Registration Status

Each postgraduate student will have an individual degree plan. Before the start of the first semester, the College should submit individual degree plans to the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies for forwarding to the Deanship of Admissions and Registration. Students must register each semester according to the degree plan, within the formal registration period as announced by the University.  Progress Reports should be provided for “In Progress” registration of the thesis.

Late registration may be allowed under extenuating circumstances for up to 2 weeks beyond the first day of classes.  However, late registrants may not be assured a place in the desired course if it has reached its maximum enrolment by that time. Approval of the Dean of the concerned College is required for late registration. 

All postgraduate students are required to maintain continuous enrolment from the time of their first registration until completion of the degree.  Any interruption of studies must be approved by way of an official postponement of study.  Students engaged in research without any formal course work must remain registered.

Audit

With the approval of their program coordinator and the course instructor, and subject to availability of space, students may register to audit a course.  As such, they may attend classes but may not sit for any examinations nor receive credit for the course. Upon confirmation of attendance, the designation ‘AU’ will be entered on the transcript.  Registration as an auditor may be completed only after regular registration is finished. Audited courses cannot be converted to credit status.

Course Load

In a regular semester, and where the postgraduate program involves course work, the minimum course load for a full-time student is normally 9 credits, except when the student is registered for a thesis. The normal course load for a part-time postgraduate student is 6 credits, with 3 credits as the allowable minimum. 

Progress Report

Each postgraduate student registered for the thesis will be required to submit a Progress Report in order to register for the thesis in subsequent semesters. The Progress Report will be signed by the student and the supervisor.  Copies of the Progress Report will be forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research (ADPSR) in the student’s College and the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies. The Progress Report will contain a “Student’s Section” and a “Supervisor’s Section”. The student will summarize progress and propose a work plan with expected results for the coming semester and/or year. The supervisor will comment on the same issues and provide an overall indication of “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory” performance. In either case, the student must be informed of the supervisor’s opinion

Change of Course Registration

carefully from the degree plan. It is not expected, therefore, that changes should occur once registration is complete

Postgraduate students, in consultation with the program coordinator, should select courses.

Dropping, Adding or Withdrawing from Courses

Where unusual circumstances arise, students may drop or add courses until the end of the Add/Drop period with no impact on their record.  A course dropped after the Add/Drop period in the first half of the semester will result in a "W" grade. Any application by a student to drop a postgraduate course, during the Drop/Add period or the Withdrawal period, must carry the written approval of the program coordinator. A course dropped in the second half of the semester will result in an 'F' grade.

Course withdrawals should not result in a course load of less than 9 credits for a full-time diploma or masters student. Course adding should not result in a course load more than 6 credits for a part-time diploma or masters student. A student who registers in a semester and subsequently withdraws from all courses required for the degree without official postponement is considered to have withdrawn from formal study and must re-apply for admission to the postgraduate program

Course withdrawals should not result in a course load of less than 9 credits for a full-time diploma or masters student. Course adding should not result in a course load more than 6 credits for a part-time diploma or masters student. A student who registers in a semester and subsequently withdraws from all courses required for the degree without official postponement is considered to have withdrawn from formal study and must re-apply for admission to the postgraduate program.

Change of Supervisor

A supervisor or a member of the Thesis Committee may be changed if a faculty member leaves the University or the relationship between the student and the faculty member is considered unsatisfactory. Such a change must be requested by the student or supervisor on the standard form, with reasons, and approved by the Head of Department, who shall inform the College Postgraduate Studies Committee, taking into account the progress made and time spent up to that date. The College ADPSR shall inform the College Dean and theDeanship of Postgraduate Studies of the change.

Change of Program

A student who wishes to change postgraduate programs should withdraw from the current program and reapply for the new one. The admission criteria and procedures (Section 2) will apply. Courses completed in the original program may be counted towards the requirements of the new program and will be considered as transfer credits (TC) when applicable. The Deanship of Postgraduate Studies will be informed. 

Amendment of Program

A student may amend his/her postgraduate program, subject to approval. Amendments may include substitution of courses, change between program options, and specialization within a program or a change in thesis field or title. The mode of study (full/part time) may only be changed before the start of the second semester of registration. A standard Amendment Form will be completed by the student and forwarded through the program coordinator/supervisor and College Dean for approval by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies.

Attendance

A student is expected to attend all scheduled classes. At the beginning of the course the instructor will lay down any specific requirements for the course. 

Postponement of Study

A student may be granted permission to postpone study in a postgraduate program if there are compelling reasons for it, such as health or family pressures. Postponement is accepted upon the recommendation of the College Dean and approval of the Dean of Postgraduate Studies. Normally such a postponement must be processed within the withdrawal period and should not exceed two semesters. A student who does not register following a postponement will be considered to have withdrawn from the University. 

Withdrawal from the University

A student will be considered to have withdrawn from a postgraduate program and the University when they:

a.     Fail to meet the academic requirements and standards of the program, including failure to get off probation within one semester.

b.     Voluntarily complete the Withdrawal Form and leave the University.

c.     Fail to return in the semester following an approved postponement of study.

d.     Fail to register for two consecutive semesters.

e.     Cease to attend classes after registering in two or more courses or do not appear for final examinations, with no acceptable reason.

f.      Are more than one semester in arrears in paying fees. 

Re-instatement following any of these conditions is not automatic and will be considered on an individual basis, conditional upon the approval of the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, in consultation with concerned College.

Registration Status

Each postgraduate student will have an individual degree plan. Before the start of the first semester, the College should submit individual degree plans to the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies for forwarding to the Deanship of Admissions and Registration. Students must register each semester according to the degree plan, within the formal registration period as announced by the University.  Progress Reports should be provided for “In Progress” registration of the thesis.

Late registration may be allowed under extenuating circumstances for up to 2 weeks beyond the first day of classes.  However, late registrants may not be assured a place in the desired course if it has reached its maximum enrolment by that time. Approval of the Dean of the concerned College is required for late registration. 

All postgraduate students are required to maintain continuous enrolment from the time of their first registration until completion of the degree.  Any interruption of studies must be approved by way of an official postponement of study.  Students engaged in research without any formal course work must remain registered.

Audit

With the approval of their program coordinator and the course instructor, and subject to availability of space, students may register to audit a course.  As such, they may attend classes but may not sit for any examinations nor receive credit for the course. Upon confirmation of attendance, the designation ‘AU’ will be entered on the transcript.  Registration as an auditor may be completed only after regular registration is finished. Audited courses cannot be converted to credit status.

Course Load

In a regular semester, and where the postgraduate program involves course work, the minimum course load for a full-time student is normally 9 credits, except when the student is registered for a thesis. The normal course load for a part-time postgraduate student is 6 credits, with 3 credits as the allowable minimum. 

Progress Report

Each postgraduate student registered for the thesis will be required to submit a Progress Report in order to register for the thesis in subsequent semesters. The Progress Report will be signed by the student and the supervisor.  Copies of the Progress Report will be forwarded to the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research (ADPSR) in the student’s College and the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies. The Progress Report will contain a “Student’s Section” and a “Supervisor’s Section”. The student will summarize progress and propose a work plan with expected results for the coming semester and/or year. The supervisor will comment on the same issues and provide an overall indication of “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory” performance. In either case, the student must be informed of the supervisor’s opinion

Change of Course Registration

carefully from the degree plan. It is not expected, therefore, that changes should occur once registration is complete

Postgraduate students, in consultation with the program coordinator, should select courses.

Dropping, Adding or Withdrawing from Courses

Where unusual circumstances arise, students may drop or add courses until the end of the Add/Drop period with no impact on their record.  A course dropped after the Add/Drop period in the first half of the semester will result in a "W" grade. Any application by a student to drop a postgraduate course, during the Drop/Add period or the Withdrawal period, must carry the written approval of the program coordinator. A course dropped in the second half of the semester will result in an 'F' grade.

Course withdrawals should not result in a course load of less than 9 credits for a full-time diploma or masters student. Course adding should not result in a course load more than 6 credits for a part-time diploma or masters student. A student who registers in a semester and subsequently withdraws from all courses required for the degree without official postponement is considered to have withdrawn from formal study and must re-apply for admission to the postgraduate program

Course withdrawals should not result in a course load of less than 9 credits for a full-time diploma or masters student. Course adding should not result in a course load more than 6 credits for a part-time diploma or masters student. A student who registers in a semester and subsequently withdraws from all courses required for the degree without official postponement is considered to have withdrawn from formal study and must re-apply for admission to the postgraduate program.

Change of Supervisor

A supervisor or a member of the Thesis Committee may be changed if a faculty member leaves the University or the relationship between the student and the faculty member is considered unsatisfactory. Such a change must be requested by the student or supervisor on the standard form, with reasons, and approved by the Head of Department, who shall inform the College Postgraduate Studies Committee, taking into account the progress made and time spent up to that date. The College ADPSR shall inform the College Dean and theDeanship of Postgraduate Studies of the change.

Change of Program

A student who wishes to change postgraduate programs should withdraw from the current program and reapply for the new one. The admission criteria and procedures (Section 2) will apply. Courses completed in the original program may be counted towards the requirements of the new program and will be considered as transfer credits (TC) when applicable. The Deanship of Postgraduate Studies will be informed. 

Amendment of Program

A student may amend his/her postgraduate program, subject to approval. Amendments may include substitution of courses, change between program options, and specialization within a program or a change in thesis field or title. The mode of study (full/part time) may only be changed before the start of the second semester of registration. A standard Amendment Form will be completed by the student and forwarded through the program coordinator/supervisor and College Dean for approval by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies.

Attendance

A student is expected to attend all scheduled classes. At the beginning of the course the instructor will lay down any specific requirements for the course. 

Postponement of Study

A student may be granted permission to postpone study in a postgraduate program if there are compelling reasons for it, such as health or family pressures. Postponement is accepted upon the recommendation of the College Dean and approval of the Dean of Postgraduate Studies. Normally such a postponement must be processed within the withdrawal period and should not exceed two semesters. A student who does not register following a postponement will be considered to have withdrawn from the University. 

Withdrawal from the University

A student will be considered to have withdrawn from a postgraduate program and the University when they:

a.     Fail to meet the academic requirements and standards of the program, including failure to get off probation within one semester.

b.     Voluntarily complete the Withdrawal Form and leave the University.

c.     Fail to return in the semester following an approved postponement of study.

d.     Fail to register for two consecutive semesters.

e.     Cease to attend classes after registering in two or more courses or do not appear for final examinations, with no acceptable reason.

f.      Are more than one semester in arrears in paying fees. 

Re-instatement following any of these conditions is not automatic and will be considered on an individual basis, conditional upon the approval of the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, in consultation with concerned College.

Off-Campus Residency

The maximum off campus-residency period allowed for a masters or doctoral degree is 50% of the duration of the program.

Internships and Practica

Off-campus residency for an internship or a practicum is permitted as long as this does not normally exceed one semester and is required to lead the student toward achieving the degree objectives. Off-campus residency to undertake research work with a co-supervisor, and possibly take courses, at a partner university is considered under the umbrella of a partnered program, the details of which are described below.

Partnered Programs and Joint-badging

Definitions

Departments may link their postgraduate programs or an individual postgraduate student with another institution through a co-supervisor at the host institution. The following definitions apply to partnered programs:

Home institution –  the home institution is the university where the student registers, pays fees and receives primary supervision; the candidate must spend at least four semesters at the home institution; the home institution manages the final examination/defence and confers the degree.

Host institution – the host institution recognises the admission of the candidate to the home program, provides a co-supervisor, makes its resources available to the candidate, hosts the candidate for one or more visits, and recognises the final examination/defence and the degree.

Partnered programs and joint-badging – these are postgraduate programs where the student spends some time away from the home institution working with a co-supervisor at a host institution. The most complete form of this is joint-badging, a process whereby a degree is jointly awarded by two institutions under a formal agreement.

Admission and Entrance Requirements

Where SQU is the home institution, the student will apply for admission and, upon meeting the entrance requirements, be registered at SQU and subject to the SQU Postgraduate Academic Regulations. Details, such as health care, accommodation and bench fees, must be decided on an individual basis; unless specified otherwise in an agreement, these are the responsibility of the student.

Registration and Fees

There are three options, two for partnered programs and one for joint-badging:

Short visit: The student spends a short research period of up to one semester with the co-supervisor at the host institution; the student only registers and pays fees at the home institution and no formal agreement is required, only approval from the college deans of both home and host institutions and, where SQU is the home institution, from the Dean of Postgraduate Studies.

Long visit: The student spends up to half of the duration of the program with the co-supervisor at the host institution, with or without courses, which may be covered by transfer rules. The student registers and pays fees at the home institution. Usually a letter of agreement (for the individual student or the program) is signed by the deans of the two

colleges and no fees are paid to the host institution.

Joint degree: The student registers at both institutions; pays fees only at the home institution (depending on the nature of the MoU/joint-badging agreement); spends a significant period at the host institution and at least half of the duration of the program at the home institution. The degree is jointly conferred.

Whereas SQU does not require its home students in a partnered program to register at the host institution, a student will need to do so if taking courses or if required by the host under the specific MoU or agreement.

Where a student from a partner institution wishes to attend SQU as a host institution for a short or long visit but without taking courses, registration in a SQU postgraduate program will not be necessary; only approval from the Dean of Postgraduate Studies will be needed for such a research visit to the co-supervisor at SQU. However, where courses are taken or full joint-badging is agreed, registration in the Student Information System with the Deanship of Admissions & Registration will also be necessary.

Supervision (Thesis Committee)

Collaboration between supervisors and co-supervisors at the home and host institutions respectively is a central feature of partnering or joint-badging a postgraduate research program. This should be strengthened by the visits of research students and possibly also visits of their supervisors.

(a) SQU as home institution

Where SQU is the home institution, the student should select a supervisor and co-supervisor at SQU to initiate the formation of a Thesis Committee; the student and supervisors should then together identify a co-supervisor at a host institution and suggest this to the home department. The appointment of an external co-supervisor at a host institution does not remove the need for a co-supervisor at SQU. The host institution co-supervisor must be supported and nominated by the home department board and approved by the ADPSR and by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies at SQU as well as by the relevant authorities at the host university. Full involvement of the co-supervisor at the host institution is crucial to the success of joint-badged and partnered programs.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor at SQU to ensure that the co-supervisor at the host institution functions as a full member of the Thesis Committee and that the research takes the form of collaboration between the two institutions. The responsibilities of the co-supervisor at the host institution are to:

o    Participate in the drafting and approval of the thesis proposal

o    Host the student in terms of providing research support

o    Provide advice and supervision throughout the study

o    Approve the readiness of the thesis for defense

o    Where possible, attend the thesis defense

(b) SQU as host institution

Where a postgraduate student at another university wishes to have a SQU faculty

member as co-supervisor, this request must be endorsed by the Head of Department and the ADPSR and approved by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies at SQU.

Procedures

For students at SQU, following identification and approval of a co-supervisor at a host institution, a decision must be made on the level of partnership between the two institutions. This is initiated by the supervisor, endorsed by the Head of Department and the ADPSR and approved by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies. For a short visit only approval is needed; for a long visit involving coursework an agreement may be required and this will involve the Office of External Cooperation; full joint-badging will only be done at program level and will require an MoU, which will be drafted in conjunction with the Office of External Cooperation, and implemented by the Deanship of Admissions and Registration. Application for joint-badging must include a motivation by the supervisor, showing the benefits to both institutions in terms of long-term research collaboration. A joint-badging agreement between the two institutions must be completed and ratified. Examples of agreements, MoUs and application forms are available with the Deanship of Postgraduate Studies.

Courses at other Universities

Courses can be taken at the host institution providing that such courses have been specified by the Thesis Committee. Credits for courses taken at the host institution can be recognized and transferred as per SQU transfer credit regulations.

Graduation

In the case of a partnered program, upon successful completion and defense of the thesis the student will attend the home university graduation ceremony at which the degree will be conferred. For a joint-badged program the degree will be jointly conferred. The student will attend only the home institution graduation ceremony, unless specified otherwise in the agreement or MoU.

Appeals/Code of Conduct/Withdrawal

The student is subject to the normal rules of the home institution at all times and to the rules of the host institution while attending there. Failure to maintain required standards or breach of conduct may result in cancellation of registration and withdrawal of the student from the program. Appeals against any such decision or any disciplinary action should be addressed to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research (DVCPSR) at SQU where SQU is the home institution. Where a student has registered at the host institution he/she may be able to lodge appeals concerning issues at the host institution directly. Where the student encountered problems at a host institution the home institution should be informed.