With support from the Ontario Association of Deans of Education (OADE), the Directors/ Chairs of Graduate Studies in Education from Ontario’s Faculties of Education met for the first time as a group on February 22, 1995. One of the topics discussed at that meeting was the possibility of establishing a joint doctoral program in Education for the province. A subcommittee was formed to pursue the idea further. On May 26, 1995, the subcommittee reported to OADE its preliminary judgement that the concept of a joint doctoral program was not only worth pursuing but was entirely feasible. The Deans requested that the subcommittee carry on with its work and report its progress regularly.

In June 1996, OADE endorsed the proposed program. Four universities decided to participate in the joint doctoral program: Brock University, Lakehead University, The University of Western Ontario and University of Windsor. Approval in principle was given by the four universities in 1998-99 for the Joint Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Studies. The Standard Appraisal Brief was submitted to the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS) for appraisal in January 1999. Approval to commence the program was granted by OCGS on October 22, 1999. Final institutional approval at each of the participating universities was then granted. Approval was granted in Spring 2000 by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities.

Rationale

The rationale for the Joint PhD in Educational Studies is as follows:

(1) The program brings together the resources of the four participating universities to increase educational

opportunities across the province of Ontario for prospective doctoral candidates.

(2) The program brings together faculty from the four participating institutions whose expertise and research interests cover a broad spectrum of educational studies and provide greater opportunities to generate new knowledge and explore new directions in research.

(3) The program provides high visibility and has a greater potential to attract quality students.

(4) The program accommodates mid-career professional educators who cannot readily relocate their families or leave employment for several years to pursue advanced research training in traditional full-time degree programs.

(5) The program fosters collaborative inquiry among graduate students and faculty across institutions and places the universities strategically to establish cooperative programs and partnerships.

Program Goals and Objectives

Underlying the original proposal for a joint doctoral program were two simple premises. The first was that the intellectual resources any one of our institutions can offer doctoral students are not nearly as strong as those we can offer in cooperation with each other. The second was that doctoral programs are an extremely expensive form of education and that during the current climate of restraint a program which proposes to bring universities together in a cooperative effort to increase educational opportunity across the province represents a prudent and efficient use of public funds. The goals of the joint program are as follows:

(1) provide greater access to advanced study in education for qualified candidates across a wider geographic range in the province;

(2) promote the growth of research activity and professional development through collaboration among practitioners, scholars, educational institutions, and Faculties of Education;

(3) foster inter-university links and promote partnerships among Ontario universities;

(4) further the expansion of research culture and service throughout the province; and

(5) contribute to the renewal of the professoriate and educational leadership in Ontario during periods of increasing retirement in the universities and school systems.

Specifically, the objectives of the program are to produce graduates who will:

(1) contribute to the development of knowledge and expertise in teaching/learning;

(2) contribute to the solution of problems/issues in Canadian education;

(3) promote scholarly enquiry and the development of methodological advances in the study of education;

(4) integrate theory and practice in education; and

(5) assume positions of leadership in Faculties of Education, school systems, and other public sector and private sector institutions concerned with education.

Assurance of ”Jointness”

The Ontario Council on Graduate Studies distinguishes between “free-standing” and “joint” programs. A “free-standing” program is one that has been approved by OCGS following a standard and/or periodic appraisal to enroll students. A joint program involves more than one university. It may integrate (1) two or more previously approved free-standing programs or (2) one or more free-standing programs with other academic units that originally did not offer the program at the degree level identified by the joint program.

The Joint Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Studies is a new joint program which was conceptualized collaboratively by the participating universities and did not exist previously as a free-standing program in any of the universities. Assurances of jointness agreed upon by all of the participating universities include the following:

1. a shared organizational structure

(a) Joint PhD Program Committee with one representative from each participating university

(b) Director who serves as Chair of the Program Committee

(ii) 2. identical goals

(iii) 3. identical program, fields, courses, and degree requirements

(iv) 4. identical calendar descriptions

(v) 5. direct application apply for admission to the Joint PhD program

(vi) 6. one program admissions committee

(vii) 7. core faculty

(viii) 8. identical system for monitoring candidate’s progress

(ix) 9. supervisory committees (drawing upon two or more participating universities)

(x) 10. curriculum development and delivery

(xi) 11. selection of instructors by Program Committee based on the recommendations of Graduate Chairs

(xii) 12,. course development and delivery by teams of instructors (each consisting of instructors from two or more participating universities)

(xiii) 13. agreement upon rotation of sites for core seminars

(xiv) 14. agreement upon assignment of home universities for responsibility of course delivery

(xv) 15. facilitation of interaction among students and faculty through core seminars (face-to-

face), specialization elective courses via distance, and the research proposal colloquium.

Periodic Appraisal: 2003-2004

The first Periodic Appraisal of the program will take place in 2003-2004. OCGS has requested that the brief at that time address the following issues.

(1) The effectiveness of measures to promote and maintain a research culture among graduate students in the joint program;

(2) Equity across universities within the program, and within universities between master's and doctoral students, with regard to access to resources, including student funding;

(3) The effectiveness of jointness, including substantive participation from each university; and

(4) The success and effectiveness of curriculum delivery via distance education and technology enhanced learning (letter, 99-09-30, from D. Leyton-Brown to the Deans of Graduate Studies)

II: ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

Joint PhD Program Committee

Administrative responsibility at the program level lies with a Program Committee made up of a representative from each participating university. The Program Committee meets at least three times a year to perform the following duties:

(1) Recommend admissions, taking into consideration (a) the rankings established by the admissions committee of each participating university, (b) the quality of applicants, and (c) resources available at the participating institutions;

(2) Monitor the commitment of resources across the home institutions;

(3) Approve degree plans and dissertation supervisors;

(4) Propose the policies and regulations required for the conduct of the program's affairs;

(5) Review applications to become core faculty and committee members .

At its meeting of 99-10-14, the Program Committee made the following revision to #5: Identification of participating faculty members would be determined by the individual universities and that each Faculty would be responsible for articulating the process used to identify core faculty and forwarding that information to the Program Committee. It was agreed that the OCGS criteria must be adhered to in the selection of faculty for participation in the Joint PhD Program; that is, faculty must be active researchers and have completed successful graduate supervision at the Masters level.

Program Director

The day-to-day administration is carried out by a Program Director elected by the Program Committee for a three-year term on a rotating basis among the participating institutions. The Secretariat for the Joint Ph.D. is defined as the office at the University housing the Program Director and administrative assistants for the program. In addition to serving as Chair of the Program Committee, the Director has the following responsibilities:

(1) coordinate admissions to the program and assisting applicants to develop plans of study in consultation with potential supervisors;

(2) approval of dissertation supervisors and committees after consultation with the Chairs or Coordinators of the Home University;

(3) assists students with finding financial support in cooperation with the home university;

(4) prepare promotional and informational materials for the program;

(5) coordinate the development of courses, schedule the annual core seminar and field courses, and prepare a list of course offerings for the next three years;

(6) maintain a second set of academic records;

(7) report annually to the participating universities on the state and progress of the program;

(8) meet with student representatives in conjunction with the core seminars to determine student concerns and aspirations for the program;

(9) prepare reports for OCGS and other external bodies as required;

(10) provide annually a financial statement on the account for the Secretariat to the participating universities;

(11) advise the Deans of Education of the recommendations put forward by the Program Committee for staffing courses, supervision, and other resources;

(12) coordinate and schedule the meetings of the Program Committee;

(13) facilitate collaborative research initiatives and other projects across the participating universities.

Funding

The program is supported by pooled financing and institutional financing. The Director will present annually to the Deans of Education the financial report from the Secretariat and a projected estimate of costs for the coming year. The home university in which the Secretariat is housed covers costs related to maintaining the office (i.e., space, furniture, hardware, software, etc.).

Pooled financing covers:

(1) the administrative expenses of the Joint PhD Program Director (e.g., course release time and travel expenses for a minimum of four Program Committee meetings per year), program administration and communication costs;

(2) the program secretarial support;

(3) the costs of development of core seminars, specialization elective courses via distance, and the research proposal colloquium.

Each home university is responsible for the following costs to support the program within the institution:

(1) financial support for full-time students (each full-time student will receive a Graduate Assistantship plus a minimum of $5000 in scholarship funding);

(2) reimbursement of travel expenses for instructors for the seminars and a per diem stipend;

(3) workload recognition for instructors;

(4) technology needs for delivery of distance education courses and compatibility across institutions;

(5) all related delivery costs and multi-media distance delivery costs of one-quarter of the required courses (e.g., directed study courses, regular Senate approved institutional graduate courses, portfolio evaluation, and dissertation supervision).

Staffing

The Joint PhD Program Committee is responsible for nominating instructors and recommending the appointments to the Deans of Education. It is also responsible for the designation of sites for the core seminars as well as the assignment of course delivery to particular institutions. In 1999-2000 the following procedure was developed:

(1) All core faculty were invited to express interest in the development and delivery of particular courses.

(2) Instructors were selected for the core seminar. To ensure continuity, it was decided that the team leader would be the member of the team from the host university and that one member of the team would be from the next site for the core seminars.

(3) Teams of instructors were selected for the development and delivery of the specialization electives via distance. The expertise of core faculty in a particular field was the primary consideration. Representation across home universities was then addressed. Lastly, determination was made regarding which university would assume responsibility for the delivery of a particular course.

(4) The Program Director sent a memo to the Deans of Education advising them of the recommendations made by the Program Committee.

Ad Hoc Committee: Comprehensive Portfolio

The Program Committee established a Comprehensive Portfolio Committee to develop a comprehensive description of the portfolio and a rubric for assessing the successful completion of portfolio tasks. This Committee was composed of one representative per home university and representation across fields of study. The revised report from the Comprehensive Portfolio Committee (on pp.15-18 of this report) received final approval by the Program Committee on April 2, 2001.

Admission Requirements

The minimum academic requirement for admission to the PhD is successful completion of a Master of Education or a Masters degree in a cognate discipline, normally with an A standing. Applicants must provide evidence of research competence normally demonstrated by a Master’s thesis. Students who have not completed a thesis must submit evidence of equivalent research capability. English is the primary language of communication and instruction in the program. Applicants from other countries who have not completed a degree at a university where the primary language of instruction is English must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 600 (250 computer-based) or an equivalent demonstration of proficiency. Candidates who are working on the degree at a distance from the home university must purchase the hardware, software, and access to the internet which will enable them to participate fully in the required courses.

Admission with Advanced Standing

Students may receive advance credit for a maximum of one-half course specialization elective at the graduate level provided that this course has not been credited to a degree or certificate already awarded, is relevant to the proposed area of study and has been taken within three years of admission. Requests for advanced credit must be declared prior to admission. No substitution may be made for Core Seminars I and II or the joint specialization elective via distance.

Research Plan

Applicants must submit a description of their proposed area of research (approximately 2-3 typed pages). When an applicant meets the basic requirements for admission, the Program Director and a potential supervisor will assist the applicant in developing a plan of study which will be presented to the Program Committee for approval. If approved, the applicant will proceed to register as a doctoral student at the home university of the dissertation supervisor and will be subject to the general degree regulations of that university. The offer of admission will be made to the applicant by the home university.

Dissertation supervisors will be required to report on each candidate's progress annually to the Program Committee and to the appropriate authorities at the participating universities. Normally, candidates will be expected to complete course requirements and the comprehensive portfolio, and to submit a research proposal within three years of their initial registration. Changes to the approved plan of study must be approved in advance by the supervisor and the Program Director.

Fields of Study

(1) Policy and Leadership. This field focuses upon the study of policy and leadership within educational systems. It draws upon organizational and administrative studies to construct critical perspectives on actions and structures at the macropolitical and micropolitical levels and examines how these influence the climate and the quality of curriculum and learning.

(2) Sociocultural Contexts of Education. This field draws upon diverse disciplines such as comparative education, sociocultural psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, and traditional curriculum areas to advance understanding of the sociocultural contexts which influence curriculum, teaching, and learning, to generate theory, and to play, develop, implement, and evaluate programs, teaching, and learning.

(3) Cognition and Learning. This field draws primarily upon cognitive, developmental, and educational psychology to examine critically the cognitive processes of teachers and learners as they engage in teaching and learning. Integral components of this field are assessment and the adaptation of instruction to the needs of the individual learners.

Applicants to the program must declare a field of study prior to admission to the program.

Program Requirements

Doctoral candidates must be familiar with the academic regulations governing graduate studies at the home university.

(1) Course Requirements

(a) Core Seminar I and II (2 FCEs)

(b) one Joint PhD Specialization elective via distance (0. 5 FCE)

(d) Research Proposal Colloquium via distance (0.5 FCE)

Candidates may meet the requirement for a specialization elective in the field through a graduate level course offered at any of the participating institutions.

(2) Comprehensive Portfolio (1.5 FCE)

The portfolio requires doctoral candidates to demonstrate their potential as scholars through the satisfactory completion of authentic tasks. The criteria used by the dissertation supervisory committee to set tasks and assess a candidate’s performance are listed:

Candidates may not begin their dissertation research until the portfolio requirements have been completed successfully.

(3) Dissertation (5 FCEs)

The dissertation supervisory committee will involve faculty from at least two participating universities, including whenever possible and reasonable, a member from the university closest to the candidate’s home to serve as co-supervisor in cases where the supervisor is at some distance. The regulations and procedures governing the preparation of theses and conduct of examinations will be those of the supervisor’s university.

(4) Residence

Candidates must meet a minimum residency of four terms, two of which must be consecutive. It is strongly recommended that candidates complete two of the terms of residency after they have defended their comprehensive portfolio and are authorized to commence their doctoral research. Credit for residency may be given, with the approval of the Program Committee and the home university, for research carried out off-campus.

Candidates are required to maintain continuous registration. They shall complete the requirements for the degree within a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years.

Recommendations for a time extension or leave of absence are subject to the regulations and procedures at the home university and must be approved in advance by the supervisor and the Joint Program Committee.

Qualifying for Admission

Evidence of ability to identify a research or development problem, to design and conduct a study or project, and to report the findings or results, all in a rigourous manner. Examples of such evidence include a high-quality Project Report, a Qualifying Research Paper (QRP), or a master's thesis. Should a Qualifying Research Paper be required, please consult the Secretariat for guidelines.

Individuals who do not meet the minimum admission requirement of demonstrated research competence may be required to submit a qualifying research paper for evaluation and/or to complete a major research paper through directed study under the supervision of a faculty member at a participating university. Either of their research papers may be submitted for consideration by the Program Committee as evidence of research competence. There is no guarantee of admission to the program by completing a major research paper.

Application for Admission

The participating universities use a joint program application package. (for copies of the application package, please contact the Program Director Dr. Rosemary Young ryoung@ed.brocku.ca or visit the web site for the program at http://www.jointphdined.org.
The application is considered complete when the following materials have been submitted:

(1) application form

(2) official transcripts

(3) preference form

(4) two academic references

(5) academic curriculum vitae

(6) evidence of research competence if the applicant has not completed a master’s thesis

(7) two-three page description of proposed area of research

The application package, along with a $55 application fee, must be forwarded directly to the Secretariat.

Admission Process

Ordinarily sixteen candidates will be admitted to the program each year to the participating universities. Placement of students will be determined by the Program Committee after consultation with the four universities about the availability of resources. Normally four candidates will be placed at each university. Decisions to admit are based upon: (1) the potential of a candidate to complete doctoral studies successfully; (2) availability of a supervisor in the proposed area of study; (3) the resources in place at the home university to provide the candidate with rich experiences in research and scholarship; and (4) balance across fields of study. A wait list of two applicants will be made for each home university in the event that any of the initial candidates decline the offer of admission. The Program Director will notify applicants who are denied admission, and applicants on the waiting list.

There is a multistage admission process:

(1) preliminary screening to determine admissibility;

(2) review and ranking of potential candidates by Home University’s Admission Committee;

(3) review of potential candidates by Program Committee and preliminary recommendations for admission by the Joint Program Committee;

(4) development of a Plan of Study by the Supervisor and the applicant in consultation with the Program Director;

(5) approval of the Plan of Study by the Program Committee (Note: Any subsequent changes to the plan of study mustbe approved in advance by the Supervisor and the Program Director);

(6) Program Director forwarding of the recommendations and original files to the home university by the Program Director.

Official offers of admission are made to candidates by the home university. For full-time students, offers of admission must include the financial support (Graduate Assistantship and scholarships) which will be available to candidates. Additional requirements which must be met by a candidate will be stated on the offer of admission. Candidates who accept an offer of admission must attend the core seminar given that year.

SITES FOR CORE SEMINARS

The core seminars rotate annually to the home universities on the following schedule:

· Brock University July 2000

· University of Windsor July 2001

· Lakehead University July 2002

· The University of Western Ontario July 2003

Ordinarily this pattern of rotation is repeated every four years.

Credit Weighting of Degree Requirements

P Core Seminar I 1.0 FCE

P Core Seminar II 1.0 FCE

P Specialization elective .5 FCE (via distance)

P Specialization elective .5 FCE

P Research proposal colloquium .5 FCE (via distance)

P Comprehensive portfolio 1.5 FCE

P Dissertation 5.0 FCEs

Total 10 FCEs

Table 1: Annual Progress Report

Download Report Form

Parallel Coding

Course numbers for each component of the degree by home university are listed on Table 1. Each home university will list all numbers assigned to particular components of the degree in its calendar description.

Table 2. Course Numbers at Participating Universities

Course Description	Brock	Lakehead	Western	Windsor
Core Seminar I	7F20	6020	703	602
Core Seminar II	7F40	6040	704	604
Ed. Policy and Leadership: Historical Contexts and Contemporary Issues	7P21	6211	721	621
Sociocultural Contexts of Curriculum	7P31	6311	731	631
Conceptual Bases and Contemporary Issues for Cognition and Learning	7P41	6411	741	641
Directed Study	7P51	6511	751	651
Research Proposal Colloquium	7P69	6219	769	669
Comprehensive Portfolio	7D80	6080	780	680
PhD Dissertation	7Z90	6901	791	798

Doctoral Comprehensive Portfolio

Overview

In conjunction with their supervisory committees, Ph.D. students will compile a portfolio of documents and academic artifacts that demonstrate research skills to the satisfaction of each committee. The Comprehensive Portfolio serves as the mechanism for demonstrating research competence and will include unequivocal evidence that candidates are prepared to undertake and complete original research required for the doctoral dissertation. The portfolio will contain evidence of the following competencies:

(1) candidate's understanding of the theories, concepts and issues in their particular fields of study;

(2) (2) candidate's knowledge of current literature and research methods in their fields of study;

(3) (3) candidate's understanding of and ability to critically review research in the field of study;

(4) candidate's ability to analyse and synthesize the literature on a specific problem within the field of study.

Elective Portfolio Tasks

Such evidence must include the completion of the dissertation research proposal (see below), and three other tasks, chosen from the following (these are the items that will be evaluated):

(1) the preparation of a grant or fellowship proposal;

(2) preparation and delivery of a conference papers;

(3) writing a review article;

(4) manuscript review for a peer-reviewed scholarly journal; and/or

(5) the preparation and submission of a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal.

Candidates must defend their portfolios. The candidate's defense will be evaluated by the Dissertation Supervisory Committee and at least one other core faculty member selected by the Program Director. The committee will assign either a PASS or FAIL. Each candidates also must present a completed portfolio to an audience (OCGS Standard Appraisal Brief). Some examples for the audience might include video-conferencing, an oral defence scheduled at the home university, or a presentation in conjunction with a Core Seminar.

Dissertation Research Proposal

For a dissertation research proposal to be acceptable, it must clearly demonstrate the competencies listed in items 1-4 above. The proposal will consist of a draft of the initial sections of the dissertation, and should be written in such a fashion to enable the supervisory committee to be assured that the candidate is ready to proceed with the proposed research. (See Windsor Checklist)

PORTFOLIO CRITERIA FOR COMPLETION

(1) Presentations that comprise part of the comprehensive portfolio may not be part of the core seminars.

(2) Portfolio work is to be totally separate from course work; it may logically follow the same theme but not duplicate any class assignments.

(3) Most publications must be: (1) related to the content of the Ph.D. program, (2) completed during enrollment in the program, and (3) normally will have been externally refereed.

(4) If a presentation at a scholarly conference comprises part of the portfolio, the full paper will be submitted to the portfolio committee.

(5) No more than one unrefereed conference presentation may be included in the portfolio.

(6) Teaching manuals and curriculum units may not be part of the comprehensive portfolio

(7) Literature review used in a portfolio may not serve as the literature review for the dissertation.

(8) A pilot study for the dissertation may be part of the portfolio.

The regulations concerning appeals will be those of the Home University.

Portfolio Contents

(1) Current Vita

(2) Area of Research

(a) Copy of original proposed area of research.

(b) Revised proposed area of research.

(3) Coursework Experiences and Plans

(a) Approved Plan of Study

(b) Description of coursework in relation to the planned research.

(d) Course papers, projects and exams.

(4) Research Experiences, Academic Growth, and Future Plans

(a) Description of current research activities and accomplishments.

(b) List of competencies for which additional preparation is needed.

(5) Evidence of Critical Thinking

(a) Selected course papers, extended literature reviews, theoretical analyses, research and professional publications, and other scholarly products providing evidence of critical thinking.

(i) Portfolio Task 1

(ii) Portfolio Task 2

(iii) Portfolio Task 3

(6) Initial Dissertation Planning

(a) Problem to be addressed in the dissertation study.

(b) Research questions that will be targeted in the study.

(c) The theories, concepts, research literatures, and methodological approaches that are likely to guide the dissertation study.

(d) Dissertation Research Proposal

Once the portfolio is complete, the student must successfully defend the Comprehensive Portfolio and the Dissertation Research Proposal.

Assessment Review Sheet for Portfolio

Download Form:

Dissertation

Dissertation committees will involve faculty members from at least two participating universities, including whenever possible and reasonable, a member from the university closest to the candidate’s home to serve as co-supervisor in cases where the supervisor is at some distance. The regulations and procedures governing the preparation of theses and conduct of examinations will be those of the supervisor’s university.

Wording on Degree

Title - Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies

Field of study - Policy and Leadership or Sociocultural Contexts in Education or Cognition and Learning

The degree is awarded by the home university. Wording on the degree should appear as follows:

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies

(Field of Study)

REGISTRATION

Procedure(s)

Candidates register for all degree components at their home university.

Class Lists

Graduate registrars from the home university must forward to instructors of joint courses the class lists of students registered at the beginning and end of each session.

Availability of Files

Official student files are maintained at the home university. Copies of official files are maintained in the Secretariat.

Library Cards

Students admitted to the program will receive library cards from each of the home universities. These cards will be prepared by the librarians in the Faculties of Education. Each spring the Program Director will provide to the librarians a list of candidates admitted to the program. The cards should be available to students when they begin the core seminar.

Course Schedules

Once a course schedule is advertised, the times and dates of classes cannot be changed unless there is a unanimous petition signed by all registered students requesting such a change. The original copy of the petition should be sent to the Program Director and a copy to the Program Committee member at the university offering the course.

GRADES

Grading Systems

Notation systems are not identical in the participating universities. The meanings of the grading symbols vary also from one university to another. These systems are as follows, including their equivalent:

	Brock University	Lakehead University	University of Western Ontario	University of Windsor
Grade
A+ A A-	80, 82, 85, 88, 90, 92, 95, 98, 100	90 -100 80 - 89	80 -100	A+ A A-
B+ B B-	70, 72, 75, 78	70 - 79	70 - 79	B+ B B-
C+ C C-	60, 62, 65, 68 (no graduate credit)	60 - 69	60 - 69	C+ C C-
Fail	58 or lower	1 - 59	00 - 59	F
F		0 - Academic Dishonesty
	P - pass AUD - audit WD - withdrawn NW - not withdrawn NR - not reported IN - incomplete IP - in progress SA - satisfactory UN -unsatisfactory	INC - incomplete DEF -deferred P - pass	PAS - pass AUD - audit COM - complete INC - incomplete IPR - in progress SAT - satisfactory WDN - withdrawn (no penalty)	INC - incomplete IP -in progress FNR - failure, no record PNP - pass or non- pass S or U - satisfactory or unsatisfactory

Students are invited to consult their home university’s calendar. Students’ assignments are marked according to the grading system in use at the home university from which the course is delivered.

Passing Grade

The passing grade in the Joint PhD in Education Program is “B” (70%).

Reporting of Grades

Instructors must complete the grade sheets for each home university and forward the grades to the home university with a copy to the Program Director.

Grading Criteria

Change of Grades

Changes of grades are administratively handled by the Program Director. Changes of grades are completed according to the procedures in use at the instructor’s university. Once approved by the instructor and his/her home university, by the appropriate authority, the grade shall be forwarded to the Registrar of the student’s home university.

Evaluative portfolio items must be written products (that is, performance and/or audio-visual products are not acceptable).

At least 70% of the grade awarded in all courses shall be derived from the evaluation of formal written work.

Appeals: Home University

In the case of courses taken at the home university, students shall follow the appeal process at the home university. In the case of courses taken at a participating university, the procedure shall be as follows:

(1) a copy of the student’s request shall be forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies at the university in which the course was taken,

(2) the work will be reviewed and may be appealed in accordance with the procedures in effect at the university,

(3) the Dean of Graduate Studies of the university where the course was taken shall inform the student in writing of the results of the re-evaluation. A copy of the letter shall be forwarded to the Dean of Graduate Studies at the student’s home university, and to the Program Director,

(4) further appeals, if allowed by the regulations of the university where the course was taken, shall be directed to that university.

TRANSFERS

Students may transfer from one university to another with valid academic reasons. When students wish to transfer, they shall submit a written request to the Home University which includes

(1) the reason(s) for requesting a transfer;

(2) the name of the new supervisor with a written confirmation that he or she has agreed to

supervise the student's thesis.

All transfers must be reviewed and approved by the Program Committee and the Program Director. All other activities related to transfers shall be handled by the appropriate Office of Graduate Studies.

CHANGE OF SUPERVISOR

Normally, the supervisor who assists the student to develop the plan of study will continue to work with the student for the duration of the program. Students who wish to change supervisors must submit a written request to the Program Director which shall include

(a) the reason(s) for requesting a new supervisor;

(b) the name of the proposed supervisor with a written confirmation of agreement to supervise the student’s thesis.

All changes of supervisor must be reviewed and approved by the Program Committee over the signature of the Program Director.

STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS

To build a more consistent identity for the Joint PhD Program, the word mark incorporating the name and symbol of each participating university will be used on all stationery and promotional material.

Language

All materials publicizing the Joint PhD Program will be in the language of instruction of the participating universities, English.

Stationery

All stationery such as letterheads and envelopes created for the Joint PhD Program must be produced in a format approved by the four universities. This format shall incorporate all necessary information in English and the official symbols of the four participating universities.

Promotional Publications and Advertisements

The name, Joint PhD in Educational Studies, and the names and symbols of the four participating universities, must appear on the cover of every publication and advertisement.

Addenda:

Portfolio and Dissertation Proposal Defense Protocol

The Defense will be public and take between 3 and 3 1/2 hours.

A neutral chair is appointed as for the MEd thesis defense. The Chair should ensure that everyone knows each other before starting and outline the format.

A. At the Defense:

The Portfolio Component

1. Student makes brief comment on the documents in the portfolio and tells how the documents in the portfolio demonstrate what he or she has learned through her or his work in the program. (20 minutes)

2. Questions from the committee on the portfolio. The external examiner and 4 committee members (5 in total) will each have about 10 minutes to query/discuss the contents in terms of substance, etc. with the candidate.

3. Break for 10 minutes

The Dissertation Proposal Component

4. Student makes brief overview of the dissertation proposal. (20 min)

5. Questions about the research proposal.

Each of the 5 persons has about 10 minutes to query any aspect of the proposal. Again, this lasts about an hour.

6. Final comments/questions from anyone.

7. Student and public observers (if any) leave and the Committee decides whether the oral defense has been successful or not (i.e., whether the candidate is ready to go forth with ethical review and so on.) If so, papers are signed and the candidate is invited back for the decision. If not, reasons must be given orally at this point, and in writing later.

8. Student returns and is informed verbally of the decision.

B. After the Defense:

Defense Chair, on behalf of the committee, notifies home university Grad Chair and Program Director, in writing, of the decision. The Director then provides official notification to the student, supervisor and grad chair.

C. Before the research actually begins:

Student submits proposal and ethical review forms (if required) to Grad Chair for approval.

D. AFTER ethical approval and approval of the Grad Chair:

Following approval AND ONLY AFTER APPROVAL, the student begins to collect data for the research.

Brock University

Background