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Before being admitted to a thesis-based master’s program, the student must ensure that a professor has formally agreed to act as their thesis supervisor. Hence, this step is normally completed before initial enrolment. If it is decided that a co-supervisor is desired or required, the student must submit a service request to add the new thesis supervisor before the end of the second term.

The School of Human Kinetics (SHK) requires that either the primary supervisor or the co-supervisor be a regular, full-time professor from the SHK, unless an exception is made by the School of Human Kinetics Teaching and Personnel Committee (STPC) and approved by the director of the School.

In some circumstances, a student may wish to have a co-supervisor who is a professor or researcher from another institution. In such cases, the proposed co-supervisor’s dossier must also be submitted by email to the SHK graduate administrative assistant, and approved by the SHK assistant director of graduate studies and research, and by the vice-dean, academic of the Faculty of Health Sciences. A student may also complete a joint program under a process known as a cotutelle. For more information, review the Types of Supervision section of the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

Procedure:

• To register a new thesis (co)supervisor, create a new service request under Add a new supervisor. The name of the supervisor/co-supervisor must be added in the comments box along with the preference (primary supervisor or co-supervisor). Service requests are found in  , under the Applications tab (see  for more information).
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting the service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The assistant director, graduate studies and research will then review the service request for approval.
• The Academic Office will then approve the service request.
• To change a thesis supervisor after admission, submit a service request under Modify or Delete a Supervisor. The current supervisor, proposed supervisor, and academic unit director (or their delegate) must approve the request for modification.

Enrolment takes place online using the Student Centre in . Enrolment is your responsibility; be sure to check the Important Dates and Deadlines calendar and carefully read the following procedures. Students should normally have completed all course requirements by the end of the second term of enrolment.

Important: Once all courses are completed, students need to enrol in the SHK master’s degree thesis course (THM7999) to maintain continuous full-time enrolment. Once enrolled in THM7999 the first time, the student will automatically be re-enrolled the following term until completion of the degree, unless enrolment is blocked for reasons such as non-payment of fees, failure to submit a progress report, etc. If full-time enrolment is not maintained, funding may be interrupted, and tuition late fees/penalties may be imposed.

In some cases (e.g., directed studies, out-of-program courses, auditing a course), a student may not be able to enrol online through the self-serve option and must take additional steps.

Procedure for out-of-program courses

• Students wishing to take out-of-program courses must complete a Course Attendance form, available on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Forms webpage, and submit it by email to the SHK graduate administrative assistant. Note that the thesis supervisor must also sign the form.
• The assistant director, graduate studies and research will then review the form.
• The approval of the host instructor and/or academic unit may be required (e.g., by email).
• The Academic Office will then approve the request and allow you to enrol in this course.
• Note that these courses may not count toward the requirements of the degree program.

Procedure for directed studies (APA 5997)

A directed studies course is a personalized course designed by you and a professor to expand your knowledge in a field of special interest. The course is an elective and counts toward your requirements.

• Students wishing to take a directed studies course must complete an Abstract of Directed Study form and submit it by email to the SHK graduate administrative assistant. Note that the thesis supervisor must also sign the form.
• The assistant director, graduate studies and research will then review and approve the form.
• The Academic Office will then approve the request and allow you to enrol in this course.

Procedure for auditing courses

Auditing a course means attending lectures without having to complete assignments or examinations. As a result, students auditing a course receive no credit and their transcript indicates “AUD” as the grade. Full time students may audit courses for free, while part-time students will be charged a fee of 15% of the tuition fee for the audited course.

• Students wishing to audit a course must complete a Course Attendance form, and submit a request by email, along with the form, to the SHK graduate administrative assistant. Note that the thesis supervisor must also sign the form.
• Approval from the host instructor and/or academic unit may be required (e.g., email approval).
• The assistant director, graduate studies and research will then review the request for approval.
• The academic office will then approve the request and allow you to enrol in this course.
• Note that audited courses do not count toward the requirements of the degree program.

Master’s students must register their thesis topic by the end of their second term. The thesis topic must be selected in consultation with the student’s thesis supervisor.

Procedure:

• To register the thesis topic, create a new service request under Add a thesis title. To modify the thesis topic, create a new service request under Modify a thesis title. The thesis title must be added to the comments box. Service requests are found in  under the Applications tab. (See  for more information.)
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting the service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The Academic Office will then approve the service request.

Important: Before the end of the first year of enrolment, and once a year thereafter, all students enrolled in a thesis program must complete and submit an annual progress report.

The progress report allows supervisors to monitor the progress of students in their program. It also serves to evaluate the academic progress made over the past year and to define objectives for the following year. The information provided in the report ensures that all students are making systematic and consistent progress in their research.

This is also an opportunity for the student and thesis supervisor to meet and take stock of the research and adjust accordingly. It is important to take advantage of these meetings to review the research goals and agree on the expected progress in the months to come. Several versions of the progress report may be required before coming to a final version. 

Note: A student who receives two (2) unsatisfactory progress reports shall be withdrawn from the graduate program.

Procedure:

• The student must complete the Annual Progress Report form and submit the progress report to the thesis supervisor. The supervisor will then assess the student’s progress. The supervisor will decide whether or not the report is satisfactory by comparing the objectives achieved by the student with the objectives established in the previous progress report. 
• When submitting a progress report for approval, allow for at least two weeks before receiving final approval.
• Once the progress report has been reviewed and approved by the thesis supervisor, the student must create a new service request under Progress report. Be sure to attach the file that has been filled out by both the student and the supervisor. Service requests are found in  under the Applications tab (see  for more information).
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting their service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The assistant director, graduate studies and research will then review the progress report service request for approval.
• The Academic Office will then approve the service request.

Note: If the annual research progress report is not completed, enrolment in the following term will be blocked until the student remedies the situation, and the student will not be automatically re-enrolled in the thesis course (THM7999). Failure to enrol in the thesis course could have major financial consequences and could eventually lead to the student’s academic file being closed without further notice. Any scholarships may also be suspended or cancelled.

See the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section on progress reports for more information.

The TAC must be composed of a thesis supervisor and at least two, but no more than four, examiners. At least one of the examiners must be a regular full-time professor in the SHK. The composition of the TAC is normally decided during the student’s first year in the program. Once the TAC has been established, and prior to the submission of the thesis proposal, the student must a complete and submit the Composition of Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) form (see procedure below).

The roles and responsibilities of the TAC are:

• to provide guidance to the student on thesis planning, research and writing;
• to discuss ideas and provide advice on any other matter related to the thesis; and
• to evaluate the thesis after submission.

Thesis committees meet according to a schedule set by the committee members themselves. Meetings usually take place every 6 or 12 months and normally, the student is responsible for initiating them. If concerns about the progress of the research arise, the supervisor and/or academic unit may require meetings at more frequent intervals. Once the thesis topic has been chosen and registered, the thesis supervisor will normally approach colleagues who have the requisite expertise and invite them to join the student’s TAC.

*In some cases, and provided that no costs are incurred by the University of Ottawa, a TAC member may be a professor or researcher from another institution. In such cases, the proposed TAC member’s dossier must also be submitted and approved by the SHK assistant director of graduate studies and research. In such cases, the student, in collaboration with the thesis supervisor, is responsible for ensuring that the SHK graduate administrative assistant receives:

• the Composition of TAC form
• the external member’s current CV, including a list of relevant publications, and
• a letter of support from a regular full-time professor from the SHK.

Final approval is at the discretion of the assistant director of graduate studies and research.

Procedure:

• Once the composition of the TAC has been established, the student must complete the “Composition of Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)” form and send the completed form by email directly to the SHK graduate administrative assistant (note: not as a service request).
• If a TAC member is from another institution, the external member’s current CV, including a list of relevant publications, and a letter of support from a regular full-time professor from the SHK must also be attached to the email.
• The SHK graduate administrative assistant will then forward the TAC form (and dossier if required) to the assistant director, graduate studies and research, who will review the TAC form for approval.

The thesis-based master’s programs at the SHK require students to submit a formal thesis proposal. The thesis proposal is an excellent planning tool that helps bring the thesis topic into sharper focus: it may start out as a vague idea, but as the student revises the proposal and discusses it with the supervisor, the proposal becomes clearer.

The proposal should outline:

• the topic or the central research question
• the background literature and resources from which the topic or research question is drawn; and
• when relevant, the strategies and instruments used for data collection and analysis

The research conducted to draft the proposal will be a useful foundation in preparing the thesis. With this in mind, during the proposal writing stage, the student should start compiling what will eventually become footnotes or endnotes, and a full bibliography or list of references. This means taking meticulous notes and keeping track of the author, title, place and date of publication, and any relevant page numbers in works consulted.

Where appropriate, the proposal should outline the actual papers that will be submitted should the work proceed as planned, including authorships in the case of collaborative projects. This will give the student and the supervisor a clear idea of responsibilities and expectations.

The student will also need to present the proposal formally as part of the approval process. This is an opportunity to sharpen the student’s focus and to set out exactly how to proceed.

Some research projects require other approvals, such as ethical clearances. The thesis supervisor should know what approvals are required and how they can be obtained, but the student is ultimately responsible for obtaining these approvals.

The thesis proposal usually consists of an introduction, a review of the literature and/or a theoretical framework and methodology. In the case of students taking the , the thesis proposal must also include a half-page statement, in the introduction, explaining how the thesis will contribute to feminist and gender studies. The maximum length of the thesis proposal, excluding title page, figures, references and appendices, is 25 pages.

Procedures:

• Normally before the end of the third registered semester, an electronic copy of the thesis proposal is submitted to the SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant (normally via email; *not as a service request) along with a completed Composition of TAC form if not previously submitted. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that examiners who prefer hard copies of the thesis proposal are provided with them.
• The SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant will then forward the TAC form (and dossier if required) to the Assistant Director, Graduate Studies and Research, who will then review the TAC form for approval, if not previously approved.
• The SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant will send the proposal to the TAC/examiners. Examiners have 15 business days to read and evaluate the proposal. For students in the Specialization in Feminist and Gender Studies, the extra copy of the proposal will be sent to the Feminist and Gender Studies Graduate Studies Committee for approval. In certain circumstances, an examiner may require more days. This should be discussed with the TAC and the student should be informed if more time is needed.
• If, following the 15-day evaluation period, all examiners find the document adequate to proceed to oral presentation The SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant will schedule the oral presentation as soon as possible. This oral presentation will consist of the student and members of the TAC. The thesis supervisor chairs the oral defence. The oral defence may be open to the public and this decision is at the discretion of the thesis supervisor. In the event that the thesis proposal document is deemed not acceptable by one or more examiners, it will be returned to the supervisor and student with comments and the process may begin anew.
• The purpose of the thesis proposal oral presentation is to give the student an opportunity to present the research plans (normally a maximum 15 minutes) and to seek approval of this plan (with or without modifications) from the TAC. At the end of the meeting, the student and the TAC must sign the “Report on Thesis Proposal” form (provided to the supervisor at the oral defence) and return it to the SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant. Revisions may be required and the TAC may ask to review the document before a final approval.
• After the thesis proposal oral presentation and once the required modifications have been made, students whose research project requires ethics approval must prepare an ethics application and submit it for approval by the . In this case, a copy of the signed “Report on Thesis Proposal” form is compulsory and must be submitted to the REB with the ethics application.
• The SHK Graduate Administrative Assistant will then send a copy of the signed “Report on Thesis Proposal” form to the academic office to attach to the student’s record.

A master’s thesis must show that the student is able to work in a scholarly manner and is acquainted with the principal works published on the subject of the thesis. As much as possible, it should be an original contribution to the field. Some disciplines require that the thesis be of publishable quality. The master’s thesis is usually about 25,000 words long, excluding the bibliography/list of references. In some disciplines, the text may be shorter. Students should discuss the thesis requirements with their supervisor. There is an oral examination for a master’s thesis, in the presence of examiners.

The thesis may be written in a monograph format or article format (one or more articles, as determined by the TAC). The same ethical and quality standards apply, regardless of the format. Students are encouraged to review theses in their domain by contacting the SHK administrative assistant to graduate studies and the library.

In a monograph, the student presents a proposal or thesis, along with related research findings. The student draws on existing research, which may be supported or refuted. The monograph is described in detail by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and includes:

• A preface that specifies the approvals obtained to conduct the research, clearly identifies the student’s contribution and distinguishes it from those of collaborators, co-authors or other researchers, if any;
• An abstract;
• A general introduction;
• The main body of the text, which may be divided into sections;
• A conclusion;
• A bibliography / list of references;
• All the necessary appendices, which, depending on the thesis, could include: the REB approval letter and ethics documents (e.g., consent form, payment form, etc.), the research instrument(s) (e.g., questionnaire, interview guide, research protocol, etc.) as well as other materials necessary but not contained in the articles or previous chapters.

Note that it is also necessary to include: a title page, table of contents, list of tables, list of figures, and it is customary to provide acknowledgements.

A thesis by articles consists of one or more articles written by the student for publication in peer-reviewed journals. All articles comprising the thesis must be written while the student is enrolled in the program in which the thesis is being submitted. When an article format is used, the thesis must consist of:

• A preface that specifies the approvals obtained to conduct the research, clearly identifies the student’s contribution, and distinguishes it from those of collaborators, co-authors or other researchers, if any;
• An abstract;
• A general introduction, including an updated version of the literature review/introduction sections from the thesis proposal document, which introduces the topic and a review of the literature and/or a theoretical framework. Note: this is often a more generalized literature review, while each subsequent article usually includes a more focussed introduction leading to the proposed aim and/or hypotheses;
• One or more regular feature articles. Each article must be ready to be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The format of each article can follow the specific requirements of the selected refereed journal. In some cases, the student may have a supplementary chapter before the general discussion;
• A general discussion as well as a conclusion that integrates the material previously addressed in the articles in the thesis. This section will usually situate the study/research in the broader context of the literature and synthesize the results of multiple studies if applicable. This section often also sets out general limitations;
• A list of references for the whole thesis, excluding the article(s);
• All the necessary appendices, which, depending on the thesis, would include: the REB approval letter and ethics documents (e.g., consent form, payment form, etc.), the research instrument(s) (e.g., questionnaire, interview guide, research protocol, etc.) as well as other materials necessary but not contained in the articles or previous chapters.

Note that it is also necessary to include: a title page, table of contents, list of tables, list of figures, and it is customary to provide acknowledgements.

For further details and information, see the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website section on thesis writing.

Important: For detailed and current University of Ottawa thesis regulations, review Academic Regulation II-7.

A hypothetical timeline is presented in the figure below:

Thesis Evaluation Committee

One-to-two weeks prior to the submission of the thesis, the student, in collaboration with the supervisor (and co-supervisor when applicable) must decide upon and submit the list of proposed examiners. The Master’s Thesis Examining Committee must be composed of a thesis supervisor and at least two, but no more than four, examiners. The examining committee usually consists of all Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) members. At least one of the examiners (excluding the supervisor) must be a regular full-time professor from the SHK. Note that in some cases, and provided that no costs are incurred by the University of Ottawa, an examining committee member may be a professor or a researcher from another institution. In such cases, the proposed examining committee member’s dossier must also be submitted and approved by the assistant director of graduate studies and research.

Procedure:

• Create a new service request under “List of Examiners for Thesis Evaluation” and attach the “ . Service requests are found in  , under the Applications tab (see  for more information).
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting the service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The assistant director of graduate studies and research will then review the service request for approval.
• The SHK administrative assistant to graduate studies will then approve the request.
  
  Note: Any delays in the submission or approval of the Nomination of Examiners form may result in delays in the evaluation process and defence dates.

Thesis Submission

Once the thesis supervisor deems the thesis to be acceptable for evaluation by the examiners, the thesis can be formally submitted for evaluation. *Please note that registrations for evaluation have deadlines. Refer to the Important Dates and Deadlines (under Reports, major research papers, and thesis) to find out if you must enrol or if you are eligible for a 50% or 100% tuition fee credit. Also note that students wishing to subsequently enrol in a PhD program at the University of Ottawa must have successfully defended their thesis prior to the last date of enrolment for the subsequent term, failing which admission and enrolment in the PhD program may be delayed. Accordingly, a recommended deadline for thesis submission is one month prior to the end of the final term. Refer to the timeline above and the Important Dates and Deadlines.

Procedure:

• Create a Submission of Thesis for Evaluation service request and attach the thesis (PDF format). Service requests are in , under the Applications tab (see  for more information).
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting their service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The Academic Office will then approve the service request.
• Please allow two weeks to receive final approval and for the evaluation process to begin.
• The SHK administrative assistant to graduate studies will then provide the thesis to the examiners for evaluation through the professor or examiner’s VirtuO account. An email will provide instructions on completing the evaluation. Examiners have twenty (20) business days (typically four weeks) to read and evaluate the thesis, and to submit a written report and verdict.

Written Thesis Evaluation

There are three steps in the evaluation of a thesis: 1) the written evaluation, 2) the oral defence, and 3) the final submission. A failing grade, namely NS (not satisfactory) or EIN (incomplete), may be assigned to any of these steps.

If two grades of NS or EIN are assigned during the evaluation process, the student will be withdrawn from the program. The student will not be withdrawn from the program if only one mark of NS or EIN is assigned during the thesis evaluation.

Procedure:

• The thesis document is provided to the examiners via the faculty VirtuO portal. The thesis can be located by clicking the Applications tab, clicking Evaluations Worklist, clicking Select next to the appropriate student’s name, and then locating the View Attachments link.
• The examiners have 20 business days (typically four weeks) to read and evaluate the thesis, and submit a report in the form of comments in the faculty VirtuO portal under the Evaluations Worklist application. Each examiner must submit a detailed written evaluation report. All these reports, including the name of each examiner, will be sent to the student, to the thesis supervisor(s) and to the other examiners, including the chair of the jury, before the thesis defence. The examiners’ reports must contain enough detail to enable the student to prepare for the defence. A report must clearly indicate whether the examiner feels that the thesis is ready to be defended. If an examiner’s report does not contain sufficient detail, the dean (or delegate) of the faculty (or equivalent) may ask that the report be rewritten. Examiners may write their reports in the official language of their choice.
• Once evaluation forms have been received from all examiners, one of three verdicts is determined:
  • The thesis is accepted for the oral defence;
  • The thesis is not accepted for the oral defence and must undergo extensive revisions before an oral defence is considered. In this case, a revised version must be submitted.
  • The thesis fails to meet the standards required for the degree.
• *A TAC meeting may be needed if one or more examiners deem the final thesis document unacceptable for defence. At this meeting, the TAC will determine what modifications are needed to make the thesis acceptable.

Important: For details on the evaluation process, please consult the .

Thesis Defence

The purpose of the oral defence is for the candidate and the examiners to discuss the thesis. This is a valuable exercise during which experts in the area of research will provide feedback to the student. In the spirit of academic discourse and the advancement of knowledge, they will ask questions, mention positive aspects of the thesis, and make suggestions for further work.

The oral thesis defence gives the student an opportunity to present their research results during a presentation normally lasting a maximum of 15 minutes, followed by direct questioning by the Thesis Examining Committee. The student, the thesis supervisor, and at least one examiner must be physically present at the oral defence; the other examiner(s) can join via video/teleconference or submit questions to the defence chair. The thesis oral defence is open to the public, except in the case of a confidential thesis.

Procedure:

• For master’s programs, the student’s academic unit will work to set a tentative thesis defence date shortly after the evaluation period has begun. There is a minimum interval of seven weeks between the beginning of the evaluation period and a potential defence date. Note that if the thesis was submitted (in acceptable form) before the deadline date, the student will not be required to be enrolled during this timeframe. Refer to the Important Dates and Deadlines (under Reports, major research papers, and thesis) to find out more.
• Within five working days of receiving the evaluation reports, the student must confirm via the Student Centre in  using a service request whether they wish to:

1. defend the thesis,
2.  amend the thesis before defending it, or
3. withdraw from the program.
   
   See Academic Regulation II-7 for the repercussions of these latter two options (section 7.11.1.3).

• Once the student confirms their wish to defend the thesis, the SHK administrative assistant to graduate studies, in consultation with the student, the TAC, and the defence chair, will:

1. set a date for the defence;
2. reserve a room; and
3. publicly announce the oral defence, which will include an abstract of the thesis as well as the date, time and place of the defence. The oral thesis defence will be scheduled as soon as possible once the thesis is deemed acceptable.

• Videoconference requests can be made to the SHK administrative assistant to graduate studies.
• If possible, the examiners will render one of the following three unanimous verdicts:
  • Verdict 1. The thesis meets the requirements for the degree, but minor corrections may be required. The thesis supervisor(s) or other individuals named by the jury will ensure that all the corrections required by the jury are made. The corrections must be completed and the final version of the thesis submitted (see below) no later than thirty days after the defence. After this period, the student must be enrolled and the corrections and the approved final version of the thesis must be submitted no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the defence.
  • Verdict 2. The thesis meets the requirements for the degree, but major corrections/revisions are required. The jury, in consultation with the thesis supervisor(s), must decide whether these revisions and corrections need to be verified by the thesis supervisor(s) alone or by the thesis supervisor(s) and one or more examiners. The student will have one hundred and twenty (120) days after the date of the defence to complete the required revisions and to submit the final version of the thesis. The student must be enrolled for at least one term within this 120-day period. An enrolled student who completes the corrections/revisions and submits the approved final version of the thesis within thirty (30) days after the defence may be entitled to a reimbursement of the tuition fee portion of enrolment (see Frequently Asked Questions below).
  • Verdict 3. The thesis DOES NOT meet the requirements for the degree. The thesis must be amended and the evaluation process and defence before the same jury must be repeated. Verdict 3 is equivalent to a failure and will appear on the student’s transcript as a grade of NS (unsatisfactory). The student must submit the revised thesis for evaluation within three (3) consecutive terms after the initial defence. The student must be enrolled for all of these terms and must make satisfactory progress during each term. If the submission deadline is missed or the student does not enrol, a second failure for the thesis (NS) will be recorded on the student’s transcript and the file will be closed.

Important: Regardless of the verdict received for the defence, if the student does not submit the final version of the thesis within 120 days, a failure for the thesis will be recorded on the student’s transcript as NS (not satisfactory).

For more information on the defence procedures and evaluation outcomes, please refer to Academic Regulation II-7.

After a successful defence and correction of the thesis, the student must secure the approval of the thesis supervisor. Once the service request is approved, the student must submit the final version electronically in uO Research, the institutional repository of the University of Ottawa. The University of Ottawa participates in the Thesis Canada program, whereby the electronic version of the thesis is harvested by Library and Archives Canada and added to the latter’s online collection.

Important: Be sure to adhere to the final submission deadline corresponding to the verdict rendered (see above).

Procedure:

• In order to obtain approval to submit the final version of the thesis, the student must use a service request to submit the final corrected version of the thesis. Create a new service request under Approval of Final Version of Thesis. Attach a PDF copy of the final version of the thesis. The student will also need to request to receive the degree using the Apply for Graduation tab in  (if online registration is open) or by filling out a Registration for Degree and Request for Diploma form.
• The thesis supervisor must then approve the service request by logging into their VirtuO account, visiting their service request dashboard, and marking the request as D3-APPR_SUP (Approved by supervisor).
• The Academic Office will then approve the service request.
• Once the service request is approved, the student must submit the final version electronically in uO Research, the institutional repository of the University of Ottawa.
• The final version will be rejected by uOResearch if the student submits the thesis without prior Academic Office approval.
• For more details regarding final submission formatting requirements, visit the uO Research website.

Note that all requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within four years of the student’s initial enrolment in the program