3.5 General Regulations: Master's

Diploma Programs:
The regulations for the Master's program shall also prevail for diploma programs. Students should also consult the department supplemental regulations regarding diploma programs.

Individual departments may have additional regulations that supplement these general regulations. All such supplementary procedures and regulations must be approved as specified by the By-Laws of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, be published and available to students, and kept on file in the Faculty of Graduate Studies Office.

Admission
Applicants must hold the following minimum requirements for consideration of direct admission to a program of study leading to the Master's degree:

• A four year bachelor's degree (or academically equivalent program) from an academic institution recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. (Students who have completed the pre-Master's program or equivalent from the University of Manitoba or another recognized university are also eligible for admission.)
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 (or the equivalent) based on the last 60 credit hours (or two full years or equivalent) of university study.
• Successful completion of appropriate course content for the graduate program to which application is being made, and adequate senior level courses to ensure preparation for graduate work in the chosen field.

Student's Advisor/Co-Advisor
Each Master's student should have an advisor upon entry into the program, and must have one assigned no later than one term following registration. The advisor is approved by the Department head, must be a member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, be active in research, have expertise in a discipline related to the student's program, and hold a Master's degree or equivalent. Any exceptions or special circumstances must be recommended by the Head of the major department and approved by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. It is the responsibility of the Department head to determine whether faculty members meet these criteria, and also to report on equivalency as necessary. In special circumstances, an advisor and co-advisor upon approval of the department head may advise a student.* The advisor and co-advisor must be members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. (Refer to Membership in the document Governance of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.)

The advisor will advise the student on a program of study, direct research, and supervise the thesis or practicum work. In departments where the choice of thesis/practicum topic and thesis/practicum advisor are postponed for some time after a student's entry into the program, the Department head shall appoint a faculty member to advise the student in the interim period before the regular advisor is assigned or chosen.

*NOTE: When an advisor and co-advisor are assigned, together they shall fulfil the role of the advisor (that is, neither shall fulfil any other advisory or examining committee membership requirements). The co-advisors will usually be identified together at the beginning of a student's program. However, in some circumstances the need for a co-advisor may arise mid-way through a student's program. In all instances the Faculty of Graduate Studies must be informed of the co-assignment. Both co-advisors' signatures are required on all documents where the advisor's signature is required.

Program Requirements
All students must complete one of the following programs of study for the Master's degree (unless otherwise specified in the approved departmental supplemental regulations):

Thesis/Practicum Route:
A minimum of 12 credit hours of course work plus a thesis or practicum. The minimum must include at least 6 credit hours at the 700/7000 level with the balance of the coursework at the 300/3000 level or above. A maximum of 24 credit hours of coursework is allowed toward the thesis/ practicum based Master's program.*

Comprehensive Examination Route:
A minimum of 24 credit hours of course work and comprehensive examination(s). The minimum must include at least 12 credit hours at the 700/7000 level or above with the balance of the coursework at the 300/3000 level or above, or, in exceptional circumstances and upon approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, the 200/2000 level. A maximum of 48 credit hours of coursework is allowed toward the comprehensive examination based Master's program.*

*Unless professional accreditation requirements or existing supplemental regulations indicate otherwise.

NOTES:
The program of study is determined by the major department and may include requirements in addition to those specified above. All departmental supplemental regulations require prior approval of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

For historical reasons, the following thesis/practicum based programs are subject to the same min/max credit hour restrictions as for the comprehensive-based Master's: Master of Nursing, Master of Architecture, Master of City Planning, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of Natural Resource Management.

Language Reading Requirements
Some departments specify a language requirement for the Master's degree. Students are advised to check departmental supplemental regulations regarding this requirement.

Advance Credit
Advance credit for courses completed prior to admission to a Master's program will be considered on an individual basis. The student's major department makes the request to the Faculty of Graduate Studies by completion of the "Recommendation for Advance Credit (Transfer of Courses)" form.

NOTE:
Application for advance credit must be made within the first year of the program (see Lapse of Credit of Courses in this section).

No more than half of the required course work for the program can be given advance credit.

A course may not be used for credit toward more than one degree, diploma or certificate.

For thesis/practicum-oriented programs the student must complete the thesis/practicum at The University of Manitoba.

For the comprehensive examination route, the student must complete the comprehensive examination(s) at the University of Manitoba.

Regardless of the extent of advance credit received, all students are required to pay the program fee.

Transfer Credit
Courses within a program of study may be taken elsewhere and transferred for credit at The University of Manitoba. Courses must be approved for transfer to the program of study by the major department and the Faculty of Graduate Studies before the student may register for them. This permission is granted in the form of a Letter of Permission, which may be obtained by making application to the Student Records Office.

Transfer credit (courses taken at other universities while registered in a program at the University of Manitoba) is granted as follows: For Master's students, transfer credit must not exceed 50% of the minimum credit hours of coursework required for the program.

NOTE: Students seeking a Master's degree from The University of Manitoba must complete at least 50% of their required program coursework at The University of Manitoba.

Minimum Time Requirement
The minimum time for students engaged in full-time study in the Master's program is equivalent to one regular session. Most departments require more than this.

Maximum Time Limits
The maximum time allowed for the completion of the Master's degree except where indicated in specific units is as follows:

NOTE: Each department may have supplementary regulations for maximum time limits.

• 2 years: Master of Laws
• 3 years: Master of Occupational Therapy (accelerated program).
• 6 years: Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, Master of Education, Master of Nursing, Master of Social Work and Master of Engineering.
• 5 years: All other Master's degree and diplomas

Recommendations for extensions of time to complete the degree will be considered on an individual basis and must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies at least four months prior to expiration of the respective maximum time limit.

NOTE: A student who has not completed the degree requirements within the time limit or within the time limit of the extension (see also sections: "Extension of Time to Complete Program of Study" and "Leave of Absence") will be required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the notation on the student record will be "Required to withdraw: time to complete program expired".

Lapse of Credit of Courses
Courses completed more than eight years prior to the date of awarding of a degree may not normally be used for credit toward that degree.

Academic Performance
Student progress shall be reported annually to the Faculty of Graduate Studies on the "Annual Progress Report Form". Students who fail to maintain satisfactory performance may be required to withdraw on the recommendation by the Department head, to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Performance in course-work
A minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+ must be maintained for continuance in the Master's program. Students who fail to maintain this standing will be required to withdraw unless the Dean of Graduate Studies approves a departmental remedial recommendation (refer to the section: Academic Performance – General).

Performance not related to Course Work
Students are required to demonstrate satisfactory academic performance in areas not related to performance in courses, such as attendance at or participation in course lectures, seminars and in laboratories and progress in research, thesis or practicum. The specific nature of satisfactory academic performance is outlined in the departmental Supplementary Regulations and must be reported to the Faculty of Graduate Studies on the "Annual Progress Report Form". Students who fail to maintain satisfactory performance may be required to withdraw on the recommendation of the department head to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Course or Program Changes
Students are not permitted to change their program of study, including withdrawal from individual courses, without the approval of their advisor and/or advisory committee and Department head. Withdrawal from courses or changes of course category without such approval will result in the student being required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Deadlines For Graduation
The final requirements of the degree, in the form of the final report on the thesis/practicum (and the corrected copies of the thesis/practicum); comprehensive examination; or M. Eng. Project, must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies Office by the appropriate deadline. For those programs that do not have a culminating exercise (thesis/practicum/comprehensive examination/M.Eng. project) the unit must forward potential graduate names to the FGS by the deadline. The deadline for each of the graduation dates is published in the Academic Schedule of the Graduate Calendar. Extensions to these deadlines will be considered in exceptional circumstances only.

Academic Requirement for Graduation
A cumulative degree grade point average of 3.0 or greater is required in those courses that constitute the program of study for graduation in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Comprehensive Examination
The regulations governing comprehensive examinations, where required, are specified in the supplementary regulations of the major department. No student may sit for those examinations more than twice. The results of the comprehensive examinations shall be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies on the appropriate form in the terms ‘approved' or ‘not approved'

NOTE: Any student who receives "not approved" on the comprehensive examination twice will be required to withdraw from the Faculty of Graduate Studies.