Program Resources

Thesis/Dissertation Examination

For thesis/dissertation regulations, formatting, and examination resources please visit the following School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (SGPS) sites:

• Thesis Guide and Resources
• Thesis Timelines and Deadlines

Examination Request Forms

• Master’s Thesis Examination Request Form
• Doctoral Thesis Examination Request Form
• Thesis Defense Only Status

Candidacy Examination

• Candidacy Examination Policy
• Candidacy Examination Request Form
  • Step 1 (submit to the Graduate Office prior to the student beginning preparation for the examination)
  • Step 2 (submit to the Graduate Office two weeks prior to the written examination)
• Candidacy Examination Ballot
• Candidacy Examination Chair’s Report

Internal Thesis Examination (Doctoral Student Only)

• Internal Thesis Examination Policy
• Internal Examination Request Form

For SGPS regulations and policies, including expectations regarding supervision, graduate student progression, supports, and registration can be found in the SGPS regulations.

• Assessing Student Progress
• Supervision Regulations

A Supervisory Committee consists of at least one Supervisor and at least one Committee Member (who is not also one of the supervisors). Advisory committees minimally must include one other faculty member, but normally two members in addition to the supervisor.

A Supervisor must have graduate faculty membership in the student’s home program.

A committee member must have any level of SGPS membership in any program (i.e. could have Teaching/Advisory Membership outside of student’s program).

Students minimally should have one advisory committee meeting per academic year, normally in the spring.

• SGPS Graduate Faculty Membership

Advisory Committee Meeting Forms

• Advisory Committee Meeting Form
• Letter of Understanding - School of Kinesiology

Please upload this document to the student’s Pathfinder Portfolio.

Pathfinder Portfolio

The Pathfinder degree planning portfolio records student progress and facilitates communication regarding progress between the student, supervisor, advisory committee, and graduate program chair. Updating and submitting the portfolio is required for all students (thesis and course-based) at regular intervals, and at least yearly.

The Graduate Chair can offer support and advice to students and supervisors, including those who are failing to meet program expectations.

The program may require students to withdraw if they fail to meet the following standards:

• Students must maintain a cumulative average of at least 70% calculated each term over all courses taken for credit, with no grade less than 60%. In the case of failing grades given for Scholastic Offences, only the Vice-Provost (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies) can withdraw a student; see Section 13.
• Students must make satisfactory progress towards the degree according to milestones set by the program.

• Registration Requirements and Categories

The Kinesiology Graduate Program is a full-time program and as such, full-time graduate students are expected to pursue their graduate degree on a full-time basis and maintain continuous registration in each successive term until all requirements for the degree are completed. The academic year in graduate studies at Western consists of three terms, fall Sept 1-Dec 31, winter Jan 1-April 30, and summer May 1-August 31.

If a student needs to pause or stop their studies, they must formally declare a change of status. Applications for a leave of absence due to medical, compassionate, or pregnancy/parental grounds are done through the secure Graduate Student Web Services Portal.

Failure to formally declare a change of status (i.e. LOA) will result in continuous registration, and tuition and associate fees will be applied.

If a student is considering a change of status, please contact the Kinesiology Graduate Program office for more information, and guidance regarding options.

• Leave of Absence
• Voluntary Withdrawal
• Thesis Defense Only Status
• Fast-Tracking (MA/MSc to PhD transfer)

• Western Health & Wellness Supports
• Mental Health Resources and Crisis Contacts for Students, Faculty and Staff
• Leave of Absence

The student, and supervisor are responsible for understanding and completing the program and associated degree requirements. Any modifications (i.e., request to substitute a course) must be approved in advance by the advisory committee and graduate program chair, and documentation provided to the graduate office for the student’s file.

• Graduate Studies in Kinesiology: Programs and Degree Requirements

Graduate Course Registration

• Kinesiology Course Registration and Schedule
• Course Registration and Forms

Undergraduate courses, or combined courses in which undergraduate students predominate must be less than one-third of the student's total course requirement for the graduate degree.

Minimally 50% of course credits required for the degree should be from the student’s home program (Kinesiology).

Special Registration Courses

• Major Research Paper
• Sport Management Internship
• Independent Study Application

Milestones

• Kinesiology Graduate Research Seminar

Graduate student funding can be made up of a variety of sources. Please see the resources below for Western, and external funding policies and sources, as well as the Office of the Registrar tuition and fee information:

• SGPS Funding and Fee Information
• Office of the Registrar Tuition, Fees, and Refund Schedules
• Faculty of Health Sciences Student Funding Policy
• Faculty of Health Sciences PhD Supervisor Funding Contribution/Master's Top-up Policy
• External Funding (Scholarships and Awards)

Western Resources

• Faculty of Health Sciences Travel Support Funding
• GTA (PSAC Union) Financial Aid - Academic/Conference Travel Fund
• Society of Graduate Students
• International Learning Funding Opportunities

School of Kinesiology Graduate Student Conference Travel Award

The School of Kinesiology Graduate Student Conference Travel Award helps to offset the costs of academic conference participation. Funding is made available through the Graduate Student Donation Fund to aid in travel and related expenses for graduate students participating in academic conferences.

• Students may apply for the award in support of travel between September 1 and August 31 of the current academic year
• Students whose conference was cancelled may apply to help offset any expenses that could not be reimbursed
• Please carefully review eligibility and process details outlined below befor submitting an application

Award Amounts

Note: The funds awarded to an individual student may vary from these amounts depending on the number of eligible applicants received. 

• Provincial/Local Travel: up to $400/academic year
• Continental Canada or United States Travel: up to $500/academic year
• International Travel: up to $600/academic year

Award Guidelines and Eligibility

• All successful applicants must be full-time students enrolled in the School of Kinesiology Graduate Program at the time of travel
• A student may receive the award once per academic year (September 1 – August 31) and only if the student has contributed to the Kinesiology Graduate Donation Fund in the academic year of application
• Any student who opts out of the Kinesiology Graduate Donation Fund is not eligible to apply for the School of Kinesiology Graduate Student Conference Travel Award for that academic year
• A student may only apply for the School of Kinesiology Graduate Student Conference Travel Award if they are presenting (poster or podium presentation) at a provincial, national or international conference, or have been invited to present at a university or research institute between September 1 and August 31 of the same year as the application, with priority for national and international conferences
• Proof of acceptance for the presentation is required before funds will be dispensed to successful applicants
• Course-based students (e.g. coaching students) may apply if they can justify their travel is of equivalent academic merit to presenting research at a conference

Submitting an Application (Deadline: April 1)

• Carefully review the guidelines and eligibility outlined above before completing the application form
• Download the APPLICATION FORM
• Complete and save the application form
• Compile other application materials
  • Abstract
  • Copy of presentation acceptance
  • If applicable, any supporting documentation indicating the conference was cancelled and expenses were not refunded
  • DO NOT SUBMIT RECEIPTS WITH THE APPLICATION
• Submit all application materials by the application deadline (April 1) to Laurie Bodin

Note: Submitted Applications will undergo approval from the Graduate Chair for final review. Successful applicants will receive a confirmation memo with instructions on the claim process.

Please visit the Kinesiology Program Application page for information regarding admission eligibility, timelines, and access to the application portal.