CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS

Master's Student-a student who is enrolled as a candidate in a Master of Arts, Master of Environmental Studies, Master of Business Administration, Master of Social Work, Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies or Master of Theology program.

Doctoral Student-a student who is enrolled in a doctoral degree program.

Graduate Diploma Student-a student who is enrolled in a graduate diploma program.

Qualifying Student-a student who is enrolled in a prescribed program of studies in order to meet the admission requirements for a Master's program. Qualifying year students in the faculties of Arts and Science will write the regular final undergraduate examinations held by the university.

General Graduate Student-a student who is registered in a graduate course for credit but who is not enrolled in a graduate program.

International Student-a student who holds a student visa and pays fees accordingly.

Visiting Student-a student who is enrolled in a graduate program at another Ontario university and who is taking a course at WLU which will be credited for the degree in which the student is registered at the home university.

Inactive Student-a student who has been granted a leave of absence and consequently is not registered for a specific term but still remains a student in a master's program.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OR FACULTY

All graduate students are enrolled in a department, a faculty (Social Work and SBE) or the Seminary. The home academic unit is responsible for ensuring that all students have been fully informed about all the statements, guidelines and policies in the Graduate Calendar pertaining to integrity in the conduct of research, the style guide and equity in communications, the use of information technology, sexual harassment, race relations, and the creation and ownership of intellectual property. The home academic unit should also ensure that changes in graduate regulations do not jeopardize the status of graduate students admitted under previous regulations. Where regulations change, students have the option of completing their program under either the old or the new regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SUPERVISOR

In programs where a dissertation/thesis/cognate essay/research project is required, each student is supervised by a specific member of the faculty. However, unforeseen circumstances may require a change in supervisor prior to the completion of the student's program requirements. If this occurs, the graduate officer, program director, or program co-ordinator will assist the student in obtaining a new supervisor.

In order to ensure that graduate students receive continuous supervision while planning, writing or defending a dissertation/thesis/cognate essay/research project, faculty who will be absent from campus (e.g., sabbatical, illness, political leave, research) for an extended period of time (i.e., more than two continuous months) should not agree to act as a dissertation/thesis supervisor or to serve on dissertation/thesis committees. If a faculty member who is serving as a dissertation/thesis supervisor or as a member of a dissertation/thesis committee finds that he/she will be on leave for more than two continuous months, the student and the faculty member should meet with the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator to decide who will be responsible for the student during the period of absence. Normally, the faculty member will be replaced. However, there may be circumstances (e.g., the faculty member will be residing in Kitchener-Waterloo while on leave, or the dissertation/thesis is nearly completed) where the faculty member and the student agree to have the faculty member remain as a supervisor or committee member.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

In order to receive a graduate degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, students must meet:

all requirements of the department, school, faculty or seminary in which they are registered;

all regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies;

all financial obligations to the university.

Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Students should read the Graduate Calendar each year in order to understand and comply with all regulations pertaining to registration, the adding and dropping of courses, residence requirements, degree program requirements, the deadlines for the completion of course work, and the deadlines and procedures for thesis and comprehensive examinations. Students should read and pay special attention to all the statements, guidelines and policies in the Graduate Calendar pertaining to academic and research misconduct, ethics in research, conflict of interest, the student code of conduct and discipline, integrity in the conduct of research, the style guide and equity in communications, the use of information technology, sexual harassment, race relations and the creation and ownership of intellectual property. To ensure that students receive accurate and official interpretations of regulations, or information about program requirements, all questions should be addressed to the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator in the home department, school or faculty. In addition to the general rules of the university, some academic units may have additional requirements or rules that must be fulfilled. The dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies must approve, in writing, any exceptions to a regulation.
    Students have a responsibility to maintain regular contact (i.e., at least monthly at the dissertation/research project/thesis/cognate essay stage) with their faculty advisor or dissertation/thesis supervisor.
    All raw data collected for any dissertation/thesis/cognate essay/research project must be made available for evaluation at the request of the supervisor of the research project.
    If students have questions, concerns, or problems, the normal channel of communication is to discuss the matter with the course instructor or the supervisor. If further assistance is needed, the matter should be discussed with the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator and/or the chairperson or dean of the academic unit. Finally, the problem or concern can be addressed to the dean or assistant dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The ultimate levels of appeal are the Petitions Committee of Graduate Faculty Council and the Senate Student Appeals Committee. Complete information regarding eligible appeals and procedures may be obtained from the university Graduate Studies Office in the Alvin Woods Building, room 1-601.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

To apply to graduate programs at Laurier students must collect all application materials, including transcripts and references, which must be submitted in sealed envelopes endorsed across the back flap. All materials must be submitted to the appropriate office. Since this process may not be possible in all situations, no student will be penalized for the submission of documents separately, provided all parts of the application are received by the deadline.

Note:

•Information regarding specific programs may be obtained by writing directly to the appropriate department or to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

•An application fee must accompany all applications. See the fees section of this calendar for specific amounts.

The offices from which application forms may be obtained and the deadlines by which applications must be received follow:

MA, MMT Programs
Co-ordinator of Graduate Admissions and Records, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Ext. 3128
E-mail: gradstud@wlu.ca
Applicants are encouraged to apply before February 1 if they wish to be considered for a WLU Graduate Scholarship or for a teaching assistantship.

Joint PhD in Literary Studies/Theatre Studies in English
Director: D. Fischlin, Joint PhD Program, University of Guelph
E-mail: dfischli@uoguelph.ca
Applications must be received by the Joint PhD program by February 20. Late applications may be considered, space permitting.

Joint MA/MES/PhD Programs in Geography
Director: J. Bater, Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography, University of Waterloo
E-mail: wlgpig@fes.uwaterloo.ca
Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications by February 1 in order to be considered for financial awards.

Tri-University PhD Program in History
Director: J. Walker, Tri-University PhD Program in History, University of Waterloo
E-mail: jwwalker@watarts.uwaterloo.ca
Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications by February 1 in order to be considered for financial awards.

Tri-University Doctoral Program in Philosophy
Graduate Officer: R. Cristi, Department of Philosophy, Ext. 3346
E-mail: rcristi@wlu.ca
Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications by January 15 in order to be considered for financial awards.

MSW Programs
Co-ordinator of Admissions: Faculty of Social Work, Ext. 2024
Applications for the advanced standing MSW program must be postmarked by December 1. Applications for the two-year MSW program must be postmarked by February 1.

PhD Program in Social Work
PhD Program Co-ordinator: Faculty of Social Work, Ext. 3808; e-mail: swdoc@wlu.ca
Applications for the PhD program must be received by February 15. Late applications may be considered under exceptional circumstances.

MBA Programs
MBA Program: School of Business and Economics, Ext. 2542
Applicants for on-campus programs are encouraged to apply before March 15 to be considered for the first round of admission offers. Final date to apply is May 1. Application deadlines for off-site programs are available by calling Ext. 2575.

MDiv, MTh, MTS, DMin Programs
Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ext. 3234
Applications for the advanced standing joint seminary/social work programs must be submitted by December 1. Applications for the joint seminary/social work programs must be submitted by February 1. Applications for the DMin program must be submitted by February 15.

Letters of Reference
All applications must be supported by at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members with whom the applicant has studied. These referees must be able to assess the candidate's potential for graduate studies and research. For the MBA, MSW and PhD in social work programs, letters of reference from non-academic supervisors are also required.
    Students are also encouraged to submit a sample of written work (e.g., a term paper) completed in a recent semester. This paper will not be returned.
    Admission to graduate studies cannot be considered until all application requirements have been met and all documents submitted.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The department in which the applicant intends to pursue graduate study must approve the applicant's proposed program and recommend admission to the dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Note: Official admission to any program of graduate studies is in the form of an Offer of Admission from the dean of Graduate Studies and Research, or in the case of seminary students, from the dean of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. Entry into the programs, faculties and schools of the university is competitive. Possession of the minimum requirements for entry does not guarantee admission.

Doctoral Student
For admission to the PhD program in social work, applicants must hold a Master of Social Work degree from a recognized university, with at least an A- average in the master's program. Applicants with other graduate degrees and strong social service experience may be considered under exceptional circumstances.
    For admission to a PhD program in the Faculty of Arts, applicants must normally hold a master's degree from a recognized university with at least an A- standing in all graduate work.

Master's Student
An applicant who has graduated with a minimum of second-class honours or B standing in the fourth year of an honours program or equivalent at an approved university, and who is accepted as a candidate by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, may enrol as a graduate student in a master's program. A student who does not meet these requirements may apply for admission as a qualifying student.
    An applicant who has completed the qualifying year with a minimum of a B standing may apply for admission to the master's program.
    Special or additional admission requirements for a specific program, where applicable, are indicated in the sections of the calendar which describe particular programs.

Probationary Student
A student who does not meet fully all of the admission requirements, but who does not need to complete as many requirements as a qualifying student, may be admitted as a probationary student. If more than two terms following admission will be required to remove the probationary status, the student must be admitted as a qualifying student. A student who is admitted as a probationary student must either complete some missing requirement(s) while registered, or attain a predetermined level of performance in a course or in course work during the first or second term in a graduate program.
    A probationary student must be formally reviewed by the department, school or faculty and a recommendation to either remove the probationary status, or to withdraw from the program, must be forwarded to the dean of Graduate Studies and Research within two terms of the first registration in the program.

Qualifying Student
In order to be admitted to the master's program, a student must meet the general admission requirements as outlined above. An honours graduate with fewer courses in the selected area of graduate study than are required for admission, or a general (three-year) degree graduate, may be admitted as a qualifying student. The same conditions apply to honours graduates who do not have the number of undergraduate courses in their selected area of graduate study required for admission to a master's program.
    Applicants who have graduated with a minimum of B or equivalent standing in the final year of a general program at an approved university and who show special competence in the area in which they propose to pursue graduate studies and who are accepted as candidates by the Graduate Faculty, may enrol as qualifying students. Only under exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the dean of Graduate Studies and Research may graduate courses be included in the qualifying year.

General Graduate Students
General graduate students are students possessing an honours bachelor's degree or equivalent who are taking one or more graduate courses for credit but are not proceeding to a degree or a diploma at Laurier. Such students are admitted at the discretion of the dean of Graduate Studies and Research in consultation with the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator.* Courses taken by general graduate students are not normally intended to be used for credit toward a degree in a graduate program at Laurier.
    In special circumstances, the dean of Graduate Studies and Research, upon the recommendation of a graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator, may approve such courses for degree credit to a maximum of up to one half of the required course work for a specific program. In order to obtain credit for courses completed as general graduate students, students must have been recommended for admission to the program and have requested at the time of application that they receive degree credit for specific courses.
    *In the case of the seminary programs, the Seminary Admission Committee would make this decision.

Advanced Standing and Transfer of Credit
Normally, no more than two half-credit courses may be transferred from another university for credit towards a graduate degree at WLU. These credits must be "unused" credits, i.e., they must not have been credited towards an earlier earned degree or diploma at WLU or at another university or college. Additional allowance of course credit may be granted towards the MDiv, MTS and MTh degrees. For further details, refer to the sections of the Graduate Calendar which describe these programs. In these programs students will be required to complete at least an equivalent of one academic year of full-time study at Laurier.
    Permission to receive course credit towards a graduate degree at WLU for courses taken previously at another university may be granted at the discretion of the dean of Graduate Studies and Research upon the written recommendation of the department chairperson and graduate officer/program director. In the case of the Faculty of Social Work and the School of Business and Economics, this role is assumed by the MSW Curriculum and Petitions Committee and the MBA program director, respectively. In the case of seminary programs, the Seminary Admission Committee makes this decision upon recommendation of the seminary faculty. This recommendation must be supported by a statement regarding the appropriateness of the course(s) to the individual's particular degree program at WLU. In addition, the grade(s) earned in the course(s) must meet the equivalent minimum grade required of all graduate students at WLU. Courses considered for credit normally must have been taken within five years of the date of admission into a graduate program at WLU.

Challenge-for-Credit
Credit can be granted only for those courses designated as "challenge-for-credit" in the Graduate Calendar. Once admitted to a graduate program, students may petition to receive credit for a course in which they feel that they have obtained equivalent knowledge of the subject matter. Such a student, instead of attending classes and completing the normal course requirements, may obtain credit by passing a special examination by the end of the second week of the course.

Revocation of Admission or Registration
The university may nullify an admission and revoke a registration if it finds that an applicant for admission or registration has provided false or incomplete information in the process.

English Proficiency Requirements
Proficiency in English usage, both written and oral, is essential to pursue graduate studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. Applicants whose language of instruction during the undergraduate degree was other than English must furnish evidence of proficiency in English, prior to admission. Normally, this evidence is an acceptable score on one of the following: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency (MELAB), or the Carleton Academic English Language (CAEL) Assessment. A minimum score of 550 is required in the paper-based TOEFL; a minimum of 213 is required in the computer-based TOEFL; a minimum score of seven is required in IELTS; a minimum score of 90 is required in the Michigan Test; and a minimum score of 70 is required on CAEL Assessment. For admission to the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography, a minimum TOEFL score of the paper-based TOEFL with scores of at least 50 in each part is normally required. These tests are offered in Canada, the United States and many other countries. Applicants must make their own arrangements to write the test by contacting:

Test of English as a Foreign Language, PO Box 6154, Princeton, New Jersey, USA 08541-6154

International English Language Testing System, The British Council, Medlock Street, Manchester, England M15 4AA

The English Language Institute, Testing and Certification Division, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 48109-1057

Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6

The student is responsible for having the test results sent to the university in time for admission. Individual programs may have additional language requirements. It is the student's responsibility to ascertain the nature of these requirements and to fulfil them.

COURSE DESCRIPTION INFORMATION

Course
A course is a unit of study in a discipline identified by a unique course number and having a specific credit weight.

Course Number
The course number consists of a letter abbreviation indicating the subject area of the course (see list below) followed by a three-digit number to which, in some instances, an additional letter is appended.

BU Business
EC Economics
EN English
GG Geography
HI History
PO Political Science
PS Psychology
PY Philosophy
RE Religion and Culture
SK Social Work
TH Theology/Seminary

Credit Weight
The credit weight of the course is the relative weight assigned to the course and is generally based on the value assigned under the system previously used at WLU: a full-credit (1.0) course (also referred to as one credit) corresponds to the former two-term course; and a half-credit (0.5) course corresponds to the former one-term course. In the intramural sessions a full-credit course is usually taught over two terms and a half-credit course over one term. However, courses may be taught over other periods of time than those listed.

Course Description
The first line of the course description contains the course number, the course title and the course weight. The course information is followed by a brief description of the content of the course (more information is often available from the department). The description is followed, where applicable, by a prerequisite, co-requisite or credit exclusion statement. Any deviation from the normal number of contact hours for a course, namely three per week, will be noted at the end of the course descriptions or in the notes preceding the list of courses.

List of Abbreviations Indicating Term
F = fall
W = winter
F-W = fall and winter
S = spring

Prerequisite
A prerequisite for a course states a condition which must be satisfied prior to registration in the course. This condition may consist of (a) obtaining credit for one or more courses or (b) a particular registration status, such as registration in a program and/or in a specified year.

Co-requisite
A co-requisite for a course states a condition which must be satisfied concurrently with registration in the course. This condition will normally require registration in a specified course unless credit is already held for the co-requisite course.

Exclusion
An exclusion is a statement indicating either that a student cannot hold credit for both the course to which the exclusion statement is attached and any course listed in the exclusion statement or that the course cannot be counted for credit in the program or towards the degree listed.

REGISTRATION

By registering and paying fees, students assume responsibility for understanding and abiding by the regulations and procedures included in this Calendar. Moreover, it is the students' responsibility to establish and maintain communication with their faculty advisor or thesis supervisor.
    To ensure that students receive accurate and official interpretations of regulations, or information about program requirements, all questions should be addressed to the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator in the home department, school, or faculty.
    All master's and doctoral students must register for three terms each year commencing approximately September 1, January 1, and May 1. Full-time Waterloo Lutheran Seminary diploma and master's students must maintain continuous yearly registration of at least two terms each year; all Doctor of Ministry students must register for three terms each year commencing September 1, January 1, and May 1. Registration dates for WLU students are outlined in the academic schedule section of this calendar.
    No defence will be scheduled or held without registration being completed prior to the proposed date of the defence.

Independent/Directed Studies Courses
Students who register for an independent/directed studies course must submit the approved directed studies card to the co-ordinator of graduate sdmissions and records for MA/MES/MMT/PhD programs, to the MBA administrator for the MBA program, and to the MSW or PhD co-ordinator in the Faculty of Social Work at the time of registration, and the signed letter of agreement within one month of registration.

REGISTRATION STATUS

Full-time and Part-time Qualifying Students
A full-time qualifying student is one who is registered in three or more half-credit courses (or their equivalent) in any one academic term. A part-time qualifying student is one who is registered in less than three half-credit courses (or their equivalent) in any one academic term.

Full-time Master's or Doctoral Degree Candidates
In order to qualify as full-time, graduate students must:

be pursuing studies as a full-time occupation;

identify themselves as full-time graduate students;

be designated by the university as full-time graduate students;

be geographically available and visit the campus regularly. Without forfeiting full-time status, graduate students, while still under supervision, may be absent from their university (e.g., visiting libraries, doing field work, attending a graduate course at another institution, etc.) provided that, if any such period of absence exceeds four weeks in any one term, written evidence shall be available in the Graduate Studies Office to the effect that the absence has the approval of the chairperson of the department and the dean of Graduate Studies and Research;

not be regularly employed by the university for more than an average of 10 hours per week. (See guidelines for teaching assistantship responsibilities.)

Part-time Master's or Doctoral Degree Candidates
These are candidates who fail to meet all of the above requirements. Normally, part-time students may not register in more than one full-credit course or equivalent per term.

Inactive Status
Students may petition for either one or two terms of inactive status at a time when circumstances prevent them from working on either their course work or their thesis. Students will not normally be granted more than two terms of inactive status during their master's or doctoral degree candidacy; however, a maximum of two additional terms of inactive status may be granted in extenuating circumstances such as illness, parental leave, or a career change.
    Students who are granted inactive status will not be required to pay fees during that term; consequently, they will not have access to university facilities or faculty.
    Terms spent on inactive status are not included in the calculation of the time to completion.
    A petition for inactive status should indicate: i) the number of terms of inactive status requested; ii) the date of commencement of the first such term; and iii) the reason(s) why inactive status is required (including documentation if applicable). A form to petition for inactive status is available from the appropriate graduate office.

Adding and Dropping Courses
Students wishing to add or drop courses must do so before the deadlines listed in the Graduate Calendar. Forms, which can be obtained from the office of the dean or director of the program in which the student is enrolled, must be completed by the student and authorized by the department chairperson, the instructor, and the dean of Graduate Studies and Research (in the case of the Faculty of Social Work, the dean, Faculty of Social Work, and in the case of the MBA, the MBA program director).

Course Availability
As far as possible, each program attempts to provide a full range of core courses and electives. However, every course listed in this Calendar is not available in every session or every year.
    Students may enrol in graduate courses in another department with the permission of the course instructor and the home department or faculty. Additional fees may be charged for these courses (see section on fees for additional courses).

Residence Requirements
Generally, graduate programs at Laurier may be taken either on a full-time or a part-time basis.
    Students in the full-time Master of Social Work program are required to be consecutively enrolled as full-time students for no less than one academic year (normally winter, spring, fall terms consecutively).
    Students in the PhD program in social work must complete a residence requirement of four consecutive terms.
    Students in a PhD program in the Faculty of Arts must complete a minimum residence requirement of four terms from a master's degree or six terms from an honours bachelor's degree. Other graduate programs do not have specific residence requirements.

Fees for Additional Courses
Upon receipt of a recommendation from graduate officers/program directors/program co-ordinators, students may be authorized by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research to take undergraduate courses at Laurier for which no additional fee will be assessed if at least one of the following conditions exists:

in the judgment of the student's advisory committee and/or the graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator, the student would benefit from the course(s) in order to write the dissertation/thesis/cognate essay/research project;

the student's undergraduate training is such that clearly there is need for enrichment in some area;

a specific graduate course requires prerequisite knowledge which the student does not have and must acquire in order to complete the course.

    This arrangement will be limited to one course per term and to a maximum of three half-credit courses during the full tenure of graduate studies for any graduate student at Laurier.
    Students wishing to take additional courses which do not meet the above criteria will be charged for these courses at the general graduate student rate.

Audit Policy for Graduate Students
As a candidate for a graduate degree, a student may register to audit the equivalent of one full-credit course in any graduate or undergraduate program at Laurier without being assessed any additional fees. Courses taken for audit will not count for credit towards the student's degree program, nor will the student be allowed to write final examinations or receive grades for courses which are audited. Courses which are audited will be recorded on the student's transcript and the term "AUD'' will appear in lieu of a grade. At the time of submitting course grades, instructors will submit either "AUD'' or "DNA'' (did not attend), whichever is applicable. In order to audit a course, students must enter the course number and designation "audit'' on their registration form and obtain the written approval of their graduate officer/program director/program co-ordinator and of the course instructor.
    Graduate students who wish to audit more than the equivalent of one full-credit course during their tenure as graduate students at Laurier will be assessed an additional fee.

Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan
The Ontario Visiting Graduate Student Plan allows a registered graduate student of an Ontario university (home university) to take graduate courses at another Ontario university (host university) while remaining registered at the home university. The students pay fees to their home university and are classified as "visiting graduate students'' at the host university where they pay no fees. Visiting students are still eligible for awards at their home university.
    The student completes a visiting graduate student form which must be obtained from the graduate office of the home university. On this form the student must indicate the course(s) to be taken and the term when the course is offered at the host university. Admission is not complete until the form has been approved by the department chairperson and graduate dean of both the home university and the host university.
    The course(s) selected must be at the graduate level and must be required for the student's degree program, and not be available at the home university. Such courses may not be "extra" or "audit" courses. The student is subject to any regulations of the home university (e.g., the maximum number of courses which may be taken at another Ontario university). Specifically, part-time students are not eligible to take courses under this plan. Normally, a student registered at Laurier will be allowed to register for one full-credit course or two half-credit courses under this plan.
    If students withdraw from the course at the host university they must notify the home university by the deadline date for dropping courses stated in the host calendar. If the student does not do so, the course will be counted as a failure.

Adding or Withdrawing from Courses
A course must be added no later than 12 calendar days from the first day of classes. This regulation applies to spring term, fall term, winter term, and full-credit courses taken over the September - April academic year. The final dates for withdrawing from courses without penalty of failure are listed in the academic schedule section of this calendar. A grade of F will be assigned if a student withdraws after the final date.

Cross-Registration in Undergraduate Courses at the University of Waterloo
The Joint Co-operative Advisory Council of Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo has established an agreement whereby students of either university may cross-register to take undergraduate courses at the other institution. The main objective is to make available courses which currently are not offered at the student's home institution.
    Cross-registration is open to full-time qualifying students at Laurier. Students must register and pay all fees at the home institution, where they must obtain the signature of the department chairperson of the discipline in which they select the course. The cross-registration form is available in the Graduate Studies Office.
    Any timetable conflicts must be resolved between the student and the instructor involved. Examination conflicts must be resolved by the home institution. The basic academic regulations, prerequisites for courses, grading system, etc., of the university offering the course will apply.
    Regulations concerning the date for adding or dropping a course, as well as petitions, are governed by the student's home institution.

Courses on Letter of Permission
Qualifying students may take undergraduate courses at another recognized university, provided a Letter of Permission has been obtained from the Graduate Studies Office at Laurier prior to registration in such courses. A student's request for a Letter of Permission must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee.
    If students do not, in fact, register for the course(s) specified in the Letter of Permission, they must notify the Graduate Studies Office at Wilfrid Laurier University in writing before the start of the session indicated in the letter.
    It is the students' responsibility to have a transcript of their final grades sent to the Graduate Studies Office of Laurier. If the transcript is not received within one month after completion of the course, a grade of F will be assigned to each course. The grade attained in the course taken on a Letter of Permission will be included in the cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Withdrawal From the University
A student who wishes to withdraw from the university must report to the dean or director of the program in which the student is enrolled in order to complete the Graduate Student Withdrawal Form. The Student Identification Card must be handed in at the time of withdrawal.
    A student who withdraws without submitting the completed Graduate Student Withdrawal Form will not be eligible for any refund of fees, nor exemption from fees in the event that fees have not been paid at the time of withdrawal.
    Students who have withdrawn in good standing may request readmission within one year of withdrawal without completing the required application forms or paying any required application fee.
    Students who have withdrawn or who have failed to register must reapply for admission if more than one year has elapsed since their withdrawal date. Students who have been required to withdraw must reapply for admission. Each applicant for readmission must pay any applicable application fee, must include a letter indicating a proposed schedule for the completion of all degree requirements, and must agree to be interviewed by representatives of the graduate program.
    Students who have been readmitted may be required to complete additional course work.
    Students who withdraw from the university at any time retain the final grades in courses completed prior to the date of their withdrawal.
    Students who withdraw after the deadline for dropping courses will have those courses in their program recorded as a failure and these will be included in the cumulative grade point average (GPA).
    The refund policy is outlined in detail in the fees section of this calendar.
    Students who withdraw or change their status to part-time before the end of term will be required to repay, on a weekly prorated basis, any scholarship funds previously paid to the student.

ACADEMIC STANDING

Evaluation
To gain standing in a course, a student must meet the course requirements for attendance, term work and examinations.
    In accordance with good teaching practice, every instructor should distribute a course outline which includes evaluation procedures, and shall review and explain course requirements with each class, preferably at the first meeting or, in any case, within the first two weeks of the beginning of class.

Completion of Course Work
All course work must be completed by the last day of classes. Under exceptional circumstances an extension may be granted for the completion of course work. MA/MES/MMT/PhD, MSW and MBA students requesting an extension must complete the Request for Extension to Complete Course Work form by the first day of classes in the following term.
    Under exceptional circumstances, if the assigned course work is not completed by the end of the term, an interim designation of "Incomplete" may be submitted by the course instructor in lieu of a final grade. This designation may be assigned only in a manner consistent with departmental policy. When such a designation is assigned, the student remains responsible for completing the work and if a passing grade is not reported by the date specified by the department (maximum one term), the Incomplete will automatically convert to an F grade.

Qualifying Year Program
Each qualifying year student will be assigned a faculty Advisor. Before initial registration in the qualifying year, students should work out their complete program with an advisor designated by the department, and have it approved by the department. It should be reported on the Qualifying Year form and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office. Courses in the qualifying year will be undergraduate courses, normally taken at the honours level or an equivalent as determined by the department.
    In certain cases, general-level, summer school or extension courses may be included in the qualifying year program. The nature of this special arrangement should be determined by the instructor and the student, and approved by the appropriate officer of the department. It should be noted that, although honours numbers are not printed in the summer school and extension calendars, it is sometimes possible under Arts and Science regulations to take such courses at the honours level.
    A grade of C- is the minimum requirement for successful completion of each course. However, students in the qualifying program must achieve at least a B average in order to be considered for admission to a master's program.
    Normally, at the end of a qualifying year the applicant must have completed a total of 20 full-credit courses, of which 10 must be at the senior level in the area selected for graduate study.
    After completing a qualifying year, students may apply for admission to the master's program. Successful completion of a qualifying year does not guarantee admission into the master's program.

Master's Program
A candidate must maintain at least a B- grade in each course and must present and defend an acceptable thesis/cognate essay/research paper when required by the program.
    Any candidate who obtains an F grade in any course may be required to withdraw from the program. An MA/MES/MMT student who receives an F grade may, on the recommendation of the Department, be placed on probation. Special academic conditions may prevail during the probationary period. However, an MA/MES/MMT student who receives an F grade in more than one course (sequentially or concurrently) will be required to withdraw from the program. In the professional programs (MBA and MSW) a student who receives a grade of F may submit a request to the petitions committee of the appropriate school/faculty for permission to complete supplemental assignments or to repeat the course in order to obtain the necessary course credit. Where such permission is granted, the student will have probationary status until a satisfactory course credit is obtained. However, a student will not be allowed to repeat or do supplemental work more than once in any one course or in more than two courses during the entire program.

Doctoral Program
Doctoral students must maintain at least a B grade in each course. Doctoral students in geography and environmental studies must attain a minimum grade of B+ in each course to be eligible to continue in the program. In addition, departments conduct an annual evaluation of a student's overall program of studies and research to determine whether progress is deemed satisfactory. In the event that progress is deemed unsatisfactory, the department may recommend to the dean of Graduate Studies and Research that the student be required to withdraw.

Academic Probation
A master's or doctoral student who has failed a course, or who is permitted to continue in a program without fully meeting some requirement, may be classified as a probationary student following a formal review by the department, school or faculty. The student will remain on probation until the course or its equivalent is successfully completed or until some predetermined requirement or condition has been met. Failure to remove the probationary status within three terms will result in the student being required to withdraw from the program.

DEGREE PROGRAM TIME LIMITS

Students must maintain continuous registration every term to the end of the term in which all degree requirements, including course requirements, dissertation/thesis/cognate essay/research paper and oral examination, are completed. No defence will be scheduled or held without registration being completed prior to the proposed date of the defence.
    Candidates who fails to maintain continuous registration will be required to withdraw from the program unless they have been granted inactive status.
    Master's candidates who elect the thesis stream will be required to complete the research requirements, including the defence, within two years of the completion of all required course work.
    Master's candidates who elect the cognate essay/research project stream will be required to complete the research requirements, including the defence, within one year of the completion of all required course work.
    Master's students will not be permitted to extend their candidacy beyond five years of the date of acceptance into a master's program.
    Doctoral students in the Faculty of Social Work will be required to complete the research requirements, including the dissertation defence, within three years of admission to candidacy.
    Doctoral students in the Faculty of Arts will be required to complete the research requirements, including the defence, within four years of acceptance into the doctoral program from a master's degree or within six years of acceptance into the doctoral program from a bachelor's degree.

GRADING SYSTEM

Master's and Doctoral Students

*Courses in music, psychology and social work which are identified as practicum courses (MU504, MU508, MU603 and MU604; PS615 and PS625; SK541, SK549, SK643, SK649, SK808, SK809, and SK810), and EN600, are graded on an S (satisfactory)/F (failure) basis. GG691 is graded on a CR (credit)/NCR (no credit) basis. EN777, GG891, HI700, HI703, HI799, PO694 and PY701 are graded on a Pass/Fail basis. A dissertation/thesis/major research paper/cognate essay grade is recorded as CPL (completed).

Qualifying Students

Grade Equivalency
For those wishing to establish percentage equivalency to letter grades submitted for student evaluation at Laurier, the following percentage conversion may be adopted. Please note this table is for information purposes only.

 
PETITIONS

The petitions committees of the respective graduate degree programs (i.e., the Petitions Committee for MA/MES/PhD students; the Petitions Committee for MBA students; the MMT Curriculum and Petitions Committee; the MSW Curriculum and Petitions Committee; the PhD in Social Work Committee for PhD students; and the Petitions Committee for Diploma, MDiv, MTh, MTS and DMin students) function as the first level of appeal. The second level of appeal is the Petitions Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council. The Senate Student Appeals Committee functions as the highest level of appeal. Graduate students may petition for exemption from academic policies and/or decisions in exceptional circumstances by submitting a formal request to the appropriate petitions committee. A student's status will remain unchanged while an appeal is pending.
    For all students wishing to petition, the following deadlines will apply.

Students wishing to appeal an academic decision must do so within five weeks of the issuing of such a decision.

Students wishing to seek any kind of program extension must submit their request at least three weeks prior to the date when the work is due.

Doctoral students wishing to seek extensions of their dissertation deadline must initiate their requests at least three months prior to the expiry of the candidacy period.

Grade Petitions
Students who believe that the final grade, as received from the Office of the Registrar, does not reflect their academic performance in a course must meet with the instructor or chair/associate dean (Business)/dean (Music)/dean (Social Work) to review the evaluation procedures and the decision on all assignments, examinations or other course requirements.
    If the course instructor is unavailable or unwilling to meet with the student, or if the student believes that his or her concerns have not been addressed after a meeting with the instructor, a written petition requesting an official grade reassessment should be submitted to the chairperson, associate dean (Business), dean (Music) or dean (Social Work) within five weeks of receiving the grade from the Office of the Registrar. If the instructor is an administrative officer (i.e., chairperson or dean), the petition should be submitted to his/her immediate supervisor. The petition should indicate the reason for the appeal, and include supporting documentation. The chairperson/associate dean (Business)/chairperson/dean of the MMT Curriculum and Petitions Committee/chairperson of the FSW Petitions Committee shall provide the student with a decision, in writing, within four weeks of receiving the petition.
    If the appeal is denied at the department level, the student may appeal to the petitions committee of the appropriate graduate degree program and, if eligible, to the subsequent appeal bodies: the Petitions Committee of Graduate Faculty Council and the Senate Student Appeals Committee. In order for a grade appeal to be considered by the petitions committee of the appropriate graduate degree program, a $25 petitions fee, refundable if the petitions committee finds in favour of the student, must be made payable to, and submitted to, the Graduate Studies Office along with the written petition.

MASTER'S EXAMINATIONS AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Course Examinations
Master's candidates will write any examinations prescribed in individual courses and must pass a final oral examination based upon the cognate essay, major research project and/or thesis.
    A comprehensive requirement must be met to ensure that MA/MES candidates in all streams have a similar graduate experience, possess a breadth of knowledge in their field, and have completed independent library, laboratory, or field research which they have defended orally before members of the faculty. Candidates should consult the appropriate program requirements section of this calendar for the regulations as to how this university requirement must be completed in their department.
    Faculty members are responsible for advising students (in writing) within two weeks of the start of classes of all course requirements and examination procedures to be used in their courses. This information will include details of the final grade determination (i.e., what percentage of the final grade will be based on assignments, tests, class participation, midterm and final examinations, etc.).
    If a course does not have a final examination, the final grade is normally based (at least partially) on some form of written term-work (e.g., term paper, essay, take-home exam, research report, etc.). In accordance with the university's policy governing ownership of records, examinations and course-work material, all material submitted by students as part of their course work at the university shall be considered the property of the university.

Oral Examination-Master's Thesis
The purpose of the oral defence of a master's thesis is to demonstrate to the examiners that the candidate fully understands the work that was completed, how the research was completed, and the meaning and significance of the findings and conclusions. The candidate must also have a clear understanding of how the work fits with the relevant literature and/or practice.
    The defence shall not cover general course work unless it relates to the thesis in some definite way.

Note: Slightly different procedures and committee composition govern the oral defence of a thesis in the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography.

Thesis Advisory Committee

The department/faculty or appropriate program unit appoints a thesis advisory committee for each candidate consisting of a supervisor and two additional members. All members may come from a single department/faculty, but need not do so.

The supervisor and committee members must be members of the graduate faculty at WLU.

Should it be deemed desirable to invite a member of the graduate faculty of another university (or another qualified individual) to act as a member of the thesis advisory committee, this person should function as an additional member of the committee so that no committee would consist of fewer than three members of the graduate faculty at WLU. Such an appointment may only be made by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research upon receipt of a written recommendation from the candidate's department/faculty.

The dean of Graduate Studies and Research shall be informed of the appointed thesis advisory committee membership as soon as the candidate's thesis topic is approved.

The Examination Committee
The Examination Committee shall be appointed by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research and consist of:

The committee chairperson, who is not from the department/faculty or program concerned and who has not taught the candidate.

The three members of the thesis advisory committee

An additional examiner, who may be nominated by the department/faculty or program. This examiner must be external to the department/faculty, the program or to the university.

Conduct of the Oral Defence and Role of the Chairperson
The chairperson must assume the responsibility of becoming familiar with the content of the thesis, thereby assuring that the thesis examination is fair. The chairperson and the external examiner, by definition, represent an objective and unbiased position and therefore they must be external to the student's academic unit. A document entitled "Procedures for Conducting Oral Defence Examinations of Master's Theses and Cognate Essays" is available from the Graduate Studies Office.

Oral Examination-MA Cognate Essay Option
As a final requirement for candidates completing a cognate essay, an oral examination will be conducted in defence of the essay.
    The examining committee shall be appointed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies through the Graduate Studies Office. It shall consist of at least five members:

The committee chairperson, who is not from the department concerned and who has not taught the candidate.

Three faculty members who have instructed the candidate during the candidate's program of graduate studies.

An additional examiner who may be nominated by the department. This examiner must be external to the department or to the university.

The chairperson must assume the responsibility of assuring that the examination is fair. The chairperson, by definition, represents an objective and unbiased position and therefore must be external to the department. A document entitled "Procedures for Conducting Oral Examinations of Master's Theses and Cognate Essays" is available from the Graduate Studies Office.

Oral Examination-MA/MMT Research Paper Option
As a final requirement for candidates completing a research paper, an oral examination will be conducted in defence of the paper.
    The examining committee shall be appointed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies through the Graduate Studies Office. It shall consist of at least four members:

The committee chairperson, who is not from the department concerned and who has not taught the candidate.

Three faculty members who have instructed the candidate during the candidate's program of graduate studies.

    The chairperson must assume the responsibility of assuring that the examination is fair. The chairperson, by definition, represents an objective and unbiased position and therefore must be external to the department. A document entitled "Procedures for Conducting Oral Examinations of MA Major Research Paper Options" is available from the Graduate Studies Office.

Oral Examination-MA/MES Master's Research Paper Option
The examining committee is appointed by the Joint Program Committee and consists of three members: the supervisor, the committee member and a reader.

Oral Examination-MBA Research Project Option
Students who have chosen the Research Project Option will complete BU680 after all other courses have been successfully completed, and an oral defence will be scheduled for these students at the completion of all other requirements of the program. At this oral defence, students will formally defend the results of the project.
    The purpose of this oral defence is to demonstrate to the examiners that the candidate fully comprehends the work that was completed, how it was completed and the significance of the findings and conclusions. The candidate must also have a clear understanding of how the work fits into the relevant literature and/or practice.
    The oral defence shall not cover general course work.

The MBA Examination Committee includes:

The committee chairperson (appointed by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research from faculty outside the School of Business and Economics)

The student's advisor or advisors.

Two readers from the MBA faculty (appointed by the MBA program director).

Conduct of the Oral Defence and Role of the Chairperson
A document entitled "Procedures for Conducting Oral Defence Examinations of MBA Research Projects" is available from the Graduate Studies Office. In addition to the procedures outlined in this document, the examination committee will assign a letter grade ranging from B- to A+ when all the necessary changes have been completed.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING A MASTER'S THESIS

Policy and Procedures
Students whose program of studies includes a thesis requirement must submit a thesis which is written in satisfactory literary form, and based upon research in some topic connected with their discipline. The thesis must demonstrate the candidate's capacity for original and independent work, and when appropriate it should include a critical evaluation of work which has previously been done in the field of research. The thesis should emphasize any new conclusions which may be drawn from the candidate's own research.
    If a thesis topic involves human or animal subjects, approval for the investigation must be sought from the Research Ethics Board (REB). Information about the procedures for receiving approval can be obtained from the Office of Research.
    Six copies of the unbound thesis in final draft, typed in conformity with the following thesis format guidelines, must be submitted to the academic unit, three of which are forwarded to the dean of Graduate Studies and Research. The three thesis copies must be in the Graduate Studies Office at least two weeks prior to the proposed date for the oral defence for master's students.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AND SCHEDULING THE ORAL EXAMINATION

Purpose
All students are required to complete an original dissertation that makes a significant contribution to the existing knowledge in their field.
    If a dissertation topic involves animals or human subjects, approval for the investigation must be sought from the WLU Research Ethics Board. Details are available from the Office of Research.
    The dissertation is the culmination of a candidate's program. The dissertation must represent an original and significant contribution to the field and must, therefore, be exposed to the scholarly criticism of the members of the university community. The dissertation is placed on display in the Graduate Studies Office for two weeks. The examination is open and provides the candidate with an opportunity to defend and clarify the research.

Structure and Selection of the Dissertation Examining Committee
Each dissertation examining committee must consist of a supervisor, who normally will be a full-time member of the faculty; at least three other members of the graduate faculty of the university, one of whom must be a member from outside the academic unit of the candidate; and an external examiner with no previous formal linkages with the student, the supervisor or the academic unit.
    The supervisor and all internal members must hold a current appointment to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The committee, in consultation with the candidate and the supervisor, will appoint the external members of the committee.
    The external examiner will be appointed by the dean of Graduate Studies from a list of at least three scholars who are recognized authorities on the subject of the dissertation. These external scholars must currently reside in Canada or the United States. The list of potential examiners will be submitted (on the appropriate nomination form) by the academic unit, after consultation with the supervisor and the other internal members of the examining committee. The nominations must be submitted at least eight weeks in advance of the proposed date(s) for the oral examination.

Procedures for Submitting the Dissertation and Scheduling the Oral Examination
At least eight weeks in advance of the proposed date(s) for the examination, the academic unit must submit the names of at least three potential external examiners (from Canada or the United States) to the dean of Graduate Studies. The dean of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the academic unit, will invite an external examiner who agrees to read the dissertation, to submit a written evaluation at least 10 working days prior to the proposed examination date(s), and to attend the oral examination. The written report should indicate the external examiner's preliminary vote (per the decision categories) based on a reading of the dissertation. Failure to receive this report by mail, e-mail or fax will result in the postponement of the oral examination. Once an external examiner has agreed to serve, the date, time and location of the examination will be confirmed.
    Candidates must distribute one copy of the dissertation to each of the internal members of the committee and submit two copies, along with the signed Dissertation Submission Form, to the Graduate Studies Office at least five weeks in advance of the scheduled examination date. These copies must be submitted in the format required by the current thesis format guidelines. The  Graduate Studies Office will forward one copy to the external examiner, and place the other copy on display for examination by any member of the university. The Graduate Studies Office will announce the submission of the dissertation, the membership of the examining committee, and the date and location of the oral defence. Major criticisms of the dissertation by members of the university community, other than those on the examining committee, must be submitted in writing to the dean of Graduate Studies no later than one week prior to the oral examination.

SUBMISSION OF APPROVED MASTER'S THESIS OR DOCTORAL DISSERTATION FOR BINDING

When the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation has been accepted by the supervisor, the candidate must submit four unbound copies to the Graduate Studies Office for approval and forwarding to the university library. Of these four copies, one unbound copy will be sent for inclusion to the Canadian Thesis on Microfiche Service at the National Library, Ottawa. The remaining three copies of the thesis or dissertation are bound by the library and distributed as follows: one for the candidate, one for the candidate's department, and one for the supervisor. The copy returned by the National Library after microfiching is bound and becomes the WLU library copy.
    The Graduate Studies Office (or university library) will forward an abstract of the doctoral dissertation (maximum 350 words) to the publishers of Dissertation Abstracts International. The abstract, which must be prepared by the doctoral candidate and approved by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, will be published in Dissertation Abstracts International. It will be available in microfilm form through the National Library of Canada. The publisher's fee for this service will be collected from the author of the dissertation.
    Theses become the property of Wilfrid Laurier University. The candidate gives the university the right to reproduce the thesis in whole or in part in any form. Candidates, however, retain the right to publish their theses. All copies made under the authority of the university's "Partial Copyright Licence" shall bear a statement to the effect that the copy in question "is being made available in this form by authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner." The four copies of the Partial Copyright Licence which the student signs are bound with the thesis. The title page of the thesis must include the Universal Copyright Notice©.

THESIS STYLE AND FORMAT GUIDELINES

The thesis must be double spaced throughout. The print size must be standard throughout and not less than 11 point. Paper used for the final copies should be 8 1/2 x 11 inch, 20 lb. bond. Paper used for the defence copies may be of a lighter weight, but must be 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Acceptable printers include laser and ink-jet.
    Copies prepared for the defence may be double-sided, however, final copies must be single-sided.
    The left margin must be a minimum of one and a half inches to allow for binding. All other margins must be a minimum of one inch.
    The first line of every paragraph should be indented a standard five spaces.
    Abbreviations may be used (if conventional in the particular discipline) but must be defined the first time they are used.
    If there are alternative correct spellings of a particular word, either form may be used, but such use must be consistent throughout the thesis.
    The organizational sequence should be as follows:

Title page of the thesis

Abstract

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents

List of Tables (if appropriate)

List of Figures (if appropriate)

Text of the thesis

Endnotes and/or footnotes (may be included in the text)

Appendices (if appropriate)

References

The thesis pages should be numbered in consecutive order with Arabic numerals, starting with the first page of text and continuing through to the last page of the entire thesis, including endnotes/footnotes, appendices and references. Pages preceding the text, starting with the first page of the abstract should be numbered consecutively with lower-case Roman numerals.
    The title page of the thesis must contain the Universal Copyright Notice©.
    The title page must be organized as follows:

(TITLE OF THESIS)

by

(full name of the author)

(undergraduate degree, university, year)

THESIS

Submitted to the Department/Faculty of ___________________

in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

(Degree in full, i.e. Master of Arts)

Wilfrid Laurier University

20___

(name of author) 20___

DOCTORAL EXAMINATIONS AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

For specific regulations pertaining to a doctoral program consult the specific program section of the Graduate Calendar.

GRADUATION

Application for Graduation
Application forms are available from the office of the dean or director of the program in which the student is enrolled or from the Registrar's Office. Completed applications must be returned to the Registrar's Office no later than December 1 for spring convocation and July 1 for fall convocation. Details regarding convocation will be mailed from the Registrar's Office early in May or October.
    If academic documentation for graduation is not received at least 10 days prior to the convocation date, the student will have to postpone graduation to the following convocation.

Academic Hoods
Purple and gold are the University colours. Academic hoods are purple and gold with trim as follows: