Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking
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Research Progress Reporting for Doctoral Students
1.1. At least annually, there must be a progress tracking meeting at which objectives for the upcoming year are established and prior progress recorded and evaluated on the Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking Form (available at mcgill.ca/gps/students/progress-tracking. For doctoral students whose committees have been formed, a member of the supervisory committee must also attend. If a committee member is unavailable, a representative from the academic unit may exceptionally attend in lieu of a committee member.
1.2. Students should be informed of the phases through which they must pass towards the achievement of the graduate degree, the approximate amount of time each phase should take, the criteria for successful completion, and any deadlines relating to these phases.
1.3 Units may also use the Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking Form for master's students in thesis and non-thesis research programs if this is a unit-wide practice.
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Procedures
2.1. At the first annual progress reporting meeting (to be held shortly after doctoral students begin their programs), written objectives/expectations for the year must be recorded in the objectives box on page 1 of the form. Those attending the meeting-the student, the supervisor, and a member of the supervisory committee (or exceptionally, a representative from the academic unit if a committee member is not available)-must sign the form on page 3.
2.2. Subsequently, the student and supervisor(s), and a member of the supervisory committee (or exceptionally, a representative from the academic unit if a committee member is not available) must meet annually to review the progress that has been achieved toward the recorded objectives. Prior to these meetings, the student should record their accomplishments and progress for the year by completing the progress box on page 1 of the form. This completed form is then evaluated by the committee (i.e., supervisor and the member of the supervisory committee or exceptionally, a representative from the academic unit if a committee member is not available) on page 2 of the form. It is strongly recommended that this section include a detailed assessment of student progress from the perspective of the supervisory committee. All parties sign the form on page 3. At this same meeting, objectives for the following year should be recorded in the objectives box on page 1 of the same form.
2.3. If progress is judged unsatisfactory, a follow-up progress tracking meeting must occur not sooner than 4 months and not later than 6 months after the first report. A deadline for the follow-up meeting must be indicated on page 2 of the form. If progress is judged satisfactory at the follow-up meeting, the timing of the next progress tracking meeting will be determined by the regular deadlines indicated in myProgress milestones for the student's program.
2.4. Two unsatisfactory reports (not necessarily successive) constitute unsatisfactory progress towards the degree and, if recommended by the academic unit, the student will be withdrawn from the University.
2.5. A student or faculty member who refuses to sign the form must write a statement detailing their reasons for not signing. This statement may be submitted to the committee and Graduate Program Director to be retained with the progress tracking form or submitted confidentially to the GPS Associate Dean.
2.6. In cases where the student has missed an established progress report deadline and has not responded to the unit within 4 weeks after being contacted by the academic unit, the report may be completed in the student's absence, and progress may be judged unsatisfactory.
2.7. The progress tracking forms must be uploaded to the student's record on myProgress.
2.8. The Graduate Program Director must review and sign all Progress Tracking Reports. If the Graduate Program Director is signing as the supervisor, committee member, or as a unit representative in lieu of a committee member, then the Chair will sign.
Senate, Sept. 2003; Revised Sept. 2014, Sept. 2015, and March 2016.
