be
course work done at the University of Saskatchewan or elsewhere, and, in general terms, includes thesis, project, or
prac cum work). The following meline is based on a September program start date. A more detailed meline, iden fying roles and responsibili es, is included at the end of this sec on.
Time in Program
Program Requirements
Year 1
Program of studies to be developed with the MSEM program coordinator in the first four
months of the program.
Course work: 12 credit units of required courses: 805.3, 806.3, 807.3, and 808.3; 12 credit
units of elec ves; plus ENVS 990, GSR 960. GSR 961 or 962 may be required.
ENVS 992 project (6 credit units)
A er Year 1 (if needed)
ENVS 990 a endance requirements are met at the end of the second year of residency or
when program requirements are met, whichever comes first.
Students will have met program requirements when all course work on the program of
studies and the ENVS 992 project have been completed.
Course Work
A fully-qualified MSEM student is required to take a minimum of 30 credit units (course work and a project). The
required courses (12 credit units) are ENVS 805.3: Data Analysis and Management; ENVS 806.3: Field Skills in Environment and Sustainability; ENVS 807.3: Sustainability in Theory and Prac ce; and, ENVS 808.3: Tools and Applica ons
for Sustainability Problem-solving. Please refer to page 47 of this handbook for more informa on about these courses.
Addi onally, students will be required to take 12 credit units of elec ves. Any graduate course at the University of
Saskatchewan may sa sfy part of the elec ves requirement, with the approval of the MSEM program coordinator. A
student may take up to two 400-level undergraduate courses to fulfill the elec ve requirement with the approval of the
MSEM program coordinator. MSEM students are also required to register in ENVS 990: Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability (no credit units) and ENVS 992.6: Project in Environment and Sustainability. Addi onal courses may be
required if the MSEM program coordinator feels that the student’s background is deficient in some area. All required
courses will be noted on each student’s program of studies. A full- me MSEM student can complete the minimum
course requirements and the project in one year of full- me study (September to August).
All graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan are required to complete GSR 960: Research Ethics, and may
be required to take either GSR 961: Ethics and Integrity in Human Research or GSR 962: Ethics and Integrity in Animal
Research, depending on the nature of their project, thesis, or disserta on work.
The MSEM program coordinator will work with the student to develop a program of studies within the first four
months of the program. This indicates the type of study to be undertaken, and all course and other requirements. Any
changes made to the program of studies must be approved by the MSEM program coordinator and recorded in wri ng.
At the Master’s level, students must achieve a grade of at least 60% in all graduate courses required for the degree and
maintain an overall weighted average of at least 70% in those courses to retain standing. If the student fails to meet
this standard, the Admissions and Awards Commi ee will assess the student’s performance and determine an appropriate course of ac on. The student may be permi ed to retake a course or undertake other remedial work if, in the
opinion of the Admissions and Awards Commi ee, the overall performance of the student was otherwise sa sfactory.
If this is not the assessment of the Admissions and Awards Commi ee, it will recommend that the student discon nue.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 17
Seminar
The Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a requirement for all MSEM students. To receive
credit for this course, graduate students
must a end and contribute to the
seminar. This program is directed by a
faculty coordinator who recommends
to the Graduate Chair that credit for
ENVS 990 be granted once the course
requirements have been met. All SENS
students are required to a end the
seminar for the first two years of their
program, or for the dura on of their
program, whichever is shorter in length.
ENVS 992: Service Learning
Project or Faculty Project
with a Client
ENVS 992: Project in Environment
and Sustainability is intended to give
students an opportunity to inves gate applied topics in environment
and sustainability. This may include
scien fic, technical, social, economic,
cultural, ins tu onal, or other appropriate a ributes of environmental and
sustainability challenges. Projects
should be interdisciplinary in scope,
and should allow students to further
develop cri cal thinking and research
skills as they inves gate environmental
problems through service learning.
ENVS 992 engages students in ac ve,
hands-on learning and takes place
largely in community-based organizaons. These partners are primarily
non-profit and charitable organiza ons,
although governments, private companies, and municipali es may also offer
this experience for students. Students
will work on an iden fied project with
the partner organiza on for a 250-hour
placement from May to July. Students
may not be paid for work on their MSEM
project. These prac cal experience
hours will be under the supervision
of a co-advisor from the organiza on
and a faculty advisor from the University. Structured me for presenta ons,
wri en assignments, reflec on and
discussion with other MSEM students
will provide opportuni es for students
to link academic learning with the
prac cal experience. The op on also
exists for faculty to work on an applied
project with a student, where the
faculty and student create a project to
serve a designated client.
Course Objec ves
One of the objec ves of ENVS 992 is to
give students an opportunity to apply
their learning to projects at partner
organiza ons or with a client, thereby
gaining valuable prac cal experience,
building the capacity of host organizaons and clients, and providing worthwhile service to those organiza ons
and clients. These mutually beneficial
projects will be designed through
partnerships that will advance the interests of all par es involved, even beyond
the scope of individual projects.
Students in ENVS 992 will be challenged
to think cri cally about connec ons
between the subject ma er of their
studies and their experiences in the
community or with the client. This,
in conjunc on with the project, will
provide the following benefits for
students:
• Increased awareness of community
and opportuni es for engagement
• Opportuni es for prac cal applicaon of theory
•
•
Enriched professional experience
Enhanced sense of responsibility for
learning and outcomes
The community or client will also
benefit:
• Opportuni es for connec ons
among a variety of community
groups and organiza ons will be
created
• Projects that may not otherwise be
undertaken will be completed
• Organiza ons will be engaged in
student learning
The School will benefit:
• The School’s mission and vision will
be advanced
• Strong, meaningful partnerships
with other organiza ons involved in
implemen ng sustainability ini aves will be fostered
• Innova ons in teaching and learning
will be enhanced, and rela onships
between theory and prac ce will be
built
In addi on to focusing on topics relevant
to community involvement, ENVS 992
asks students to consider how ac ve
ci zenship and par cipa on affect and
define community and sustainability.
It also asks how the university, as an
MSEM students will have opportuni es to
enhance their field skills.
18 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
educa onal ins tu on, and its students build rela onships with the larger community.
Prerequisites
Students must complete GSR 960 (and, if required, GSR 961 and/or GSR 962) prior to comple ng the service learning
component of ENVS 992. Students may be required to acquire ethics cer ficates or other permits prior to their project
work; see page 19. Students should contact the MSEM program coordinator if they have any concerns.
Students should refer to the ENVS 992 course syllabus for major deliverables and milestones related to the research
project.
Timelines
The MSEM program coordinator will invite organiza ons to submit poten al projects in July, prior to course ac vi es.
The coordinator will create and facilitate an atmosphere conducive to student learning and academic integrity, and will
coordinate course development and monitor student progress through a series of mee ngs. Student a endance at
these mee ngs is mandatory. Students will be evaluated via short wri ng assignments (reflec on papers).
Students will be matched with an organiza on by the course coordinator and colleagues, or will work with their faculty
advisor to iden fy an appropriate project. The matching will be done based on the students’ environment and sustainability interests as stated in their applica ons. In this way, while each student’s interests will be taken into account,
each student will also be able to tackle new challenges (as is o en the case in the workplace). Throughout the year,
students will report on their progress. At the end of the course, students can share their experiences (successes and
challenges, lessons learned, impact, etc.). This will provide an opportunity for students to share their project experiences and to learn from each other.
Learning Methods
Project presenta on: The project presenta on permits students to share ideas and experiences related to their
projects with peers and faculty. It is also intended to encourage students to build on and apply principles in the
context of a relevant sustainability issue. Students will individually present their projects, with discussion to follow. All
faculty advisors and organiza on co-advisors are required to a end the project presenta ons. Project presenta ons
will be marked based on demonstrated knowledge of the research topic, focus, organiza on, use of visuals, logical flow
of ideas, the oral presenta on, and the student’s ability to answer ques ons.
Project proposal: Students are required to prepare a dra of an individual project proposal, discuss research interests,
and clarify all project requirements with their faculty advisors and chosen organiza ons. More informa on about the
proposal can be found in the ENVS 992 course syllabus.
Reflec on papers: Each student will prepare and submit three reflec on papers – one before, one during, and one
a er the placement with the partner organiza on. These papers will address: 1. Student professional responsibility
and ethics; 2. Stages of the service learning project; and, 3. Student experience with service learning. Further details
are in the ENVS 992 course syllabus.
Final project report/deliverable: Each student will complete and submit a final report to the organiza on, the faculty
advisor, and SENS. These deliverable(s) can vary, but they may include: organiza onal or impact analyses, informa on
needs analyses, a new plan or design, dra s of the final product, a research paper, etc. In all cases, the deliverable
should be immediately valuable to the partner organiza on.
Professional Skills Cer ficate
To help students augment the skills gained in this and other courses, the SENS offers an op onal Professional Skills
Cer ficate (PSC). This is a cer ficate of a endance – students only need to a end a series of workshops, held
throughout the year, to complete the PSC. A variety of half-day sessions will be held; students can choose the ones that
best meet their own professional development needs. For more informa on, visit h p://www.usask.ca/sens/currentstudents/professional-skills-cer ficate.php
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 19
Evalua on
Students will be evaluated as follows.
While the faculty advisor and partner
organiza on co-advisor are ul mately
responsible for assigning most grades,
the MSEM coordinator will grade reflecon papers, as well as par cipate in the
evalua on of the project presenta on
and of student professional performance. The MSEM coordinator will
ensure consistency in grading across
the student cohort. This course does
not have a final exam.
Professional performance: Students
are expected to act in a professional
and coopera ve manner in all aspects
of the course. Regular a endance and
par cipa on in all class ac vi es and
comple ng assignments on me will
be considered part of professional
performance. The partner organiza on
co-advisor’s feedback, including the
comple on of service hours, will be
taken into considera on.
Ethical Approval to Conduct
Research
According to the University of Saskatchewan Ethics Office website, “the
University requires that all research
conducted by its members conform
to the highest ethical standards in the
use of human subjects, animals and
biohazardous materials. Any research
or study conducted at University
facili es, or undertaken by persons
connected to the University, involving
human subjects, animals or biohazardous materials must be reviewed and
approved by the appropriate University
of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Board
(REB) or Commi ee.”*
before the research begins. The official
website of the Ethics Office (h p://
research.usask.ca/for-researchers/
ethics/index.php) has complete and
current informa on.
Review is required even if a similar
project has been approved elsewhere.
Research permits may be required
before fieldwork can commence.
Obtaining these permits is the responsibility of the graduate student in
consulta on with their faculty advisor.
Students who work with animal
research with poten al environmental
impacts, and/or in parks or protected
areas are also responsible for obtaining
the necessary permits or permissions
before undertaking their research.
Travelling Outside of
Canada as a U of S Student
Students who will be travelling outside
of Canada to a end a conference or
to conduct research must no fy the
Interna onal Student and Study Abroad
Centre (ISSAC) prior to the trip. A
complete descrip on of the processes
involved with interna onal travel for
students can be found at: h p://
students.usask.ca/goabroad/safety/
requirements.php. All students should
review this informa on well in advance
of planned travel, as some ac ons may
be required up to 60 days in advance.
These requirements are in place for
all university-related travel outside of
Canada, even if a student is returning
to his or her country of origin. For
example, a student from Denmark who
travels to Denmark to conduct research
must complete the travel requirements.
Students who are travelling outside of
Canada for personal reasons are not
required to no fy ISSAC.
Reques ng Extension of
Time Limit
Students who have nearly reached
the me limit of the program without
comple ng program requirements
should meet with their advisor (the
MSEM program must be completed
within five years of first registra on).
If the advisor supports an extension,
the student may apply in wri ng by
comple ng Form GSR 205. This form
The U of S has three ethics review
boards: the Biomedical Research Ethics
Board, the Behavioural Research Ethics
Board, and the Animal Research Ethics
Board. All research conducted at the
U of S must receive ethics approval
*
University of Saskatchewan. 2015. “Ethics.”
h p://research.usask.ca/for-researchers/ethics/
index.php. Website accessed August 24, 2015.
Several MSEM students have worked on projects near Churchill, where
this photo was taken by PhD candidate Aimee Schmidt.
20 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
• To
must be accompanied by a detailed
plan for comple on of the program.
The form and comple on plan will
be signed by the student and advisor
and then given to the Graduate Chair
who will forward the documents to
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research for considera on.
The College of Graduate Studies and
Research will grant me extensions
when students have experienced
significant difficul es or delays
while ac vely working to finish the
program. Delays caused by employment are not considered to be
adequate reason for extension approval. Extensions
are granted for the period of
one academic term. If necessary, students may apply for a
further extension. Evidence of
significant progress will be required
in order for further extensions to be
approved.
Engagement with Aboriginal communi es is a priority of the University of
Saskatchewan. Photo by: Manuel Chavez-Or z, MSEM alumnus
Supervisory
Responsibili es
The MSEM program coordinator for
the School or his/her designate will
serve as program advisor for the
MSEM program. For ENVS 992, each
student will be assigned a faculty
advisor who will mentor the student,
ensure that the student completes
the necessary program forms, and
assist the student in establishing
and comple ng a suitable research
project. A project commi ee or
advisory team, which includes the
faculty advisor, the co-advisor from a
partner organiza on, and the MSEM
program coordinator, will be assembled for each student. The supervisory roles and responsibili es will be
ar culated in an agreement signed by
all par es par cipa ng in the project.
The College of Graduate Studies and
Research has developed a document
en tled “Guidelines for the Various
Par es Involved in Graduate Student
Project and Thesis Research.” Using
these, along with the University
of Manitoba Faculty of Graduate
Studies Advisor-Student Guidelines
for Thesis-Prac cum Programs as a
reference, the School of Environment
and Sustainability has developed a
graduate student-supervisor agreement, which ar culates the roles and
responsibili es of supervisors and
graduate students. This form is found
in Appendix 1. Regarding the MSEM
program specifically, the roles of the
faculty advisor, the MSEM program
coordinator, the student, and the
partner organiza on can be ar culated as follows:
Role of the Faculty Advisor:
The faculty advisor is a mentor,
advisor, and senior colleague,
and provides an atmosphere of
respect for the student. As the
senior partner, the advisor must
encourage commitment on the part
of the student. The advisor has the
following responsibili es toward the
student:
• To guide the student’s program
of studies, research project,
meline to comple on, and
milestones;
• To be accessible for and to
encourage regular mee ngs with
the student;
•
•
•
•
provide expecta ons, criteria,
and evalua on for wri en work,
including the ENVS 992 Project,
in a mely fashion;
To inform of policies, regula ons,
expecta ons, and standards
of the School, the College of
Graduate Studies and Research,
and the University with respect
to course work, research, scholarship, intellectual property,
academic integrity, safety, ethics,
collabora ve work, authorship,
acknowledgements, conference
presenta ons, and professionalism;
To ensure eligibility of the ENVS
992 Research Project for grading,
and to prepare the student for
the oral proposal presenta on;
To provide le ers of recommenda on on request, in a mely
fashion; and,
To arrange for suitable supervision during absences.
Role of the MSEM Program
Coordinator:
Dr. Vladimir Kricsfalusy is the MSEM
Program Coordinator. MSEM
students with ques ons about their
program should feel free to contact
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 21
him at (306) 966-6642 or vladimir.k@
usask.ca. The MSEM Program Coordinator is a mentor, advisor, and senior
colleague, and provides an atmosphere of respect for the student and
encourages the student throughout
the project. The Coordinator has the
following responsibili es toward the
student:
• To work with the student’s faculty
advisor and the partner organizaon to guide the student’s research
project, including meline to
comple on, and milestones;
• To assist the student in iden fying a
project and a faculty advisor;
• To schedule and facilitate regular
mee ngs with the student;
• To provide expecta ons, criteria,
and evalua on for wri en work,
including the ENVS 992 Project, in a
mely fashion;
• To inform of policies, regula ons,
expecta ons, and standards of the
School, the College of Graduate
Studies and Research, and the
University with respect to course
work, research, scholarship, intellectual property, academic integrity,
safety, ethics, collabora ve work,
authorship, acknowledgements,
conference presenta ons, and
professionalism;
• To ensure eligibility of the ENVS 992
Project for grading; and,
• To provide le ers of recommendaon on request, in a mely fashion.
Role of the Student:
The MSEM student is a junior colleague
in a rela onship of mutual respect
with the faculty advisor, the MSEM
program coordinator, and the partner
organiza on. The student makes a
commitment to the program, dedica ng
himself or herself to the comple on
of the program within an acceptable
meframe and in accordance with
the policies and regula ons of the
School and the University. The student
is en tled to mentorship, advising,
guidance and monitoring by the MSEM
program coordinator and the faculty
advisor. The MSEM student has the
following responsibili es:
• To be accessible for and to maintain
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
regular and frequent communicaon with the faculty advisor, the
MSEM program coordinator, and
the partner organiza on;
To be aware of the many other
commitments the faculty advisor
and the MSEM program coordinator will have and schedule
mee ngs and document review in
a responsible manner that respects
these commitments;
To know and adhere to policies,
regula ons, expecta ons and
standards of the School, the College
of Graduate Studies and Research,
and the University with respect to
course work, research, scholarship,
intellectual property, academic
integrity, safety, ethics, collaborave work, authorship, acknowledgements, conference presentaons, and professionalism;
To adhere to professional and
respec ul interac on with the
partner organiza on, including
being sensi ve to me and
resource demands;
To be aware of and to meet
deadlines for registra on, course
work, research, applica ons,
repor ng, presenta ons, and
convoca on prepara ons;
To strive for excellence and take full
responsibility for course work and
research;
To establish and adhere to a
meline and milestones for compleon;
To record research systema cally,
completely, and honestly;
To report on progress to the MSEM
program coordinator and the
faculty advisor;
To submit work for evalua on,
allowing reasonable me for
review, and to give considera on to
advice from the faculty advisor and
the MSEM program coordinator;
To provide copies of a finished and
professionally-executed product in
a mely fashion;
To interact with the partner organiza on as appropriate rela ve to
the comple on of the project, in a
manner that reflects well upon the
School;
•
•
•
To make though ul, considerate,
frugal and responsible use of
resources;
To maintain, keep clean, and return
to order the workplace; and,
To advise the MSEM program
coordinator and the advisor of
absences due to vaca on, illness, or
other reasons.†
Role of the Partner Organiza on:
The partner organiza on will iden fy
a representa ve who will serve as the
organiza on’s liaison with the student
and the faculty advisor. This liaison,
working with the faculty advisor, will
serve to mentor and advise the student
in an atmosphere of respect. The
liaison and the partner organiza on
have the following responsibili es
toward the student:
• To work with the student’s faculty
advisor and the MSEM program
coordinator to guide the student’s
research project, including meline
to comple on, and milestones;
• To establish a research project that
offers posi ve learning outcomes
for the student;
• To be accessible for and to
encourage regular mee ngs with
the student;
• To inform of policies, regula ons,
expecta ons, and standards of the
partner organiza on with respect
to research, scholarship, intellectual property, integrity, safety,
ethics, collabora ve work, authorship, acknowledgements, conference presenta ons, and professionalism;
• To provide le ers of recommendaon on request, in a mely fashion;
and,
• To ensure that the liaison role is
filled in the event of absence.
†
“Role of the Faculty Advisor” and “Role of the
Student” adapted from: University of Saskatchewan.
College of Graduate Studies and Research. 1995.
“Guidelines for Various Par es in Graduate Student
Project and Thesis Research.” h p://www.usask.ca/
cgsr/downloads/guidelines.pdf
22 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management Checklist
The following checklist itemizes the benchmark tasks normally completed during the year-long Master of Sustainable
Environmental Management program. This list is not presented in any set order, and the program is not limited to the
items on this list.
Program Requirements
Responsible Party
Course work:
Required courses: ENVS 805; ENVS 806; ENVS 807; ENVS 808; ENVS 990;
ENVS 992; GSR 960. GSR 961 and/or GSR 962 may also be required.
Twelve credits of elec ves
Student with guidance and advice
from the MSEM program coordinator
ENVS 992 – project and faculty advisor selec on process
Student and MSEM program coordinator
Prepare project proposal
Student with advisor
Par cipate in proposal symposium (project presenta on)
Student
Receipt of ethical approval to conduct research; refer to the ethics website:
www.usask.ca/research/ethics_review/faqs.php
Student, prior to any field work
Complete Master’s Program of Studies Form
Student and advisor
Complete Graduate Student Progress Report
Advisor
Data Collec on and Analysis
Student
Comple on of Project
Student
Copy of Project Submi ed to School and to partner organiza on
Student
SENS students at the
Redberry Lake Biosphere
Reserve. This photo was
taken by Vladimir
Kricsfalusy, Associate
Professor.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 23
Administra ve Guidelines:
Master of Environment and Sustainability
Students from a wide variety of disciplines – ranging from the arts and
social sciences to the life and physical
sciences, pure and applied – are eligible
to apply to the MES program. As such,
no specific background training is
required, but students should have sufficient background to pursue research in
their chosen area of study.
Students may be admi ed on a condional basis if they require addi onal
courses to provide appropriate
background training, but otherwise
meet requirements for admission. These
courses will not be credited toward
graduate degree requirements, but may
be taken concurrently with graduate
courses taken toward those requirements. Once the specified courses
have been successfully completed, the
student will be recommended for fullyqualified status.
Students may be admi ed on a probaonary basis if their academic qualificaons are difficult to assess or do not
meet standards for admission. Students
in this category will be assigned
graduate courses as specified by the
student’s advisory commi ee, which
will form the basis for assessment of
ability to con nue as fully-qualified.
Lake Diefenbaker is an important research site for many
students. This photo was
taken by Jania Chilima, PhD
candidate.
Academic Integrity
Guidelines for Academic Conduct*
at the University of Saskatchewan
are approved by University Council.
The University of Saskatchewan also
hosts a website regarding academic
and non-academic integrity, which is
defined as: Integrity is expected of all
students in their academic work – class
par cipa on, examina ons, assignments, research, prac ca – and in their
non-academic interac ons and ac vi es
as well.
What academic integrity means for
students:
• Perform your own work unless
specifically instructed otherwise.
Check with your instructor about
* University of Saskatchewan. Office of the
University Secretary. “Academic Honesty.” h p://
www.usask.ca/secretariat/governing-bodies/
council/resources/guidelines-for-academicconduct.php#honesty Website accessed June 23,
2015.
•
•
•
•
•
•
whether collabora on or assistance
from others is permi ed.
Use your own work to complete
assignments and exams.
Cite the source when quo ng or
paraphrasing someone else’s work.
Discuss with your professor if you
have any ques ons about whether
sources require cita on.
Follow examina on rules.
Discuss with your professor if
you are using the same material
for assignments in two different
courses.
Be truthful on all university forms.
Use the same standard of honesty
with fellow students, lab instructors, teaching assistants, sessional
instructors and administra ve staff
as you do with faculty.†
† University of Saskatchewan.
Academic Integrity
Awareness. “Integrity Defined.” h p://www.
usask.ca/secretariat/student-conduct-appeals/
Integrity Defined.pdf Website accessed June 23,
2015.
24 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
MES Program Residency and Timeline
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements are met. Graduate students and those
involved in graduate studies are strongly encouraged to ensure that students move as expedi ously as possible
through their programs of studies. Master’s programs, whether full- or part- me, are limited to five years in length.
This me is measured from the beginning of the first term of registra on for work which is included in the program of
studies (this may be course work done at the University of Saskatchewan or elsewhere, and, in general terms, includes
thesis, project, or prac cum work). The following meline is based on a typical September program start date. For
program start dates other than September, please consult the Graduate Chair for instruc on on the program requirements and melines for comple on. A more detailed meline, iden fying roles and responsibili es, is included at the
end of this sec on.
Time in Program
Program Guidelines
Year 1
Course work: 6 required credit units (ENVS 803.3; ENVS 807.3), 6 credit units of elec ves,
plus ENVS 990, GSR 960. GSR 961 or 962 may also be required.
Within 6 months of the program start date the advisory commi ee is formed and the
Program of Studies is determined.
MES Thesis Proposal: A research proposal must be approved by the advisory commi ee
by no later than 24 months from the program start date (Note: Any required research permits, including Ethics Cer ficates, must be secured prior to commencing data collec on).
Research, including field research and data collec on, may commence at any me a er all
required research permits and cer ficates are secured, and with approval of the advisory
commi ee.
Year 2 to program
comple on
ENVS 990 a endance requirements are met at the end of the second year of residency.
The student must also present one seminar in ENVS 990.
All course work iden fied on the Program of Studies must be completed by no later than
24 months of the program start date.
Following data collec on and preliminary analysis a ‘permission to write’ mee ng is held.
Once a dra of the thesis has been approved by the advisory commi ee, students must
obtain ‘permission to defend’ prior to arrangements for a thesis defence.
MES student Jenna Zee presents
her ENVS 803 poster.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 25
Course Work
A fully-qualified MES student is required to take a minimum of 12 credit units of graduate course work. The required courses
are ENVS 803.3: Research in Environment and Sustainability and ENVS 807.3: Sustainability in Theory and Prac ce. MES
students must also take six credit units of elec ves. Please refer to Page 47 for more informa on regarding ENVS courses. An
MES student will normally complete the course requirements in the first year of full- me study. Addi onal courses may be
required if the advisory commi ee feels that the student’s background is deficient in some area. All required courses must be
noted on the program of studies. Renewal of funding for graduate students requires sa sfactory progress in the program of
studies.
The elec ve course work will be in the student’s area of specializa on and is selected in consulta on with the advisory
commi ee. A student may take one 400-level undergraduate course to fulfill the elec ve requirements, with the approval
of the advisory commi ee. Credit may be granted for graduate-level courses taken previously at this or another university,
provided they have not already been credited toward a bachelor’s or advanced degree. The Admissions and Awards Commi ee
may require a student to complete an examina on to demonstrate proficiency before credit is granted for courses taken at
another university.
The student is also required to register in ENVS 990: Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (no credit units) and ENVS 994:
Research in Environment and Sustainability (no credit units). The requirements for ENVS 990 are met by a ending and par cipa ng in structured School seminars and presen ng the results of thesis research. Comple on of the research requirement is
met when the thesis is successfully defended and approved.
All graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan are required to complete GSR 960: Research Ethics, and may be
required to take either GSR 961: Ethics and Integrity in Human Research or GSR 962: Ethics and Integrity in Animal Research,
depending on the nature of their project, thesis, or disserta on work.
At the beginning of the program, a supervisor will work with the student to develop a program of studies. This program indicates the nature of the research, the members of the commi ee, and all course and other requirements. The program of
studies must be approved by the advisory commi ee of the student at the beginning of the program. Any changes made to the
program of studies must be approved by the advisory commi ee and must be recorded in wri ng and submi ed to the School
and to the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
Each year a student is expected to demonstrate progress towards comple ng course requirements. Failure to make progress
may result in a recommenda on that the student withdraw. Addi onally, students supported by funding must maintain specific
grade point averages in order to retain funding. Students failing to meet these requirements will have funding withdrawn and
may face an assessment of unsa sfactory progress.
At the Master’s level, students must achieve a grade of at least 60% in all courses required for the degree and maintain an
overall weighted average of at least 70% in those courses to retain standing. If the student fails to meet this standard, the
advisory commi ee will assess the student’s performance and determine an appropriate course of ac on. The student may be
permi ed to re-take a course or undertake other remedial work if, in the opinion of the advisory commi ee, the overall performance of the student was otherwise sa sfactory. If this is not the assessment of the advisory commi ee, it will recommend
that the student discon nue.
Supervisory Responsibili es
The thesis research and the selec on of courses are done with direc on from the advisory commi ee. An appropriate supervisor must be available before a student will be recommended by the Admissions and Awards Commi ee for admission to the
program. This is determined by the Admissions and Awards Commi ee, through consulta on with faculty whose research interests correspond to those of the student. Faculty serving as graduate student supervisors must be associated with the School
as standard appointees, primary- or secondary-joint appointees, associate members, or adjuncts, and must be members of the
College of Graduate Studies and Research.
The advisory commi ee has the primary responsibility for direc ng and evalua ng the student’s graduate work. The advisory
commi ee recommends a program of studies for the graduate student. The program of studies and any changes to that
program recommended by the advisory commi ee are submi ed to the Admissions and Awards Commi ee for approval, then
forwarded to CGSR.
26 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
The supervisor is responsible for
calling mee ngs of the advisory
commi ee. Advisory commi ee
mee ngs are held at least once each
year and as required to evaluate and
assist the student in her/his program
of study. Students must be present
at any mee ngs held to discuss their
progress.
When supervisors are away from
the University for an extended
period (i.e., sabba cal leave), they
are expected to arrange for another
member of the advisory commi ee
to act in their absence, to ensure that
adequate provision for supervision
is available. They must advise the
Admissions and Awards Commi ee
and the Execu ve Director in wri ng
of this arrangement. All such arrangements will be communicated to the
Dean of the College of Graduate
Studies and Research with a copy
to the student. The Graduate Chair
will advise the Dean if these arrangements are not considered sa sfactory
by the School.
CGSR has developed a document
en tled “Guidelines for the Various
Par es Involved in Graduate Student
Project and Thesis Research.” Using
these, along with the University
of Manitoba Faculty of Graduate
Studies Advisor-Student Guidelines
for Thesis-Prac cum Programs as a
reference, the School of Environment
and Sustainability has developed a
graduate-student supervisor agreement which ar culates the roles
and responsibili es of supervisors
and graduate students. This form is
found in Appendix 1. With respect
to the MES program, these roles and
responsibili es may be ar culated as
follows:
Role of the Supervisor:
The supervisor is a mentor, advisor,
and senior colleague, and provides
an atmosphere of respect for the
student. As the senior partner, the
advisor must encourage commit-
ment on the part of the student. The
supervisor has the following responsibili es toward the student:
• To guide the choice of the
advisory commi ee, program of
studies, thesis topic, meline to
comple on, and milestones;
• To be accessible for and
encourage regular mee ngs with
the student;
• To provide expecta ons, criteria
and evalua on for wri en work,
including the thesis, in a mely
fashion;
• To explore, inform about, and
provide funding opportuni es;
• To inform of policies, regulaons, expecta ons and standards
of the School, the College of
Graduate Studies and Research,
and the University with respect
to course work, research, scholarship, intellectual property,
academic integrity, safety, ethics,
thesis, collabora ve work,
authorship, acknowledgements,
conference presenta ons, and
professionalism;
• To convene the advisory
commi ee at least once yearly;
• To provide the student with the
opportunity to present research
at a conference;
• To ensure the eligibility of
the thesis for examina on, to
provide the names of poten al
suitable external examiners,
and to prepare the student for
defence;
• To provide le ers of recommenda on on request, in a mely
fashion; and,
• To arrange for suitable supervision during absences.
Role of the Student:
The MES student is a junior partner
and colleague in a rela onship of
mutual respect with the supervisor
and advisory commi ee. The student
makes a commitment to the program,
dedica ng himself or herself to the
comple on of the program within an
acceptable meframe and in accord-
ance with the policies and regula ons
of the School and the University. The
student is en tled to mentorship,
advising, guidance and monitoring
and yearly evalua on of progress by
the advisory commi ee. The MES
student has the following responsibili es:
• To be accessible for and maintain
regular and frequent communica on with the supervisor and
advisory commi ee;
• To be aware of the many other
commitments the supervisor
will have and to schedule
mee ngs and document review
in a responsible manner that
respects these commitments.
The student and the supervisor should work together to
schedule commi ee mee ngs;
• To know and adhere to policies,
regula ons, expecta ons and
standards of the School, the
College of Graduate Studies and
Research, and the University with
respect to course work, research,
scholarship, intellectual property,
academic integrity, safety, ethics,
thesis work, collabora ve work,
authorship, acknowledgements,
conference presenta ons,
professionalism, and obliga ons
ed to funding;
• To be aware of and to meet
deadlines for registra on, course
work, research, applica ons,
repor ng, defence, and convocaon prepara ons;
• To strive for excellence in and to
take full responsibility for course
work and research;
• To establish and adhere to a
meline and milestones for
comple on;
• To record research systema cally,
completely, and honestly;
• To report on progress and to
prepare a yearly report for the
advisory commi ee;
• To submit work for evalua on,
allowing reasonable me for
review, and to give considera on
to advice from the supervisor
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 27
•
•
•
and the advisory commi ee;
To make though ul, considerate,
frugal and responsible use of
resources;
To maintain, keep clean, and return
to order the workplace; and,
To advise the supervisor of
absences due to vaca on, illness, or
other reasons.*
The Graduate Advisory
Commi ee
The role of the advisory commi ee
is to assist the student in comple ng
program requirements. Members are
brought together for their substan ve
exper se in the research area.
Master’s commi ees are composed of a
minimum of 3 members:
• 1 chair (non-vo ng except to break
a e);
• 1 research supervisor;
• 1 or more addi onal faculty who
may or may not be appointed to
the School and whose disciplinary
background is different from that of
the supervisor.
The Dean of the College of Graduate
Studies and Research is an ex-officio
member of every advisory commi ee.
Role of the Advisory Commi ee:
The advisory commi ee provides the
student with mentorship, guidance,
advice, evalua on and feedback in an
atmosphere of mutual respect. The
advisory commi ee should be chosen
early in the program by the student and
the supervisor, in consulta on, to reflect
diverse exper se in the chosen field of
research. The advisory commi ee has
the following responsibili es toward the
student:
• To establish a program of studies
in consulta on with the student, at
the beginning of the program, with
clear course requirements, expecta* “Role of the Faculty Advisor” and “Role of the
Student” adapted from: University of Saskatchewan. College of Graduate Studies and Research.
1995. “Guidelines for Various Par es in Graduate
Student Project and Thesis Research.” h p://
www.usask.ca/cgsr/downloads/guidelines.
pdf
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
†
ons, and a projected meline with
milestones;
To remain familiar with the research
project and the student’s progress;
To meet with the student at least
once yearly to review the student’s
progress, and then to report to the
College of Graduate Studies and
Research;
To be prepared to recommend
withdrawal or alterna ves if
progress is unsa sfactory;
To be available for consulta on
with the student on academic
or research-related ma ers, as
well as other ma ers which may
arise, including, but not limited to:
supervision, intellectual property,
ethics, authorship, best prac ces,
academic integrity, acknowledgement, medical or compassionate
situa ons, conflict, disputes, harassment, and discrimina on;
To provide feedback on the suitability of material for publica on,
and to suggest relevant journals for
submissions;
To examine the thesis for defence in
a mely manner;
To provide opportuni es for the
student to present the research at a
conference; and,
To be willing to provide le ers of
reference upon request.†
“Role of the Advisory Commi ee” adapted
from: University of Saskatchewan. College of
Graduate Studies and Research. 1995. “Guidelines for Various Par es in Graduate Student
The Role of the Chair of Advisory
Commi ees
The role of the chair of an advisory
commi ee is to maintain the standards,
fairness and integrity of the process
for both the student and faculty. The
chair or designate is required to a end
all mee ngs where a decision is made,
and may be required to vote. The chair
completes the minutes of each mee ng,
records votes, and files the records with
the graduate secretary.
All faculty members with standard or
joint appointments in the School have a
collec ve responsibility to par cipate in
chairing commi ees.
Note that the chair of the advisory
commi ee cannot pass judgment on
ma ers that are not normally addressed
by the commi ee, such as academic
dishonesty. Ma ers that cannot be
addressed by the commi ee must be
referred to the Execu ve Director of
the School and the Dean of the College
of Graduate Studies and Research for
resolu on. The chair should provide all
the relevant informa on in such a situaon.
For Master’s commi ees, the chair
of the advisory commi ee will chair
the final thesis defence. The chair is
en tled, although not required, to ask
ques ons. If the commi ee is able to
Project and Thesis Research.” h p://www.usask.
ca/cgsr/downloads/guidelines.pdf
28 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
reach a consensus about the quality
of the thesis, the chair need only
record the consensus decision. If
consensus cannot be reached among
the commi ee and a vote must be
taken, the chair must record the
outcome of the vote. If the vote is
ed, or where the commi ee and the
external examiner do not agree on
the vote, the chair must vote. In this
case, absten on by any member of
the examining commi ee, including
the chair, will be interpreted as a
nega ve vote. The student must be
informed of the decision immediately
a er the examina on.
Should further work by the candidate be required, the chair must see
that the commi ee states clearly,
for the candidate and the College of
Graduate Studies and Research, what
work is to be done and whether or
not the examining commi ee shall
meet again before the thesis can be
accepted.
Seminar
The Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a requirement for all MES students. To receive
credit for this course, graduate
students must a end and contribute
to the School seminar series. This
program is directed by an ENVS 990
Coordinator who recommends to the
Graduate Chair that credit for ENVS
990 be granted once all requirements
have been met. All SENS students are
required to a end the seminar for
the first two years of their program,
or for the dura on of their program,
whichever is shorter in length, to
complete seminar requirements.
A student in the Master of Environment and Sustainability program is
required to present one ENVS 990
seminar during the course of his/her
program. This seminar typically takes
place during the annual SENS student
symposium in the spring. The
presenta on will provide the student
with the experience of a formal
presenta on se ng and the opportunity to share research and scholarly
ac vity with students and faculty.
The seminar must be based on the
student’s area of study and can occur
any me a er proposal approval
and before the thesis defence. The
presenta on should be about 20
minutes in length.
Construc ve feedback will be
gathered by the ENVS 990 Coordi-
nator and the student’s supervisor
or designate and shared with the
presenter. If a student gives an
unsa sfactory seminar or does not
consistently a end seminars, the
Coordinator will no fy the student’s
advisory commi ee who will then
decide on an appropriate ac on (for
example, another seminar may be
required). The Coordinator must
inform the graduate secretary once
a student has met the ENVS 990
presenta on requirement.
Thesis Proposal
During the first year of residence, the
student will select a thesis research
topic and prepare a thesis proposal.
The student will be guided in this
by his/her supervisor and advisory
commi ee. The proposal should
clearly establish the objec ves of
the research, outline the theore cal
context of the research, and iden fy
the methods to be used to meet the
research objec ves. The proposal
should, ideally, be submi ed and
defended within nine months from
first registra on in the program,
but must be completed within 24
months.
The thesis proposal is submi ed to
The University of Saskatchewan
is on the banks of the South
Saskatchewan River. Photo by PhD
candidate Felicitas Egunyu.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 29
the student’s supervisor for review.
Once the proposal is judged sa sfactory by the supervisor, copies of the
proposal are provided to the other
members of the advisory commi ee.
The student will present the proposal
and the commi ee will determine, by
consensus, if the proposal provides a
sa sfactory basis for thesis research.
Wri en confirma on of approval must
be filed with the graduate secretary by
the chair. The supervisor will ensure
that a copy of the approved thesis
proposal is placed in the student’s
School file.
Ethical Approval to Conduct
Research
According to the University of Saskatchewan Ethics Office website, “the
University requires that all research
conducted by its members conform
to the highest ethical standards in the
use of human subjects, animals and
biohazardous materials. Any research
or study conducted at University
facili es, or undertaken by persons
connected to the University, involving
human subjects, animals or biohazardous materials must be reviewed and
approved by the appropriate University
of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Board
(REB) or Commi ee.”‡
The U of S has three ethics review
boards: the Biomedical Research Ethics
Board, the Behavioural Research Ethics
Board, and the Animal Research Ethics
Board. All research conducted at the
U of S must receive ethics approval
before the research begins. The official
website of the Ethics Office (h p://
research.usask.ca/for-researchers/
ethics/index.php) has complete and
current informa on.
Review is required even if a similar
project has been approved elsewhere.
Research permits may be required
before fieldwork can commence.
Obtaining these permits is the respon‡ University of Saskatchewan. 2015. “Ethics.”
h p://research.usask.ca/for-researchers/ethics/
index.php. Website accessed August 24, 2015.
sibility of the graduate student in
consulta on with their faculty advisor.
Students who work with animal
research with poten al environmental
impacts, and/or in parks or protected
areas are also responsible for obtaining
the necessary permits or permissions
before undertaking their research.
Travelling Outside of
Canada as a U of S Student
Students who will be travelling outside
of Canada to a end a conference or
to conduct research must no fy the
Interna onal Student and Study Abroad
Centre (ISSAC) prior to the trip. A
complete descrip on of the processes
involved with interna onal travel
for students can be found at: h p://
students.usask.ca/goabroad/safety/
requirements.php. All students should
review this informa on well in advance
of planned travel, as some ac ons may
be required up to 60 days in advance.
These requirements are in place for
all university-related travel outside of
Canada, even if a student is returning
to his or her country of origin. For
example, a student from Denmark who
travels to Denmark to conduct research
must complete the travel requirements.
Students who are travelling outside of
Canada for personal reasons are not
required to no fy ISSAC.
Annual Performance
Reviews
Each year a student is expected
to demonstrate progress towards
comple ng program requirements. A
mee ng of the advisory commi ee
and student must be held annually and
a ‘Progress Report’ form (GSR 210)
submi ed to the graduate secretary.
This mee ng may coincide with the
Thesis Proposal Defence, or be held
separately where applicable.
Failure to make progress may result in
a recommenda on that the student
withdraw. Addi onally, students
supported by funding must maintain
specific grade point averages in order
to retain funding. Students receiving
SENS scholarships must maintain a 75%
grade point average. Other awards
may have other GPA requirements.
Students failing to meet these requirements will have funding withdrawn and
may face an assessment of unsa sfactory progress.
Students must maintain an overall
average of 70%, and must obtain a
grade of at least 60% in each individual
class. If the student fails to meet these
standards, the advisory commi ee will
assess the student’s performance and
determine an appropriate course of
ac on. The student may be permi ed
to re-take a course or undertake other
remedial work if, in the opinion of the
advisory commi ee, the overall performance of the student was otherwise
sa sfactory. If this is not the assessment of the advisory commi ee, it will
recommend that the student disconnue.
Permission to Write the
Thesis
When the supervisor has determined
that the student has made sufficient
progress in data collec on and analysis
of the thesis research, a mee ng of
the advisory commi ee will be held to
evaluate the quality of that work and
to assess whether the student should
progress to wri ng the thesis. Permission to write must be indicated in
wri ng and placed in the student’s file
by the commi ee chair.
Thesis
The thesis must be based on original
research and demonstrate judgment
and scholarship on the part of the
candidate. It must represent a worthwhile contribu on to environment and
sustainability which would warrant
publica on, in whole or in part, in
a recognized scholarly form. The
quality of the thesis is evaluated by an
examining commi ee, consis ng of the
advisory commi ee and an external
examiner not affiliated with SENS, but
typically at the U of S, who is knowledgeable about the thesis topic.
The graduate student will develop
30 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
a thesis under the guidance of
the supervisor. Once the advisory
commi ee has recommended that
the thesis proceed to defence, the
student will prepare the requisite
number of copies of the thesis
(usually 5) for distribu on to the
members of the advisory commi ee,
the external examiner, and the
School.
The advisory commi ee will recommend names of poten al external
examiners to the Admissions and
Awards Commi ee, which will
forward this recommenda on to
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research on behalf of the School.
Standard procedures will then be
followed on invita on of the external
examiner, provision of a copy of
the thesis, prepara on of necessary documents, and scheduling of
defence.
At least one month prior to the
defence, the supervisor must submit
the necessary forms to the Graduate
Chair, who will review and approve
them, and then pass them on to
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research. Once approved, at least
three weeks must be provided for
reading of the thesis and prepara on
for the defence. These me lines are
strictly enforced by the College of
Graduate Studies and Research and
the School.
Thesis Format
Students may prepare a thesis by
manuscript (if approved by the
advisory commi ee) or a thesis by
tradi onal format. General guidelines for the thesis format requirements are provided in the College
of Graduate Studies and Research
Online Guide for Wri ng Electronic
Theses, Projects, and Disserta ons,
which is available at: www.usask.
ca/cgsr/for_students/etd.php. The
recommended length of the main
body of a tradi onal Master’s thesis
is between 50 and 100 pages.
Guidelines for the prepara on of
a manuscript-style thesis can be
found at: h ps://www.usask.ca/
cgsr/downloads/etd/CGSR%20
Manuscript%20Thesis%20Guidelines_May%201.pdf
Evalua on of the MES manuscriptstyle thesis is the same as that
for the regular thesis op on. The
difference between the tradi onal
and manuscript style thesis is in
format only. Submission or acceptance of a manuscript for publica on
is independent of the evalua on
of the thesis, which rests with the
advisory commi ee and the external
examiner.
3.
4.
Permission to Defend
Once a full dra of the thesis is
completed and the supervisor has
had an opportunity to review it
and make comments, the student
will present the thesis to her/his
commi ee members for review.
When the advisory commi ee is
sa sfied that the thesis is suitable for
defence, it will advise the Graduate
Chair. The Chair will then advise the
Execu ve Director of the School and
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research in order that the thesis can
proceed to defence.
5.
Appointment of the
Thesis Examining
Commi ee
7.
The examining commi ee for a
Master’s student consists of the
advisory commi ee and an external
examiner appointed by the Dean,
College of Graduate Studies and
Research. Criteria for selec ng
external examiners for MES defences
is as follows:
1. The external examiner of an MES
thesis must be from outside the
home department or unit(s) of
both the graduate student and
supervisor.
2. The external examiner of an MES
thesis is normally a member of
the College of Graduate Studies
6.
8.
9.
and Research of the U of S.
While it is acceptable to have an
external examiner from outside
CGSR, this requires approval by
the Dean of CGSR.
The external examiner must not
have graduated from or have
been a student in the academic
unit within the previous six (6)
years.
The external examiner must not
have collaborated with either
the supervisor or the graduate
student, as demonstrated by
shared research grants, joint
authorship of academic or
professional publica ons or
other joint scholarly ac vi es,
within the previous three (3)
years.
The external examiner must
not be an adjunct professor or
associate member or hold a joint
appointment in the same department or unit as the supervisor.
An individual may serve as an
external examiner for mul ple
students supervised by different
supervisors within the same
academic unit without restricon, but s/he may not serve as
an external examiner for more
than one student supervised by
the same supervisor within a
12-month period.
A former student of the supervisor may serve as the external
examiner if all other criteria are
sa sfied and the external examiner completed his/her degree
under the supervisor’s direc on
at least six (6) years previously.
A supervisor’s former colleague
(members of the same academic
unit) may serve as external
examiner if the external
examiner and supervisor have
not been in the same academic
unit for at least six (6) years prior
to the defense.
The external examiner must
not have close professional or
business es with the student,
the supervisor or any member of
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 31
the advisory commi ee.
10. Where the student’s thesis
contains chapters or sec ons,
which have been published or
submi ed for publica on, the
proposed external examiner will be
asked to disqualify her/himself if
s/he has previously dealt with that
material as a reviewer or editor.
11. The external examiner may not be
currently teaching or supervising
other graduate students who are
family members of either the
student or the thesis supervisor.
12. The external examiner must not
be currently enrolled as a graduate
student at the U of S.
The external examiner submits a report
on the examina on to the Dean of
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research using Form GSR 402.
Examina on of the Thesis
An oral examina on is limited to work
done by the candidate for the thesis
and to knowledge of directly related
material. Outside of the examining
commi ee, members of the University
community and guests may a end the
oral presenta on of the thesis. These
a endees may remain in the audience
during ques oning with permission of
the examining commi ee and student.
At the conclusion of the examina on,
the examining commi ee meets to
determine if the thesis, and its defence
by the student, meet the standards for
the degree. The examining commi ee
members will decide by consensus or
majority vote whether the thesis:
1. has passed without revisions;
2. has passed with revisions (major or
minor);
3. must be re-examined; or
4. is unacceptable, and the student’s
program is to be terminated.
The examining commi ee will also
determine if the oral examina on:
1. is sa sfactory;
2. is not sa sfactory, and must be
repeated; or
3. has failed and will not be repeated.
The student is advised immediately of
the examining commi ee’s decision.
A er the Defence
Master’s students are required to
submit a bound copy of their thesis to
the School of Environment and Sustainability, and one bound copy or CD to
the supervisor. An electronic copy
is to be submi ed to the College of
Graduate Studies and Research. It is the
responsibility of the student to deliver
or arrange to have the bound copies of
his/her thesis delivered to the supervisor and the School, and to submit the
thesis electronically to CGSR.
Reques ng Extension of
Time Limit
Students who have nearly reached
the me limit of the program without
comple ng program requirements
should consult their supervisor. If
the supervisor supports an extension,
the student may apply in wri ng by
comple ng form GSR 205. This form
must be accompanied by a detailed plan
for comple on of the program. The
form and comple on plan will be signed
by the student and supervisor and then
given to the Graduate Chair, who will
forward the documents to CGSR for
considera on.
CGSR will grant me extensions when
students have experienced significant
difficul es or delays while ac vely
working to finish the program. Delays
caused by employment are not considered to be adequate reason for extension approval. Extensions are granted
for the period of one academic term.
If necessary, students may apply for a
further extension. Evidence of significant progress will be required in order
for further extensions to be approved.
32 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Master of Environment and Sustainability Checklist
The following checklist itemizes the benchmark tasks normally completed during the first and second years of the MES
program. This list is not presented in any set order, and the program is not limited to the items on this list.
Time in
Program
Program Requirements
Responsible Party
Year 1
Course work:
Required courses: ENVS 803; ENVS 807; ENVS 990; ENVS
994; GSR 960. GSR 961 and/or GSR 962 may also be required.
Six credit units of elec ves
Student, in consulta on with supervisor for course
selec on
Select members for graduate advisory commi ee. An ini al
mee ng of the commi ee is recommended to establish
expecta ons.
Supervisor with student
Select research topic and prepare thesis proposal
Student with supervisor
Advisory commi ee mee ng: approval of proposal
Research and data collec on can commence once
required ethics cer ficates or research licenses are
secured, and with approval of the advisory committee
Research and data collec on can commence once required Student. Copies of ethics cer ficates or licenses must
ethics cer ficates or research licenses are secured, and with be filed with the graduate secretary
approval of the advisory commi ee
Year 2 to
program
comple on
Program of Studies Form
Student, supervisor, and/or chair
Annual Progress Report
Student and supervisor
ENVS 990 a endance requirements are met at the end of
the second year of residency.
Student
Permission to Write
Student
Advisory commi ee chair records minutes of mee ng
and files decision
Seminar. Based on the thesis research, and with permission Student is responsible for scheduling and presen ng
of the supervisor but before the thesis defence (20 minutes; seminar
Supervisor/ENVS 990 Coordinator records and contypically takes place during the student symposium)
firms that seminar requirement has been met
Permission to Defend
Supervisor and student determine when permission
should be sought
Advisory commi ee chair records minutes of meeting (or e-mail correspondence) and files decision
Thesis Submission (mul ple copies)
Student
Final Copies of Thesis
Student
Annual progress reports are required un l program compleon
Student and supervisor
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 33
Administra ve Guidelines:
Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability
Admission to the PhD program requires
a Master’s degree. Applicants who do
not hold a Master’s degree must first
register in a Master’s program. An
appropriate supervisor must be available before a student will be recommended by the Admissions and Awards
Commi ee for admission to the College
of Graduate Studies and Research. This
is determined by the Admissions and
Awards Commi ee through consulta on with faculty whose research
interests correspond to those of the
student. Faculty serving as supervisors
of graduate students must be associated with the School and be members
of the College of Graduate Studies and
Research. See page 35 ‘Supervisor and
Student Roles and Responsibili es’ for
roles and responsibili es of the supervisor and the graduate student.
Academic Integrity
Guidelines for Academic Conduct*
at the University of Saskatchewan
are approved by University Council.
The University of Saskatchewan also
hosts a website regarding academic
and non-academic integrity, which is
defined as: Integrity is expected of all
students in their academic work – class
par cipa on, examina ons, assignments, research, prac ca – and in their
non-academic interac ons and ac vi es
as well.
What academic integrity means for
students:
• Perform your own work unless
specifically instructed otherwise.
Check with your instructor about
whether collabora on or assistance
from others is permi ed.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use your own work to complete
assignments and exams.
Cite the source when quo ng or
paraphrasing someone else’s work.
Discuss with your professor if you
have any ques ons about whether
sources require cita on.
Follow examina on rules.
Discuss with your professor if
you are using the same material
for assignments in two different
courses.
Be truthful on all university forms.
Use the same standard of honesty
with fellow students, lab instructors, teaching assistants, sessional
instructors and administra ve staff
as you do with faculty.†
* University of Saskatchewan.
Office of the
University Secretary. “Academic Honesty.” h p://
www.usask.ca/secretariat/governing-bodies/
council/resources/guidelines-for-academicconduct.php#honesty Website accessed June 23,
2015.
† University of Saskatchewan.
Academic Integrity
Awareness. “Integrity Defined.” h p://www.
usask.ca/secretariat/student-conduct-appeals/
Integrity Defined.pdf Website accessed June 23,
2015.
SENS students have many opportuni es to build their skill sets.
Here, PhD candidate Jania Chilima
facilitates a round table session at
the Urban Transporta on Conference held in 2014.
34 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Transferring from a
Master’s Program to a
PhD Program
Excep onal students may be recommended for transfer into a PhD
program without comple ng a
Master’s degree. Recommenda on
may be considered by the advisory
commi ee if the student has a grade
point average exceeding 80% and
research completed at the me of
considera on is deemed to be of
appropriate quality. Recommenda on to transfer from a Master’s
program to a PhD program must be
ini ated through a formal mee ng
of the student’s advisory commi ee
that then forwards its recommenda on through the Graduate Chair
to the College of Graduate Studies
and Research. Students wishing to
transfer to the PhD program without
comple ng a Master’s degree must
successfully complete a Qualifying
Exam, which should be held at the
end of the first year of study.
For students without a previous
Master’s degree, a Needs Assessment is required. The Needs Assessment consists of a Qualifying Exam
and a Program of Studies as per
the requirements set out below for
the PhD program. Transfer from a
Master’s program to a PhD program
should take place a er the end of
the first year and cannot take place
later than the end of the second year
of the program. Advisory commi ee
membership will be reassessed as
part of the Needs Assessment should
the student be transferred to a PhD
program.
PhD Program Residency
and Timeline
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements
are met. Graduate students and
those involved in graduate studies
are strongly encouraged to ensure
that students move as expediously as possible through their
programs of studies. PhD programs
are limited to 6 years in length. This
me is measured from the beginning of the first term of registra on
for work which is included in the
program of studies (this may be
course work done at the University
of Saskatchewan or elsewhere, and,
in general terms, includes thesis,
project, or prac cum work). The
following meline is based on a
typical September program start
date. For program start dates other
than September please consult the
Graduate Chair for instruc on on the
program requirements and melines
for comple on. A more detailed
meline, iden fying roles and
responsibili es, is included at the end
of this sec on.
Time in Program
Program Guidelines
Year 1
Course work: 6 credit units (ENVS 809 plus at least one addi onal 3 credit unit class as
recommended by the advisory commi ee), plus ENVS 990, GSR 960. GSR 961 or 962 may
also be required.
Needs Assessment: Within 4 months of the program start date the advisory commi ee is
formed and: i) the Qualifying Exam is administered, and ii) the Program of Studies is determined.
Research, including field research and data collec on, may commence any me a er all
required research permits and cer ficates are secured, and with approval of the advisory
commi ee.
Year 2
ENVS 990 a endance requirements are met at the end of the second year of residency.
The student must also present two seminars in ENVS 990, typically in the SENS Student
Symposium. These presenta ons do not occur in the same year.
All course work iden fied on the Program of Studies must be completed by no later than
24 months of the program start date.
PhD Disserta on Proposal: A research proposal must be approved by the advisory committee by no later than 24 months from the program start date (Note: Any required research
permits, including Ethics Cer ficates, must be secured prior to commencing data collecon).
Comprehensive Examina on: The PhD Comprehensive Examina on must be successfully
completed by no later than 24 months from the program start date, but not earlier than 12
months.
Year 3 to comple on
Following data collec on and preliminary analysis a ‘permission to write’ mee ng is held.
Once a dra of the thesis has been approved by the supervisor, a ‘permission to defend’
mee ng is held. Arrangements may then be made for the thesis defence.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 35
Course Work
Courses complete the student’s
general training in environment and
sustainability and develop an area of
specializa on sufficient to permit the
student to undertake research which
will contribute to the discipline. Course
work in Term 1 is normally directed by
the supervisor, based on the School’s
PhD program requirements. The selecon of course work in subsequent
terms and the disserta on research are
directed by the advisory commi ee (see
‘Program of Studies’).
A fully-qualified PhD student is required
to take a minimum of 6 credit units
of graduate course work beyond that
completed at the Master’s level. SENS
PhD students are required to take ENVS
809.3: PhD Seminar in Sustainability.
It is expected that a PhD student will
normally complete the course requirements in the first year of full- me study.
Addi onal courses may be required if
the advisory commi ee feels that the
student’s background is deficient in
some area. All required courses must be
noted on the Program of Studies.
Elec ve courses will be in the student’s
area of specializa on and are selected
in consulta on with the advisory
commi ee. Credit may be granted for
graduate-level courses taken previously at this or another university,
provided they have not been credited
toward another degree. The Admissions and Awards Commi ee may
require a student to sit an examinaon to demonstrate proficiency before
credit is granted for such courses.
The student is required to register in
ENVS 990: Seminar in Environment
and Sustainability (no credit units) and
ENVS 996: Research in Environment
and Sustainability (no credit units). The
requirements for ENVS 990 are met by
a ending and par cipa ng in structured
School seminars for the first two years
of the PhD program and by presen ng
the research proposal and the results of
the disserta on research in the seminar
(see below). Comple on of the research
requirement (ENVS 996) is met when
the disserta on is successfully defended
and the final thesis has been submi ed
to CGSR.
responsibili es prior to and during
sabba cal and similar types of leave.
All graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan are required to
complete GSR 960: Research Ethics,
and may be required to take either
GSR 961: Ethics and Integrity in Human
Research or GSR 962: Ethics and Integrity in Animal Research, depending on
the nature of their project, thesis, or
disserta on work. These courses must
be completed within the first 12 months
of registra on in the program and
prior to the acceptance of the research
proposal.
The College of Graduate Studies and
Research has developed a document
en tled “Guidelines for the Various
Par es Involved in Graduate Student
Project and Thesis Research.” Using
these, along with the University of
Manitoba Faculty of Graduate Studies
Advisor-Student Guidelines for ThesisPrac cum Programs as a reference, the
School of Environment and Sustainability has developed a graduate student
-supervisor agreement which ar culates
the roles and responsibili es of supervisors and graduate students. This form
is found in Appendix 1. Regarding the
PhD program specifically, the roles of
the supervisor and the student can be
ar culated as follows:
Supervisor and Student
Roles and Responsibili es
The disserta on research and the
selec on of courses are done under the
direc on of the advisory commi ee.
The supervisor is responsible for calling
mee ngs of the advisory commi ee.
The chair keeps minutes of the
mee ngs, and distributes those minutes
to the student and advisory commi ee
members. Advisory commi ee
mee ngs are held at least once per year,
and as required to evaluate and assist
the student in the program of study. A
graduate student is en tled to a end all
advisory commi ee mee ngs.
When supervisors are away from the
University for an extended period (i.e.,
sabba cal leave), they are expected
to arrange for another member of
the advisory commi ee to act in their
absence, and to advise the Admissions
and Awards Commi ee and Execu ve
Director in wri ng of this arrangement.
Students can expect their supervisors
to ensure that adequate provision has
been made for con nued supervision
during their own absence or leave
of any kind. All such arrangements
will be communicated to the Dean of
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research with a copy to the student.
The Graduate Chair will advise the
Dean if these arrangements are not
considered sa sfactory by the School.
Faculty members should recognize that
it is impera ve to make an appropriate
reduc on in supervisory and advisory
Role of the Supervisor:
The supervisor is a mentor, advisor,
and senior colleague, and provides an
atmosphere of respect for the student.
As the senior partner, the advisor must
encourage commitment on the part of
the student. The supervisor has the
following responsibili es toward the
student:
• To guide the choice of the advisory
commi ee, program of studies,
thesis topic, meline to comple on,
and milestones;
• To be accessible for and encourage
regular mee ngs with the student;
• To provide expecta ons, criteria
and evalua on for wri en work,
including the disserta on, in a
mely fashion;
• To explore, inform about, and
provide funding opportuni es;
• To inform of policies, regula ons,
expecta ons and standards of the
School, the College of Graduate
Studies and Research, and the
University with respect to course
work, research, scholarship, intellectual property, academic integrity,
safety, ethics, thesis, collabora ve
work, authorship, acknowledgements, conference presenta ons,
and professionalism;
• To convene the advisory commi ee
at least once yearly;
36 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
•
•
•
•
To provide the student with the
opportunity to present research
at a conference;
To ensure the eligibility of
the thesis for examina on, to
provide the names of poten al
suitable external examiners,
and to prepare the student for
defence;
To provide le ers of recommenda on on request, in a mely
fashion; and,
To arrange for suitable supervision during absences.
•
•
•
•
Role of the Student:
The PhD student is a junior partner
and colleague in a rela onship of
mutual respect with the supervisor
and advisory commi ee. The student
makes a commitment to the program,
dedica ng himself or herself to the
comple on of the program within an
acceptable meframe and in accordance with the policies and regula ons
of the School and the University. The
student is en tled to mentorship,
advising, guidance and monitoring
and yearly evalua on of progress by
the advisory commi ee. The PhD
student has the following responsibili es:
• To be accessible for and maintain
regular and frequent communica on with the supervisor and
advisory commi ee;
• To be aware of the many other
commitments the supervisor will
have and schedule mee ngs and
document review in a responsible manner that respects these
commitments. The student
and the supervisor should work
together to schedule mee ngs;
• To know and adhere to policies,
regula ons, expecta ons and
standards of the School, the
College of Graduate Studies and
Research, and the University with
respect to course work, research,
scholarship, intellectual property,
academic integrity, safety, ethics,
thesis work, collabora ve work,
authorship, acknowledgements,
•
•
•
•
•
conference presenta ons,
professionalism, and obliga ons
ed to funding;
To be aware of and to meet
deadlines for registra on, course
work, research, applica ons,
repor ng, defence, and convocaon prepara ons;
To strive for excellence in and to
take full responsibility for course
work and research;
To establish and adhere to a
meline and milestones for
comple on;
To record research systema cally,
completely, and honestly;
To report on progress and to
prepare a yearly report for the
advisory commi ee;
To submit work for evalua on,
allowing reasonable me for
review, and to give considera on
to advice from the supervisor
and the advisory commi ee;
To make though ul, considerate,
frugal and responsible use of
resources;
To maintain, keep clean, and
return to order the workplace;
and,
To advise the supervisor of
absences due to vaca on, illness,
or other reasons.*
The Graduate Advisory
Commi ee
The supervisor, in consulta on with
the student, invites others to serve
on the advisory commi ee. The
advisory commi ee has the primary
responsibility for direc ng and
evalua ng the student. The advisory
commi ee recommends a Program of
Studies for the graduate student, and
may recommend revisions to that
program.
*
“Role of the Faculty Advisor” and “Role of the
Student” adapted from: University of Saskatchewan. College of Graduate Studies and Research.
1995. “Guidelines for Various Par es in Graduate
Student Project and Thesis Research.” h p://
www.usask.ca/cgsr/downloads/guidelines.pdf
The role of the advisory commi ee
is to assist the student in comple ng
program requirements. Members are
brought together for their substanve exper se in the research area.
PhD commi ees are composed of a
minimum of 5 members:
• 1 chair (non-vo ng except to
break a e);1 research supervisor;
• 3 or 4 commi ee members, at
least one of whom is from the
School (as a standard or joint
appointee, associate or adjunct),
at least one of whom is from a
discipline that is different from
that of the research supervisor
and at least one of whom is not a
member of the School (cognate).
The Dean of the College of
Graduate Studies and Research is an
ex-officio member of every advisory
commi ee.
The role of the advisory commi ee,
adapted from the College of
Graduate Studies and Research dra
guidelines, may be ar culated as
follows for the Doctor of Philosophy
in Environment and Sustainability
program:
Role of the Advisory Commi ee:
The advisory commi ee provides the
student with mentorship, guidance,
advice, evalua on and feedback in an
atmosphere of mutual respect. The
advisory commi ee should be chosen
early in the program by the student
and the supervisor, in consultaon, to reflect diverse exper se in
the chosen field of research. The
advisory commi ee has the following
responsibili es toward the student:
• To establish a program of studies
in consulta on with the student,
at the beginning of the program,
with clear course requirements,
expecta ons, and a projected
meline with milestones;
• To remain familiar with the
research project and the
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 37
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
student’s progress;
To meet with the student at least
once yearly to review the student’s
progress, and then to report to the
College of Graduate Studies and
Research;
To be prepared to recommend
withdrawal or alterna ves if
progress is unsa sfactory;
To be available for consulta on
with the student on academic
or research-related ma ers, as
well as other ma ers which may
arise, including, but not limited to:
supervision, intellectual property,
ethics, authorship, best prac ces,
academic integrity, acknowledgement, medical or compassionate
situa ons, conflict, disputes, harassment, and discrimina on;
To provide feedback on the suitability of material for publica on,
and to suggest relevant journals for
submissions;
To examine the thesis for defence in
a mely manner;
To provide opportuni es for the
student to present the research at a
conference; and,
To be willing to provide le ers of
reference upon request. †
The Role of the Chair of Advisory
Commi ees
The role of the chair of the advisory
commi ee is to maintain the standards,
fairness and integrity of the process
for both the student and faculty. The
chair or designate is required to a end
all mee ngs where a decision is made,
and may be required to vote. The chair
completes the minutes of each mee ng,
records votes, and files the records with
the graduate secretary. It is a collec ve
responsibility of all faculty members
with standard or joint appointments
in the School to par cipate in chairing
† “Role of the Advisory Commi
ee” adapted from:
University of Saskatchewan. College of Graduate Studies
and Research. 1995. “Guidelines for Various Par es
in Graduate Student Project and Thesis Research.”
h p://www.usask.ca/cgsr/downloads/guidelines.
pdf
commi ees.
Note that the chair of the advisory
commi ee cannot pass judgment on
ma ers that are not normally addressed
by the commi ee, such as academic
dishonesty. Ma ers that cannot be
addressed by the commi ee must be
referred to the Execu ve Director of
the School and the Dean of the College
of Graduate Studies and Research for
resolu on. The chair should provide all
the relevant informa on in such a situaon.
For PhD commi ees, the chair of
the advisory commi ee will chair
the final disserta on defence. The
chair of the advisory commi ee is
en tled, although not required, to ask
ques ons. If the commi ee is able to
come to a consensus about the quality
of the disserta on, the chair need
only record the consensus decision. If
consensus cannot be reached among
the commi ee and a vote must be
taken, the chair must record the
outcome of the vote. If the vote is
ed, or where the commi ee and the
external examiner do not agree on
the vote, the chair must vote. In this
case, absten on by any member of the
examining commi ee, including the
chair, will be interpreted as a nega ve
vote. The student must be informed
of the decision immediately a er the
examina on. Should further work by
the candidate be required, the chair of
the examining commi ee must see that
the commi ee states clearly, for the
candidate and the College of Graduate
Studies and Research, what work is
to be done and whether or not the
examining commi ee shall meet again
before the disserta on can be accepted.
Seminar
The Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a requirement for all PhD students. To receive
credit for this course, PhD students
must a end and contribute to the
seminar for the first two years of their
program. This program is chaired by a
Coordinator who recommends to the
Graduate Chair that credit for ENVS 990
be granted once the course requirements have been met. Presenta ons
will provide the student with the experience of a formal seminar se ng and
the opportunity to share research and
scholarly ac vity with other students
and faculty.
A student in the PhD program is
required to present two seminars, both
of which typically will take place during
the annual SENS student symposium
held in the spring (these presenta ons
do not occur during the same year).
The first seminar will based upon the
student’s research proposal and the
second will be presented a er permission to write the disserta on has
been granted, but prior to defence;
the second seminar will focus on the
research the student has done. Both
seminars should be 20 minutes in
length.
Requirements for the second seminar
may be met by an oral presenta on at
a na onal or interna onal academic
conference. Students must apply to the
Graduate Chair for approval prior to
the conference. The following condions must be met: i) the student must
be the presen ng author; ii) it must
be an oral presenta on of research;
iii) the research must be that of the
disserta on; iv) it must be a na onal
or interna onal conference venue; v)
either the supervisor or a member of
the advisory commi ee must be present
and file a report on the acceptability
of the presenta on with the graduate
secretary.
Construc ve feedback will be gathered
by the Coordinator and the supervisor or designate and shared with the
presenter. If a student gives an unsa sfactory seminar or does not consistently
a end seminars, the Coordinator will
no fy the advisory commi ee which
will decide on an appropriate ac on
(for example, another seminar may
be required). The Coordinator must
38 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
inform the graduate secretary once
a student has met the ENVS 990
presenta on requirements.
Needs Assessment:
Qualifying Exam
The Needs Assessment has two parts:
a Qualifying Exam and a Program
of Studies. All PhD students are
required to undertake a Qualifying
Examina on, which, by wri en
and oral responses, assesses interdisciplinary and communica on
skills, background, and poten al
for research, and iden fies any
deficiencies that must be remediated by course work. The results of
the Qualifying Exam help commi ee
members and students determine
the readiness of students to pursue
an interdisciplinary PhD in environment and sustainability; iden fy
weaknesses and priori es for
academic prepara on early in the
program; and/or iden fy students
without the capacity to carry out the
interdisciplinary research necessary
for the SENS PhD.
Timing: Students must complete
the Qualifying Examina on within 4
months of first registra on in the PhD
program. The supervisor must meet
with the student at least once prior
to the Qualifying Exam. The purpose
of this mee ng is to explain to the
student the nature and scope of the
Qualifying Exam and the expectaons. The mee ng should, ideally, be
held in person, but teleconference or
videoconference arrangements are
acceptable when necessary.
Administra on: Ideally the advisory
commi ee is finalized prior to the
Qualifying Exam. However, this may
not always be possible. In such cases,
the Qualifying Exam shall be administered by 2 or 3 faculty members,
at least one of which is from SENS,
plus the supervisor; the supervisor
must have a faculty appointment
with SENS (either standard, primaryjoint, secondary-joint, associate, or
adjunct). These may be considered
prospec ve members of the advisory
commi ee. The final commi ee
composi on will be determined
based on the Needs Assessment (i.e.,
Qualifying Exam, Program of Studies).
Scope: The Qualifying Exam will be
comprised of a wri en component
and an oral component.
1. Wri en component: Students
are to prepare a wri en
document that includes: i) a
statement about why they chose
to undertake an interdisciplinary degree, ii) a statement of
previous academic prepara on
or experience related to their
proposed study area, and iii)
iden fica on and brief discussion of the major themes, fields
or disciplines viewed as most
relevant to their general research
area. The wri en component is
to be no more than 3,000 words.
References must be cited in an
acceptable academic format
and appended to the document.
References are not included in
the maximum allowable word
count.
2. Oral component: The oral
component will review the
wri en document plus any
related knowledge. The oral
component should be completed
within 1-2 weeks of the wri en
exam. The student will deliver
a brief presenta on to the
advisory commi ee, approximately 10 to 15 minutes, which
provides an overview of the
wri en document. The students
may then be asked to respond
to a specific ques on or a short
set of ques ons about their
academic prepara on and
qualifica ons for, and general
understanding of, broad interdisciplinary ma ers related to
their an cipated study area. The
oral component of the Qualifying
Exam would normally last no
longer than 1 hour.
Details concerning the dissertaon research, including research
design, research ra onale, research
ques ons or objec ves, methods for
data collec on, and poten al significance of the research contribu ons
are NOT the focus of the Qualifying
Exam. Such ma ers are addressed
during the Disserta on Proposal
defence.
Criteria for evalua on: The wri en
and oral components must sa sfy
commi ee members of the student’s
ability to:
• Provide a good, if general, understanding of interdisciplinary
research;
• Iden fy and provide a general
understanding of the important
themes, fields or disciplines
relevant to their an cipated
research area and the linkages
between them;
• Write smoothly and persuasively;
• Organize material logically;
• Understand the basis of proper
cita on and expecta ons for
academic honesty; and,
• Express ideas effec vely in an
oral se ng.
Determina ons: There are several
possible outcomes of the Qualifying
Examina on. Commi ee members
can determine that the student is:
1. Fully qualified to con nue in the
PhD program (i.e. no addi onal
course work beyond the normal
6 cu of study is required);
2. Required to undertake specific
courses or other prepara on
during his/her PhD program,
in addi on to the normal 6 cu
requirement;
3. Required to re-write the exam
or address a deficiency in a
specific way (e.g., complete
a wri ng course, complete
an undergraduate course in a
specific area where there is a
major deficiency) before being
permi ed to con nue in the
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 39
4.
program; or
Recommended to withdraw from
the PhD program.
A re-write of the Qualifying Exam
must be completed within 2 months.
Addi onal work to be completed in
order to meet the Qualifying Exam
requirements must be completed within
the first 24 months of the student’s first
registra on in the program. Students
failing the PhD Qualifying Examina on
for a second me must withdraw from
the program, or may elect to apply
for a transfer to a Master’s degree
program, at the discre on of the
advisory commi ee.Students transferring from a Master’s program to a PhD
program: Students failing the Qualifying
Exam without previously comple ng
the Master’s degree requirements will
not be allowed to transfer to a PhD
program. A second a empt to pass the
examina on will not be permi ed. The
student will be required to complete the
Master’s program.
Repor ng: The chair of the advisory
commi ee must inform the graduate
secretary of the commi ee’s decision
immediately following the Qualifying
Exam.
Needs Assessment:
Program of Studies
Immediately a er the Qualifying Exam,
normally at the same mee ng, but
within 4 months of the program start
date, a Program of Studies will be established and the final advisory commi ee
formed (see page 36 ‘The Graduate
Advisory Commi ee’). The Program
of Studies indicates the nature of the
research, advisory commi ee members,
and all course and other requirements
determined based on the Qualifying
Exam. The Program of Studies will
iden fy tenta ve dates for the compleon of the Comprehensive Examinaon and submission of the Disserta on
Proposal.
A Program of Studies form is available from the graduate secretary. The
Program of Studies is submi ed to the
Admissions and Awards Commi ee
for approval, and is then submi ed
to the College of Graduate Studies
and Research on behalf of the School.
The program establishes the specific
degree requirements to be met by an
individual student. Any changes in
the program of study must be recommended by the student’s advisory
commi ee and approved by the
Admissions and Awards Commi ee and
the College of Graduate Studies and
Research. A revised program of studies
form must be completed and submi ed
to the School whenever a change in the
program is required.
In addi on to the specific requirements
in the program of study, the student
must meet residency and registraon requirements established by the
University.
Comprehensive Exam
The purpose of the Comprehensive
Examina on is to ensure that the
student understands and can meet
the standards of evidence and scholarship in his/her chosen field(s) of
research, and is able to ar culate
the interdisciplinary nature of his/
her work from a broad sustainability
perspec ve. The examina on allows
the student’s graduate advisory
commi ee to evaluate the student’s
poten al for interdisciplinary research
in environment and sustainability by
tes ng the student’s founda onal
knowledge in the field(s) of study in
which the research is situated, and
the student’s ability to reconcile work
across fields. The final assignment in
ENVS 809.3: PhD Seminar in Sustainability, which addresses sustainability,
must be successfully completed to pass
the comprehensive exam. Students
may s ll be expected to speak to this
wri en assignment during the oral
por on of their comprehensive exam.
Timing: The Comprehensive Exam
must be completed within 24 months
of the program start date, but not
earlier than 12 months, as iden fied on
the student’s Program of Studies form.
Any addi onal requirements set as a
result of the Qualifying Exam, including
addi onal course work, must be met
before the Comprehensive Exam can
be administered. The Comprehensive
Exam may be completed either before
or a er the Disserta on Proposal, as
determined by the student’s Program
of Studies.
Scope: The scope of the Comprehensive Examina on is to be broader
than the specific topic of the student’s
disserta on. While the Comprehensive Exam will address the student’s
understanding of the literature in his/
her field(s) of study and the areas in
which the thesis topic is structured
(e.g. theories, methods, past and
current debates, an cipated future
trajectories), it will do so in an interdisciplinary manner with emphasis on
the student’s ability to demonstrate
scholarly breadth and contextual
understanding in the broad area of
environment and sustainability. The
Comprehensive Exam is not designed
to query the specifics of the student’s
proposed research and should not be
used to do so.
Comprehensive Exam Topics and
Reading List: The topics or general
areas of the Comprehensive Exam
are to be determined by the advisory
commi ee, in consulta on with the
student. The Comprehensive Exam will
address two broad topics related to the
student’s research area (see Wri en
Exam Format). Note that the topic of
sustainability is addressed in ENVS 809.
The advisory commi ee, in consultaon with the student, will develop a
Reading List that includes a MINIMUM
of 30 cri cally important papers or
books in each of the two areas. The
reading list is to serve as a guide to the
student, direc ng him/her to the body
of literature most relevant to the topics
or general areas to be addressed by
the Comprehensive Examina on. It is
40 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
expected that the student will add to
this list.
The advisory commi ee must provide
this Reading List to the student at
least two months prior to the due
date of the comprehensive examina on. Once the Reading List is
assigned, the commi ee can add no
new readings. However, the student
should treat the reading list as a
guide only and be prepared to read
more extensively in each of the two
areas.
Exam Format: The Comprehensive
Exam will have both a wri en and an
oral component. The Comprehensive
Exam must include, on the exam
ques on/instruc on sheet, a statement regarding academic honesty.
1. Wri en Exam: The advisory
commi ee, in discussion with
the student, will set the format
of the wri en por on of the
Comprehensive Exam. The use of
an editor or peer reviewer is not
permi ed for the Comprehensive
Examina on.
There are two op ons for the
wri en exam:
Op on A: A series of two takehome papers with the deadlines
for each paper to be set by the
commi ee, though not to span
more than two months for both
papers.
The take-home papers are to
adopt the form of a cri cal literature review, with each paper
addressing one of the broad
areas iden fied on the Reading
List.
The advisory commi ee has
the discre on to assign a broad
ques on, or set of ques ons, as
a guide to each paper, or to allow
more flexibility in the specific
ques on(s) the student chooses
to address in each of the cri cal
literature reviews.
The length of each paper is
flexible and to be determined
by the advisory commi ee. Each
paper should be the length of
a standard peer review journal
paper, between 5,000 to 8,000
words – not including figures,
tables, references or appendices.
The content and format of the
papers will not be judged rela ve
to journal paper standards;
however, it is expected that the
content will meet the requirements of the Comprehensive
Exam.
Op on B: An ‘in situ’ exam
wherein the student has one
day to write each of two exam
papers.
Under this format the student
will have 24 hours to write each
exam. Each exam may consist
of a single ques on, or mul ple
ques ons, to be determined at
the discre on of the advisory
commi ee. The student will not
know the specific exam ques-
SENS PhD students
conduct research
all over the world.
Here, PhD candidate
Ranjan Da a speaks
to members of the
Laitu Khyen Indigenous Community in
the Chi agong Hills
Tracts, Bangalesh.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 41
2.
ons in advance of the exam, but
will know of the general area being
ques oned.
The length of each exam paper
will vary according to the number
of ques ons, but must be reasonable based on the me allo ed to
complete the exam.
Oral Exam: The oral exam will
normally take place within two
weeks of comple on of the last
wri en exam. The oral exam does
not require that the student deliver
an oral presenta on of the wri en
exams. During the oral exam the
student is expected to be able
to discuss key areas or fields of
research that are related to his/her
own field(s) of study, by answering
ques ons posed by the examina on
commi ee based on, or supplemen ng, the wri en part of the
exam.
The scope of the oral exam should
not be restricted to the student’s
responses on the wri en exam, but
should also explore the student’s
ability to demonstrate a breadth of
understanding in each of the areas
included on the student’s Reading
List. Addi onally, students will be
asked to answer ques ons related
to the final paper wri en for ENVS
809.
The Chair of the advisory commi ee
may par cipate in the oral exam by
asking ques ons, but will vote on
the exam results only in the case of
a e.
Criteria for evalua on: The
wri en and oral components must
sa sfy commi ee members of the
student’s ability to:
• understand the range of
perspec ves on sustainability
and their interdisciplinary
aspects as they relate to his/her
research area
• demonstrate a breadth of
understanding in each of the
three broad areas included on
the student’s Reading List
• demonstrate competence, at
the PhD level, in wri en and
oral communica on
Results: The advisory commi ee
will determine by consensus or
majority vote (if consensus cannot
be reached) whether the wri en
and oral components of the exam
are:
1. passed without condi on;
2. passed with condi on (e.g.
condi ons may include
a requirement to re-do a
wri en por on of the exam,
or complete addi onal course
work);
3. failed with requirement for
re-examina on and, as iden fied by the commi ee, compleon of addi onal work; or
4. failed with recommenda on to
discon nue.
A student failing a Comprehensive
Examina on is permi ed a second
examina on with permission of the
Dean of the College of Graduate
Studies and Research. A second
failure automa cally disqualifies
the student from further work
for that par cular PhD degree. A
second examina on will normally
take place within 2 – 3 months
of the first examina on. It is the
responsibility of the chair of the
graduate advisory commi ee to
inform the graduate secretary, the
Graduate Chair, and the College of
Graduate Studies and Research of
the outcome of the Comprehensive
Examina on as soon as possible
a er the exam. The chair of the
graduate advisory commi ee must
submit to the graduate secretary
a copy of the student’s wri en
exams and a memo that provides
minutes of the examina on and an
overview of advisory commi ee
comments. The decision of the
graduate advisory commi ee must
be communicated to the student
immediately following the oral
exam.
Disserta on Proposal
Students must select a disserta on
research topic and prepare a disserta on proposal. The student will be
guided in this effort by his/her supervisor and advisory commi ee. The
proposal should clearly establish the
objec ves of the research, outline the
theore cal context of the research, and
iden fy the methods to be used to meet
the research objec ves. The dissertaon proposal is first submi ed to the
student’s supervisor for review. Once
the proposal is judged to be sa sfactory
by the supervisor, copies are provided
to the other members of the advisory
commi ee.
Timing: The proposal must be successfully defended within 24 months of the
program start date. The proposal may
be completed either before or a er the
Comprehensive Exam, as determined by
the student’s Program of Studies.
The disserta on proposal must be
submi ed to the advisory commi ee for
review by no later than 2 weeks prior to
the thesis proposal oral presenta on/
examina on.
The advisory commi ee is expected to
meet for the oral defence of the disserta on proposal by no later than 3 weeks
a er receiving the proposal.
Format: The format and length of
the disserta on proposal will vary
depending on the nature of the research
and the requirements of the advisory
commi ee. However, a PhD dissertaon proposal is normally 5,500 to
8,500 words, excluding figures, tables,
references and appendices. There are
a number of basic content elements
that should be included in all research
proposals:
1. Title page
2. Abstract
3. Introduc on
4. Statement of research purpose,
objec ves, ques ons, and/or
hypotheses
5. Review of the literature/context for
the proposed research
6. Proposed research methods/study
design/analy cal approach
7. Poten al significance/contribu ons
8. Poten al limita ons
9. Proposed research communica on/
42 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
dissemina on
10. Research meline
11. Dra research budget (if applicable)
12. Literature cited
13. Appendices (if applicable)
5.
Significance of the poten al
outcomes
• poten al for contribu on to
scholarly knowledge is evident
• contribu on to “community” is
specified, if relevant
Examina on of the disserta on
proposal: The student will present
the disserta on proposal orally to the
advisory commi ee. The oral presenta on should be approximately 15 to
20 minutes and provide an overview
of the thesis research proposal, giving
par cular a en on to the research
ra onale, approach, poten al contribu ons, and proposed meline. The
oral presenta on will be followed
by ques ons from members of the
advisory commi ee. In examining
the disserta on proposal, the
advisory commi ee will pay a en on
to such ma ers as:
1. Communica on skills
• readability, presenta on quality
• organiza on
2. Research skills
• demonstrates originality or
significance
• exhibits cri cal thinking
• is prac cal/feasible
• meets ethical standards
3. Clear ra onale for the research
• clear objec ves or research
ques ons or hypotheses
• completeness of the literature
review
• coherent conceptual framework
or theory
4. Appropriateness of research
design/methods
• fits with the ra onale or a larger
project (if linked to a larger
research project this should be
made clear)
• the popula on, study area, and/
or sample(s) is/are clearly specified, if applicable
• appropriate instruments for
data collec on and analysis are
used
• feasibility (e.g., meline, data
availability, field site access,
etc.)
Results: The commi ee will determine, by consensus, if the proposal
provides a sa sfactory basis for
disserta on research. The commi ee
will recommend one of the following:
1. Proposal is acceptable, with or
without minor revisions.
2. Underlying proposed research
is sound, but the proposal is
in need of recas ng or minor
content addi on, including
addi onal literature review or
clarifica on of methods/study
design. It is at the discre on of
the advisory commi ee as to
whether these revisions can be
completed by the student and
approved solely by the supervisor, or whether the advisory
commi ee will review the
revised proposal prior to final
approval. The revisions should
be completed within 6 weeks
and do not require a second oral
defence. (Note: If the advisory
commi ee determines that
a second oral presenta on is
necessary, it shall iden fy recommenda on 3) below).
3. Proposal does not meet the
minimum standard. In this case
a revised disserta on proposal
is submi ed to the advisory
commi ee within 3 months and
a second oral presenta on and
examina on is scheduled.
Wri en confirma on of approval
must be filed with the graduate
secretary by the commi ee chair.
The supervisor will ensure that a copy
of the approved disserta on proposal
is placed in the student’s School file.
Students who fail to successfully
complete the Disserta on Proposal
requirements on the second a empt
will be recommended by the advisory
commi ee to withdraw from the
program.
Ethical Approval to
Conduct Research
According to the University of
Saskatchewan Ethics Office website,
“the University requires that all
research conducted by its members
conform to the highest ethical standards in the use of human subjects,
animals and biohazardous materials.
Any research or study conducted at
University facili es, or undertaken by
persons connected to the University,
involving human subjects, animals
or biohazardous materials must
be reviewed and approved by the
appropriate University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Board (REB) or
Commi ee.”‡
The U of S has three ethics review
boards: the Biomedical Research
Ethics Board, the Behavioural
Research Ethics Board, and the
Animal Research Ethics Board. All
research conducted at the U of S
must receive ethics approval before
the research begins. The official
website of the Ethics Office (h p://
research.usask.ca/for-researchers/
ethics/index.php) has complete and
current informa on.
Review is required even if a
similar project has been approved
elsewhere.
Research permits may be required
before fieldwork can commence.
Obtaining these permits is the
responsibility of the graduate
student in consulta on with their
faculty advisor. Students who work
with animal research with poten al
environmental impacts, and/or in
parks or protected areas are also
responsible for obtaining the neces‡
University of Saskatchewan. 2015.
“Ethics.” h p://research.usask.ca/
for-researchers/ethics/index.php. Website
accessed August 24, 2015.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 43
sary permits or permissions before
undertaking their research.
Travelling Outside of Canada
as a U of S Student
Students who will be travelling outside
of Canada to a end a conference or
to conduct research must no fy the
Interna onal Student and Study Abroad
Centre (ISSAC) prior to the trip. A
complete descrip on of the processes
involved with interna onal travel
for students can be found at: h p://
students.usask.ca/goabroad/safety/
requirements.php. All students should
review this informa on well in advance
of planned travel, as some ac ons may
be required up to 60 days in advance.
These requirements are in place for
all university-related travel outside of
Canada, even if a student is returning
to his or her country of origin. For
example, a student from Denmark who
travels to Denmark to conduct research
must complete the travel requirements.
Students who are travelling outside of
Canada for personal reasons are not
required to no fy ISSAC.
Annual Performance
Reviews
Each year a student is expected
to demonstrate progress towards
comple ng program requirements.
The advisory commi ee and student
must meet annually and a ‘Progress
Report’ form submi ed to the graduate
secretary. The Progress Report from
the commi ee must be accompanied
by a short form to be completed by the
student and submi ed to the graduate
secretary. This mee ng may coincide
with the Comprehensive Examina on,
Thesis Proposal Defence, or Permission
to Write, or may be held separately.
Failure to make progress may result in
a recommenda on that the student
withdraw. Addi onally, students
supported by funding must maintain
specific grade point averages in order
to retain funding. Students receiving
SENS scholarships must maintain a 75%
grade point average. Other awards may
have other GPA requirements. Students
failing to meet these requirements
will have funding withdrawn and may
face an assessment of unsa sfactory
progress.
At the doctoral level, students must
achieve a grade of at least 70% in all
courses required for the degree. If the
student fails to meet these standards,
the advisory commi ee will assess the
student’s performance and determine
an appropriate course of ac on. The
student may be permi ed to re-take
a course or undertake other remedial
work if, in the opinion of the advisory
commi ee, the overall performance
of the student was otherwise sa sfactory. If this is not the assessment of the
advisory commi ee, it will recommend
that the student discon nue.
Permission to Write the
Disserta on
Once the student has completed the
data collec on and analysis components of the disserta on research, an
advisory commi ee mee ng will be
held to evaluate the quality of that work
and to assess whether it is adequate to
permit wri ng of the disserta on. The
supervisor will determine when permission to write the disserta on should be
requested from the advisory commi ee.
In prepara on for the permission to
write mee ng, the student will prepare
a document that briefly outlines the
research purpose and objec ves,
provides an overview of the research
methods, and highlights the research
findings and key observa ons. The
document should also include a tentave disserta on table of contents.
This document must be submi ed
to the advisory commi ee at least 2
weeks prior to the scheduled mee ng
date. The advisory commi ee mee ng
should be scheduled by no later than
3 weeks a er receiving the document.
At the me of the Permission to Write
Mee ng, the student will present to the
advisory commi ee an overview of the
disserta on results and a meline for
comple on of the disserta on.
The key criterion for considera on by
the advisory commi ee is whether the
student has obtained sufficient data and
whether sufficient, preliminary analysis
of those data has been completed to
proceed with wri ng the disserta on.
Permission to write must be indicated in
wri ng and placed in the student’s file
by the commi ee chair.
Disserta on
The disserta on must be based on
original research and demonstrate
judgment and scholarship on the part
of the candidate. It must represent a
worthwhile contribu on to environment
and sustainability which would warrant
publica on, in whole or in part, in a
recognized scholarly form. The quality
of the disserta on is evaluated by an
examining commi ee, consis ng of the
advisory commi ee and an external
examiner from another university who
is knowledgeable about the disserta on
topic.
The graduate student will develop a
disserta on under the guidance of the
supervisor. Once the supervisor is sa sfied with its quality, copies are provided
to members of the advisory commi ee
for review. The advisory commi ee
should provide comments within 3
weeks and recommend any revisions in
substance or format before the disserta on can be presented for defence.
Once the advisory commi ee has
approved the disserta on manuscript,
the student will prepare final copies of
the disserta on for submission to the
examining commi ee. The number of
required copies of the PhD disserta on
is normally seven when there is one
supervisor. A final copy of the dissertaon will be reviewed by the Graduate
Chair to ensure that it conforms to the
standards of the College of Graduate
Studies and Research. The dissertaon must be approved by the Graduate
Chair before it can be submi ed to the
44 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
examining commi ee.
On approval of the disserta on manuscript, the advisory commi ee will make recommenda ons to the Graduate
Chair on the appointment of an external examiner and the scheduling of the defence. The Graduate Chair will recommend to the College of Graduate Studies and Research on behalf of the School that the disserta on examina on be
scheduled.
At least 5 weeks prior to the defence, the supervisor must submit the necessary forms to the Graduate Chair, who
will pass them on to the College of Graduate Studies and Research, with the assistance of the graduate secretary,
indica ng the date, me, and proposed name of external examiner. Faculty must allow 2-3 days for the forms to
clear the School office. The forms are reviewed at College of Graduate Studies and Research and approved within 2-3
working days. In the interim, neither the student nor any member of the advisory commi ee can provide the external
examiner with a copy of the disserta on. Once approved, at least 4 weeks must be provided for reading of the disserta on and prepara on for the defence. These me lines are strictly enforced.
Disserta on Format
Students may prepare a disserta on by manuscript or a disserta on by tradi onal format. General guidelines for
the disserta on format requirements are provided in the College of Graduate Studies and Research Online Guide for
Wri ng Electronic Theses, Projects, and Disserta ons, available at: www.usask.ca/cgsr/for_students/etd.php
Disserta on By Manuscript
Comple on of the PhD by manuscript requires a series of papers [although a number is not specified, for purposes of
clarifica on, three would be the minimum] that would be of a standard that is deemed acceptable for submission to a
peer-reviewed academic journal. The Disserta on by Manuscript is an alterna ve format to the tradi onal thesis. The
Disserta on by Manuscript is evaluated based on the same standards as the tradi onal thesis. These papers must be
approved by the supervisor and advisory commi ee, the same as for a disserta on document.
The CGSR guidelines on a manuscript-style disserta on can be found here:
h ps://www.usask.ca/cgsr/downloads/etd/CGSR%20Manuscript%20Thesis%20Guidelines_May%201.pdf
Further informa on about forma ng, etc., is available at the website of the College of Graduate Studies and Research
at: www.usask.ca/cgsr/for_students/etd.php.
Permission to Defend
Following the guidelines of the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the supervisor will review the completed
disserta on. When both the student and the supervisor believe it is ready, the disserta on will be submi ed to
the advisory commi ee. Prior to defending the disserta on, the student must obtain Permission to Defend from
the commi ee members. The commi ee may require further revisions. Once the commi ee is sa sfied that the
disserta on is ready, it will grant its permission to defend. This decision must be recorded and submi ed to the
Graduate Chair, who will then advise the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Following approval of the advisory
commi ee for examina on, an examining commi ee will be struck. The student will present and defend her/his
research in an open forum.
Appointment of the Disserta on Examining Commi ee
The disserta on examining commi ee for a PhD student consists of the advisory commi ee and an external examiner
appointed by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. The external examiner is typically a
member of faculty at another university, and must be a recognized authority on the disserta on subject. The advisory
commi ee will provide names of recommended external examiners, with curricula vitae and jus fica on for their
selec on, to the Graduate Chair, who will forward to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research the
names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three individuals, in order of priority, who are qualified to act as the
external examiner.
The external examiner submits a Pre-defence Report to the Dean using Form GSR 403.1. The student cannot have
previously discussed their research with the external examiner nor had any personal rela onship with the examiner.
Following examina on, the external examiner submits a report to the Dean using Form GSR 403.2.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 45
Examina on of the Disserta on
The examina on of the disserta on is a public, oral examina on conducted by the disserta on examining commi ee. It is
usually 2-3 hours in length, and limited to work done by the candidate for the disserta on and to knowledge of directly related
material. At the conclusion of the examina on, the disserta on examining commi ee meets to determine if the disserta on,
and its defence by the student, meet the requirements for the degree. The examining commi ee members will decide by
consensus or majority vote whether the wri en disserta on and oral defence is:
1. passed without revisions;
2. passed with revisions (major or minor);
3. to be re-examined;
4. rejected.
The student is advised immediately of the disserta on examining commi ee’s decision.
A er the Defence
PhD students are required to submit a bound copy of their disserta on to the School of Environment and Sustainability, and
one bound copy or CD to the disserta on supervisor. An electronic copy of the disserta on is to be submi ed to the College
of Graduate Studies and Research. The student is responsible for delivering or arranging to have the bound copies of his/
her disserta on delivered to the supervisor and to the School, and to submit the disserta on electronically to the College of
Graduate Studies and Research.
Reques ng Extension of Time Limit
Students who have nearly reached the me limit of the
program without comple ng program requirements should
meet with their supervisor. If the supervisor and commi ee
support an extension, the student may apply in wri ng by
comple ng form GSR 205. This form must be accompanied by
a detailed plan for comple on of the program. The form and
comple on plan will be signed by the student and supervisor
and then given to the Graduate Chair who will forward the
documents to the College of Graduate Studies and Research
for considera on.
The College of Graduate Studies and Research will grant me
extensions when students have experienced significant difficul es or delays while ac vely working to finish the program.
Delays caused by employment are not an adequate reason for
extension approval. Extensions are granted for one academic
term. If necessary, students may apply for a further extension. Evidence of significant progress is required in order for
further extensions to be approved.
SENS PhD students Ayodele Olagunju and Jania Chilima
taught an environmental governance course at the Nelson
Mandela African Ins tu on of Science and Technology in
Tanzania, in spring 2015. Photo courtesy Jania Chilima.
46 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability Checklist
The following checklist itemizes benchmark tasks normally completed during the first, second, and third years of the
PhD program. This list is not presented in any set order, and the program is not limited to the items on this list.
Time in
Program
Program Requirements
Responsible Party
Year 1
Course work: ENVS 809.3: Seminar in Environment and Sustainability,
plus three credit units of elec ves, ENVS 990, GSR 960. GSR 961 or
962 may also be required
Student, in consulta on with supervisor for course selecon
Needs Assessment: Within 4 months of the program start date the advisory commi ee is formed and: i) the Qualifying Exam is administered
and ii) the Program of Studies is determined
Qualifying Exam results and Program of Studies must be
filed in wri ng to the graduate secretary by the advisory
commi ee chair
Annual Progress Report
Student and supervisor
Research and data collec on can commence once required ethics
cer ficates or research licenses are secured, and with approval of the
advisory commi ee
Student. Copies of ethics cer ficates/licenses must be
filed with the graduate secretary
ENVS 990 a endance requirements are met at the end of the second
year of residency
Student
All course work iden fied on the Program of Studies must be completed by 24 months a er the program start date
Student
PhD Disserta on Proposal: A research proposal must be approved by
the advisory commi ee by no later than 24 months from the program
start date
Student
Results of the proposal defence must be filed in wri ng
to the graduate secretary by chair of the advisory commi ee
Comprehensive Examina on: The PhD Comprehensive Examina on
must be successfully completed by no later than 24 months from the
program start date, but not earlier than 12 months
Results of the Comprehensive Exam must be filed in
wri ng to the graduate secretary by the chair of the
advisory commi ee
Seminar # 1. Based on the research proposal (20 minutes)
Student is responsible for scheduling and presen ng two
seminars
Supervisor/ENVS 990 Coordinator records/confirms that
seminar requirement has been met
Annual Progress Report
Student and supervisor
Seminar # 2. Based on the disserta on research, and with permission
of the supervisor but before the disserta on defence (20 minutes).
With permission of the Graduate Chair, this requirement may be met
by presen ng at a na onal or interna onal academic conference
Student is responsible for scheduling and presen ng two
seminars
Supervisor/ENVS 990 Coordinator records/confirms that
seminar requirement has been met
Permission to Write
Student
Advisory commi ee chair records minutes of mee ng
and files decision
Permission to Defend
Supervisor and student determine when permission
should be sought
Advisory commi ee chair records minutes of mee ng
(or e-mail correspondence) and files decision
Disserta on Submission (mul ple copies)
Student
Disserta on Defence
Student and advisory commi ee
Final Copies of Disserta on
Student
Annual progress reports are required un l program comple on
Student and supervisor
Year 2
Year 3 to
program
comple on
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 47
Core Courses
ENVS 803.3 Research in Environment and Sustainability
Instructors: Paul Hacke and Cherie Westbrook
The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to conceptual, prac cal, and ethical issues in conduc ng interdisciplinary research about environment and sustainability. By the end of the course, students will have a research plan from which
their proposal and research ac vi es can be developed.
ENVS 805.3 Environmental Data Analysis and Management
Instructors: Andrew Ireson and Graham Strickert
Environmental data management is complex because of its volume, qualita ve and quan ta ve forms, and temporal and spa al
characteris cs. This course introduces students to sta s cal, qualita ve, and visual methods of problem solving and data reducon and representa on and describes methods for managing large and complex data sets.
ENVS 806.3 Field Skills in Environment and Sustainability
Instructors: Christy Morrissey, Vladimir Kricsfalusy, and Maureen Reed
Combining a field experience at the UNESCO Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve (RLBR) with a team-driven environmental
sustainability farm assessment, this course will provide hands-on training in a variety of prac cal skills and techniques in
ecological and social sciences related to sustainable rural communi es and agro-ecosystems. Students should be prepared to
work outdoors.
ENVS 807.3 Sustainability in Theory and Prac ce
Instructor: Phil Loring
This course is designed for graduate students to improve their knowledge of applied environmental and sustainability problems
and to develop problem-solving skills. The focus will be on problem iden fica on concepts, inves ga on of poten al causes,
iden fica on and implementa on of poten al solu ons or remedial measures, and ac on plans to evaluate an cipated results.
ENVS 808.3 Tools and Applica ons for Sustainability Problem-solving
Instructors: Ken Belcher and Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt
Intended to enhance students’ professional and scholarly effec veness, this course introduces an interdisciplinary approach
to environmental conserva on problems (from the policy sciences) that enables them to cri cally appraise and construc vely
engage with environmental and sustainability policy and processes, and develop func onal understanding of conven onal ins tu onal approaches to environmental management and new emergent approaches.
ENVS 809.3 PhD Seminar in Sustainability
Instructor: Maureen Reed
This seminar course examines ideas and assump ons that underpin a empts to achieve ‘sustainability’ and explores different
strategies aimed at advancing sustainability objec ves. Students will examine fundamental conflicts in values and choices,
governance op ons and challenges, and scien fic and societal uncertainty about human-environment interac ons. This course
is open to PhD students only.
ENVS 990 Seminar in Environment and Sustainability
Co-ordinator: Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt
The ENVS 990 Seminar Series features topics relevant to environment and sustainability, presented by speakers from a variety
of academic and non-academic backgrounds. MES and PhD students are also required to present their research in the seminar
during the annual SENS student symposium. MSEM students present their research proposals in poster format at the symposium, which is held in the spring (please refer to the administra ve guidelines found in this handbook for more informa on).
ENVS 992.6 Project in Environment and Sustainability (for MSEM program)
Instructor: Vladimir Kricsfalusy
The requirements for ENVS 992.6 are discussed in the sec on regarding Administra ve Guidelines.
48 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
ENVS 994 Research in Environment and Sustainability (Thesis – for MES program)
The requirements for ENVS 994 are discussed in the sec on regarding Administra ve Guidelines.
ENVS 996 Research in Environment and Sustainability (Disserta on – for PhD program)
The requirements for ENVS 996 are discussed in the sec on regarding Administra ve Guidelines.
Elec ve Courses - 2015/16
ENVS 811.3 Mul ple Ways of Knowing in Environmental Decision-making
Instructor: MJ Barre
This course examines mul ple ways of knowing (epistemologies) used in environmental decision-making, including,
but not limited to, Aboriginal knowledge systems. The course involves cri cal examina on of human-nature rela ons.
Students are asked to analyze their own decision-making beliefs and prac ces in the context of mul ple understandings of the world. Applica ons to the legal “duty to consult” with Aboriginal peoples will be addressed.
ENVS 812.3 Sta s cal Methods in Environmental Sciences
Instructor: Yanping Li
This course is designed for graduate students to improve their knowledge and understanding of the applica on of
sta s cal methods in environmental sciences. Content will include introduc on to basic sta s cal concepts including
exploratory data analysis techniques, con nuous and discrete distribu ons, hypothesis tes ng, correla on and regression analysis, analysis of variance, experimental designs, nonparametric sta s cs, trend tes ng, and introduc on to
generalized linear models and extreme value theory. The primary objec ve of the course is for students to learn a
variety of techniques that are applicable across a range of problems, irrespec ve of a specific discipline, involving small
and large datasets. At the end of the course, students should be able to apply the techniques to their own research
projects.
ENVS 813.3 Introductory Numerical Modeling for Environmental Scien sts
Instructor: Andrew Ireson
The purpose of this course is to provide graduate students with a set of modeling skills to allow them to develop their
own numerical models to solve problems of coupled flow and transport in porous media. The course requires a basic
understanding of groundwater flow and transport processes. A par cular set of numerical methods for solving sets of
par al differen al equa ons are introduced to the student. Models are wri en in MATLAB using ODE solvers. Specific
applica ons include models for water supplies in aquifers, contamina on in aquifers, and water and energy balances in
soils. This will also provide the student with an in-depth understanding of widely used commercial and non-commercial
so ware such as USGS MODFLOW. The models help the student to think through the physical processes and to interpret field data.
ENVS 821.3 Sustainable Water Resources
Instructor: Helen Baulch
This course will rigorously explore water resource sustainability in western Canada from physical, chemical, biological,
socio-economic, and technological perspec ves. Biophysical influences on water abundance and quality, current
threats to water resources, and efforts to provide for sustainable management of water resources will be examined.
ENVS 823.3 Chemicals in the Environment
Instructor: Paul Jones
This course will supply the student with an understanding of the processes that control the movement of organic and
inorganic contaminants in the environment. The structure and uses of monitoring programs to evaluate environmental
contamina on, and temporal and spa al trends in chemical contamina on will be discussed. Local and global methods
for chemical regula on and management will be addressed in the context of society and economics. Finally, the use of
modeling methods to predict the environmental fate and effects of chemical contaminants will be presented.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 49
ENVS 824.3 River Science
Instructors: Tim Jardine and Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt
This course will teach students the fundamentals of biophysical science as applied in riverine se ngs. It will begin by examining
physical and biological processes that naturally occur in rivers, then layer on top of that an understanding of the influence of
clima c variables (ice and evapora on) and human influences (river channel modifica on and contaminant loading).
ENVS 825.3 Cold Regions Water Resource Management
Instructor: Karl-Erich Lindenschmidt
This course will expose students to the management of water resources in cold regions. It will primarily focus on the components of river ice, snow and ground ice (permafrost). The students will receive a fundamental understanding of the physical
processes of each component and an introduc on to the management of each component. A human dimension will also be
included to inves gate the management implica ons on northern communi es.
ENVS 826.3 Climate Change
Instructor: Yanping Li
This lecture course explores the science of climate change. Students will learn how the climate system works and the general
atmosphere circula on pa erns, ocean circula on pa erns and climate oscilla ons such as the El-Niño Southern Oscilla on;
what factors cause climate to change across different me scales and how those factors interact; how climate has changed in
the past; how scien sts use models to make predic ons about future climate; and the possible consequences of climate change
for our planet. Students will learn how climate change today is different from past climate cycles, how satellites and other
technologies are revealing the global signals of a changing climate, and how addi on of CO2 to the atmosphere through burning
fossil fuels will influence the climate. Finally, students will gain the scien fic basis to analyze and cri que policy issues related to
global change. The course looks at the connec on between human ac vity and the current warming trend and considers some
of the poten al social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change.
ENVS 827.3 Breakthroughs in Water Security Research
Instructor: Jeff McDonnell
The purpose of this course is to expose students to the latest research in water security, to connect students to the top research
in the field interna onally, to help students understand what cons tutes world class research and to further develop awareness and understanding of major concepts in water security. Each week will focus on a different sub-field of water security
with an a empt to cover a co-equal blend of four thema c areas: hydrology, aqua c science, water policy and water resource
engineering. The course structure centers around seminar a endance and a weekly group discussion focused on key new
papers in the field wri en by seminar speakers. Students will learn the art of journal ar cle reading, how to cri que scien fic
work and what makes for a good paper. The discussion sessions give the students the opportunity to cri cally evaluate a paper
and discuss the topic with the guest speaker and course instructor. Wri en assignments given to the students by the course
instructor will focus on how recent developments in the water security sub-fields can be applied to their own research or
professional goals, and will follow up in greater detail on a topic of interest or relevance to them.
ENVS 832.3 Risk Assessment and Nego a on of Environmental Issues
Instructors: Markus Hecker and Paul Jones
The main objec ves of this class are to:
1. Help students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues;
2. Provide students with an in-depth understanding of the concepts of risk, explaining concepts such as rela ve risks and
benefits of many human ac vi es;
3. Elucidate the roles and perspec ves of the different stakeholders such as government, industry, academia, lawyers, lobbyists, etc., that are typically involved in the assessment and management of environmental issues;
4. Teach students the roles that science and society have in the assessment and management of environmental issues.
ENVS 881.3 Environmental Economics and Policy Making
Instructor: Hayley Hesseln
This course will focus on developing a formal understanding of natural resource use and resource and environmental policy
using economic models. The focus on the course will be on renewable resources but with some considera on of the unique
characteris cs of non-renewable resources. The course will examine a series of natural resource and environmental issues with
a priority given to Canadian issues but not excluding issues from other jurisdic ons and those global scale environmental issues.
50 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
The course will develop detailed analyses of exis ng and proposed natural resource and environmental policy using
the economic framework to evaluate the structure and the efficiency, effec veness and flexibility of these policies.
Through this approach the student will develop the tools to understand and cri cally evaluate environmental policy
and also build a familiarity with the primary policy measures and tools.
ENVS 898.3 Stable Isotopes in the Biosphere
Instructor: Jeff McDonnell and Keith Hobson
This course is an introduc on to the principles of stable isotope chemistry as applied to environmental research in the
hydrosphere and biosphere, focusing on the use of stable isotope inves ga ve tools in a variety of ecological situaons.
ENVS 898.0 Professional Integrity and Generous Scholarship
Instructor: MJ Barre
Students will be introduced to and have opportuni es to prac ce a range of skills required to successfully and ethically
share knowledge in academic contexts. There will also be some focus on wri ng for a professional audience. We will
review the University of Saskatchewan rules of academic integrity, discuss and prac ce proper cita on protocols, clarify
assump ons regarding referencing, and examine online tools for reference management and cita ons. The course is
based on the values of “generous scholarship”[1] which includes: (1) respec ul and appropriate acknowledgement of
individuals ‘upon whose shoulders you stand’[2] and (2) respec ul, rather than adversarial, cri que of others’ work.
Thus it will also include: demonstra on of generous scholarship and discussion about whether a signed statement of
commitment to academic integrity is necessary, and appropriate, for SENS.
Please visit the SENS website for a lis ng of other elec ves which may be of interest.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 51
Students
The Graduate Student Community
The students enrolled in the School of Environment and Sustainability are a vital part of the School community. Given the
broad scope of the field of environment and sustainability, students come to the School from many different disciplinary backgrounds, and have diverse academic and research interests. A vibrant graduate student community provides intellectual s muli
for the School’s students, as well as a network of social support for those students who are new to Saskatoon.
School of Environment and Sustainability Students’ Associa on (SENSSA)
All graduate students in the School of Environment and Sustainability are automa cally considered members of SENSSA. The
mandate of SENSSA is as follows:
1. to provide for the administra on of the ac vi es of the graduate students within SENSSA;
2. to promote the unity and welfare of graduate students within SENSSA;
3. to serve and further the intellectual, cultural, and social ac vi es of graduate students within SENS
4. to promote and maintain communica on with graduate students within the Graduate Students’ Associa on (GSA) of the
University of Saskatchewan; and,
5. to promote sustainability in all its endeavours.
More informa on about SENSSA can be found on its website at: h p://www.usask.ca/sens/current-students/senssa.php
The Graduate Students’ Associa on
The Graduate Students’ Associa on (GSA) is the campus-wide body which advocates for the needs and concerns of graduate
students at the University of Saskatchewan. The GSA represents graduate students on many University commi ees.
Graduate students may contact the GSA for informa on or assistance with problems related to University affairs.
Graduate Students’ Associa on
Emmanuel & St. Chad, 1337 College Drive
Mailing Address:
Room 110 Place Riel
1 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK
Canada S7N 5A3
Telephone: (306) 966-8471
Facsimile: (306) 966-8598
Website: www.gsa.usask.ca
The 2014-2015 SENSSA Execu ve. All SENS graduate students are automa cally members of SENSSA,
an ac ve group which has been involved in significant campaigns such as Be er Than Bo led (which
aimed to ban bo led water on campus) to Greening the Ness Creek Fes val (a project designed to
reduce the amount of waste generated at the annual Ness Creek music fes val).
52 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16
Ques ons?
Don’t hesitate to ask!
Graduate Chair Markus Hecker
Room 209 Toxicology Centre
Tel: 306-966-5233
E-mail: markus.hecker@usask.ca
MSEM Program Coordinator Vladimir Kricsfalusy
Room 330 Kirk Hall
Tel: 306-966-6642
E-mail: vladimir.k@usask.ca
Graduate Secretary Irene Schwalm
Room 323 Kirk Hall
Tel: 306-966-1985
E-mail: irene.schwalm@usask.ca
SENS faculty, staff and students outside Kirk Hall in fall 2014.
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 53
Appendix 1: SENS Graduate Student-Supervisor
Agreement
This document is intended to aid graduate students and supervisors by providing guidelines for the graduate student-supervisor
rela onship. This document should be considered in conjunc on with College of Graduate Studies and Research and SENS
policies governing student programs.
Student Name
Program
Start Date
Title of Project/Area of Research
Supervisor(s)
Advisory Commi ee Members
Responsibili es
Check off each item once it has been discussed.
Role of the Supervisor/Advisor

To be aware of program requirements and prepare the student to meet these requirements

To guide the choice of the advisory commi ee, program of studies, thesis topic, meline to comple on, and milestones

To be accessible for and to encourage regular mee ngs with the student

To provide expecta ons, criteria, and evalua on for wri en work, including the thesis, in a mely fashion

To explore, inform about, and provide funding opportuni es

To inform of policies, regula ons, expecta ons, and standards of the School, the College of Graduate Studies and
Research, and the University with respect to course work, research, scholarship, intellectual property, academic integrity, safety,
ethics, thesis, collabora ve work, authorship, acknowledgements, conference presenta ons, and professionalism
54 | SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16

To convene the advisory commi ee at least once yearly

To provide the student with the opportunity to present research at a conference
 To ensure the eligibility of the thesis for examina on, to provide the names of suitable external examiners, and to
prepare the student for defence

To provide le ers of recommenda on on request, in a mely fashion

To arrange for suitable supervision during absences

To advise the student of absences due to vaca on, illness, or other reasons
Role of the Student

To be accessible for and maintain regular and frequent communica on with the supervisor and advisory
commi ee

To be aware of the many other commitments the supervisor will have, and to schedule mee ngs and document
review in a responsible manner that respects these commitments

To know and adhere to policies, regula ons, expecta ons and standards of the School, the College of Graduate
Studies and Research, and the University with respect to course work, research, scholarship, intellectual property,
academic integrity, safety, ethics, thesis work, collabora ve work, authorship, acknowledgements, conference presenta ons, professionalism, and obliga ons ed to funding

To be aware of and to meet deadlines for registra on, coursework, research, applica ons, repor ng, defence, and
convoca on prepara ons

To strive for excellence in and to take full responsibility for course work and research

To establish and adhere to a meline and milestones for comple on

To record research systema cally, completely, and honestly

To report on progress and to prepare a yearly report for the advisory commi ee

To submit work for evalua on, allowing reasonable me for review, and to give considera on to advice from the
supervisor and the advisory commi ee

To make though ul, considerate, frugal and responsible use of resources

To maintain, keep clean, and return order to the workplace, including all research equipment

To advise the supervisor of absences due to vaca on, illness, or other reasons
Mee ngs

The supervisor and student will schedule and a end mee ngs regularly. A minimum frequency for these
mee ngs will be determined and may be adjusted if both the supervisor and the student are in agreement
SENS Graduate Handbook 2015-16 | 55
Publica ons

The supervisor will acknowledge the contribu on of the student in any publica ons or presenta ons, as appropriate

Order of authorship, as well as criteria to establish this order, on shared publica ons will be established
Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Ethics

The student will hold the copyright to his/her thesis
 The supervisor and student will abide by the University of Saskatchewan Intellectual Property Policies, at h p://www.
usask.ca/research/ilo/uofs_ip.php
 The student will keep orderly records of all data collected and will return data to the U of S upon program comple on,
according to ethics policies

The student is responsible for understanding the meaning of academic integrity at the University of Saskatchewan and
ensuring that all of their work meets these standards

The supervisor and student will adhere to all University of Saskatchewan policies regarding the conduct of research,
including ethics policies and procedures
Funding

The student will seek scholarships appropriate to their program, with the assistance of the supervisor

Funding beyond the prescribed length of the program is not guaranteed
Professional Development

Opportuni es for the student to a end appropriate conferences and to present their work will be sought

Sources of funding for student travel will be applied for by the student, with assistance from the supervisor

Professional development, such as the SENS Professional Skills Cer ficate, will be encouraged
Signatures
The student and supervisor have reviewed and agree to these guidelines.
Signature of
Supervisor
Date
Signature of
Student
Date
This document will be kept on file in the SENS main office, and copies will be provided to the supervisor and student.
This document was adapted from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Graduate Studies Advisor-Student Guidelines for ThesisPrac cum Programs.
Room 323, Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK
Canada S7N 5C8