ID
Surname
Term
Given Names
Physics and Astronomy (GWPI)
Department/School
MSc
PhD
Program
first submission
revision only
ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT FORM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS (*see notes below)
Department/School
GWPI Membership:
Regular
Associated
Name (PLEASE PRINT)
Physics
Faculty
Member
Advisor
Co-Advisor (required for PhD Committees if Supervisor does not have ‘ADDS’ status or is Adjunct)
(required for MSc Committees if Supervisor is Adjunct)
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
*COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The MSc Advisory Committee is normally selected within the first six months of a student’s registration (within the first
four months in the case of a coursework MSc). It consists of at least three members including the Supervisor who acts as
the Committee Chair and convenes the meetings. At least two Committee members must be members of <G|W> within the
student’s general area of research. At least one committee member must be a regular faculty member of the Department of
Physics at the University of Guelph or the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo.
The PhD Advisory Committee is normally selected within the first six months of a student’s registration. It consists of at
least four members including the Supervisor who acts as the Committee Chair and convenes the meetings. At least two
Committee members must be members of <G|W> within the student’s general area of research. At least one Committee
member must be a regular faculty member of the Department of Physics at the University of Guelph or the Department
of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo. It is recommended, but not mandatory that one Committee
member must be a faculty member who is not a member of <G|W>.
REQUIRED SIGNATURES (also see reverse):
Committee Chair (student’s
supervisor):
Date:
Co-Supervisor (if applicable):
Date:
Graduate Officer:
Date:
GWPI Director:
Date:
Student’s signature:
Date:
Approved: Associate Dean of Graduate Studies:
Date:
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
It is understood that, once the advisory committee has been established, the student and committee will plan the student’s
program and course requirements. Acknowledging that specific details of course requirements are often subject to
change, the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies does not require that the course program outline be submitted for
approval. However, by signing below, the advisor and student agree to follow the minimum university course credit
requirements as set out below:
MINIMUM COURSE CREDITS:
For MSc Students:
Please refer to the GWPI ‘Red Book’ Program of Study section 2.3 (b) for degree by thesis and section 2.3 (e) for degree by
coursework
For PhD Students:
Please refer to the GWPI ‘Red Book’ Program of Study section 2.3.3 (b)
Please keep in mind that every course taken while registered in a graduate program will be part of the graduate record
and will be calculated in the GPA (average).
We certify that the Graduate Degree Program form outlining the student’s proposed course requirements
† has been -OR- † will be completed and filed in the student’s department file:
Advisor’s Signature:
Date:
Student’s Signature:
Date:
Approval of this form:
Please forward to GWPI for approval.
Distribution of this form:
Faculty Graduate Office, GWPI Office, Department, Supervisor, Student
*Revised March 2015
NOTES TO THE ADVISOR(S)/SUPERVISOR(S)
1.
An MSc/PhD Advisory Committee should be appointed within the first six months of a student’s registration
(within the first four months in the case of a coursework MSc) and reported on the Advisory Committee
Appointment Form. It is the responsibility of the Advisor/Supervisor to convene a meeting of this Committee
with the graduate student normally within the first six months The results of this meeting are to be reported
on the MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Report form.
2.
A Graduate Degree Program Form must be completed by the student and his/her Advisor(s)/Supervisor(s)
during the first year. It is forwarded to the Department Graduate Coordinator/Officer, then to the GWPI
Director for approval. Once approved, it is kept in the student’s department file. At UW, a copy of this form is
to be forwarded to the Faculty of Science Graduate office.
3.
Subsequent meetings of the Advisory Committee are expected to take place twice per year. One meeting
per year may be held informally between the student, supervisor and at least one Advisory Committee
member. One meeting per year must be a formal one involving the entire Advisory Committee. At the formal
meeting, PhD students are expected to provide a written report to the Committee and defend it orally.
Results of the formal meeting are to be reported on the MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Report form.
4.
At these meetings, the Committee is to assess the student’s position by indicating “satisfactory”,
“unsatisfactory”, or “excellent”. If there are any questions, concerns, difficulties, or corrective measures which
are required by the student, these must be recorded under the ‘comments’ section of the MSc/PhD Advisory
Committee Report. A date by which they are to be rectified by must be included.
5.
In the case of “unsatisfactory” progress, the Committee is to indicate on the form and in an attached
‘action plan’ what the student is expected to do by a specified date. The student must be given a
probationary term in which to satisfy the concerns of the Committee. The Committee is to reconvene
subsequent to the probationary term and review the progress of the student. Results of this meeting are to
be submitted on the MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Report form. If the Committee decides at this, or
subsequent meetings, that the student should withdraw, it must be stated on the form that the Advisory
Committee “Recommends to the Associate Dean (at UW) or the Dean of Graduate Studies (at UofG) that the
student be required to withdraw”.
6.
Approval of Forms and Reports:
At UW for both MSc and PhD students, the MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Appointment Form, and MSc/PhD
Advisory Committee Reports must be forwarded to the Department Graduate Officer, then to the GWPI
Director for approval, who will forward it to the Faculty of Science Graduate Office for final approval. Refer to
(2) above for approval of the Graduate Degree Program Form.
At UofG for both MSc and PhD students the MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Appointment Form must be
forwarded to the Department Graduate Coordinator, then to the GWPI Director for approval, who will forward
it to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval. The MSc/PhD Advisory Committee Reports must be
forwarded to the Department Graduate Coordinator, then to the GWPI Director for approval. The MSc/PhD
Advisory Committee Reports are forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies along with the ‘action plan’ only
if unsatisfactory. Refer to (2) above for approval of the Graduate Degree Program Form.
Revised March 2015