Supervisory committee
If you are in a research master's program, you must have a supervisor or supervisory committee. In some programs, students will have a supervisor from the start; in others, you may have an interim supervisor.
Master’s supervisory committees must have at least two members, and should have at least three members (including the supervisor). Supervisory committees may have either one supervisor and at least one committee member, or one primary supervisor and one co-supervisor and one committee member, or two co-supervisors and one committee member. They may not have three co-supervisors.
Your home graduate program must approve your program of study. Some graduate programs require competence in languages other than English.
Part-time studies may be available to master's students. Some programs require a thesis while some are thesis-optional and some are course-based only. The choice of these options lies with the individual graduate program and student. Graduate programs are also free to prescribe work beyond the minimum requirements. You should contact your graduate program directly for more information on program options.
Program requirements (thesis and non-thesis programs)
The minimum course requirements are 30 course credits, of which at least 24 must be numbered 500 to 699. A maximum of 6 credits at the undergraduate level in courses numbered 300 to 499 may be counted toward the requirements of a master's degree. A comprehensive examination in the form of a final written and/or oral examination is at the discretion of the graduate program. In specific programs, minimum requirements may be higher than 30 course credits. You should consult your graduate program listing in the Calendar for more information.
Note: There is no general requirement for a final master's defence. Graduate programs may, at their own discretion, require a final defence. If they do, choice of procedure and examiners is up to the graduate program.