Program Management
What's On This Page?
Program Planning & Registration
Course Registration
BearTracks System
- Incoming and continuing graduate students can register for courses using the BearTracks system.
- Students can access the system using their CCID and password.
- Upon consultation with advisors or supervisors, students must build their class schedules and register for the appropriate courses for the upcoming term(s). Students should check their registration prior to the add/delete deadlines each term to ensure that registration is accurate.
Courses Extra to Degree
- Students may wish to take courses that are not necessary or an integral part of their graduate program.
- Courses must be designated as extra-to-degree at the time of course registration.
- Designation as extra-to-degree is subject to approval by the Dean, FGSR. The FGSR does not include these courses when calculating the student’s GPA for continuation in the graduate program or convocation. Courses extra-to-degree are included in the calculation of registration status.
Course Prerequisites & Waivers
- Before registering, students should review the prerequisite and/or co-requisite requirements for courses.
- Graduate students who think they’ve completed an equivalent course that meets the necessary prerequisites and/or co-requisites for a class they want to register in should either:
- submit a completed Course Prerequisite Waiver Form signed by the class instructor, or
- send an email message to the class instructor providing reasons they think the prerequisite should be waived and requesting approval to be registered. If approved, they must forward the confirmation email from the instructor that the waiver is approved to the appropriate Graduate Program Administrator for manual assistance.
Independent Study
- Graduate students who wish to take an independent study in their program must first discuss their options with their program advisor/supervisor.
- Graduate students must find a Faculty member who is willing to instruct the directed study.
- Individual Study forms are posted under the Forms section of this website.
Manual Registrations
- they need a prerequisite and/or corequisite waived;
- the class requires the consent of the department or instructor; or
- the class is closed to web registration.
Contact your graduate administrator if it is a required course offered by your program area. For registration in other graduate courses offered in the Faculty of Education, refer to the Registration Contacts.
Registration Contacts
EDU Courses (offered by the Professional Learning Unit) pluinfo@ualberta.ca
Undergraduate Courses (Faculty of Education) educ.info@ualberta.ca
Registration Status
Full-Time & Part-Time Registration
Full-Time RegistrationConsists of registration in 9 units of coursework and/or thesis registration in Fall/Winter terms and 6 units in Spring/Summer terms.
Maintaining Active Registration
Thesis-Based Students (Masters & Doctoral) Must register in both Fall and Winter sessions in coursework and/or thesis, as well as must be registered in thesis for Spring and Summer sessions to keep their programs active.
Minimum Registration Requirements
- Over the duration of their program, course-based Master's students must successfully complete a minimum of 24 units of course weight. Notwithstanding the above, students are required to fulfil their program requirements (often more than the minimum 24 units of course weight).
- Course-Based MEd programs in the Faculty of Education range from 30 to 36 credits.
- Admitted Fall 2011 or Later: Over the duration of their program, students must pay the equivalent of at least one full year of program fees. Notwithstanding the above, students are required to fulfil the program requirements.
- Admitted Before Fall 2011: Refer to the University of Alberta Calendar.
Doctoral Programs
- Admitted Fall 2011 or Later: Over the duration of their program, students must pay the equivalent of at least three full years of program fees. Notwithstanding the above, students are required to fulfil their doctoral program requirements.
- Admitted Before Fall 2011: Refer to the University of Alberta Calendar.
Failure to Maintain Active Registration
Thesis Registration
Thesis Registration (THES 903, 906, 909)
Full-time students in thesis-based programs must register in each term (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer).
Fall/Winter Terms
To be considered full-time, students must be registered in a minimum of 9 credits
This will be comprised of coursework and/or thesis registration:
9 credits of coursework + no thesis registration
6 credits of coursework + THES 903 (★3)
3 credits of coursework + THES 906 (★6)
0 credits of coursework + THES 909 (★9)
Spring/Summer Terms
To be considered full-time, students must be registered in a minimum of 6 credits
FGSR will automatically add registration in THES 906 (★6) to each thesis-based student’s BearTracks account
Courses taken in Spring/Summer, are assessed at an additional cost
Transfer Credit
Transfer Credit Criteria
- the department agrees that the course in question is applicable to the degree program
- the student achieves a grade acceptable to the department and the FGSR
- the course has not been used to satisfy admission requirements for the program
- the course was not taken during a qualifying period for the program
- the course was not taken as part of any previously awarded credential
- the course is less than six years old
- the course is a graduate-level course
Transfer Credit Limits
Course-Based StudentsStudents in course-based programs can transfer no more than 1/3 of the credits that are required. For example: if a program requires course-based students to have 30 credits, this will result in 9 credits being able to be transferred. For course-based master’s programs, only approved transfer credits from the University of Alberta are allowed.
Note: If a student changes from a course-based program to a thesis-based program, the limit of 6 credits of transfer credit will be enforced.
Reporting & Program Administration
Program Monitoring
Conditions of Admission
Academic Standing
For students whose grades or GPAs (or both) do not meet the FGSR minimum academic standing requirements, the FGSR prepares and sends Academic Progress Reports to departments for action.
Academic Progress Reports
- Blank grades
- Failing grades
- Grades of IN (Incomplete)
- Grades of INF (Incomplete Fail)
- Sessional GPAs of less than 2.7
The 'department' action required is:
- Review the academic record of the student
- Indicate the recommendations on the Academic Progress Report
- Return the signed report to FGSR by the deadline indicated
The FGSR reviews all other departmental recommendations and, if approved, updates the student's academic record.
These recommendations and decisions may affect the student's registration in the following Fall/Winter terms (i.e. repeating or substituting a specific course). If necessary, the FGSR will send a copy of the Academic Progress Report to the student to assist with registration.
Academic Probation
A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.7 may be required to withdraw.
If a student’s term or cumulative grade point average falls between 2.3 and 2.7, the program may recommend to FGSR that the student be allowed to continue in their graduate program on academic probation for a specified period. For students in thesis-based programs, a student rating of ‘In Need of Improvement’ on their Progress Report will normally result in a recommendation for Academic Probation as determined by the supervisor and/or supervisory committee in consultation with the student.
Required to Withdraw
Reasons for the recommendation include:
- Failure to maintain adequate academic standing; failure to meet requirements set out in a conditional admission; candidacy or final oral examination failure; or expiry of the program time limit. Requests to require to withdraw for these reasons must be documented in the academic record or student’s file: for example, grades, exam reports, etc;
- Failure to make satisfactory academic progress in other aspects of the program, such as adequate progress in research. Requests to require to withdraw for these reasons should be supported by evidence that the process of feedback, assessments and warnings has been followed;
- Failure to complete the practicum component of a graduate program, if that practicum component is an integral part of the program;
- Failure of the department to secure alternate supervision for a thesis-based student following the dissolution of a supervisory relationship, as it is an academic requirement that thesis-based students have a supervisor
The following considerations apply:
- Cannot require to withdraw except for just cause;
- Students shall be given adequate warning, feedback and timelines related to what is the nature of the inadequate progress, what special performance would be required to rectify the inadequacy, and what is the timeline for demonstration of the required improved performance;
- Students should be given an opportunity to respond in writing to any warning given;
- Meetings with appropriate advisors (members of the supervisory committee; Chair’s designate, etc.) may assist the process of providing adequate warning and advice.
FGSR Requirements
Ethics & Academic Citizenship
Masters Students
- Complete INT D 710: Ethics and Academic Citizenship
Doctoral Students
- Complete INT D 710: Ethics and Academic Citizenship
- Complete INT D 720: Advanced Ethics and Academic Citizenship
Professional Development
- Course-Based and Thesis-Based MEd students automatically fulfill the FGSR Professional Development Requirement through their program. No additional activities are required.
Doctoral Students
- 8 Hours of Professional Development Activities (completed within three years)
- Individual Development Plan (completed within 18 months for full-time doctoral students and within 36 months for part-time doctoral students)
Time Limits, Extensions & Leaves
Program Duration/Time Limits
Program Duration/Time Limits for Course-Based Master's Students
The program must be completed within six years.
Program Duration/Time Limits for Thesis-Based Master's Students
The program must be completed within four years.
Program Duration/Time Limits for Doctoral Students
FGSR requires that program requirements (coursework and candidacy examination) be completed at the end of the third year.
FGSR requires that all of the doctoral program requirements, including dissertation defense, be met within a six-year period from the first registration.
Program Extension
Occasionally, circumstances arise that mean you need more time to complete your degree. In such cases, your department may support a program extension. Program extensions may be considered for up to one year at a time.
The Faculty of Education has the delegated authority to approve the first program extension. Authority for the approval of a second and subsequent program extensions rests with the Dean, FGSR.
All requests for program extensions will only be considered if there are well-documented reasons specific to a particular type of research that precludes completion within the time limit, or if there are sufficient and substantial unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the student and/or supervisor which prevent completion of the program within the time limits.
Leaves of Absence
Sometimes, medical issues, parental responsibilities, or other emergencies mean that you may need to take some time off from your studies.
As a graduate student, you may apply for an approved leave of absence that keeps your program in good standing without the need for registration and can be awarded for up to one year at a time. An approved leave of absence does not count against your years in the program.
Leaves of absence are approved periods of time away from a student’s program of study. There are four types of leaves:
regular
exceptional
parental, and
professional
Students should consult first with their supervisor and then the Graduate Program Administrator and the Interim Graduate Coordinator regarding a request for a leave of absence.
While on an approved leave of absence, the student is not to work on their program of study or engage in thesis research/activities. In instances where a student is found to be working on their program while on approved leave, FGSR may rescind the leave, add appropriate registration and fees, and update time in program to include this period. This would result in the student having to pay full fees and would cost time in program.
Residence Requirement
Residence Requirement
Course-Based Master's Students
No residence requirement.
Thesis-Based Master's Students
No residence requirement, but a one-year residency is recommended.
PhD Students
Must be registered as full-time students for a minimum period of two academic years to meet the residence requirement. Registration of 9 credits or more in both the Fall and Winter terms is considered to be full-time study. This can be achieved through registration in 9 credits of coursework, through registration in THES 909, which has a course weight of 9 credits, or through some combination of coursework and thesis registration.
EdD Students
Must be registered as full-time students for 12 consecutive months to meet the residence requirement. The minimum period of residency is twelve consecutive months of full-time registration. During the Fall and Winter terms, students must carry a minimum 9-credit load. For students admitted Fall 2011 and thereafter, automatic registration in THES 906 for both Spring and Summer terms is also required.