Proposal for Three New Graduate Programs
in the
School of Environment and Sustainability
at the
University of Saskatchewan
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management
Master of Environment and Sustainability
Doctor of Philosophy
Approved by the Advisory Committee of the School of Environment and Sustainability
Jim Basinger, Marie-Anne Bowden, Geoff Cunfer, Jim Hendry, Dennis Lehmkuhl,
Karsten Liber, Lawrence Martz, Charles Maulé, Maureen Reed, Fran Walley
With assistance from Sharla Daviduik, Administrative Assistant
November 9, 2007
For submission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research
November 13, 2007 [update April 25, 2008]
Contents
1.0
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... iv
2.0
Common Program Information........................................................................................... 1
2.1
Proposal Identification .................................................................................................... 1
2.2
Type of Change............................................................................................................... 2
3.0
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3
3.1
Context............................................................................................................................ 3
3.2
Background and Historical Information ......................................................................... 4
3.3
The Need for Graduate Studies in Environment and Sustainability ............................... 4
3.4
Relationship between the Proposed Program and the Strategic Directions of the
University of Saskatchewan........................................................................................................ 9
4.0
Rationale ........................................................................................................................... 10
4.1
Student Demand............................................................................................................ 10
4.2
Comparable Programs Across Canada.......................................................................... 10
4.3
Distinctiveness of the Proposed Programs.................................................................... 13
5.0
Implementation ................................................................................................................. 14
5.1
Expertise of the School ................................................................................................. 14
5.2
Environment for Learning............................................................................................. 14
5.3
Impact and Outcomes of Implementation..................................................................... 15
5.4
Program Governance and Departmental Co-operation................................................. 16
5.5
Commitment to Equity.................................................................................................. 17
5.6
Program Resources: New Courses and Faculty Resource Requirements.................... 17
5.7
Faculty........................................................................................................................... 20
5.8
Student Funding ............................................................................................................ 21
5.9
Administrative and Support Staff ................................................................................. 21
5.10 Space and Equipment.................................................................................................... 22
5.11 Other Resources ............................................................................................................ 22
5.12 Budget ........................................................................................................................... 22
5.13 Calendar Entry .............................................................................................................. 22
6.0
Program Descriptions........................................................................................................ 25
6.1
Description of the Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (M.SEM.)...... 25
6.1.1
Goal and Learning Objectives .............................................................................. 25
6.1.2
Application and Admission Requirements ........................................................... 25
6.1.3
Tuition Fee Structure ............................................................................................ 27
6.1.4
Scholarships .......................................................................................................... 27
6.1.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery ...................................................................... 27
6.1.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.......................................... 27
6.1.7
Residency Requirements....................................................................................... 28
6.1.8
Supervisory Responsibilities................................................................................. 28
6.1.9
Program of Studies................................................................................................ 28
6.1.10
Project ................................................................................................................... 28
6.2
Description of the Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)....................... 31
6.2.1
Goal and Learning Objectives .............................................................................. 31
6.2.2
Application and Admission Requirements ........................................................... 31
6.2.3
Tuition Fee Structure ............................................................................................ 33
ii
6.2.4
Scholarships .......................................................................................................... 33
6.2.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery ...................................................................... 33
6.2.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.......................................... 34
6.2.7
Residency Requirements....................................................................................... 34
6.2.8
Supervisory Responsibilities................................................................................. 34
6.2.9
Program of Studies................................................................................................ 35
6.3
Description of the Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability .............. 41
6.3.1
Goal and Learning Objectives .............................................................................. 41
6.3.2
Application and Admission Requirements ........................................................... 41
6.3.3
Tuition Fee Structure ............................................................................................ 42
6.3.4
Scholarships .......................................................................................................... 42
6.3.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery ...................................................................... 43
6.3.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.......................................... 43
6.3.7
Residency Requirements....................................................................................... 44
6.3.8
Supervisory Responsibilities................................................................................. 44
6.3.9
Program of Studies................................................................................................ 45
7.0
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................... 55
Tables
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
Table 4
Table 5
Table 6
Table 7
Table 8
Table 9
Distribution of Environmental Workforce by Type of Organization, 2003 ............... 5
Year of Establishment and Student Intake for Selected Environmental Master’s
Programs................................................................................................................ 11
Fee Structures (Converted to Annual Fees) for Master's Degrees............................ 12
Comparable Master’s Programs Across Canada: Number of 3 Credit Unit Course
Equivalents ............................................................................................................ 13
Required & Restricted Elective Courses To Be Introduced Or Used By SENS ...... 19
Staging of Faculty Resources and Graduate Students for the School of Environment
and Sustainability 2007-2012................................................................................ 21
Summary of Minimum Requirements for the M.SEM. Program ............................. 28
Summary of Minimum Requirements for the M.E.S. Program................................ 33
Summary of Minimum Requirements for the Ph.D. Program .................................. 43
Appendices (under separate cover)
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Faculty Members in Interdisciplinary Schools: Guidelines Prepared by the
Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic
New Course Forms and Course Outlines
Proposal Forms for Curricular Change and Required Consultation Forms
Summary of Operating Expenses and Revenues for the School of
Environment and Sustainability
iii
1.0
Executive Summary
The University of Saskatchewan School of Environment and Sustainability was approved by
University Council on June 14, 2007 and officially launched July 1, 2007. Its vision is excellence
in interdisciplinary environmental research and learning based on a rich understanding and
commitment to sustainability through a focus on issues of importance to the northern prairie and
parkland, boreal forest, and Arctic ecosystems. Its mission is to work with partners within and
beyond the University to undertake original interdisciplinary research and scholarly activities,
establish innovative learning opportunities, and promote knowledge translation and exchange to
foster sustainability. Three graduate programs have been developed with the core mission and
vision in mind.
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (M.SEM.): an interdisciplinary, coursebased, professional-style program that can be completed within one year of full-time
study. Students enrolled in this program will be required to complete 24 credit units of
course work, a 6 credit unit project, and participate in the Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability. This program is intended to provide prospective or current environmental
practitioners a post-graduate learning opportunity in sustainable environmental management.
Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.): an interdisciplinary, thesis-based program that can be completed within two years of full-time study. Students enrolled in this
program will be required to complete 12 credit units of course work, a thesis based on
original research, and participate in the Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): an interdisciplinary, research-based program that can be completed within three years of full-time study. Students enrolled in this program will be required to complete a qualifying examination, 6 credit units of course work, a comprehensive examination, a dissertation based on original research, and to participate in the Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.
These programs are proposed with the recognition that the environmental sector of the economy
continues to experience significant growth, particularly in the ‘environmental practitioner’ class
which is comprised of in-the-field, hands-on, professional-level jobs in industry and regulatory
government areas. In 2006, 73% of people employed in the environmental sector of the economy
had at least some university education compared to 44% of the general labour market. Indeed,
environmental practitioners across the country typically return to school after starting their careers, with a strong preference for university courses and programs. In September 2007, the
School hired a consulting company to conduct an employer survey to help the Advisory Committee develop a course-based Master’s program that would meet the needs of a wide range of companies, agencies, and organizations that hire environmental practitioners in Saskatchewan. When
employer respondents were asked from which fields of study they would most likely be seeking
new employees, environmental impact assessment, environmental management and policy, and
sustainability all ranked within the most common responses.
iv
Students at the University of Saskatchewan also expressed strong support for interdisciplinary
environmental graduate programs. Additionally, other universities across the country have developed or are currently developing such programs. They have experienced strong demand for
their programs, only some of which can be met by the number of applicants they admit.
Beyond employment prospects, there is also a real need to nurture critical thinkers to address
pressing challenges associated with environmental change and sustainability. In Saskatchewan
alone, climate change, biodiversity loss, non-renewable and renewable energy development, and
the importance of Aboriginal people and rural livelihoods raise important questions about how
and which people and places are most affected by unsustainable practices, how our policies contribute to (un)sustainability, and how Saskatchewan is placed within a global political economy.
Fundamental and critical research is also required to consider how to move from a path of unsustainability towards sustainability.
To mount the proposed programs, the School is committed to delivering courses that emphasize
the integrative nature of environmental problems, the need for interdisciplinary understandings,
and how sustainability is conceptualized and made operational across a range of topics. To
achieve our academic and pedagogical goals in a strategic and cost-effective manner, the School
will introduce five new required and two new elective courses as well as new courses titles associated with the requirements for seminar (990), thesis or dissertation (994, 996), and project research (992). Additionally, the School will continue to develop new courses in the next few years
to build a suite of electives that can be taught on a regular rotation. Some courses will also be of
interest to students in the School of Public Health and the School of Public Policy. Students from
outside the School may enroll in School courses. Additionally, existing courses in the university
will be used as electives for all programs. For the M.SEM., students must select 6 credit units of
electives from a restricted list and can select additional credit units from this list or anywhere
else on campus. For students in the thesis-based programs, elective courses can be taken anywhere on campus. Finally, over time, the School will explore the merits of cross-listing courses
with other units in order to ensure that they meet the needs of students in the School and in departments, are taught on a regular rotation, and to share in the responsibility for their delivery.
v
Required & Restricted Elective Courses To Be Introduced Or Used By SENS
REQUIRED
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (for M.SEM. and M.E.S.)
New 3 cu
Course Code
ENVS 801.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 802.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 803.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 804.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 805.3
An introduction to how principles and concepts of ecology and ecosystems science are applied to
advance environmental sustainability. Students will gain a solid understanding of how natural
systems function, how scientists apply their understanding and uncertainties about ecosystems to
address environmental management problems and advance environmental sustainability.
Human Dimensions of Environmental Change (for M.SEM. and M.E.S.)
This course explores the past and present interactions between people and the natural world. It
addresses ways that environment has molded human societies and ways that people have altered
nature. Contemporary concerns for environmental sustainability are introduced by examining
human entanglement with a range of natural and modified systems.
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S.)
The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to conceptual, practical, and ethical
issues in conducting interdisciplinary research about environment and sustainability. By the end
of the course, students will have a research plan from which their proposal and research activities
can be developed.
Strategic Environmental Planning and Project Management (for M.SEM.)
This course will help students understand systems approaches to planning and project development, triple bottom line accounting, ethical considerations associated with professional practice,
team work and leadership skills, communications, scheduling, and special issues involved with
establishing interdisciplinary teams to understand the environmental implications of programs,
policies, and projects.
Environmental Data Analysis and Management (for M.SEM.)
Environmental data management is complex because of its volume, qualitative and quantitative
forms, and temporal and spatial characteristics. This course introduces students to statistical,
qualitative, and visual methods of problem solving and data reduction and representation and
describes methods for managing large and complex data sets.
Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S., M.SEM., and Ph.D.)
New – no cu
ENVS 990
Project in Environment and Sustainability (for M.SEM.)
New 6 cu
ENVS 992.6
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S.)
New – no cu
ENVS 994
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for Ph.D.)
New – no cu
ENVS 996
RESTRICTED ELECTIVES (Students in M.SEM. must take at least 6 cu from this list. Course offerings will vary each year.)
Sustainable Water Resources
New – 3 cu
ENVS 821.3
This course will rigorously explore water resource sustainability in western Canada from physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic, and technological perspectives. 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.
Advanced Applications of Environmental Management
Current Issues in Land Reclamation and Remediation
Existing – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
GEOG 885.3 X-list?
ENVS 831.3
Existing – 3 cu
Existing – 3 cu
Existing as an
898 – 3 cu
GEOG 886.3 X-list?
ENVE 810.3 X-list?
AGEC 898.3 X-list?
Aquatic Toxicology and Water Quality (to be developed for 2009/10)
Biophysical Processes at the Earth’s Surface (to be developed for 2009/10)
The Intemperate Earth: Understanding and Adapting to Climate Change (to be developed for 2009/10)
Toxicology, Health, and Risk Assessment (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
ENVS
ENVS
ENVS
Environmental Policy Making (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
Aboriginal Peoples and the Environment (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
Current issues in land reclamation and remediation are examined. The impact of human activity
in a variety of environments is examined and strategies for reclamation and remediation are investigated. Biophysical factors are the emphasis of the course, however the context of social and
economic issues are incorporated.
Advanced Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Issues and the Law
Non-market Valuation for Natural Resources and the Environment
vi
New – 3 cu
ENVS X-list with
Public Health?
ENVS X-list with
Public Policy?
Possibly AGEC 898.3
X-list?
The School is composing founding faculty with the express purpose of delivering these programs
and developing research programs suitable to the School. The policies and procedures published
by the Office of the Provost are guiding the establishment of founding faculty (Appendix A). Although the names of faculty are not yet available publicly, the School has received expressions of
interest from 33 faculty members from across five colleges. Individuals will be selected for joint
appointments with their home departments on the basis of the specific research and teaching contributions to the proposed programs. All faculty will be registered as graduate faculty with College of Graduate Studies and Research, if they are not already.
The School will also be served by a Centennial Chair and a Canada Research Chair who will
provide academic leadership. The role of both chairs is to develop intensive, ambitious, and nationally-recognized research programs that include the mentoring of graduate students. Two new
faculty positions are identified to begin in 2008-09. Funding for these positions will be sought
independently from the Academic Priorities Fund in this integrated planning cycle. Other faculty
positions are anticipated in the upcoming years as the programs expand and milestones are met.
Other resources to mount the programs of the School (information technology, space, library
etc.) have been assigned or already exist within the University. There is no change in the foundations of the budget for the School as approved in June 2007, although the timing of some items
and the mix of staff positions may be altered, depending on cost-sharing arrangements and the
timing of program start-up.
We anticipate that about 60 new students will enter the three proposed graduate programs each
year after four years. Over this period, the School will demonstrate its contribution to the University’s strategic directions to increase research intensiveness and to raise the number of highquality graduate students and programs at the University in the field of Environment and Sustainability.
vii
2.0
Common Program Information
2.1
Proposal Identification
Proposal for Curriculum Change to be approved by Council or by Academic Programs
Committee
Title of proposal: Proposal for Three New Graduate Programs in the School of Environment
and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan
Degree(s):
M.E.S., M.SEM., Ph.D.
Field(s) of Specialization:
Environment and Sustainability
Level(s) of Concentration:
Option(s):
Degree College:
College of Graduate Studies and Research
Home College: School of Environment and Sustainability
Contact person(s) (name, telephone, fax, e-mail):
Dr. Maureen Reed
School of Environment and Sustainability
Tel: (306) 966-5630
Fax: (306) 966-5680
E-mail: maureen.reed@usask.ca
Dr. Jim Basinger
Associate Dean Science, College of Arts and Science
Tel: (306) 966-4241
Fax: (306) 966-8839
E-mail: jim.basinger@usask.ca
Date: November 9, 2007
Approved by the degree college and/or home college: Not applicable
Proposed date of implementation: September 2008
2.2
Type of Change
Requiring approval by Council
x
‰
‰
‰
‰
‰
‰
‰
A new Degree-Level program or template for program.
A new Field of Specialization at the Major or Honours Level of Concentration or template for a major or honours program.
Conversion of an existing program from regular to special tuition program.
A change in the requirements for admission to a program.
A change in quota for a college.
Program revisions that will use new resources.
A replacement program, including program deletion.
A program deletion (consult Program Termination Procedures, approved by Council in
May 2001).
Requiring approval by Academic Programs Committee
‰ Addition of a higher Level of Concentration to an existing Field of Specialization.
‰ Addition of a new Field of Specialization at the Minor Level of Concentration.
‰ A change in program options.
‰ A change in the name of a Degree-level Program or Field of Specialization.
‰ A change in the total number of credit units required for an approved degree program.
2
3.0
Introduction
3.1
Context
The University of Saskatchewan School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) was approved by University Council on June 14, 2007 and officially launched July 1, 2007. The purpose of the School is to build on existing strengths and significant investments this University
has already made in environmental and sustainability research and scholarly activities, to demonstrate its commitment publicly, and to establish a distinctive identity through specific research
programs and educational opportunities that are focused and co-ordinated. By doing so, the
School will propel the University to playing a significantly enhanced role in research and graduate learning opportunities related to environment and sustainability. The School is being developed to facilitate new relationships among the faculty, Colleges, Research Centres and Institutes,
and external partners. The School will increase the size and scope of graduate education on campus, foster interdisciplinary collaboration among different academic disciplines related to environment and sustainability, enhance the visibility of associated research, and establish partnerships to broaden and deepen research programs.
The School’s mission is to work with partners within and beyond the University to undertake
original interdisciplinary research and scholarly activities, establish innovative learning opportunities, and promote knowledge translation and exchange to foster sustainability. Its vision is excellence in interdisciplinary environmental research and learning based on a rich understanding
and commitment to sustainability through a focus on issues of importance to the northern prairie
and parkland, boreal forest, and Arctic ecosystems. The three proposed graduate programs have
been developed with the core mission and vision in mind.
The three proposed programs are:
Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (M.SEM.): an interdisciplinary, coursebased, professional-style program that can be completed within one year of full-time
study. Students enrolled in this program will be required to complete 24 credit units of
course work, a 6 credit unit project, and to participate in the Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability. This program is intended to provide prospective or current environmental
practitioners a post-graduate learning opportunity in sustainable environmental management.
Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.): an interdisciplinary, thesis-based program that can be completed within two years of full-time study. Students enrolled in this
program will be required to complete 12 credit units of course work, a thesis based on
original research, and participate in the Seminar in Environment and Sustainability.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): an interdisciplinary, research-based program that can be completed within three years of full-time study. Students enrolled in this program will be required to complete a qualifying examination, 6 credit units of course work, a comprehensive examination, a dissertation based on original research, and participate in the Seminar
in Environment and Sustainability.
3
3.2
Background and Historical Information
The establishment of the School and its associated graduate programs have already been subject
to extensive consultation across the University community. Since Fall 2004, committees composed of faculty across the campus have worked to identify the best platform for environmental
programming at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In April 2005, the Working Group on
Environment recommended that a School be established to consolidate, coordinate, promote and
enrich environmental scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan and to establish new environmental, interdisciplinary graduate programs.1
In September 2005, the Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning (PCIP) approved a provisional plan for a School of Environment while in June 2006, University Council received, and
approved in concept, the formal vision for Schools developed by the Task Force on Changing
Structures that emphasized a focus on research and graduate education. A Special Advisor was
appointed in September 2006 to consult broadly within and beyond the University community
and to work with a Steering Committee to develop a final proposal for the School of Environment and Sustainability. The former Working Group made a successful transformation to a
Steering Committee that worked from 2006-07 to develop and shepherd a proposal for a School
of Environment and Sustainability. The final proposal included descriptions of new graduate
programs, with general course and program information.
In July 2007, an Acting Director and a new Executive Sponsor began working to execute the
plans in the proposal. A new Advisory Committee was struck in September 2007 to help the Acting Director and Executive Sponsor finalize the programs, identify founding faculty, advise on
staffing decisions, and establish protocols for budgeting and advertising. The Advisory Committee was composed of faculty from eight units and four Colleges. In September, a consulting
company was hired to conduct an employer survey to help the Advisory Committee develop a
course-based Master’s program that would meet the needs of a wide range of companies, agencies, and organizations that hire environmental practitioners in Saskatchewan.
3.3
The Need for Graduate Studies in Environment and Sustainability
The School proposal was established after extensive consultation with the campus community.
The initial letter of intent was sent to each member of graduate faculty with an invitation to participate in one or more information/discussion sessions and a planning workshop or to contact
the Special Advisor separately. The Special Advisor also met with individual faculty members
including professors emeriti, Canada Research Chairs, Department Heads, Deans of five Colleges, and Directors of Research Institutes and Centres. Additionally, the Special Advisor met
with researchers engaged in Aboriginal research to discuss program and research opportunities.
Four information/discussion sessions open to faculty, staff, and students were held in November
and early December 2006, including a brown-bag lunch sponsored by the Sustainability Office of
Facilities Management Division and the Provost’s Series on Teaching and Learning.
1
University of Saskatchewan, Working Group on Environment. 2005. A Proposal for a School of Environment at the University of Saskatchewan. April 2005.
4
Additionally, an all-day workshop with faculty was held in December 2006 to discuss the philosophy, research/teaching themes, and graduate programs to be offered by the School. Faculty
members from nine colleges participated in information/discussion meetings and workshops, and
provided feedback through e-mail. In January 2007, one workshop was designed specifically to
obtain graduate and undergraduate student input. Twenty-two students from five colleges registered. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was distributed through PAWS, to which 173 students responded. Finally, the Steering Committee invited leaders of similar “schools” at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto to describe their own experiences and
offer advice on establishing a School at the University of Saskatchewan. These leaders met
separately with interested Deans and faculty members to offer constructive suggestions for the
establishment and on-going operations of the School and its graduate programs.
This broad and extensive consultation identified widespread support for the School and for the
establishment of interdisciplinary graduate programs to fill a niche that has remained open at this
University.
Beyond the university, there is a growing demand for highly trained and qualified personnel to
serve in the environmental sector. Interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral in nature, environmental
employment includes business and work activities (including employment of environmental
practitioners, labourers and support staff) that have knowledge and/or skills related to one of the
following categories:
• environmental protection;
• conservation and preservation of natural resources;
• activities that may impact the environment and/or participate in abatement, reclamation,
or remediation; and,
• environmental sustainability.
As demonstrated in the table below, environmental employment cuts across traditional sectors
and shows strengthening ties to other growing sectors of the economy:
Table 1 Distribution of Environmental Workforce by Type of Organization, 20032
Environmental Practioners
Support Staff and Labourers
Total Environmental Workforce
Environment Industry
59,800
39,900
99,700 (40%)
Other Industries
48,100
16,200
64,300 (26%)
NGOs/Associations
19,900
11,900
31,800 (13%)
Sub-Total
127,800
68,000
195,800 (78%)
21,600
8,500
30,100 (12%)
Private Sector
Public Sector
Government
Health Care
6,600
5,100
11,700 (5%)
Education
10,000
3,400
13,400 (5%)
Sub-Total
38,200
17,000
55,200 (22%)
Total
166,000
85,000
251,000 (100%)
Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
2
Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry, 2004 Environmental Labour Market (ELM) Report,http://www.eco.ca/portal/default.aspx?lang=0
5
The environmental sector of the economy continues to experience significant growth. Of particular importance in the planning and implementation of the new School of Environment and Sustainability is the fact that at the beginning of the 21st century, much of this growth has been in the
‘environmental practitioner’ class (66% of environmental employment falls in this class, which
is comprised of in-the-field, hands-on, professional-level jobs in industry and regulatory government areas). In 2003, 67% of people employed in the environmental sector of the economy
(up from 55% in 1999) held university degrees. By 2006, 73% had at least some university education compared to 44% of the general labour market. Furthermore, environmental practitioners
continue to seek learning opportunities throughout their careers. In a 2006 survey of 2,276 environmental practitioners across the country, 35% had gone back to school since starting their careers. Of this number, 46% went back to complete a university degree, and 14% went back to
complete a university certificate. As well, 65% of respondents attended work-related training at
least once a year, with a preference for university courses.3 Increased professionalism in this expanding field in part reflects the general Canadian trend towards a demand for higher educational
qualifications.
Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia) and the Territories had
the second largest proportion of environmental employment in 2006, with 34.2%, second only to
Ontario, which had 42.5%.4 Environmental companies are an important aspect of the western
region’s economic growth. The Western Canadian environmental market was valued at over
$8.8 billion in 2005.5 In 2003, Saskatchewan’s list of environmental industry participants included 179 companies and practitioners, 25 government organizations (federal, provincial and
municipal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations) and 12 associations. The sector is
characterized as being populated by small, active, financially stable and highly competitive
firms.6 A 2007 profile of environmental employment in Canada estimated that 11,550 establishments in Manitoba and Saskatchewan had environmental employees (employees who work in
areas related to environmental protection, conservation and preservation of natural resources, or
environmental sustainability).7
Nevertheless, there is evidence that universities are not providing sufficient learning opportunities. As early as 2002, the Northern Saskatchewan Environmental Industry Study noted that the
environmental industry was expanding and may soon face a shortage of qualified employees in
northern Saskatchewan. The report also noted that the majority of employees were in the 45-54
year age range and may be nearing retirement and require replacement. The report noted skill
shortages in the areas of waste, water, and biological resource management.8
3
4
5
6
7
8
ECO Canada. 2006. Characteristics of Canadian Environmental Practitioners 2006. Calgary, ECO Canada.
Environmental Labour Market Research and ECO Canada. 2007. Profile of Canadian Environmental Employment, 2007.
Calgary, ECO Canada.
Industry Canada. 2005. “Western Canada’s Environmental Industry.” http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/eaae.nsf/en/ea02183e.html 18 October 2007.
Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association, State of the Saskatchewan Technology Industry, (November 2005).
Environmental Labour Market Research and ECO Canada. 2007. Profile of Canadian Environmental Employment, 2007.
Calgary, ECO Canada.
Northern Saskatchewan Environmental Industry Sector Partnership. 2002. Northern Saskatchewan Environmental Industry
Study Report.
6
The report also noted that 60% of businesses that require environmental personnel had some
level of Aboriginal participation in their organization, 15% were Aboriginal owned and 40% of
businesses employing Aboriginals had a majority of Aboriginal employees. The advancement of
educational opportunities for Aboriginal people is an important employment strategy for firms
working in northern Saskatchewan and for those associated with the Saskatchewan Environmental Industry and Managers Association. As the University offers new opportunities for Aboriginal students at the undergraduate level, we anticipate that some of these students will move
into graduate programs related to environment and sustainability.
Six facilities in Saskatchewan offer environmental undergraduate or “equivalent” programs; only
two offer postgraduate training, and to date, none offers the kind of interdisciplinary, environmental programming envisioned in this proposal.
New infrastructure such as the International Test Centre for CO2 Capture in Regina, the Canadian Light Source and the expansion of the Toxicology Centre in Saskatoon are expected to help
bolster the growth of the environmental industry in Saskatchewan. Other initiatives to develop
complementary environmental infrastructure (e.g., Institute for Energy, Environment and the
Economy at the University of Calgary) are occurring in other western provinces.
The strengths of Western Canada’s environmental sector lie in the following areas:
• Air quality monitoring
• Alternative energies
• Environmental consulting and impact assessment
• Oil and gas industry solutions
• Remediation
• Solid waste management
• Water and wastewater management.9
The environmental sector is expected to continue to develop at a fast pace. There is growing consumer demand for responsible corporate environmental stewardship, acknowledgement for the
principles of sustainable growth, and legislative initiatives to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.10 In addition, human health issues have clearly emerged as a driver of
further development of the environmental sector.
Last, in October 2007, the School contracted Points West Consulting to conduct an employer
survey to determine the skills and competencies that employers seek in their environmental practitioners. The survey was based on interviews with 94 companies, agencies, and organizations
across Saskatchewan and regions hiring Saskatchewan residents.
Many survey results corresponded with the program plans for the course-based Master of Sustainable Environmental Management to be offered by the School of Environment and Sustainability. For example, when employer respondents were asked from which fields of study they
9
10
Industry Canada. 2005. “Western Canada’s Environmental Industry.” http://www.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/eaae.nsf/en/ea02183e.html 18 October 2007.
Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry, 2004 Environmental Labour Market (ELM) Report,
http://www.eco.ca/portal/default.aspx?lang=0
7
would most likely be seeking new employees, environmental impact assessment, environmental
management and policy, and sustainability all ranked within the most common responses. The
results to this question are summarized as follows:
• Environmental engineering – 48.9%
• Environmental impact assessment – 33.0%
• Biological sciences – 31.9%
• Civil engineering – 28.7%
• Environmental management and policy – 25.5%
• Sustainability – 25.5%
Additionally, 43.0% of respondents indicated that environmental impact assessment was a subject area in which they most wanted prospective employees to have expertise; 29.1% of respondents identified sustainability in this way, and 29.0% identified management and policy.
Technical and analytical skills were considered to be very important when making hiring decisions by 70.2% of employer respondents; management/policy and legal skills were considered to
be very important in this way by 53.2% of respondents, and communications and public relations
skills were considered to be very important by 52.1% of employer respondents when making hiring decisions. Employee respondents were also asked to identify key specific technical and analytical skills, management/policy and legal skills, and communications and public relations skills
that they sought in prospective employees.
The Master of Sustainable Environmental Management program proposed by the School of Environment and Sustainability will be able to address many of the specific skills identified by employer respondents in each of these groups. For example, respondents were particularly interested in prospective employees with the following specific technical and analytical skills:
• Data analysis/interpretation skills – 26.1%
• Research methodology/data collection skills – 23.2%
• Risk assessment/impact analysis skills – 15.9%
• Use of measuring instruments/mapping skills – 13.0%
• Technical writing skills – 7.2%
Specific management/policy and legal skills of particular interest were:
• Policy analysis/legislation – 29.2%
• Government regulations/legal standards – 23.1%
• Program management/evaluation – 18.5%
• Labour relations/contracts – 16.9%
• Impact assessment/sustainability – 10.8%
The most commonly identified specific communications and public relations skills sought by
employer respondents were:
• Verbal/written skills – 43.1%
• Press releases/marketing/advertising – 30.8%
• Presentation skills – 24.6%
• Communicating to a target audience – 18.5%
• Web development/maintenance – 18.5%
8
These responses align with many aspects of the programs proposed by the School of Environment and Sustainability. Depending on the suite of electives chosen by students, the M.SEM.
degree program can be tailored to suit a wide array of the needs identified by employer respondents. The results of the survey have been utilized throughout this document to further refine the
M.SEM. program proposed by the School.
Beyond employment prospects, there is also a real need to nurture critical thinkers to address
pressing challenges associated with environmental change and sustainability. In Saskatchewan
alone, climate change, biodiversity loss, non-renewable and renewable energy development, and
the importance of Aboriginal people and rural livelihoods raise important questions about how
and which people and places are most affected by unsustainable practices, how our policies contribute to (un)sustainability, and how Saskatchewan is placed within a global political economy.
Fundamental and critical research is also required to consider how to move from a path of unsustainability towards sustainability.
3.4
Relationship between the Proposed Program and the Strategic Directions of the
University of Saskatchewan
The School of Environment and Sustainability will help to meet the University’s goals and objectives to improve capacity and recognition of its research and education about environment and
sustainability. The proposed School is built on the concept of interdisciplinarity as defined by the
Academic Affairs Committee Sub-Committee on Interdisciplinary Programs: “an interdisciplinary program is an academic program which permits students to study outside the boundaries of
traditional programs, to explore related disciplines in depth, and to integrate knowledge gained
into a central theme.”11 The Subcommittee report emphasizes that it is the integration of knowledge that separates a truly interdisciplinary program from a multidisciplinary program. This
commitment to interdisciplinary study is reinforced by reviews of multidisciplinary undergraduate programs on campus (Land Use and Environmental Studies, Environmental Earth Sciences,
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture-Environmental Science) that revealed that the lack of interdisciplinary offerings was a serious deficiency.
Specifically, the graduate programs of School have been developed to address the observation
made in the University’s Integrated Plan 2003-07, that:
Many universities pursue science, but comparatively few focus in a sustained,
critical, interdisciplinary, way on the intersection of science, communities, and
environment. This intersection is a place where the University of Saskatchewan
can make a distinctive contribution.12
The Plan goes on to say: “We can do this in part by studying local examples that are close at
hand, building on the province’s natural environments and geography as well as its long experience with natural-resource economies to meet societal commitments locally and to propel our
teaching and research activities on the global stage.”13 Already, through the strategic planning
11
12
13
Academic Affairs Committee Sub-Committee on Interdisciplinary Programs 1993. Final Report, July 1993, p. 3.
University of Saskatchewan. 2003. A Framework for Action: University of Saskatchewan Integrated Plan 2003–07, p. 12.
Ibid.
9
process, the University has provided significant investment in related fields such as Hydrology
and Toxicology. These program proposals build on this investment.
4.0
Rationale
4.1
Student Demand
Enrolment in existing University of Saskatchewan undergraduate programs related to the environment has generally been increasing over the last five years, and particularly since the introduction of the undergraduate Toxicology program, suggesting that students are interested in interdisciplinary, environmental programs. Similarly, a student survey and focus group conducted
in January 2007 revealed strong interest in pursuing interdisciplinary environmental scholarship.
Students have a high level of awareness of and concern for changes they observe in their natural
and social environments. Yet, there is currently no graduate interdisciplinary offering related to
the environment and sustainability in the province to serve this demand.
4.2
Comparable Programs Across Canada
Many universities across Canada offer some form of interdisciplinary graduate programs in environmental studies or environmental science. Indeed, new programs have been initiated in the past
few years to accommodate increasing student demand and growing employment in this field.
Some Canadian universities offer thesis-based Master’s degrees (M.A., M.Sc., M.E.S.) in interdisciplinary environmental studies (e.g. Royal Roads, UBC, Waterloo), some universities offer
collaborative degrees with departments (e.g. Toronto, Western). Collaborative degrees typically
require that students take one or more interdisciplinary courses beyond their disciplinary degree
and students acquire a notation on their transcripts. Six universities offer a course-based Master’s degree (SFU, Western, Wilfrid Laurier-Waterloo, Toronto-Scarborough, Dalhousie, Sherbrooke). Often universities offer more than one style of program. For example, students in the
Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University can opt for a thesis, a paper, or a project, in
consultation with their supervisor. Sherbrooke offers course-based Master of Sustainable Environmental Management programs with or without a practicum, and also offers an “international
focus” option.
Stand-alone, thesis-based programs have been longstanding and well-subscribed. Most of these
programs are delivered in a standard format and often require a heavier course load than what
would be required within a disciplinary program. Typically, they do not offer an internship as
part of the program. Royal Roads offers a thesis-option in a non-traditional delivery format. Students are typically working practitioners who complete the program in 25 months. They are required to attend three three-week residencies at the University, and complete other course requirements by distance.
A small number of universities offer collaborative degree options. For example, the University of
Western Ontario has offered collaborative environmental degrees for about 15 years. However,
Western’s experience is that only a very small number of students take them each year. Students
do not find that the extra requirements that characterize these programs provide them with sufficiently greater expertise for the job market that it is worth the extra workload posed by the additional interdisciplinary courses.
10
The Centre for Environment at the University of Toronto established collaborative degree options in 2006. This format has been difficult to implement as admission decisions rest entirely
with individual departments. In 2007, approximately 40 people applied and indicated an interest
in a collaborative degree, but only two applicants were selected by their home departments. This
low acceptance rate was not because applicants were not qualified, or because of the lack of
scholarship funds (the Centre for Environment offers its own scholarships), but rather, because
of constraints within those departments to accept graduate students. Additionally, the requirements for collaboration have been changed since the program was introduced in 2006 because of
the perceived extra burden placed on students. Nevertheless, the Centre has received several inquiries from students about a stand-alone option. Consequently, the Centre is now proposing a
stand-alone Master’s in Environment program which will have both thesis and course-based options.
The experience of stand-alone, thesis and course-based options is quite different from collaborative options. The University of Toronto currently offers a course-based, professional program for
Environmental Scientists at its Scarborough campus. As illustrated in Table 2, the interdisciplinary thesis-based programs and the course-based programs are very popular and have achieved
consistently high enrollment numbers. These observations have shaped the design of the programs we are proposing.
Table 2 Year of Establishment and Student Intake for Selected Environmental Master’s Programs
Year Established
Thesis-Based Program (number
of applications/number of
students admitted)
Course-Based Program
(number of applications/number
of students admitted)
Year Established
Thesis-Based Program (number
of applications/number of
students admitted)
Course-Based Program
(number of applications/number
of students admitted)
*
Royal Roads
University*
Simon Fraser
University
University of
British
Columbia
1976
100-125/
20-25
University of
Manitoba
1995?
70-80/
50-55
1978
n.a.
n.a.
150-250/30
n.a.
n.a.
60+/24
University of
Toronto
Dalhousie
University
York
University
Université de
Sherbrooke
2006
n.a.
2004
40-50/12-15
Wilfrid
Laurier
University
~1994
40/12
1968
40-50/
20-22
University of
Western
Ontario
2007
n.a.
1968
1974
Data not availn.a/30-50
able regarding
number of applications/160
n.a/40
35-50/22
2-3/1-2
n.a/30-50
students per
year admitted
into program.
Students can
complete a
thesis, paper, or
project.
Royal Roads offers an M.A. and an M.Sc. program. One course separates the two. It also offers a Masters in Environmental
Education and Communication which is not considered here.
There are six programs in Canada that provide a course-based Master’s degree. One is at Simon
Fraser University where a Master of Resource Management was established in 1978. Currently,
it receives about 150-250 applications each year for an average intake of 30 students. This program is delivered in a standard delivery format; full-time students can complete the program
within two calendar years.
11
The University of Western Ontario introduced a new Master’s in Environment and Sustainability
in 2007. Approved in the Spring of 2007, the program was not well advertised. Nevertheless,
they received over 60 applications and admitted 24 students. They anticipate a stronger demand
for the program in the upcoming year with an advertising campaign in place; however, their total
enrollment will be capped at 25 students. This program is delivered in a standard delivery format; full-time students can complete the program within one calendar year.
Fee structures for programs vary (Table 3). Most programs have the same fee structures as other
graduate programs of the University. Some have differential fees for Canadian and international
students. These differentials are imposed by the University or the Province, not the program.
Course-based Master’s and thesis-based Master’s in the same university often have the same fee
structure. The fee structure for selected programs is listed below. The anomaly is Royal Roads
for which total program fees are set at $20,000 for Canadian students and $30,000 for international students. We have described the proposed fee structure within the detailed discussion of
Table 3 Fee Structures (Converted to Annual Fees) for Master's Degrees
Thesis-Based Programs
Royal Roads
University
Program
length
Annual fees
for Canadian
students
25 months
University of
British
Columbia
24 months
University of
Manitoba
Dalhousie
University
York
University
24 months
Wilfrid
Laurier
University
Not specified
24 months
$10,000
$3,939
$6,266
$7,932
$5,857
$5,476
Annual fees
for
International
students
$15,000
$7,200#
$12,531
$15,192
$13,165
$11,964
Simon Fraser
University
24 months
University of
Toronto
Dalhousie
University
16 months
Wilfrid
Laurier
University
12 months
York
University
12 months
University of
Western
Ontario
12 months
$4514
$9,313
$11,092
$8,254
$5,857
$5,476
$13,165
$11,964
Université
de
Sherbrooke
Less than 24
months
~$1,800 for
Quebec students;
~$4,700 for
other
Canadian
students
$17,111
Yes
Yes
Yes
24 months
Université
de
Sherbrooke
~ 24 months
~$1,800 for
students from
Quebec;
~$4,700 for
students from
other parts of
Canada
$17,110
Course-Based Programs
Program
length
Annual fees
for Canadian
students
Annual fees
$4514
$22,584
$21,982
$18,801
for
International
students
Is fee
Yes
No
No
Yes – for
structure the
selected
same as for
programs
other
Master’s?
# International students receive a waiver to bring fees down to domestic levels
24 months
each program.
12
Both the content and the number of required courses vary across programs. Most programs attempt to achieve a mix of science and social science (and sometimes humanities) courses. There
is frequently a mix of required and elective courses that are offered from within the delivery unit
(e.g. Centre, Institute, School, Program) and elective courses that are offered from within outside
units or departments. Most programs that are two years in length require between 5 and 12
courses (for thesis and course-based options) (Table 4). Programs that are one year in length require between 7 and 9 courses (course-based options). All course-based options require a major
paper, project, report, or internship in addition to in-situ courses. Most universities, with the exception of Royal Roads, use standard delivery formats, although they may accept courses delivered in alternative formats from other universities, upon request and review.
Table 4
Comparable Master’s Programs Across Canada: Number of 3 Credit Unit Course
Equivalents
Thesis-Based Programs
Royal Roads
University
Program
length
Number of 3
Credit Unit
Course
Equivalents
University of
Manitoba
Dalhousie
University
25 months
University of
British
Columbia
24 months
York
University
24 months
Wilfrid
Laurier
University
Not specified
24 months
10
8
10
8
5
24, including
thesis
12
Simon
Fraser
University
24 months
University of
Toronto
Dalhousie
University
16 months
Wilfrid
Laurier
University
12 months
York
University
12 months
University of
Western
Ontario
12 months
8 + paper or
7 + internship
+ report
12 + project
9 + project
8 + paper
24, including
major paper
or project
Université
de
Sherbrooke
Less than 24
months
15 + paper,
practicum is
optional
12 +
workshop +
project
24 months
Université
de
Sherbrooke
~ 24 months
Course-Based Programs
Program
length
Number of 3
Credit Unit
Course
Equivalents
24 months
4.3
Distinctiveness of the Proposed Programs
Each of the graduate programs at other universities typically has expertise in the issues and the
regions in which they are located. The School’s focus on grasslands, boreal forest, and arctic
ecosystems will provide expertise for pressing environmental and sustainability issues that are
regionally, nationally, and internationally significant. This region experiences some of the greatest losses of biodiversity in the country, exponential growth in mineral exploration and development (including oil and gas), significant water quantity and quality issues, opportunities for the
production of biofuels, dramatic evidence of climate change, and significant Aboriginal involvement in renewable and non-renewable resource exploitation and environmental protection.
Research and learning about these topics will ensure that student learning will be broad-based
but also distinctive to the Saskatchewan situation.
Housing the programs within a School rather than an individual department or College provides
a breadth of interdisciplinarity that spans across the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, and engineering, and agriculture and bioresources. Additionally, the School can draw on
expertise from applied Colleges such as Agriculture and Bioresources, the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine, and the Edwards School of Business. The interdisciplinary toxicology pro-
13
gram will also lend strength to program offerings of the School. Also, there is a commitment to
work with the new Schools of Public Health and Public Policy to formalize interdisciplinary
learning across the schools. This may take place around issues such as environmental and health
policy. Students and faculty will benefit from connections forged across Colleges, programs and
other interdisciplinary schools.
The School of Environment and Sustainability, with its unique regional focus, will be able to develop courses and research programs addressing a variety of interrelated topics that are currently
not being addressed by other similar Canadian environmental programs in any substantive way.
For example, only York and Dalhousie offer elective courses on Aboriginal issues. The program
at Western is the only one with a major focus on professional practice, although some of the others offer electives relating to professional practice. None offers the integration of planning theory, methods and project management that we propose in one of our offerings. UBC and some of
the universities in Central Canada (Wilfrid Laurier, York, Sherbrooke, and Toronto) do offer
courses on climate change, but a course regarding climate change on the Great Plains would be
unique, as will one regarding water management in this region. Similarly, we have strong research capabilities and unique challenges related to water availability (quantity and quality) that
will be reflected in the faculty complement of the School, connections with other units (e.g.
Toxicology Centre) and associated course offerings.
5.0
Implementation
5.1
Expertise of the School
The School is assembling founding faculty with the express purpose of delivering these programs and developing research programs suitable to the School. The policies and procedures
published by the Office of the Provost are guiding the establishment of founding faculty (Appendix A). Although the names of faculty are not yet available publicly, the School has received expressions of interest from 33 faculty members from across five colleges. Individuals will be selected for joint appointments with their home departments on the basis of the specific research
and teaching contributions to the proposed programs. All faculty will be registered as graduate
faculty with College of Graduate Studies and Research, if they are not already (see Section entitled “Faculty” for discussion of procedures).
The School will be also served by a Centennial Chair and a Canada Research Chair who will
provide academic leadership to the School. The role of both chairs is to develop intensive, ambitious, and nationally-recognized research programs that include the mentoring of graduate students. Two new faculty positions are identified to begin in 2008-09. Other faculty positions are
anticipated in the upcoming years as the programs expand and milestones are met (see Section
entitled “Faculty”).
5.2
Environment for Learning
Students in the School will have an unprecedented opportunity to work with faculty members
across a broad range of disciplines and to be part of a stimulating, engaging, and inquiring research environment. The School will be interdisciplinary, innovative, original, collaborative, cooperative and publicly accountable. Its people – faculty, staff, students, affiliates, partners, and
14
visitors – will be committed to working together to nurture an interdisciplinary learning culture
that values excellence in original research and scholarly activities, respects multiple forms of
knowledge, encourages constructive and respectful debate, creates innovations in learning and
teaching, and addresses issues of societal importance.
5.3
Impact and Outcomes of Implementation
The proposed programs are significantly different from existing graduate programs offered by
departments such as Geography, Soil Science, Sociology, History, Civil Engineering, Educational Foundations and so on. While these departmental programs may also deal with environmental topics, they do so from a stronger affiliation with their disciplinary perspectives, theories,
and methodologies. Students seeking degrees within a department are likely to seek ‘name recognition’ associated with those disciplines. Students in the School will seek studies of environment and sustainability where interdisciplinarity forms the core of their program. Nevertheless,
students within departments and within the School will likely have opportunities to exchange
ideas as, in some cases, they will enroll in the same graduate courses. We anticipate that coordinated program advertising and delivery will give rise to more applicants to the School and to departments. This has been the experience with the Toxicology Centre and the Department of Biology following the introduction of the undergraduate program in Toxicology in 2002.
The proposed programs have been developed in consultation with other related initiatives on
campus such as the undergraduate platform in Environment, and graduate programs in Environmental Engineering, Public Policy, Public Health, and Hydrology. As these initiatives are still in
the formative stages, we have established concrete methods of integrating programs and sharing
resources (e.g. to allow students’ entry into courses of the School or of related departments). As
all new programs become operational, other mechanisms for resource sharing will also be initiated (e.g. cross-listing of courses, hiring decisions).
The performance of the School will be reviewed in 2012 and will include performance measures
that gauge the success of the School against the following objectives:
1. Recognition as a leading Canadian university in interdisciplinary learning and research
associated with sustainability on issues of importance to the northern prairie and parkland, boreal forest, and arctic ecosystems;
2. Creation of a dynamic, cohesive, and collegial academic community;
3. Development of strong linkages across the University including Colleges, Research Institutes and Centres, and University operations, and partnerships outside the University that
provide unique research opportunities and new programmatic initiatives;
4. Specific increases in student learning opportunities and student numbers because of new
graduate programs that did not previously exist; and,
5. An increase in the number, value, and quality of interdisciplinary environmental and sustainability research projects in areas strongly identified with the School that are not attributable to pre-existing structures.
Following review in 2012, the School will undertake periodic reviews every tenth year in alignment with the Integrated Planning process.
15
5.4
Program Governance and Departmental Co-operation
The programs of the School will be governed by the faculty who hold Standard or Primary Joint
appointments to the School. These faculty will form the faculty council. Where necessary,
agreements with Departments or programs will be established to ensure that required and elective courses that are listed by the School or potentially cross-listed with the School are offered on
a regular basis. We have secured the commitment from individual departments or Colleges that
core courses that can be taught from existing curricula will be open to students of the School.
Faculty participation in School programs will be ensured by the drafting of letters of appointment
that reflect their commitment.
The Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) of the School of Environment and Sustainability will be
responsible for overseeing the programs and ensuring that it meets or exceeds standards set by
the College of Graduate Studies and Research (CGSR). The GAC will be composed of School
members and a graduate student representative. The GAC will be charged with overseeing all
aspects of the operation of the graduate program in the School and will administer the program
according to the regulations of the School and of the CGSR. The chair and members of the GAC
will be appointed by the Executive Director of the School. Once in place, a student representative of the School may participate in all meetings of the committee as an observer, except where
the chair may rule that this would infringe on the confidentiality of student records (the graduate
student representative will normally attend policy meetings, but will not attend during adjudication of applications).
Within its general mandate, the GAC is charged with the following specific duties:
i) To make recommendations to the College of Graduate Studies and Research on behalf
of the School of Environment and Sustainability on all applications for admission to
graduate studies, graduate student programs of study, and applications for University of
Saskatchewan Graduate Scholarships;
ii) To make recommendations to the Executive Director on the award of scholarships and
appointment of Graduate Teaching Fellows;
iii) To review annually the regulations of the School affecting graduate studies and to recommend revisions of those regulations to the School; and,
iv) To ensure that the commitments to equity are implemented.
The GAC chair is charged with the following specific duties:
i) To call regular meetings of the GAC and to deal with policy, program, or university
student issues;
ii) To facilitate progress of students in their programs;
iii) To ensure that the School’s commitments to equity are met as they pertain to graduate
students;
iv) To report the activities of the GAC to faculty meetings of the School; and,
v) To ensure representation of the School of Environment and Sustainability at all faculty
meetings of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
16
5.5
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 opportunities, methodology and pedagogy,
the School of Environment and Sustainability makes the following commitments:
i) The School will identify an Equity Advisor;
ii) The target for admission of women and men to the scholarship program will be 50%;
iii) For Aboriginal students, the numbers in the undergraduate and graduate population are
too small to target a specific percentage. The School will consider eligible for scholarship
support all Canadian student applicants in the thesis-based programs from this group with
a cumulative weighted average of 75% in the final two years of full-time undergraduate
study or in the Master’s program;
iv) The School recognizes that support should not merely be of a financial nature, but in addition includes moral and social support. To enhance the feeling of belonging and participation in the activities of the School, various initiatives will be undertaken on an ongoing
basis. These initiatives include, but are not limited to, an orientation process for new students, the nurturing of a graduate student association for the School, annual meetings of
all graduate students with the Graduate Chair on issues of interest, inclusion of a graduate
representative on the Graduate Affairs Committee, and inclusion of graduate students in
all departmental activities;
v) Because role models are important in the decision to enter the sciences, the School will
take equity considerations 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 selection of invited speakers;
vi) The School Graduate Affairs Committee will report on an annual basis, to the CGSR
Employment and Education Equity Committee, the number of Aboriginal students, visible minorities and women in the graduate program and scholarship program. The Graduate Committee will also report on the influence of equity considerations on all scholarship
awards;
vii) The School will endeavour to meet any special needs of persons in designated groups, including those regarding alternate scheduling of classes, part time or full time status, time
limits for program completion, and residency requirements; and,
viii) The Equity Advisor will advise the Graduate Committee of any special needs of students
with disabilities who apply to or are accepted into the graduate program.
5.6
Program Resources: New Courses and Faculty Resource Requirements
The Advisory Committee developed the proposed courses in consultation with others. Faculty
members outside of the Advisory Committee were contacted and worked with members of the
Advisory Committee to develop the specific courses listed below. Our provisional list of offerings was also compared against the skill sets and substantive knowledge identified by employers
of environmental practitioners in employer survey. Some revisions to the proposed courses were
made to reflect the demand for specific knowledge requirements. Additionally, the Advisory
Committee contacted faculty responsible for developing new interdisciplinary, environmental
undergraduate programming (e.g. Cross-College Undergraduate Platform in Environment, University of the Arctic) and graduate programming (e.g. Environmental Engineering, School of
17
Public Health, School of Public Policy) to ensure cross-fertilization of ideas, co-ordination of
effort, and sharing of resources and expertise, where possible.
The School is committed to delivering courses that emphasize the integrative nature of environmental problems, the need for interdisciplinary understandings, and how sustainability is conceptualized and made operational across a range of topics. This commitment goes beyond simply
finding courses around the university that have ‘environmental’ content and requiring students to
undertake their own integration. Rather, it means designing and delivering courses in an integrated fashion across the curriculum of each program. We are also aware of the vast expertise
available on campus and beyond the campus community to provide courses that are relevant to
the programs being proposed and we wish to capitalize on existing resources where that is possible.
Nevertheless, many existing courses listed in the calendar have a strong disciplinary focus and/or
are not taught in a regular, reliable rotation. Therefore, there is a need to ensure sufficient and
suitable core and elective courses each year so that students can complete their course work in
one academic year. This is particularly pressing for the course-based degree. To achieve our academic and pedagogical goals in a strategic and cost-effective manner, this proposal introduces a
range of strategies including creating new courses that stretch the instructors’ and students’
imaginations, team-teaching courses to ensure that a wide range of perspectives and methodologies are represented, exploring the possibility of cross-listing suitable courses with existing units
to ensure that their delivery meets the needs of students in the School and in originating departments, and allowing students sufficient flexibility to draw on existing courses within the University.
In this proposal, the School will introduce 5 new required and two new elective courses as well
as new courses titles associated with the requirements for seminars (990), thesis and dissertation
(994, 996), and project research (992). Additionally, the School will continue to develop new
courses in the next few years to build a suite of electives that can be taught on a regular rotation.
Some courses will be of interest to students in the School of Public Health and the School of
Public Policy. Students from outside the School may enroll in School courses. Additionally, existing courses in the university will be used as electives for all programs. Students may take
courses elsewhere, with permission of their advisory committee (M.E.S.) or, in the case of the
M.SEM., from the Graduate Affairs Committee or Faculty Advisor. In both Master’s programs,
this includes the option to select 3 credit units (M.E.S.) or 6 credit units (M.SEM.) of 400-level
courses to meet their program requirements, with permission.
For the M.SEM., students must select 6 credit units of electives from a restricted list and can select an additional 6 credit units from this list or anywhere else on campus. For students in the
thesis-based programs, elective courses can be taken anywhere on campus. Finally, over time,
the School will explore the merits of cross-listing courses with other units in order to ensure that
they meet the needs of students in the School and in departments, are taught on a regular rotation, and to share in the responsibility for their delivery.
18
Table 5
Required & Restricted Elective Courses To Be Introduced Or Used By SENS
REQUIRED
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (for M.SEM. and M.E.S.)
New 3 cu
Course Code
ENVS 801.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 802.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 803.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 804.3
New 3 cu
ENVS 805.3
An introduction to how principles and concepts of ecology and ecosystems science are applied to
advance environmental sustainability. Students will gain a solid understanding of how natural
systems function, how scientists apply their understanding and uncertainties about ecosystems to
address environmental management problems and advance environmental sustainability.
Human Dimensions of Environmental Change (for M.SEM. and M.E.S.)
This course explores the past and present interactions between people and the natural world. It
addresses ways that environment has molded human societies and ways that people have altered
nature. Contemporary concerns for environmental sustainability are introduced by examining
human entanglement with a range of natural and modified systems.
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S.)
The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to conceptual, practical, and ethical
issues in conducting interdisciplinary research about environment and sustainability. By the end
of the course, students will have a research plan from which their proposal and research activities
can be developed.
Strategic Environmental Planning and Project Management (for M.SEM.)
This course will help students understand systems approaches to planning and project development, triple bottom line accounting, ethical considerations associated with professional practice,
team work and leadership skills, communications, scheduling, and special issues involved with
establishing interdisciplinary teams to understand the environmental implications of programs,
policies, and projects.
Environmental Data Analysis and Management (for M.SEM.)
Environmental data management is complex because of its volume, qualitative and quantitative
forms, and temporal and spatial characteristics. This course introduces students to statistical,
qualitative, and visual methods of problem solving and data reduction and representation and
describes methods for managing large and complex data sets.
Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S., M.SEM., and Ph.D.)
New – no cu
ENVS 990
Project in Environment and Sustainability (for M.SEM.)
New 6 cu
ENVS 992.6
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for M.E.S.)
New – no cu
ENVS 994
Research in Environment and Sustainability (for Ph.D.)
New – no cu
ENVS 996
RESTRICTED ELECTIVES (Students in M.SEM. must take at least 6 cu from this list. Course offerings will vary each year.)
Sustainable Water Resources
New – 3 cu
ENVS 821.3
This course will rigorously explore water resource sustainability in western Canada from physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic, and technological perspectives. 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.
Advanced Applications of Environmental Management
Current Issues in Land Reclamation and Remediation
Existing – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
GEOG 885.3 X-list?
ENVS 831.3
Existing – 3 cu
Existing – 3 cu
Existing as an
898 – 3 cu
GEOG 886.3 X-list?
ENVE 810.3 X-list?
AGEC 898.3 X-list?
New – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
New – 3 cu
ENVS
ENVS
ENVS
Current issues in land reclamation and remediation are examined. The impact of human activity
in a variety of environments is examined and strategies for reclamation and remediation are investigated. Biophysical factors are the emphasis of the course, however the context of social and
economic issues are incorporated.
Advanced Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Issues and the Law
Non-market Valuation for Natural Resources and the Environment
Aquatic Toxicology and Water Quality (to be developed for 2009/10)
Biophysical Processes at the Earth’s Surface (to be developed for 2009/10)
The Intemperate Earth: Understanding and Adapting to Climate Change (to be developed for 2009/10)
Toxicology, Health, and Risk Assessment (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
Environmental Policy Making (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
Aboriginal Peoples and the Environment (to be developed for 2009/10)
New – 3 cu
ENVS X-list with
Public Health?
ENVS X-list with
Public Policy?
Possibly AGEC 898.3
X-list?
19
New courses may be developed and added to (or dropped from) the list of ‘restricted electives’
over time. The establishment of a curriculum committee within the School will ensure that new
courses to be used within the list of restricted electives for the M.SEM. program meet the criteria
of interdisciplinary perspective and relevance to the program objectives and themes of “environment and sustainability”.
If new interdisciplinary, graduate environmental programs are initiated on campus (e.g. in Environmental Engineering, Hydrology), the School will work with the responsible units to find optimal ways of offering such programs (e.g. through the School, or in other units with a sharing of
courses and other resources). It is anticipated that, space permitting, students in existing programs (e.g. Toxicology, Soil Science, Education Foundations, Bioresource Engineering, Biology,
Geography, History, Public Health, Public Policy and so on) will take courses in the School.
5.7
Faculty
The School proposal anticipated an expansion of resource requirements for the School as programs came on stream. For example, the proposal provided for two new faculty positions in
2008/09 in order to mount teaching-intensive graduate programs proposed, in principle, by the
School. While the initial School base budget in 2007-08 of $250,000 provides for only costs associated with the Executive Director, office staff, and operating costs, it was anticipated that the
release of additional funds would be contingent on developing innovative and viable new graduate programs. There remains $700,000 per annum in the Academic Priorities Fund committed
from the first planning cycle for the expansion of faculty complements and other requirements of
the three Schools. Consequently, as this program proposal moves forward, the School will design
a proposal to release sufficient funds from the Academic Priorities Fund to provide for two additional faculty to contribute to these programs and to expand research programs. After the hiring
of these two faculty, new hiring to the School may be achieved by program expansion or meeting
other milestones.
The proposal for the School described a staged increase of student enrolment. For thesis-based
programs, incremental additions to student numbers can be supported through incremental shifts
in faculty work loads or increases in numbers of faculty appointed or associated with the School.
For the course-based program, however, sufficient faculty must be in place to teach all courses,
regardless of whether there are 4 students per course or 40. Consequently, negotiations are in
place to identify a sufficiently large founding faculty of the School. Faculty have provided expressions of interest and will be selected on the basis of fit with the teaching requirements of the
programs, the intensity of research as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications and research
grants, and the potential to work with others in a collaborative teaching and research environment.
The principles for re-assigning faculty were established by the Office of the Provost after the
School was approved in June 2007 (Appendix A). At this stage, the Executive Sponsor for the
School is discussing the principles of re-assignment of faculty with each participating Dean and
will be negotiating re-assignment of duties for specific faculty members with the affected individuals, Heads of Departments, and Deans during December 2007 and January 2008.
20
Table 6 Staging of Faculty Resources and Graduate Students for the School of Environment and
Sustainability 2007-2012
1st
2nd Cycle
Cycle
Faculty
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
New – Chairs
Centennial Chair
1
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2)
1
New – Operating Budget
Acting Director
1
0
Executive Director
1
New Faculty
2
^1
^1
^1
Existing Faculty Re-assigned
8
1
13
TOTAL FACULTY
Graduate Students*
M.SEM.
M.E.S.
Ph.D.
TOTAL STUDENTS
0
0
0
0
10
12
8
30
15
32
17
64
25
46
28
99
30
54
29
113
Visitors
Post Doctoral Fellows
0
0
2
3
Visiting Scholars
0
0
1
2
* These are incremental students. Numbers are based on total enrolment not annual intake.
4
2
^ New faculty hiring in these years will only take place if warranted by graduate and/or research program expansion.
5.8
Student Funding
The Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning allocated $30,000 per year for 3 years for
graduate student stipends over and above the School’s operating budget. During this three-year
period, the School will be developing its graduate student base so that it can compete in the devolved scholarship pool, having established a track record of enrolment that will permit application of the devolved scholarship allocation formula.
The scholarship pool of the School is only one source of potential funding for thesis-based students. The faculty members of the School are expected to be research-intensive and will be expected to contribute to the funding of graduate students they seek to supervise. The School
should also qualify for graduate teaching fellowships in proportion to student enrollments. Students of the School are also eligible to apply for Dean’s Scholarships and external awards, such
as those offered by the Tri-Council. There are several adjunct professors and external partners
who are also expected to contribute funds. While most of this is ‘prospective’ funding, we can
draw on experience in other units.
5.9
Administrative and Support Staff
As of October 15, 2007, an Administrative Assistant has been hired to work with the Executive
Sponsor, the Acting Director, and the Advisory Committee to establish the founding faculty and programs and thereafter to provide administrative assistance to the Executive Director. Additionally,
other staff positions will be created and shared with other Schools as required. One of these positions
21
will be assigned to handling graduate student applications and files, assisting with course evaluation,
maintaining the student database for annual reviews, and providing general support to faculty.
5.10 Space and Equipment
The initial space needs of the School (to 2012) will be met in Kirk Hall, where office space for primary joint and standard appointees and graduate students, meeting rooms, and a limited number of
classrooms will be available. Additional space for larger classes will be sought in cognate buildings,
such as Agriculture. After 2012, it is anticipated that the school will move to the Thorvaldson Building when the new Academic Health Sciences complex opens and the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition vacates Thorvaldson. All offices for graduate students and faculty will be equipped with Internet
ports.
Specialized equipment required for faculty research will be met by their current departments or
sought at the time of hiring. There are no specialized equipment needs for the proposed programs.
5.11 Other Resources
There are no anticipated additional expenses for library resources, with the exception of individual
requests made by new faculty members. One meeting room that has teleconference capability will be
required.
Funds within the School base budget have been allocated for support personnel required to develop
a new website and to execute an advertising campaign.
5.12 Budget
The budget contained in Appendix D was completed by Mr. Jim Spinney of the Integrated Planning Office. There is no change in the foundations of the budget, although the timing of some
items and the mix of staff positions may be altered, depending on cost-sharing arrangements and
the timing of program start-up. As mentioned previously, a separate proposal will be forwarded
to PCIP to release funds for two new faculty positions.
5.13 Calendar Entry
Degrees Offered: M.E.S. (Master of Environment and Sustainability), M.SEM.(Master of Sustainable Environmental Management), and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy).
The Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.) is an interdisciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to improve their understanding of research approaches and theories
associated with environment and sustainability. This thesis-based program requires 12 credit
units of course work and a thesis.
The Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (M.SEM.) is an interdisciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to improve their understanding of practical approaches
to advancing environmental protection and sustainability. This course-based program requires 24
credit units of course work and a 6 credit unit project.
22
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is an interdisciplinary program that offers students advanced
research opportunities associated with environment and sustainability. This thesis-based program
requires 6 credit units of course work and a thesis.
Admission Qualifications:
* M.E.S.: a four-year honours degree, or equivalent, in a field of study from a recognized
college or university with minimum scholastic standing of 70% cumulative weighted average in the last 60 credit units (or equivalent). To qualify for scholarships, a student would
need an average of at least 80%. Applicants must also show promise of ability to pursue
advanced study and research and evidence of proficiency in English.
* M.SEM.: a four-year Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in a field of study from a recognized college or university with minimum scholastic standing of 70% cumulative weighted
average in the last 60 credit units (or equivalent). Applicants must also show promise of
ability to pursue advanced study and research and evidence of proficiency in English.
* Ph.D.: A Master’s degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university, in an area related to
Environment and Sustainability, with a minimum scholastic standing of 70%. To qualify
for scholarships, a student would need an average of at least 80%. Applicants must also
show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research and evidence of proficiency
in English. Transfer from the M.E.S. or M.SEM. program to the Ph.D. program may occur
but must be initiated through a formal meeting of the student’s advisory committee. The
transfer can only occur only after the student has completed at least 9 credit units, has displayed excellent writing and oral communication ability, has provided evidence of requisite research skills and knowledge to successfully complete a Ph.D. and successfully completed a qualifying exam.
Total Minimum Credit Units Required:
* M.E.S.: 12 credit units, including ENVS 801.3, 802.3, 803.3, plus ENVS 990 (seminar)
and 994 (research)
* M.SEM.: 24 credit units, including ENVS 801.3, 802.3, 804.3, 805.3, 6 credit units from a
set of restricted electives and 6 credit units of electives as approved by the advisory committee, plus ENVS 992.6 (project) and ENVS 990 (seminar)
* Ph.D.: 6 credit units as approved by the advisory committee, plus ENVS 990 (seminar) and
996 (research). Students who have not previously taken an interdisciplinary Master’s degree are recommended to take ENVS 801.3 or ENVS 802.3. Ph.D. students are also required to complete a qualifying exam within four months of their first registration and a
comprehensive exam (written and oral examination) within 16 months of their first registration.
* Transfer from Master’s to Ph.D.: Students may transfer after completing one year of fulltime study in a Master’s degree program (at least 9 credit units) upon recommendation of
the advisory committee and having received an average of at least 80% in their Master’s
coursework. For such students, completion of the Ph.D. requires 18 credit units of coursework, plus ENVS 990 (seminar) and 996 (research). Students transferring from a Master’s
must also complete a qualifying exam prior to transfer and a comprehensive exam (written
and oral examination) within 16 months of their transfer.
23
Residency Requirements: Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements
are met.
It is expected that all students in the School will be equipped with their own laptop computers
when they begin the program.
School Website Address: (to be determined)
www.usask.ca/sens
Please refer to the Graduate Studies and Research general section of the Calendar for program
requirements and policies.
24
6.0
Program Descriptions
6.1
Description of the Master of Sustainable Environmental Management (M.SEM.)
6.1.1
Goal and Learning Objectives
The goal of the Master in Sustainable Environmental Management program at the University of
Saskatchewan is to provide a stimulating learning environment for those seeking applied knowledge and to develop a broad range of skills and competencies required for environmental managers. This is an interdisciplinary, course-based program. The program will attract both recent
graduates from undergraduate programs who are seeking to improve their opportunities for employment, and those currently working in industry, government, consultancies and civil society
organizations. Graduate students who enter this program may have disciplinary or interdisciplinary degrees including basic sciences, social sciences and humanities, education, engineering,
accounting, management, and administration. Depending on their field of undergraduate study,
and their selected courses and projects, students will have opportunities to be employed as leaders and advisors, managers, consultants, and researchers in environmental management departments, industries, environmental organizations at different scales, and academic institutions upon
the completion of their studies.
Specific learning objectives include providing opportunities for students to:
• Explore the full spectrum of scientific, technical, political, social, economic, and institutional factors that shape environmental problems and their sustainable management;
• Broaden horizons through interdisciplinary, rather than multi-disciplinary, programming
achieved by purpose-designed courses and research education;
• Learn in a supportive environment through innovative education methods including development of critical thinking and technical research skills and opportunities to help resolve real challenges in government, industry, and environmental and community-based
organizations;
• Encourage the development of collaborative learning skills including team work and
practical problem solving;
• Build a firm foundation in appropriate scientific and technical methods; and,
• Follow tailored programming with sufficient options to meet their individual needs and
career aspirations.
This program will attract approximately 25-30 new (incremental) students each year after 4
years.
6.1.2
Application and Admission Requirements
The program is designed to allow students to complete all requirements within one year of fulltime study, although part-time students will also be welcomed.
Applicants will be selected by the Graduate Affairs Committee of the School on the basis of academic and research potential as demonstrated academic credentials, letters of reference, and past
experience and scholarly contributions. Intake into the program will generally be in September or
25
January. The deadline for the consideration of applicants for admission for the 2008 School year
will be set after the program has been approved. Following the first intake of students, the deadline will be set for May 15 and October 15 each year. During the 2007-08 academic year, prospective students will be asked to watch the School of Environment and Sustainability website
for updates.
Applicants are required to submit the following:
* Completed GSR 100 admission form from the College of Graduate Studies and Research
accompanied by a $75.00 application fee;
* A brief synopsis (approximately 1-3 pages in length) outlining the reason for undertaking
advanced study, the relevant research interests, academic preparations to date and career
goals. This synopsis must include a statement about the broad area in which the project
may be conducted and should also describe how the student’s interests are congruent with
the aims of the School and the program;
* Two official copies of all post-secondary transcripts; and,
* 3 letters of recommendation. At least one of these letters should be from a professor acquainted with the applicant’s previous scholarly work, while other letters may comment on
the student’s preparation for continuing studies through his/her work experience. The letters of recommendation must be accompanied by a completed GSR 101 Confidential Letter
of Recommendation form.
Applicants from a university where English is not the primary language of instruction must
provide proof of proficiency in oral and written English. They must comply with the regulations of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
All forms for the application process are available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office, Room 180 College Building, or the College of Graduate Studies and Research
website at: www.usask.ca/cgsr.
Application documents are to be directed to:
Chair, Graduate Affairs Committee
School of Environment and Sustainability
University of Saskatchewan
Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8
Phone: (306) 966-8431
To be admitted as a fully qualified M.SEM. student, a student must have the equivalent of a University of Saskatchewan four-year Bachelor’s degree, with a grade point average of at least 70%
over the last 60 credit units (or equivalent) completed. Students from a wide variety of disciplines – e.g., ranging from the arts and social sciences to the life and physical sciences, pure and
applied – will be eligible. In some cases, students with less than these minimum requirements
may be admitted on a conditional or probationary basis.
Students may be admitted on a conditional basis if they require additional courses to correct spe-
26
cific deficiencies in their background training, but otherwise meet the requirements for admission. These courses will not be credited toward the 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 fully-qualified
status.
Students may be admitted on a probationary basis if their academic qualifications are difficult to
assess or do not meet standards for admission. Students in this category will be assigned courses
as specified by the GAC, which will form the basis for assessment of ability to continue as fullyqualified.
6.1.3
Tuition Fee Structure
Tuition fees for the M.SEM. will be set at $9,000. This fee is payable in full during the first year
of the program. Students may take up to three years to complete the program without paying further program fees. Students who take longer than three years to complete the program will be
required to pay $1,000 per term until they complete all program requirements. For example, a
student who takes 12 terms (4 years) to complete the program will have to pay $12,000 for the
program.
6.1.4
Scholarships
Students in the course-based Master’s program will not qualify for University scholarships.
6.1.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery
A fully-qualified M.SEM. student is required to take a minimum of 30 credit units composed of
graduate coursework and a project. The required courses (12 credit units) include ENVS 801.3
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; ENVS 802.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental
Change; ENVS 804.3 Strategic Environmental Planning and Project Management; and ENVS
805.3 Data Analysis and Management. Additionally, students will be required to take 12 credit
units of electives. Six credit units of electives must be met from a restricted set of electives; six
credit units can be met from any other courses taught at the university, with permission from the
Graduate Affairs Committee or faculty advisor. A student may take up to two 400-level undergraduate courses to fulfill the elective requirement with the approval of the Graduate Affairs
Committee or faculty advisor. It is expected that a full-time Master’s student will normally complete the minimum course requirements and the Project in the first year of full-time study.
Additional courses may be required if the Graduate Affairs Committee feels that the student’s
background is deficient in some area. All required courses will be noted on the Program of Studies. The M.SEM. students are also required to register in ENVS 990 Seminar in Environment and
Sustainability (no credit unit) and ENVS 992.6 Project in Environment and Sustainability.
At the outset, the courses will be delivered in a standard format of the University. If there is sufficient demand for compressed courses or on-line courses, the School give consideration to meeting this need.
6.1.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability
The Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a required class for all Master’s
students, including M.SEM. students. To receive credit for this course, graduate students must
27
attend and contribute to the seminar. This program is directed by a faculty coordinator who recommends to the GAC chair that credit for ENVS 990 be granted once the course requirements
have been met.
Table 7 Summary of Minimum Requirements for the M.SEM. Program
Course Name
ENVS 801.3 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (new)
ENVS 802.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental Change (new)
ENVS 804.3 Strategic Environmental Planning and Project Management (new)
ENVS 805.3 Data Analysis and Management (new)
At least 6 credit units from a restricted set of electives
Six credit units from anywhere in the University
ENVS 990 Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (new)
ENVS 992.6 Project in Environment and Sustainability (new)
TOTAL COURSE CU
6.1.7
Credit Units
3
3
3
3
6
6
nc
6
30
Residency Requirements
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements are met.
6.1.8
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Chair of the GAC for the School or his/her designate will serve as program advisor for the
School. Each student will be assigned a Faculty Advisor at the beginning of the program who
will mentor the student, ensure that the student complete the necessary program forms and assist
the student in establishing and completing a suitable research project.
6.1.9
Program of Studies
At the beginning of the program, the Faculty Advisor will be assigned by the Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee to work with the student to develop a program of studies. This program
indicates the type of study to be undertaken, and all course and other requirements. The program
of studies must be approved by the Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee within the first four
months of the program. Any changes made to the program of studies must be approved by the
Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee and must be recorded in writing.
At the Master’s level, to retain standing, 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. If the student fails to meet this standard, the GAC will assess the student’s
performance and determine an appropriate course of action. The student may be permitted to retake a course or undertake other remedial work if, in the opinion of the GAC, the overall performance of the student was otherwise satisfactory. If this is not the assessment of the GAC, the
committee will recommend that the student discontinue.
6.1.10 Project
The project provides credit for 6 credit units. Students must prepare a short, two-page statement
about their research projects which must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and the Chair of the
Graduate Affairs Committee or designated program advisor. This statement must be submitted at
least one month prior to the beginning of project work. Students are also responsible to ensure
28
that any ethics requirements for the project are met prior to beginning work on the project and
must indicate the status of the ethics review in their project statement. Any changes to the project
must be approved by the Graduate Affairs Committee chair prior to being undertaken.
Projects may take a variety of forms including a modeling exercise, a case study, or evaluation of
a management practice or system. Students will present an oral report on their project to their
peers and faculty members. The final written presentation includes an abstract, an introduction
with background and rationale for the project, a literature review, some original analysis or assessment, and conclusions. Project documents are limited to 50 pages exclusive of references and
front matter.
The Faculty Advisor will review the project report and give feedback to the student. Normally,
the advisor will not review the project report more than once before it is submitted for grading.
Once submitted, the project report is graded by the advisor and a second reader selected by the
Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee or the Faculty Advisor. The grade for the final report
is arrived at by consensus of the two markers. If the two cannot come to consensus, the grade of
the two markers is the average of their assessments.
A bound copy of the final report is required to be submitted to the School.
6.1.10.1
Ethical Approval to Conduct Research
The University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Boards (REBs) operates in accordance with the
Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (August 1998)
and the University of Saskatchewan Policies and Procedures for Ethics in Human Research (October 2002). These policy statements are the principle body of “rules” under which the REBs
function (http://www.usask.ca/research/research_services/policies.php).
All research that involves living human subjects and the use of human tissue from subjects, living or not, requires review and approval by the REB according to the guidelines set out therein.
This includes coursework in undergraduate or graduate studies.
The following list represents a broad overview of the range of research projects or situations that
require review and approval by the REB:
• Research that will be published.
• Research that is funded or unfunded. Funding may be internal or external.
• Projects where participants are from inside or outside the university.
• Research that is conducted by students or faculty.
• Research projects that are conducted inside or outside the institution.
• Information that is collected directly from subjects or from existing records not in the public domain.
• Projects that are conducted in person or remotely (i.e., mail, electronic mail, fax, or telephone).
• Research designs that are observational, experimental, correctional, or descriptive.
• Pilot studies or fully developed projects undergo the same review process.
• The primary goal of the research is for teaching or training purposes, or the acquisition of
knowledge.
29
Review is still required even if a similar project has been approved elsewhere.
The official website of the U of S Ethics Office (http://www.usask.ca/research/ethics_review/)
has complete and current information.
Environmental scientists may require research permits before fieldwork can commence. Obtaining these permits is the responsibility of the graduate student. Students who work with animal
research with potential environmental impacts, and/or in parks or protected areas are also responsible for obtaining the necessary permits or permissions before undertaking their research.
30
6.2
Description of the Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)
6.2.1
Goal and Learning Objectives
The goal of the Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.) program at the University of
Saskatchewan is to prepare students for significant roles in knowledge generation and translation
related to Environment and Sustainability and to advance the study of Environment and Sustainability.
The M.E.S. will prepare graduates who will:
• Explore the meaning of interdisciplinary research with opportunities to consider a wide
range of scientific, technical, political, social, economic, and institutional factors that
shape environmental problems and their management;
• Broaden horizons through interdisciplinary, rather than multi-disciplinary, programming
achieved by purpose-designed courses and research education;
• Learn in a supportive learning environment through innovative education methods including development of critical thinking and technical research skills and opportunities to
help resolve real challenges in government, industry, and environmental and communitybased organizations;
• Build a firm foundation in appropriate research methods;
• Consider opportunities to pursue additional interdisciplinary research and scholarship related to Environment and Sustainability; and,
• Follow core programming, with flexible options to meet their individual needs and career
aspirations.
This program will attract approximately 23-25 new (incremental) students each year after 4
years.
6.2.2
Application and Admission Requirements
The M.E.S. program is designed to be completed in two years of full-time study, and it is expected that students would have opportunities to work as teaching assistants during their degree
program.
Applicants will be selected by the Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) of the School on the basis
of academic and research potential as demonstrated by academic credentials, letters of reference,
and past experience and scholarly contributions. Intake into the program will generally be in
September and January, although students may enter at other times of the year with the approval
of the GAC and a supervisor. The deadline for the consideration of applicants for admission for
the 2008 school year will be set after the program has been approved. Following the first intake
of students, the deadline will be February 15 each year for students who wish to be considered
for scholarship funding. Note that the Dean’s Scholarship competition is now open in December
each year. During the 2007-08 academic year, prospective students will be asked to watch the
School of Environment and Sustainability website for updates.
31
Applicants are required to submit the following:
* Completed GSR 100 admission form from the College of Graduate Studies and Research
accompanied by a $75.00 application fee;
* A brief synopsis (approximately 1-3 pages in length) outlining the reason for undertaking
advanced study, the research interests, academic preparations to date and academic goals;
* Two official copies of all post-secondary transcripts; and,
* 3 letters of recommendation. Two of these letters should be from professors acquainted
with the applicant’s previous scholarly work. The letters of recommendation must be accompanied by a completed GSR 101 Confidential Letter of Recommendation form.
Applicants from a university where English is not the primary language of instruction must
provide proof of proficiency in oral and written English. They must comply with the regulations of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
All forms for the application process are available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office, Room 180 College Building, or the College of Graduate Studies and Research
website at: www.usask.ca/cgsr.
Application documents are to be directed to:
Chair, Graduate Affairs Committee
School of Environment and Sustainability
University of Saskatchewan
Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8
Phone: (306) 966-8431
To be admitted as a fully qualified M.E.S. student, a student must have the equivalent of a University of Saskatchewan Honours Bachelor’s degree, with an average grade of at least 70% over
the last 60 credit units (or equivalent) of their undergraduate program. Students from a wide variety of disciplines – e.g. ranging from the arts and social sciences to the life and physical sciences, pure and applied – will be eligible. To obtain scholarship funding, students must have obtained at least 80% in the last two years of undergraduate study. In some cases, students with less
than these minimum requirements may be admitted on a conditional or probationary basis.
Students may be admitted on a conditional basis if they require additional courses to correct specific deficiencies in their background training, but otherwise meet the requirements for admission. These courses will not be credited toward the 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 fully-qualified
status.
Students may be admitted on a probationary basis if their academic qualifications 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 committee, which will form the basis for assess-
32
ment of ability to continue as fully-qualified.
6.2.3
Tuition Fee Structure
The tuition fee structure for the M.E.S. will be the same as for other thesis-based graduate programs at the University of Saskatchewan. At this time, we anticipate that all M.E.S. students
would be required to pay $1,000 per term ($3,000 per year), regardless of whether they intend to
study part-time or full-time.
6.2.4
Scholarships
Students in the thesis-based Master’s program will be required to apply for all funding for which
they qualify. Canadian citizens or landed immigrants with sufficient GPAs will be required to
apply to one of the Tri-Councils for scholarships. Additionally, faculty will work with students to
secure other funding sources. It is desired that all thesis-based Master’s students be fully funded,
with a minimum stipend of $15,000 per year for two years.
6.2.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery
A fully-qualified Master’s student is required to take a minimum of 12 credit units of graduate
coursework. The required courses include ENVS 801.3 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability;
ENVS 802.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental Change; ENVS 803.3 Research in Environment and Sustainability; and, 3 credit units of electives. It is expected that a Master’s student will
normally complete the course requirements in the first year of full-time study. Renewal of funding for graduate students requires satisfactory progress in the program of study.
Additional courses may be required if the advisory committee feels that the student’s background
is deficient in some area. All required courses must be noted on the Program of Studies.
Table 8 Summary of Minimum Requirements for the M.E.S. Program
Course Name
ENVS 801.3 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (new)
ENVS 802.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental Change (new)
ENVS 803.3 Research in Environment and Sustainability (new)
At least 3 credit units of electives approved by the advisory committee
ENVS 990 Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (new)
ENVS 994 Research
TOTAL COURSE CU
Credit Units
3
3
3
3
nc
nc
12
The elective course work will be in the student’s area of specialization and is selected in consultation with the advisory committee. A student may take one 400-level undergraduate course to
fulfill the elective requirement with the approval of the advisory committee. 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 GAC may require a
student to sit an examination 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 unit) and ENVS 994 Research (no credit unit). The requirements for ENVS 990 are
33
met by attending and participating in structured School seminars and presenting the results of the
thesis research. Completion of the research requirement is met when the thesis is successfully
defended and approved.
At the outset, the courses will be delivered in a standard format of the University. If, over time,
there is sufficient demand for compressed courses or on-line courses, the School will give consideration to meeting this need.
6.2.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability
The Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a required class for all Master’s
students. To receive credit for this course, graduate students must attend and contribute to the
School seminar series. This program is directed by a Faculty Coordinator who recommends to
the GAC chair that credit for ENVS 990 be granted once all requirements have been met.
A student in the Master of Environment and Sustainability program is required to present one
ENVS 990 seminar. The seminar is based on the thesis research results and should be presented
after the student has been granted permission to write the thesis and prior to the defense. It is expected to be about 20 minutes in length, and should include the following:
i) A statement of the purpose and objectives of the research;
ii) A summary of the research methodology identifying the study location or population, and
the data gathering and analysis techniques employed;
iii) A presentation of the major results of the analysis;
iv) A discussion of the significance of the results in the context of earlier research; and,
v) A clear statement of the principal conclusions drawn from the research.
All SENS students are required to attend all ENVS 990 seminars, and all members of a student’s
advisory committee are expected to attend his/her seminar. The Faculty Coordinator will consult
with the members of the advisory committee immediately following the presentation to determine if they considered it to be satisfactory. To meet requirements for ENVS 990, it must be
considered satisfactory by a simple majority. Should the presentation be considered unsatisfactory, the student will be required to repeat the presentation The supervisor must inform the
graduate secretary once this requirement is completed.
6.2.7
Residency Requirements
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements are met.
6.2.8
Supervisory Responsibilities
The thesis research and the selection of courses are done under the direction of an advisory
committee. An appropriate supervisor must be available before a student will be recommended
by the GAC for admission to the program. This is determined by the GAC through consultation
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 committee has the primary responsibility for directing and evaluating the student's
graduate work. The advisory committee recommends a program of studies for the graduate stu34
dent. The Program of Studies and any changes to that program recommended by the advisory
committee are submitted to the GAC for approval, then forwarded to the College of Graduate
Studies and Research.
The supervisor is responsible for calling meetings of the advisory committee. Advisory committee meetings are held at least once per year and as required to evaluate and assist the student in
her/his program of study. Students must be present at any meetings held to discuss their progress.
When supervisors are away from the University for an extended period (i.e., sabbatical leave),
they are expected to arrange for another member of the advisory committee to act in their absence, to ensure that adequate provision for supervision is available, and to advise the GAC and
the Executive Director in writing 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 GAC chair will advise the Dean if these arrangements are not considered satisfactory by the
School.
6.2.9
Program of Studies
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 committee, all
course and other requirements. The program of studies must be approved by the advisory committee of the student at the beginning of the program. Any changes made to the program of studies must be approved by the advisory committee and must be recorded in writing and submitted
to the School and the CGSR.
Each year a student is expected to demonstrate progress towards completing course requirements. Failure to make progress may result in a recommendation that the student withdraw. Additionally, students supported by funding must maintain specific grade point averages in order to
retain funding. Students on scholarship must maintain an 80% GPA and students on TAship
must maintain a 75% GPA. Students failing to make these requirements will have funding withdrawn and may face an assessment of unsatisfactory progress.
At the Master’s level, to retain standing, 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. Students with scholarships must maintain a 75% average to retain funding. If the student
fails to meet this standard, the advisory committee will assess the student’s performance and determine an appropriate course of action. The student may be permitted to re-take a course or undertake other remedial work if, in the opinion of the advisory committee, the overall performance
of the student was otherwise satisfactory. If this is not the assessment of the advisory committee,
they will recommend that the student discontinue.
6.2.9.1
The Graduate Advisory Committee
The role of the graduate student advisory committee is to assist the student in completing the
program requirements. Members are brought together for their substantive expertise in the research area.
Master’s committees are composed of a minimum of 3 members:
1 Chair (non-voting except to break a tie);
35
1 Research supervisor;
1 or more additional faculty who may or may not be appointed to the School and whose disciplinary background is different from that of the Research supervisor.
The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research is an ex-officio member of every
advisory committee.
The Role of the Chair of Advisory Committees
The role of the Chair of graduate student advisory committees is to maintain standards, fairness
and integrity of the process for both students and faculty. The Chair or designate is required to
attend all meetings where a decision is taken, and may be required to vote. The chair completes
the minutes of each meeting, records votes, and files the records with the graduate secretary.
It is a collective responsibility of all faculty members with standard or joint appointments in the
School to participate in chairing committees.
Note that the Chair of the advisory committee cannot pass judgment on matters that are not normally addressed by the committee, e.g. academic dishonesty. Matters that cannot be addressed
by the committee must be referred to the Executive Director of the School and the Dean of the
College of Graduate Studies and Research for resolution. The Chair should provide all the relevant information in such a situation.
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 effort by his/her supervisor and advisory committee. The proposal should clearly establish the objectives of the research, outline the theoretical
context of the research, and identify the methods to be used to meet the research objectives. The
proposal should be submitted and defended within nine months from first registration in the program.
The thesis proposal is submitted to the student’s supervisor for review. Once the proposal is
judged satisfactory by the supervisor, copies of the proposal are provided to the other members
of the advisory committee. The student will present the proposal and the committee will determine, by consensus, if the proposal provides a satisfactory basis for thesis research. Written confirmation of approval must be filed with the graduate secretary by the committee chair. The supervisor will ensure that a copy of the approved thesis proposal is placed in the student's School
file.
For Master’s committees, the Chair of the advisory committee will chair the final thesis defense.
The Chair of the advisory committee is entitled, although not required, to ask questions. If the
committee is able to come to a consensus about the quality of the thesis, the Chair need only record the consensus decision. .If consensus cannot be reached among the committee and a vote
must be taken, the Chair must record the outcome of the vote. If the vote is tied, or where the
committee and the external examiner do not agree on the vote, the Chair must vote. In this case,
abstention by any member of the examining committee, including the Chair, will be interpreted
as a negative vote. The student must be informed of the decision immediately after the examina-
36
tion.
Should further work by the candidate be required, the Chair of the examining committee must
see that the committee 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 committee shall meet again
before the thesis can be accepted.
6.2.9.2
Ethical Approval to Conduct Research
The University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Boards (REBs) operates in accordance with the
Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (August 1998)
and the University of Saskatchewan Policies and Procedures for Ethics in Human Research (October 2002). These policy statements are the principle body of “rules” under which the REBs
function (http://www.usask.ca/research/research_services/policies.php).
All research that involves living human subjects and the use of human tissue from subjects, living or not, requires review and approval by the REB according to the guidelines set out therein.
This includes coursework in undergraduate or graduate studies.
The following list represents a broad overview of the range of research projects or situations that
require review and approval by the REB:
• Research that will be published.
• Research that is funded or unfunded. Funding may be internal or external.
• Projects where participants are from inside or outside the university.
• Research that is conducted by students or faculty.
• Research projects that are conducted inside or outside the institution.
• Information that is collected directly from subjects or from existing records not in the public domain.
• Projects that are conducted in person or remotely (i.e., mail, electronic mail, fax, or telephone).
• Research designs that are observational, experimental, correctional, or descriptive.
• Pilot studies or fully developed projects undergo the same review process.
• The primary goal of the research is for teaching or training purposes, or the acquisition of
knowledge.
Review is still required even if a similar project has been approved elsewhere.
The official website of the U of S Ethics Office (http://www.usask.ca/research/ethics_review/)
has complete and current information.
Environmental scientists may require research permits before fieldwork can commence. Obtaining these permits is the responsibility of the graduate student. Students who work with animal
research with potential environmental impacts, and/or in parks or protected areas are also responsible for obtaining the necessary permits or permissions before undertaking their research.
6.2.9.3
Permission to Write the Thesis
When the supervisor has determined that the student has made sufficient progress in data collec-
37
tion and analysis of the thesis research, a meeting of the advisory committee will be held to
evaluate the quality of that work and to assess whether the student should progress to writing of
the thesis. Permission to write must be indicated in writing and placed in the student’s file by the
committee chair.
6.2.9.4
Permission to Defend
Once a full draft of the thesis is completed and the supervisor has had an opportunity to review
and make comments, the student will present the thesis to her/his committee members for review. When the advisory committee is satisfied that the thesis is suitable for defense, the Chair
will advise the Executive Director of the School and the CGSR in order that the thesis can proceed to defense.
6.2.9.5
Defence
Once the advisory committee has recommended that the thesis proceed to defense, the student
will prepare the requisite number of copies of the thesis (usually 5) for distribution to the members of the advisory committee, the external examiner, and the School.
The advisory committee will recommend names of potential external examiners to the GAC,
which will forward this recommendation to the College of Graduate Studies and Research on behalf of the School. Standard procedures will then be followed on invitation of the external examiner, provision of a copy of the thesis, preparation of necessary documents, and scheduling of
defense.
At least one month prior to the defense, the supervisor must submit the necessary forms to the
GAC chair who will review and approve them and then pass them on to the CGSR. Once approved, there must be at least three weeks provided for reading of the thesis and preparation for
the defense. These time lines are strictly enforced by CGSR and the School.
Appointment of the Thesis Examining Committee
The thesis examining committee for a Master's student consists of the advisory committee and an
external examiner appointed by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
For the purposes of the School, an external examiner will be someone who:
i) Has not graduated from the School within the last five years;
ii) Has not collaborated with the supervisor of the graduate student within the last five
years;
iii) Is not currently enrolled as a graduate student at the University;
iv) Has not had any previous, formal contact with the defending student, including having
been an instructor (undergraduate or graduate) in a course; and
v) May hold a standard, joint, associate or adjunct appointment in the School and be actively involved in other aspects of the School’s Graduate Program, so long as points 1 to
4 are not violated.
This definition of a suitable external examiner is consistent with most of Section 5.3.5 of the
CGSR Policies and Procedures Manual.
38
The external examiner submits a report on the examination to the Dean using Form GSR 402.
Examination of the Thesis
An oral examination is limited to work done by the candidate for the thesis and to knowledge of
directly related material. Outside of the examining committee, members of the University community and guests may attend the oral presentation of the thesis. These attendees may remain in
the audience during questioning with the permission of the examining committee and the student.
At the conclusion of the examination, the examining committee meets to determine if the thesis,
and its defence by the student, meet the standards for the degree. The examining committee
members will decide by consensus or majority vote whether the thesis:
i) has passed without revisions;
ii) has passed with revisions; (major or minor);
iii) must be re-examined;
iv) is unacceptable, and the student’s program is to be terminated.
The Examining Committee will also determine if the oral examination:
i) is satisfactory;
ii) is not satisfactory, and must be repeated;
iii) has failed and will not be repeated.
The student is advised immediately of the thesis examining committee's decision.
Thesis Format
Students may prepare a thesis by manuscript (if approved by the advisory committee) or a thesis
by traditional format. General guidelines for the thesis format requirements are provided in the
Guide for the Preparation of a Thesis, which is available at:
http://www.usask.ca/cgsr/thesisguide.php.
Students seeking a Master of Environment and Sustainability may opt for a manuscript style thesis or a traditional format thesis. The recommended length of the main body of a traditional Master’s thesis is between 50 and 100 pages.
A manuscript style thesis typically includes an introduction, a research manuscript, and a concluding chapter. The purpose of the introduction is to provide a review of the literature that establishes the student’s familiarity with relevant work in the field; establishes the objectives of the
thesis; places the research within the larger context of the discipline; and provides overall context
for the research manuscript. The research manuscript (second chapter) is intended to communicate research results and will adopt the format of a peer-reviewed national or international academic journal. The format for the manuscript would normally include a research abstract; brief
introduction and statement of the research problem; synthesis of the literature; description of research methods and study area (if applicable); analysis, presentation and discussion of results;
literature cited. Manuscript length may vary and is at the discretion of the advisory committee,
although the intent is to encourage a journal-style approach. In the case of a co-authored manu-
39
script the student must be the first author.
The final section revisits the main contributions or findings of the research manuscript within the
broader context of the literature and discipline, linking the manuscript’s findings back to the literature identified in the introduction. Directions for future research are normally identified in this
section, as well as any limitations to the research. Material that is not part of the research manuscript but deemed necessary by the student’s advisory committee as supporting documentation
(e.g. research instruments; raw data summaries; copyright permissions, additional site descriptions, etc.) should be included in the Appendix. References are self-contained.
Evaluation of the M.E.S. manuscript style thesis is the same as that for the regular thesis option.
The difference between the traditional and manuscript style thesis is in format only. Submission
or acceptance of a manuscript for publication is independent of the evaluation of the thesis,
which rests with the advisory committee and the external examiner.
6.2.9.6
After the Defense
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 thesis supervisor. An electronic copy
of the thesis is to be submitted 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 their thesis electronically to the CGSR.
40
6.3
Description of the Doctor of Philosophy in Environment and Sustainability
6.3.1
Goal and Learning Objectives
The goal of the Ph.D. program in Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan is to prepare interdisciplinary scholars for leadership roles in advancing the understanding of Environment and Sustainability as a field of academic study. Doctoral students will
participate in critical appraisal, research analysis and synthesis, knowledge generation and translation. Graduates from the Ph.D. program will contribute to the societal well-being on Environmental and Sustainability issues in academia, government, and the private or non-profit sectors.
Specific learning objectives include:
• Exploring the meaning of interdisciplinary research and to develop an in-depth knowledge of a substantive area related to Environment and Sustainability;
• Actively participating in the development and translation of interdisciplinary knowledge;
• Demonstrating skills in the conduct of research, scholarly writing, writing successful
grant applications, appropriate research methods, and knowledge translation; and,
• Conducting original research.
6.3.2
Application and Admission Requirements
The Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in three years of full-time study, and it is expected that students would have opportunities to work as teaching assistants during their degree
program.
Applicants will be selected by the Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) of the School on the basis
of academic and research potential as demonstrated by academic credentials, letters of reference,
and past experience and scholarly contributions. Intake into the program will generally be in
September and January, although students may enter at other times of the year with the approval
of the GAC and a supervisor. The deadline for the consideration of applicants for admission for
the 2008 school year will be set after the program has been approved. Following the first intake
of students, the deadline will be February 15 each year for students who wish to be considered
for scholarship funding. Note that the Dean’s Scholarship competition is now open in December
each year. During the 2007-08 academic year, prospective students will be asked to watch the
School of Environment and Sustainability website for updates.
Applicants are required to submit the following:
* Completed GSR 100 admission form from the College of Graduate Studies and Research
accompanied by a $75.00 application fee;
* A brief synopsis (approximately 1-3 pages in length) outlining the reason for undertaking
advanced study, the research interests, academic preparations to date and academic goals.;
* Two official copies of all post-secondary transcripts; and,
* 3 letters of recommendation. Two of these letters should be from professors acquainted
with the applicant’s previous scholarly work. The letters of recommendation must be accompanied by a completed GSR 101 Confidential Letter of Recommendation form.
Applicants from a university where English is not the primary language of instruction must
provide proof of proficiency in oral and written English. They must comply with the regulations of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
41
All forms for the application process are available from the College of Graduate Studies and Research Office, Room 180 College Building, or the College of Graduate Studies and Research
website at: www.usask.ca/cgsr.
Application documents are to be directed to:
Chair, Graduate Affairs Committee
School of Environment and Sustainability
University of Saskatchewan
Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8
Phone: (306) 966-8431
To be admitted as a fully qualified Ph.D. student, a student must have the equivalent of a University of Saskatchewan Master’s degree, with an average grade of at least 70% over the last two
years of study (or equivalent). To obtain scholarship funding, students must have obtained at
least 80% in the last two years of study. In some cases, students with less than these minimum
requirements may be admitted on a conditional or probationary basis.
Students may be admitted on a conditional basis if they require additional courses to correct specific deficiencies in their background training, but otherwise meet the requirements for admission. These courses will not be credited toward the 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 fully-qualified
status.
Students may be admitted on a probationary basis if their academic qualifications 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 committee, which will form the basis for assessment of ability to continue as fully-qualified.
Applicants who do not hold a Master’s degree must first register in a Master’s program. A student may be considered for admission to a Ph.D. program on the recommendation of the School.
The specifications for accelerated transfer are specified in Section 6.3.9.1 Qualifying Exam.
6.3.3
Tuition Fee Structure
The tuition fee structure for the Ph.D. will be the same as for other thesis-based graduate programs at the University of Saskatchewan. At this, we anticipate that all Ph.D. students would be
required to pay $1,000 per term or $3,000 per year, regardless of whether they intend to study
part-time or full-time.
6.3.4
Scholarships
Students in the Ph.D. program will be required to apply for all funding for which they qualify.
Canadian citizens or landed immigrants with sufficient GPAs will be required to apply to one of
the Tri-Councils for scholarships. Additionally, faculty will work with students to secure other
42
funding sources. It is desired that all Ph.D. students be fully funded, with a minimum stipend of
$18,000 per year for three years.
6.3.5
Curriculum and Modes of Delivery
A fully-qualified Ph.D. student is required to take a minimum of 6 credit units of graduate course
work. Students who have not previously taken an interdisciplinary graduate degree are advised to
take either ENVS 801.3 Ecosystem Science and Sustainability or ENVS 802.3 Human Dimensions of Environmental Change to achieve competence in interdisciplinary understandings of
sustainability. It is expected that a Ph.D. student will normally complete the course requirements
in the first year of full-time study.
Additional courses may be required if the advisory committee feels that the student’s background
is deficient in some area. All required courses must be noted on the Program of Studies.
Elective courses will be in the student’s area of specialization and are selected in consultation
with the advisory committee. 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
professional degree. The GAC may require a student to sit an examination 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 unit) and ENVS 996 Research in Environment and Sustainability (no credit unit). The
requirements for ENVS 990 are met by attending and participating in structured departmental
colloquia and presenting the results of the dissertation research. Completion of the research requirement is met when the dissertation is successfully defended.
At the outset, the courses will be delivered in a standard format of the University. If, over time,
there is sufficient demand for compressed courses or on-line courses, the School will develop
these options.
Table 9 Summary of Minimum Requirements for the Ph.D. Program
At least 6 credit units approved by the advisory committee*
6
ENVS 990 Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (new)
nc
ENVS 996 Research
nc
TOTAL COURSE CU
6
* Students who have not taken courses in “sustainability” in previous graduate work will be recommended to take at least one of ENVS 801.3 or ENVS 802.3.
6.3.6
Graduate Seminar in Environment and Sustainability
The Seminar in Environment and Sustainability (ENVS 990) is a required class for all Ph.D. students. To receive credit for this course, graduate students must attend and contribute to the
School seminar. This program is directed by a faculty coordinator who recommends to the GAC
chair that credit for ENVS 990 be granted once the course requirements have been met.
A student in the Ph.D. program is required to present one seminar. The seminar is based on the
43
thesis research results and should be presented after the student has been granted permission to
write the thesis and prior to the defense. It is expected to be about 40 minutes in length, and
should include the following:
i) A statement of the purpose and objectives of the research.
ii) A summary of the research methodology identifying the study location or population, and
the data gathering and analysis techniques employed.
iii) A presentation of the major results of the analysis.
iv) A discussion of the meaning and significance of the results in the context of earlier research.
v) A clear statement of the principal conclusions drawn from the research.
This requirement cannot be met by presenting at a conference.
All members of the student’s advisory committee are expected to attend the seminar presented by
a student for the purpose of meeting the requirements of ENVS 990. The Faculty Coordinator
will consult with the members of the advisory committee immediately following the graduate
student presentation to determine if they considered it to be satisfactory. Members of the advisory committee not present at the seminar will not be consulted. For a graduate student presentation to contribute to meeting the requirements for ENVS 990, it must be considered satisfactory
by a simple majority of the Faculty Coordinator and all members of the advisory committee. If
this is not the case, the student will be required to repeat the presentation. Should a student be
required to repeat a presentation, the supervisor will advise the student as to why the previous
presentation was considered unsatisfactory. After each seminar, the supervisor must indicate in
writing to the graduate secretary that the student has met this requirement.
6.3.7
Residency Requirements
Residency in the program is considered fulfilled when all requirements are met.
6.3.8
Supervisory Responsibilities
The thesis research and the selection of courses are done under the direction of an advisory
committee. An appropriate supervisor must be available before a student will be recommended
by the GAC for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. This is determined
by the GAC through consultation 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, primary, secondary joint appointees, associate members or adjuncts and be members of
the College of Graduate Studies and Research
The supervisor is responsible for calling meetings of the advisory committee. Keeping of minutes of the meetings, and distributing those minutes to the student and advisory committee members is undertaken by the Chair. Advisory committee meetings are held at least once per year and
as required to evaluate and assist the student in their program of study. A graduate student is entitled to attend all advisory committee meetings.
When supervisors are away from the University for an extended period (i.e., sabbatical leave),
they are expected to arrange for another member of the advisory committee to act in their absence, and to advise the GAC and Executive Director in writing of this arrangement. Students
can expect their supervisors to ensure that adequate provision has been made for continued su44
pervision during their own absence on leave of any kind. All such arrangements will be communicated to the Dean of Graduate Studies with a copy to the student. The GAC chair will advise
the Dean if these arrangements are not considered satisfactory by the School. Faculty members
should recognize that it is imperative to make an appropriate reduction in supervisory and advisory responsibilities prior to and during sabbatical and similar types of leave.
6.3.9
Program of Studies
The Ph.D. program involves course work, qualifying and comprehensive exams, and the preparation of a dissertation. The purpose of the courses is to complete the student’s general training in
Environment and Sustainability and to develop an area of specialization sufficient to permit the
student to undertake research which will make a contribution to the discipline. The selection of
course work and dissertation research is directed by the advisory committee.
An appropriate supervisor must be available before a student will be recommended by the
Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. This is determined by the GAC through consultation with faculty whose research interests correspond to those of the student. Faculty serving as graduate student supervisors must be
associated with the School and be members of the College of Graduate Studies and Research.
At the beginning of the program, a supervisor will work with the student to develop a program of
studies. The supervisor, in consultation with the student, invites others to serve on the advisory
committee. The advisory committee has the primary responsibility for directing and evaluating
the student’s graduate study. The advisory committee recommends a program of studies for the
graduate student, and may recommend revisions to that program. This program indicates the nature of the research, the members of the committee, and all course and other requirements. The
program of studies must be approved by the advisory committee of the student at the beginning
of the program. Any changes made to the program of studies must be approved by the advisory
committee and must be recorded in writing and submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and
Research on behalf of the School.
Each year a student is expected to demonstrate progress towards completing course requirements. Failure to make progress may result in a recommendation that the student withdraw. Additionally, students supported by funding must maintain specific grade point averages in order to
retain funding. Students on scholarship must maintain an 80% GPA and students on TAship
must maintain a 75% GPA. Students failing to make these requirements will have funding withdrawn and may face an assessment of unsatisfactory progress.
At the Doctoral level, students must achieve a grade of at least 70% in all courses required for
the degree. Students with scholarships must maintain an 75% average to retain funding. If the
student fails to meet this standard, the advisory committee will assess the student’s performance
and determine an appropriate course of action. The student may be permitted to re-take a course
or undertake other remedial work if, in the opinion of the advisory committee, the overall performance of the student was otherwise satisfactory. If this is not the assessment of the advisory
committee, they will recommend that the student discontinue.
When supervisors are away from the Department for an extended period (i.e., sabbatical leave),
45
they are expected to arrange for another member of the advisory committee to act in their absence, and to advise the GAC and Executive Director in writing of this arrangement. Students
can expect their supervisors to ensure that adequate provision has been made for continued supervision during their own absence on leave of any kind. All such arrangements will be communicated to the Dean of Graduate Studies with a copy to the student. The Executive Director will
advise the Dean if these arrangements are not considered satisfactory by the department. Faculty
members should recognize that it is imperative to make an appropriate reduction in supervisory
and advisory responsibilities prior to and during sabbatical and similar types of leave.
The supervisor is responsible for calling meetings of the advisory committee while the chair
keeps minutes of the meetings, and distributes those minutes to the student and advisory committee members. Advisory committee meetings are held at least once per year to complete annual
progress reviews and as required, to evaluate and assist the student in their program of study. A
graduate student is required to attend all advisory committee meetings.
The student’s advisory committee, in consultation with the student, must prepare a recommendation for a program of study (Form GSR 207); this is normally done in the first term following
initial registration as a graduate student. The recommendation is submitted to the GAC for approval and submission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research on behalf of the Department. Final decisions regarding recommendations on the program of study are made by the College of Graduate Studies and Research. 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 committee (Form GSR 200) and approved by the GAC and the College
of Graduate Studies and Research. A revised program of studies form must be completed and
submitted to the School.
In addition to the specific requirements in the program of study, the student must also meet the
residency and registration requirements established by the University. All doctoral candidates are
required to take a qualifying and a comprehensive exam.
6.3.9.1 Qualifying Exam
All Ph.D. students are required to undertake a qualifying examination, the purpose of which is to
assess communication skills, background, and potential for research, and to identify any deficiencies that must be remediated by course work. Students must complete the qualifying examination within four months of first registration in the Ph.D. program. The advisory committee
must meet with the student at least once prior to the qualifying exam. The qualifying examination will be carried out by the advisory committee, and will assist the advisory committee in developing the program of studies and the required course work.
Exceptional students may be recommended for transfer into a Ph.D. program without completing
a Master’s degree. Recommendation may be considered by the advisory committee if the student
has a GPA exceeding 80% and research completed at the time of consideration is deemed to be
of appropriate quality. Students wishing to transfer to a Ph.D. program without completing a
Master’s degree must successfully complete a qualifying exam, which should be held at the end
of the first year of study.
46
For students without a previous Master’s degree, basic skills and knowledge about the subject
area have not been tested through a thesis defence. For students without a Master’s degree, the
qualifying examination will consist of a written and oral examination. A special examining
committee will be struck for the qualifying exam of a student seeking to be accelerated to the
Ph.D. program. This committee will be composed of a chair, the supervisor, and three additional
faculty. Of these three faculty, one is to be from the School (as a standard, joint, or associate
member), one is from a discipline that is different from that of the Research supervisor, and at
least one is not a member of the School.
The exact format will be tailored to the type of research to be conducted by the student and will
be set by the examining committee. Notwithstanding slightly different formats, each examination
must satisfy the committee members of the student’s basic knowledge of the subject area of the
research, written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrated ability to undertake research.
There are several possible outcomes of the qualifying examination:
i) Approval and pass with no additional requirements;
ii) Approval and pass with additional requirements as specified by the advisory committee;
iii) Requirement for re-examination;
iv) Failure and requirement for termination of the program; or
v) Pursuit of the Masters program of studies.
Students failing the examination without previously completing a Master’s degree will
not be allowed to transfer into a Ph.D. program. A second attempt to pass the examination will
not be permitted. The student will be required to complete their Master’s program. Students who
fail the examination, but allowed a second attempt, must do so within two months of the original
examination.
Students failing the Ph.D. qualifying examination for a second time must withdraw from the program or may elect to continue as a Master’s student at the discretion of the advisory committee.
6.3.9.2
Comprehensive Exam
Students are required to complete both the comprehensive examination and their thesis proposal
within 16 months of entering the Ph.D. program. Prior to taking the examination, the student will
have completed the course work required by the Program of Studies
The comprehensive examination includes a written component and an oral component. The examination as a whole will test a student’s foundational knowledge of the field of study in which
the research is situated, written and oral communication skills, and demonstrate the student’s potential for research. The written component will consist of a discussion of the context in which
the research is situated and the relevance of the research to advancing understanding in the field,
a thesis proposal (including a review of pertinent literature, description of methodology, analysis
of preliminary research results or progress to date, and a clear articulation of the research goals
or questions), and a statement of research accomplishments to date and readiness to proceed.
The length of the document should not exceed 35 pages.
47
The oral examination will cover topics related to the research area and research proposal, as well
as broader issues of relevance to the field as a whole. The advisory committee must be satisfied
that the student understands the foundations of the research area and has sufficient preparation to
proceed with the research. This is a much more detailed examination of the proposed research
and the general field than is considered at the time of the qualifying exam. The oral examination
Students are required to complete both the comprehensive examination and their thesis proposal
within 16 months of entering the Ph.D. program. Prior to taking the examination, the student will
have completed the course work required by the Program of Studies
The comprehensive examination includes a written component and an oral component and will
be carried out by the advisory committee. The examination as a whole will test a student’s foundational knowledge of the field of study in which the research is situated, written and oral communication skills, and demonstrate the student’s potential for research. The written component
will consist of a discussion of the context in which the research is situated and the relevance of
the research to advancing understanding in the field, a thesis proposal (including a review of pertinent literature, description of methodology, analysis of preliminary research results or progress
to date, and a clear articulation of the research goals or questions), and a statement of research
accomplishments to date and readiness to proceed. The length of the document should not exceed 35 pages (excluding references).
The oral examination will cover topics related to the research area and research proposal, as well
as broader issues of relevance to the field as a whole. The advisory committee must be satisfied
that the student understands the foundations of the research area and has sufficient preparation to
proceed with the research. This is a much more detailed examination of the proposed research
and the general field than is considered at the time of the qualifying exam. The oral examination
should be conducted within 2 weeks of submission of the written proposal.
The advisory committee members will determine by consensus or majority vote whether the
written and oral components of the comprehensive exam is:
i)
passed without condition;
ii) passed with condition (e.g. conditions may include requirement to re-write the proposal, or complete additional course work);
iii) failed with requirement for reexamination, revision of the proposal, or completion of
additional course work; or
iv) failed with recommendation to discontinue.
In the event of failure with recommendation that the student be granted a second opportunity to
attempt the comprehensive exam, the student must pass the examination on her/his second attempt or be required to withdraw. A second examination will normally take place within 2-3
months of the first examination.
It is the responsibility of the supervisor to provide a copy of the written proposal to the student’s
file. It is the responsibility of the chair of the advisory committee to inform the graduate secretary, the chair of the GAC, and the College of Graduate Studies and Research of the outcome of
the comprehensive examination. The decision of the committee must be communicated to the
student immediately.
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6.3.9.3
The Graduate Advisory Committee
The role of the graduate student advisory committee is to assist the student in completing the
program requirements. Members are brought together for their substantive expertise in the research area.
Ph.D. committees are composed of a minimum of 5 members:
1 Chair (non-voting except to break a tie);
1 Research Supervisor;
3 or 4 committee members, at least one of whom is from the School (as a standard or joint
appointee or associate), at least one of whom is from a discipline that is different from that
of the Research supervisor (the latter is the cognate member) and at least one of whom is not
a member of the School;
The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research is an ex-officio member of every
advisory committee.
The Role of the Chair of Advisory Committees
The role of the Chair of graduate student advisory committees is to maintain standards, fairness
and integrity of the process for both students and faculty. The Chair or designate is required to
attend all meetings where a decision is taken, and may be required to vote. The chair completes
the minutes of each meeting, records votes, and files the records with the graduate secretary.
It is a collective responsibility of all faculty members with standard or joint appointments in the
School to participate in chairing committees.
Note that the Chair of the advisory committee cannot pass judgment on matters that are not normally addressed by the committee, e.g. academic dishonesty. Matters that cannot be addressed
by the committee must be referred to the Executive Director of the School and the Dean of the
College of Graduate Studies and Research for resolution. The Chair should provide all the relevant information in such a situation.
During the first year of residence, the student will select a dissertation research topic and prepare
a dissertation proposal. The student will be guided in this effort by his/her supervisor and advisory committee. The proposal should clearly establish the objectives of the research, outline the
theoretical context of the research, and identify the methods to be used to meet the research objectives. The proposal should be submitted and defended within nine months from first registration in the program.
The dissertation proposal is submitted to the student’s supervisor for review. Once the proposal
is judged satisfactory by the supervisor, copies of the proposal are provided to the other members
of the advisory committee. The student will present the proposal and the committee will determine, by consensus, if the proposal provides a satisfactory basis for thesis research. Written confirmation of approval must be filed with the graduate secretary by the committee chair. The supervisor will ensure that a copy of the approved dissertation proposal is placed in the student's
School file.
49
For Ph.D. committees, the Chair of the advisory committee will chair the final dissertation defense. The Chair of the advisory committee is entitled, although not required, to ask questions. If
the committee is able to come to a consensus about the quality of the dissertation, the Chair need
only record the consensus decision. .If consensus cannot be reached among the committee and a
vote must be taken, the Chair must record the outcome of the vote. If the vote is tied, or where
the committee and the external examiner do not agree on the vote, the Chair must vote. In this
case, abstention by any member of the examining committee, including the Chair, will be interpreted as a negative vote. The student must be informed of the decision immediately after the
examination.
Should further work by the candidate be required, the Chair of the examining committee must
see that the committee 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 committee shall meet again
before the thesis can be accepted.
6.3.9.4
Ethical Approval to Conduct Research
The University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Boards (REBs) operates in accordance with the
Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (August 1998)
and the University of Saskatchewan Policies and Procedures for Ethics in Human Research (October 2002). These policy statements are the principle body of “rules” under which the REBs
function (http://www.usask.ca/research/research_services/policies.php).
All research that involves living human subjects and the use of human tissue from subjects, living or not, requires review and approval by the REB according to the guidelines set out therein.
This includes coursework in undergraduate or graduate studies.
The following list represents a broad overview of the range of research projects or situations that
require review and approval by the REB:
• Research that will be published.
• Research that is funded or unfunded. Funding may be internal or external.
• Projects where participants are from inside or outside the university.
• Research that is conducted by students or faculty.
• Research projects that are conducted inside or outside the institution.
• Information that is collected directly from subjects or from existing records not in the public domain.
• Projects that are conducted in person or remotely (i.e., mail, electronic mail, fax, or telephone).
• Research designs that are observational, experimental, correctional, or descriptive.
• Pilot studies or fully developed projects undergo the same review process.
• The primary goal of the research is for teaching or training purposes, or the acquisition of
knowledge.
Review is still required even if a similar project has been approved elsewhere.
The official website of the U of S Ethics Office (http://www.usask.ca/research/ethics_review/)
50
has complete and current information.
Environmental scientists may require research permits before fieldwork can commence. Obtaining these permits is the responsibility of the graduate student. Students who work with animal
research with potential environmental impacts, and/or in parks or protected areas are also responsible for obtaining the necessary permits or permissions before undertaking their research.
6.3.9.5
Permission to Write the Dissertation
Once the student has completed the data collection and analysis components of the dissertation
research, a meeting of the advisory committee will be held to evaluate the quality of that work
and to assess whether it is adequate to permit writing of the dissertation. The supervisor will determine when permission to write the dissertation should be requested from the advisory committee. Permission to write must be indicated in writing and placed in the student’s file by the committee chair.
6.3.9.6
Permission to Defend
Prior to defending the dissertation, the student must obtain permission to defend from the committee members. Once a full draft of the dissertation is completed and the supervisor has had an
opportunity to review and make comments, the student will present the dissertation to her/his
committee members for review. The committee may require further revisions. Once the committee is satisfied that the dissertation is ready, it will grant its permission to defend. This decision
must be recorded and submitted to the School and the CGSR by the Committee Chair.
6.3.9.7
Dissertation
The dissertation must be based on original research and demonstrate judgment and scholarship
on the part of the candidate. It must represent a worthwhile contribution to Environment and Sustainability which would warrant publication, in whole or in part, in a recognized scholarly form.
The quality of the dissertation is evaluated by an examining committee, consisting of the advisory committee and an external examiner from another university who is knowledgeable in the
dissertation topic.
The graduate student will develop a dissertation under the guidance of the supervisor. Once the
supervisor is satisfied with the quality of the dissertation, copies are provided to the members of
the advisory committee for review. The advisory committee will normally provide comments
within three weeks and recommend any revisions in substance or format before the dissertation
can be presented for defense. Once the advisory committee has approved the dissertation manuscript, the student will prepare final copies of the dissertation for submission to the examining
committee. The number of required copies of the Ph.D. dissertation is normally seven when there
is one supervisor. A final copy of the dissertation will be reviewed by the GAC chair to ensure
that it conforms to the standards of the College of Graduate Studies and Research. The dissertation must be approved by the GAC chair before it can be submitted to the examining committee.
On approval of the dissertation manuscript, the advisory committee will make recommendations
to the GAC chair on the appointment of an external examiner and the scheduling of the dissertation defense. The GAC chair will recommend to the College of Graduate Studies and Research
on behalf of the School that the dissertation examination be scheduled.
51
At least five weeks prior to the defense, the supervisor must submit the necessary forms to the
GAC chair who will pass them on to the CGSR, with the assistance of the graduate secretary,
indicating the date, time, and proposed name of external examiner. Faculty must allow 2-3 days
for the forms to clear the School office. This is reviewed at CGSR and approved within 2-3
working days. In the interim, neither the student nor any member of the advisory committee can
provide the external examiner with a copy of the thesis. Once approved, there must be at least 4
weeks provided for reading of the dissertation and preparation for the defense. These time lines
are strictly enforced.
Appointment of the Dissertation Examining Committee
The dissertation examining committee for a Ph.D. student consists of the advisory committee 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 thesis subject. The advisory committee will provide names of recommended external examiners, with curriculum vitae and justification for their selection, to the
GAC 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 or priority, who are qualified to act as the external examiner.
The external examiner submits a Pre-defense 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 relationship. Following examination, the external examiner submits a report to the
Dean using Form GSR 403.2.
Examination of the Dissertation
The examination of the dissertation is a public, oral examination conducted by the dissertation
examining committee. It is usually 2-3 hours in length, and limited to work done by the candidate for the thesis and to knowledge of directly related material. At the conclusion of the examination, the dissertation examining committee meets to determine if the dissertation, and its defense by the student, meet the requirements for the degree. The examining committee members
will decide by consensus or majority vote whether the written thesis and oral defense is:
i) passed without revisions;
ii) passed with revisions; (major or minor);
iii) to be re-examined;
iv) rejected.
The student is advised immediately of the thesis examining committee’s decision.
Dissertation Format
Students may prepare a dissertation by manuscript or a dissertation by traditional format. Please
see the Guide for the Preparation of a Thesis (http://www.usask.ca/cgsr/thesisguide.php).
Ph.D. Dissertation by Manuscript
Completion of the Ph.D. by manuscript requires a series of papers [although a number is not
52
specified, for purposes of clarification, three would be the norm] that are of a standard that would
be acceptable for submission in a peer-reviewed academic journal of high quality. These papers
must be approved by the advisor and advisory committee, the same as for a dissertation document. The papers must demonstrate that they represent one coherent body of work. To ensure
coherence, the papers must be linked with (1) an introduction summarizing and critiquing the
research on the topic as a whole, and the rationale for the current study; (2) a brief section between each manuscript indicating its relationship to the thesis in its entirety may be required by
the committee; and (3) a general discussion (conclusion) which links the separate manuscripts
and relates to the student’s research to the topic as a whole. Prior to engaging in this format, the
advisor must enter into a written agreement with the student over issues of data sharing, data
confidentiality (if applicable), copyright, and authorship. Regulations are noted below.
Regulations related to the thesis by manuscript are:
(1) The thesis must develop a general theme that guides the candidate’s research work, including an introduction that outlines the general theme and the objectives, and a conclusion that draws out the overall implications of the research. The different chapters or
sections must contribute to the general theme, but the substance of each chapter should
focus on a different aspect of the research.
(2) The candidate must be first author on each manuscript. There is no limit to the number
of co-authors. There must be a preface to the thesis that documents clearly the student’s
contribution to each multiple-authored work. The candidate’s original contributions
should be indicated, justifying the work’s inclusion in the main body of the thesis.
(3) There must be material preceding the article or articles which sets the context of the
work, and material that draws out the overall implications of the work. In some cases it
may be more appropriate to include the previously prepared material as an appendix,
rather than in the main body of the thesis.
(4) Written permission to include copyright material in the thesis must be obtained from the
copyright holder. This permission must also include the grant of an irrevocable, nonexclusive license to the University of Saskatchewan and the National Library of Canada
(*) to reproduce the material as part of the thesis. While these licenses should normally
be obtained at no cost, any payment which might be required by the rights holder is the
exclusive responsibility of the thesis writer. If the material has been published in an
academic journal, copyright will normally have been assigned to the publisher of the
journal. If the material has been published in another format (e.g., as part of a book, as a
technical report, etc.) the copyright may not have been assigned to the publisher, but
rather licensed by the author(s) for a specific purpose. The exact status of the rights attaching to the material must be determined. If the material has been co-authored, the
status of the rights of each co-author in the work must be determined. The candidate
must secure from any co-author of a published work a written waiver of all rights in favour of the University of Saskatchewan and the National Library of Canada (*) so as to
permit publication of the thesis. In addition, written permission must be obtained from
any co-author who retains copyright or the person to whom the co-author has assigned
copyright, by way of a grant of an irrevocable nonexclusive license to the University of
Saskatchewan and the National Library of Canada (*), to reproduce material generated
by the co-author as part of the thesis. The thesis should indicate that articles have been
53
printed either "with permission" or "under license" (either by a statement in the preface
or on the first page of each article). Copies of the letters of permission or licenses
should be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies along with the thesis, prior to the
defense.
(*) License and waiver in favour of the National Library of Canada is required for Ph.D.
theses only.
(5) For unpublished work (e.g., a paper that has been submitted but not yet published), a
statement concerning the status of any dealing or contemplated dealing with the copyright or the auspices under which the work was prepared must be on the first page of the
separately prepared, unpublished work. If copyright has already been legally assigned,
written permission, as described in (4) above, must be obtained.
(6) For each published article, a complete citation, including first and last page number in
the journal publication, and recognition of the copyright holder must be printed on the
front page of the article.
(7) The previously published or prepared materials should be assigned page numbers that
are sequential within the thesis. To reduce confusion, it is preferable to remove the journal page numbers. (This information is included in the citation.)
(8) Journal articles typically contain many more words per page than a thesis. Such articles
will be prorated to assess their acceptability within the any page length limitation specified for the thesis.
(9) A list of references will form a part of most journal articles or manuscripts that are reproduced for inclusion in a thesis. References should remain self-contained, within each
article, if that is how they appear in the original document. The references for the new
material in the thesis should be listed at the end as usual. Material that is referenced in
one or more of the reproduced articles or manuscripts should be included in the main
thesis reference list only if it is also cited in the new material.
(10) The merits of the thesis will be judged on the same criteria and by the same methods
(external examiner and committee) as a conventional thesis. The judgment of acceptance of the thesis is made independent of any judgment (favourable or unfavourable)
related to the acceptance of individual papers. Further information about formatting etc.,
is available at the website of the College of Graduate Studies and Research at:
http://grad.usask.ca/etd/
Oral Defence of the Dissertation
Following approval of the proposal, the student will complete the research and write the dissertation, meeting with the supervisor at regular intervals throughout the process. Following the
guidelines of the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the Supervisor will review the completed dissertation. When both believe it is ready, the dissertation will be submitted to the advisory committee. Revisions will be made if required by the advisory committee. Following approval of the advisory committee for examination, an examining committee will be struck. The
student will present and defend her/his research an open forum.
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6.3.9.8
After the Defense
Ph.D. students are required to submit a bound copy of their dissertation to the School of Environment and Sustainability, and one bound copy or CD to the dissertation supervisor. An electronic copy of the dissertation is to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies (CGSR) and
Research. It is the responsibility of the student to deliver or arrange to have the bound copies of
his/her dissertation delivered to the supervisor, the School, and to submit their dissertation electronically to the CGSR.
7.0
Acknowledgements
The School of Environment and Sustainability Advisory Committee would like to acknowledge
the expertise and support of many faculty members and administrative personnel who have
helped to develop the ideas contained in this proposal. We extend a special thank you to Ms
Sharla Daviduik who helped us bring order to chaos.
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