Supervisory Committee Approval

General Information

Master's degree students in project, thesis or practicum routes to degree completion and doctoral students are required to submit a Supervisory Committee Approval form. Revisions to existing supervisory committees require completion of the Supervisory Committee Revision form.

This form is NOT REQUIRED for Master’s students in the coursework, major paper, comprehensive exam or portfolio completion routes.

Committee Formation Requirements
Master's Degree: The committee consists of at least three members including the supervisor. One member is normally from outside the program.
Doctoral Degree: The Graduate Academic Calendar requires, at a minimum, that a PhD supervisory committee be composed of at least four members, including the supervisor. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the Program in which the candidate's research is being carried out. Some programs have developed specific requirements for supervisory committee formation. Students should ensure they review the relevant Graduate Academic Calendar section and consult with their Supervisor and/or Program Chair.
  • A member of a supervisory committee who has an adjunct or emeritus position with UNBC cannot be the sole supervisor of a graduate student.
  • A faculty member who leaves UNBC cannot remain as the sole supervisor for a graduate student.
  • Additional information must be included on the form for committee members who are external to UNBC.
  • If, at any point, more than one member of a supervisory committee is absent from the University for an extended period of time (including during sabbaticals), arrangements should be made so that the progress of the student is not impeded. No more than one member of a supervisory committee should be on an extended absence at any one time.
External Committee Members 

In order to add a Committee Member external to UNBC to a supervisory committee, the following criteria should be met:

  • An experienced and well qualified expert
  • Established reputation in the area of the thesis, project or dissertation research
  • Able to judge whether the academic work is acceptable at a university comparable to UNBC
  • Assistant/Associate/Full Professor at a university or of comparable stature if not at a university
Deadlines

Program 

Deadline for Supervisory Committee Formation

MA Development Economics 

Within the first semester of registration for the thesis or project

MA Disability Management

By the end of the second semester of enrolment

MA English

By the end of the second semester of enrolment

MA First Nations Studies

By the middle of the second semester of enrollment (or by February)

MA Gender Studies

By end of third semester of registration

MA History

Consult program for deadline

MA International Studies

By the end of the fourth semester of registration

MA Natural Resources and Environmental Studies 

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MA Political Science

Within the first semester of registration for the thesis or project

MA/MSc Interdisciplinary Studies

Formed during admissions process, paperwork within the first semester of study

MEd Counselling

Consult program for deadline

MEd Multidisciplinary Leadership

Consult program for deadline

MEd Special Education

Consult program for deadline

Master of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies 

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Biochemistry

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Business Administration

Consult program for deadline

MSc Chemistry

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Computer Science

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Health Sciences

By the end of the second semester of enrolment

MSc Mathematics

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Natural Resources and Environmental Studies

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Physics

By the end of the first semester of enrolment

MSc Psychology

By the end of the second semester of enrolment

MScN 

Family Nurse Practitioner students do not have supervisory committees. Required for thesis and project students only.  Consult program for deadline

MSW 

Within one semester of first registration in the thesis or practicum

PhD Health Sciences

By the end of the second semester of enrolment

PhD NRES

Beginning of the second semester of enrolment

PhD Psychology

By the end of the second semester of enrolment