Information for Current Lab Members

This page provides information and links to documentation that are relevant to current members of the lab

Information for new lab members

  1. Add your info to the ‘Lab contact information’ doc in the ‘Lab information’ Teams folder
  2. Review the Grad Expectations document
  3. Coordinate a day/time for your bi-weekly lab meeting with Sara
  4. Make sure you’ve been added to the Teams channel
  5. Send bio and picture to Sara so that she can add you to the lab website
  6. Review program requirements (see below). More information on potential courses can be found can be found in the ‘Graduate student information’ Teams folder

Program requirements for McGill

MSc (typical timeline)

  • Year 1
    • Courses including:
      • 3 credits for GEOG 631: Methods of Geographical Research
      • 12 credits for four 3-credit graduate-level courses selected according to Department guidelines.
      • 6 credits for GEOG 698: Thesis Proposal. Note that working on your literature review and thesis proposal is an important component of your first year.
    • Identify committee members and schedule first meeting with your committee towards the end of the winter semester.
    • Complete the Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking Form with me. This form should be completed by the end of your first year.
    • Fieldwork/research (primarily in the summer of your first year)
  • Year 2
    • 24 credits for GEOG 699: Thesis Research
    • Fieldwork/research
    • Complete the Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking Form with me and schedule a second committee meeting at the end of the winter semester.
    • Submit final thesis (guidelines for the thesis can be found here).

Note that the thesis manuscript is usually 80 to 100 pages in length. Students are expected to complete their degrees within 24 months.

Program requirements for UBC

PhD (typical timeline)

  • Fall term Year 1
    • Complete memo of expectations in September.
    • Courses
    • GEOS 500 - develop literature Review and preliminary proposal
  • Spring term Year 1
    • Courses
    • Work with supervisor to refine preliminary proposal/research gap. Identify committee members
    • Complete spring review - present preliminary proposal, assess progress, discuss timeline for comprehensive exams, set tentative topics, confirm committee, confirm any further coursework
  • Summer Year 1
    • Fieldwork/research
    • Formalise comps reading lists and topics. More details on the comps policy can be found here.
  • Fall term Year 2
  • Spring term Year 2
    • Fieldwork/research
    • Comprehensive Exam (written exam followed by oral examination two weeks later)
  • Summer Year 2
    • Fieldwork/research
    • Formal meeting to approve Proposal (or previous spring)
  • Fall term Year 3
  • Spring term Year 3
    • Complete memo of expectations by end of May
    • Complete annual review by end of spring/early summer
    • Fieldwork/research
  • Summer term Year 3
    • Fieldwork/research
  • Fall term Year 4
    • Complete memo of expectations in September.
    • Research
    • Check doctoral deadlines to plan out timing of defense
      • Be mindful of the time required to complete the examination process
      • The External Examiner nomination form needs to be submitted ~5 months before the expected defense date. Nomination is the supervisor’s responsibility. Candidates should keep tabs on the process to ensure timely submission, but are not allowed to know who the examiner is.
  • Spring term Year 4
    • Complete annual review by end of spring/early summer
    • Research
    • Share thesis with Supervisory Committee
      • Committee may take a while read/approve document
      • Incorporate changes/edits
    • Nominate University Examiners - Supervisor’s responsibility, but candidate should keep tabs to ensure the
    • Submit thesis to GPS for external examination
      • Plan for a defense 6-8 weeks after submitting
    • Should anticipate that the examiner will take 4-6 weeks to review the thesis.
    • The earliest possible defense date is 1 week after the external report is submitted.
  • Summer term Year 4
    • Oral exam
      • Note: Exam must be scheduled at least 4 weeks in advance. *Make necessary revisions/edits
      • Due within 1 month of defense

MSc (typical timeline)

  • Fall term Year 1
    • Complete memo of expectations in September.
    • Courses
    • GEOS 500 - develop literature Review and preliminary proposal
  • Spring term Year 1
    • Courses
    • Work with supervisor to refine preliminary proposal/research gap. Identify committee members
    • Complete spring review - present preliminary proposal, assess progress
  • Summer Year 1
    • Fieldwork/research
  • Fall term Year 2
  • Spring term Year 2
    • Fieldwork/research
    • Complete annual review by end of spring/early summer
    • Present thesis at Spring Symposium
  • Summer Year 2
    • Thesis defense & submit final thesis (guidelines for the thesis can be found here). And see ‘msc-thesis-defence-revised.pdf’ doc for details.