Spring Review Information

Overview

An oral review and written progress report is required for all graduate students in the spring of their first year in residence. The Review meeting must be attended by the student, the supervisor and, where possible, all other members of the student's supervisory committee (at minimum at least one non-supervisory committee member for Masters students and two non-supervisory committee members for PhD students must be present). Where appropriate (e.g. scheduling issues), teleconference or other video conference (e.g. Skype) may be used to encourage full attendance.

The Review is intended to be supportive; its purpose is to review the student's academic progress during the academic year, to assess her / his ability to articulate thoughts in a disciplined manner, to lay out research plans (including safety protocols), to review administrative and financial arrangements, and to establish an agenda for subsequent work. Moreover, the Review is an important opportunity for the student to provide constructive feedback to the departmental graduate committee on the “graduate experience”. This information is highly valued by the committee and has been the basis for many new initiatives.

The meeting should take place during term 2 of the first year of studies and no later than May 1st.  Students and supervisors are asked to complete a Spring Review report (click here for report template) and hand it to graduate program staff by May 31st.

Preparing for the Review

1. After consultation with the supervisor, the student will be responsible for arranging the date and time to meet as a group and conduct the review.
2. Prior to the Spring Review (preferably 5-7 days in advance), and after consultation with the supervisor, the student should circulate to the Committee the draft Review Report. Click here for the report template. This report will include the following information:
   • A list of courses completed in the previous year (course number and short title), and results (incompletes should also be noted). It is often helpful to include titles of term papers (where appropriate) and a two- or three-sentence summary of each one.
   • A list of courses planned for the summer and ensuing year(s).
   • Financial support: (a) during the year under review, including TA duties (if appropriate); (b) for the year ahead.
   • A concise thesis outline or proposal (Masters and Doctoral) or comment on major essay, including a draft timetable.
     (This is usually no more than a page or two at most.)
   • Post-graduation plans (further research, application deadlines etc...).
   • Safety plan for fieldwork, to be discussed with supervisor. See 09/10 Safety Proposal (doc) and important safety policies and information (last section on page).
3. Once the review is over, the student and the supervisor must fill out and sign the review report, and hand it to graduate program staff as well as the Committee members.
4. If the student or any member of the spring review committee would prefer a member of the Graduate Committee to chair the meeting, they are asked to submit their request two weeks prior to the grad staff member. 

Agenda for the Review Meeting

Remember that the Spring Review is intended to do at least four things:

• monitor a student's progress
• ensure that a student has access to the financial and academic resources required to complete their program
• establish an agenda for subsequent work
• provide constructive student feedback to the departmental graduate committee (e.g. help identify useful graduate course outside the department, and ways to improve the graduate experience)

Any grounds for concern about the student's work should be explored carefully and constructively. The following specific matters should be touched upon:

1. Courses Completed or in Progress:
   Review of course results and performance; firm dates for completion of incompletes; contribution of course work program to personal intellectual development; courses completed; and program requirements.
2. Courses Planned:
   Rationale for proposed schedule; program requirements and necessary training (Faculty of Graduate Studies/comprehensives/archival or field work plans); and work load.
3. Statement of Research Plan:

• For Non-Thesis Masters:
  (a) Areas to be covered in the comprehensive examination; type of examination (oral /written /combination); date of examination; and plans for major essay(s) and relation to field in the discipline.
• For Masters with Thesis:
  (b) Outline of thesis research plans, relation of thesis or major essay topic to a field within geography; and feasibility of thesis plans.
• For Doctoral Candidates:
  Elements of both (a) and (b) may be relevant.

4. Financial Support:
   Assistantship, fellowship, etc. for summer and the following year; special needs for field or archival work; and source and adequacy of support.
5. Language Requirements

Any Other Business

Review Report

1. The draft/initial report is prepared by the supervisor and student at least one week prior to the Spring Review meeting. The student and committee members should see the draft report and may append a note of clarification, comment, etc.
2. A copy of the final report, signed by all members of the Committee and by the student is distributed to each member of the Committee, the student and graduate program staff member (for the student's file) by May 31st.

Unsatisfactory Review

On the rare occasions in which, on the basis of course marks or other indications, a student's progress appears unsatisfactory, this Review may be the basis for a decision about the student's continuation in the program. If the oral review is unsatisfactory, it may be repeated within a month, chaired by a member of the Graduate Committee. If the Review and the student's general academic progress are still judged to be unsatisfactory, the student will be required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Other Information

Full-time Master's students who fail to complete their program by December 1 following their second year of residence will have a mandatory review before the end of that calendar year to consider progress, problems and prospects for completion. Full-time Doctoral students who fail to complete by December 1 following their fourth year in the doctoral program will also have a mandatory review before the end of that calendar year to consider progress, problems and prospects for completion.

Students in the second year of a Master's program are not expected to have a second oral review; however, resident Master's students who are applying for admission to the Ph.D. program will normally be asked to meet with a committee to review their Master's work and to assess Ph.D. plans (see guidelines for Ph.D. programme).