Graduate Handbook
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Thesis Information
Forms
Documents
Related Links
- Finding a Supervisor
- Research Ethics
- Recommended Reading: How to Write A a Master's Thesis by Yvonne Bui
- SGPS Graduate Supervision Handbook
Information for Faculty Members
PhD Public Lecture Schedule
Thesis Proposal
Supervisory Committee
Formatting and Elements of a Thesis
All procedures and regulations found in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' Thesis Regulation Guide must be followed in the completion of the thesis. Students are encouraged to visit Section 8.3 early in the writing process. This section lists all components of a thesis (with a brief description of each) and formatting specifications. Although individual page templates are provided in Section 8.3, the use of the electronic formatting template (the link is provided below) is recommended since it includes all of the individual templates in one continuous document, moving seamlessly from the introductory page numbering to main body content page numbering. You may save the template, then copy and paste your text into it. Note that use of the templates is not mandatory but you must ensure that your thesis meets the SGPS formatting requirements. Click here for electronic formatting templates. The thesis may be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .rtf format. Students are encouraged to use the Portable Document Format (.pdf) as all documents received through the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation repository are automatically converted to .pdf. Using the .pdf format allows the candidate to verify the appearance and organization of the document as it will be presented to the examiners.
Notes regarding the Certificate of Examination
PhD students are not required to submit a Certificate of Examination. The Certificate is provided to the Chair of the thesis exam by the Thesis Coordinator in Grad Studies.
MA students are not required to submit a Certificate of Examination. The Certificate is provided to the Chair of the thesis exam by the Graduate Program Assistant. Students must confirm their thesis title and name, as they wish them to appear, with the Graduate Program Assistant.
Bibliography
The presentation of references/ bibliographies must be consistent throughout the thesis and conform to a style appropriate to the discipline (i.e., referencing format of the Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology).
Terms Deadlines and Other Considerations
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Fee Refunds
Steps Leading to Thesis Exam and Degree Completion
1. Submission of Examining Board Information
MA - Four weeks before the date of the thesis exam, the thesis supervisor provides, to the graduate program assistant, the information for the Master's Thesis Examination Board form. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to provide the names and contact information of the two program examiners and the University examiner, as well as the thesis examination date and time agreeable to all. The graduate program assistant will find a Chair for the thesis exam, complete the form and send it to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) for approval.
PhD - Six weeks before the date of the thesis exam, the thesis supervisor provides, to the graduate program assistant, the information for the Doctoral Thesis Examination Board form. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to provide the names and contact information of two program examiners, the University examiner, and the External examiner, as well as the thesis examination date and time agreeable to all. The graduate program assistant will send the form to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) for approval.
2. Preliminary Thesis Submission
MA - at least three weeks before the date of the thesis exam
PhD - at least five weeks before the date of the thesis exam
The thesis is submitted for preliminary examination by the thesis examiners. Ensure that you have included all required elements and that the formatting is correct (see Formatting and Elements of a Thesis, above) in preparation for preliminary electronic submission.
Also, at this time, the student and the supervisor sign the respective Master's Thesis Supervisor Approval Form or Doctoral Thesis Supervisor Approval Form, available from the graduate program assistant or on the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies' website.
3. Prepare For Thesis Defence (aka Thesis Exam)
4. Public Lecture (PhD Only)
5. Thesis Defence