PhD Program Requirements

The PhD program requirements are given in the graduate calendar. If you have questions contact your supervisor, grad secretary Erin Hodgson, or grad adviser David Harrington.

 

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At the start of each term, you and your supervisor establish a plan for the coming term, and your supervisor evaluates your progress in the previous term. This is done via the one-page Graduate Student Research Progress Evaluation form. The form and any supplementals are signed by you and your supervisor. You keep a copy and your supervisor sends a copy to the grad secretary and to your supervisory committee.

Refer to the Chemistry section of the graduate calendar for the candidacy procedure, exam format, and some background on your candidacy proposal.

The Department Candidacy Exam Guidelines give more detail on what to write.

Your Candidacy Exam committee will be your supervisory committee, plus a Chair from the CHEM Graduate Studies Committee.

Supervisory Committee

Chemistry PhD committees have at least three members.

  1. Your supervisor
  2. co-supervisor/member (a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry)
  3. outside member (a faculty member from another department at UVic)
  4. Optional fourth member.

Candidacy Exam Committee

Supervisory Committee plus a volunteer chair from the Chemistry Graduate Studies Committee.

Final Oral Examining Committee

Complete rules are in the Graduate Calendar. As a quick reference:

  • Supervisory Committee plus
  • a chair from UVic appointed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, plus
  • an External Examiner nominated by your supervisor.

Congratulations, if you're planning to defend!

Let Erin Hodgson   know.

Admin procedures

Again - please let Erin Hodgson, know if you're planning to defend. She needs to submit paperwork for you, and can give you advice on your particular timeline. 

Generally speaking, you’ve got about 7 weeks into any term to finish writing, in order to defend that term.

Timing

Work backwards, looking at your particular term to get the exact deadlines you need to meet:

    • Defense date (Two weeks before term ends to give yourself time to revise, submit, and get final documents in after defense)
    • Signed Request for Oral Examination or ROE form over to Grad Studies 30 business days or about 6.5 weeks before defense date.
    • Revisions/ getting your Supervisory Committee to review, give feedback, and say you're ready to defend: two weeks before they sign the ROE.  Ask your committee members how long they need to review.
    • Finish writing: about 10 weeks before term end.

Other steps and forms

    • Book the room: Erin H can book videoconferencing if anyone is attending remotely. It's much better than worrying about  Skype the day you defend. If you don't need videoconferencing, she can book you a regular room. 
    • Apply for Graduation - you have to apply to graduate.  It's a non-refundable fee and you can't change terms, so check the deadline and perhaps wait until your defense is a sure thing.
    • Thesis Withholding - discuss with your supervisor.
    • Thesis Approval - A completed hardcopy of this form must go with you to your defense for your committee to sign. 

Writing Help and Guides

See the Faculty of Graduate Studies thesis and dissertation page for writing groups, checklists, formatting guides, and samples.

Defense Procedure

The examination normally lasts from 1 ½ - 2 hours.

  • Candidate begins with a brief (10-20 minute) summary of work
  • Examining committee asks two rounds of questions:
    •  External Examiner begins each round,
    •  Committee member(s) from outside the academic unit goes next, then
    •  Committee member(s) from the academic unit, and
    •  Supervisor goes last.
  • If there is sufficient time, the Chair may call for questions from other members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
  • If there is sufficient time, the Chair may call for questions from the audience.

Looking for conflict resolution, or whom to seek out if you're stressed or have a problem?

Know that you can confidentially speak to anyone here:

The Graduate Student Task Force on Mental Health has put together this list: GradStudentMentalHealthResources.pdf