Milestones & Time to Completion

Program Time Limit

  • Students entering the program from an MA should aim to complete within five years (maximum degree length is six years).
  • Direct-entry students should aim to complete in six years (maximum degree length is seven years).
  • Students who are unable to complete their programs within the maximum degree length can apply to the Department and SGS for a program extension by mid-July of their final year.

Best Practices for Doctoral Students

Year 1

Primary Focus

Coursework and field exams (as outlined in SGS calendar)

    Timeline

    Fall Term Winter Term Summer Term
    • Meet with Graduate Director to determine program requirements and timeframe (August/September)
    • Enrol in first year courses (including first and second term field 1 core courses)
    • Meet with faculty mentor and student buddy
    • Get to know faculty interests and consider who you'd like to approach for potential supervisory committee members.   
    • Complete pre-candidacy check-in form (April)
    • Field exam, normally field 1 (May or August)
    • List potential committee members and discuss with mentor and/or grad director with any questions about establishing committee 
    • Prepare a one page proposal outline to shop around to potential committee members in year 2

    Best Practice 

    • Limit extra-curricular activity and employment in order to focus on coursework completion.  Reach out to graduate office for support when struggling/ feeling uncertain. Communication with Grad Office is confidential.
    • Use Grad Hub to find comprehensive resources to support mental and physical health, program related issues, community building. Also visit our department's graduate office to ask about resources and supports.
    • Share time with peers, attend workshops and seminars that guide and support your academic growth and community connection. 

     

    Year 2

    Primary Focus

    Coursework and field exams (as outlined in SGS calendar); connecting with possible committee members.

    Timeline

    Fall Term Winter Term Summer Term
    • Meet with Graduate Director if adjusting field and course requirements
    • Enrol in second year courses (including first and second term field 2 core courses) 
    • Meet with potential supervisors
    • Meet with Graduate Director if guidance is needed to reach out to supervisory committee
    • Complete pre-candidacy check-in form (April)
    • If dissertation research involves human subjects begin to  review requirements for ethics review protocols
    • Field exam, normally field 2 (May or August)
    • Contact referees for coming year scholarship applications

     

    Year 3

    Primary Focus

    Proposal writing, and committee member meetings and planning; submitting final proposal.

    Timeline

    Fall Term Winter Term Summer Term
    • Enrol in dissertation proposal seminar (1st field political theorists are exempt but welcome to enrol)  
    • Set-up appointments to meet with faculty with aim to send members draft by January
    • Meet with Graduate Director if you are having difficulty connecting with potential supervisory committee members
    • Circulate first draft of proposal to committee for approval.  Final copy approved by full committee due by August 30th (email grad office copy of proposal and names of committee members by mid-August)
    • Complete pre-candidacy or check-in form or progress details form, if candidacy has been approved (April-May)  
    • Complete any language training required to embark on research
    • Contact referees for coming year scholarship applications
    • Ensure ethics approval (if required) is complete prior to embarking on dissertation research travel
    • Students anticipating a delay with completion of pre-thesis requierments beyond August 30th must formally request to be considered for a candidacy extension in order to be invited to register in the following year.  Forms are due by June 30th (with supervisor's input). 

     

    Year 4 

    Primary Focus

    Dissertation Research and writing, publishing, networking

    Timeline

    Winter Term Summer Term
    • Complete progress details form and help to arrange full supervisory committee meeting (April/May)
    • Contact referees for coming year scholarship applications

     

    Year 5 (Expected Year of Completion)

    Primary Focus

    Dissertation research, writing and submission of complete draft of dissertation to supervisory committee. Publishing, networking, applying for postdocs and preparing mock job talk.

    Timeline

    Fall Term Winter Term Summer Term
    • Revisions to complete draft based on feedback
    • Final revisions to dissertation.  When approved by superviosry committee, internal reviewer should have 1 month to review and comment
    • Complete progress details form and help to arrange full supervisory committee meeting (April/May)
    • Departmental thesis review (8 weeks prior to defense).  Grad Office coordinates dissertation review by external examiner and schedules final oral exam through SGS

     

    Year 6+ (if required)

    Primary Focus

    Dissertation research, writing and submission of complete draft of dissertation to supervisory committee. Publishing, networking, applying for postdocs and preparing mock job talk.

    Timeline

    Winter Term Summer Term
    • Complete progress details form and help to arrange full supervisory committee meeting (April/May)
    • For students not yet finished program requierments, request to be considered for a program extension must be complete with supervisory input and submitted by June 30th. This is an annual requirement for registration beyond year 6

     

    Finishing Up Timeline

    When supervisory committee approves your dissertation you are approx. 3 months from your final oral exam (1 month for internal reader review (when complete meeting with Graduate Director, Supervisory Committee and Internal Reader is held); 6 weeks for exam arrangements, external reader review and report prep; 2 weeks for candidate review of external report and final prep for exam).

     

    Time Targets

    September

    • Select courses, including (usually) Core Course(s) in Field 1 and/or Field 2
    • Agree on program/course requirements with Graduate Director
    • Check in with designated Advisor

    October

    • Submit fellowship applications (OGS, SSHRC, etc.)

    January to August

    • Explore ideas for thesis in a general way and candidates for thesis committee. Meet with potential supervisors

    May or August

    • Write Field Exam(s)

    September

    • Select courses to complete PhD course requirements

    October

    • Submit fellowship applications
    • Explore additional funding sources for later stages/field work (if applicable)

    October to December

    • Select thesis supervisor and committee members additional to supervisor (if not already done)

    January to April

    • Work towards thesis proposal (for many, this is in conjunction with Dissertation Research Workshop, taken in close consultation with thesis supervisor)Satisfy language requirement(s)

    May to August

    • Work on thesis proposal
    • Work on ethics review, if applicable
    • Consider, if possible and applicable, preliminary field work
    • Complete Field Exam(s)

    September

    • Meet with your dissertation supervisor and register for POL2812

    October to December

    • Finalize supervisory committee
    • Ensure that ethical review (if applicable) is prepared
    • Complete a draft of thesis proposal

    January to May

    1. Finalize thesis proposal
    2. Ensure all non-thesis requirements satisfied, if not already (absolute deadline for such requirements is end of year three)
    3. Begin thesis work, including fieldwork, if applicable

    Continuous

    • Thesis work

    October

    • Submit fellowship applications