This page was developed by the Queen's University Applied Sustainability Research Group.

How to get a Master's degree from Queen's MME

• Attend orientation (you will receive notification of details upon admission).
• Take WHMIS training (see Onno Osten, MME's safety officer, for details).
• Register for 4 courses throughout your degree. Courses can be offered from any department. In general at least 3 courses are at the graduate level and your 4th elective must be a 4th year undergrad level course and upwards. A course cannot have been used for another degree.
• Register for MECH 897 (Seminar) and attend either all of the McLaughlin Hall or Nicol Hall Seminar series.
• You should give at least one seminar on your thesis topic. See http://web.archive.org/web/20110614091859/http://me.queensu.ca/graduate/seminars/mechSeminar.php for instructions.
• Oral Thesis Examination Form, Departmental Conflict of Interest Form must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Assistant or Graduate Studies Coordinator for approval at least three weeks (15 working days) before the date planned for the examination to take place. This is necessary to find a Chair for the exam. Contact Gayle Laporte, graduate secretary, for coordination and consultation.
• A copy of the thesis must be handed in to the Graduate Studies Assistant and all members of the committee no later than two weeks (10 working days) before the date planned for the examination to take place. See http://web.archive.org/web/20100126202640/http://www.queensu.ca:80/sgs/forstudents/NewCurrentStudents/completingyourdegree/thesisformatting.html for thesis outline.
• Conduct oral defense. See http://www.queensu.ca/sgs/forstudents/NewCurrentStudents/completingyourdegree/oralexamination.html on how to prepare.
• Submit final copy of thesis to School of Graduate Studies (NOTE: you will not graduate unless you do so). See http://web.archive.org/web/20100612142046/http://www.queensu.ca:80/sgs/forstudents/NewCurrentStudents/completingyourdegree/finalsubmission.html for instructions.
• Note: you should determine if you want your thesis published on the electronic database or not. This will affect publication procedures if you plan on producing articles after graduation. In general in this group you will publish and have articles under review before your thesis goes to print.
• RECOMMENDED: talk to SGPS student advisors for assistance. They can be found at http://web.archive.org/web/20160304072048/http://www.sgps.ca:80/services/advisors.html
• These are some additional resources that will assist you in your time here at Queen's: http://www.sgps.ca/advisors/upolicy.html

The 14 steps of the Master's Defense

1. Supervisor informs Graduate Assistant of date/time of defense and who the 2 examiners will be(can be two from within dept. or one from within and one from another dept.) (not less than 2 weeks prior to defense date)
2. Grad. Assistant sends Conflict of Interest form to Supervisor for completion and return to Grad. Assistant and approval by Graduate Coordinator. If no conflict exists then,
3. Grad. Assistant prints student transcript to ensure required courses have been completed and all marks submitted and submits mark for seminar course
4. Grad. Assistant finds Chair from within dept. (replaces Head's Delegate)
5. Grad. Assistant prepares Scheduling Form
6. Grad. Assistant books room
7. Grad. Assistant sends copyright forms to student (to be returned to Grad. Assistant)
8. Grad. Assistant confirms student has sent copy of thesis to examiners (one hard copy to Grad. Assistant for the Chair) not less than 10 working days before date of defense
9. Grad. Assistant sends Confidential Report to examiners/supervisor not less than one week before defense
10. If no negative Confidential Report's received (not later than 3 days before defense date) defense proceeds.
11. Grad. Assistant Prepares Master's Thesis Exam Result Form and Oral Conduct Form for Chair's file
12. File is given to Chair on day of defense – to be returned to Grad. Assistant after defense
13. Grad. Assistant copies all forms then sends originals to the Thesis Coordinator, School of Graduate Studies
14. Student completes revisions, submits final copy of thesis through Q-Space, Grad School reviews and communicates with student re anything else required, student submits 2 hard copies to Grad. School for binding, student's name is added to degree list.

How to get a Master's Degree from Queen's MES

Beginning Your Master's

Attend orientation (you will receive notification of details upon admission).
Register for 4 courses throughout your degree. 2 courses must include ENSC 801 and ENSC 802. The remaining 2 course can be offered from any department, and 1 course can include a 4th year undergrad level course.

Advisory Committee

During the first semester of the MES program, an advisory committee should be formed. Committee members must include the student's supervisor as well as a Environmental Studies faculty member. The remaining committee members will be chosen by the student in consultation with the supervisor or advisor.

The advisory committee MUST meet at least once and preferably twice a year with the student. The student must prepare a written summary of progress (usually 3-5 pages) to be distributed to the committee members at least five working days prior to the meeting. The student may also choose to do a presentation to the committee.

A committee report (forms available from Graduate Assistant or "online") must be filed with the Graduate Assistant after each committee meeting, summarizing the student's academic and research progress and plans for the future. Progress reports must be signed by all members of the committee and dated.

Preparing to Submit/Defend your Thesis

After you have discussed a possible degree completion date with your supervisor/advisor, go to the School of Graduate Studies website on completion under Current Students to check for the deadline to which you must adhere if you wish to be placed on the degree list for a particular term. These deadlines are firm, and no exceptions are made.

When working toward your degree completion date, please consider that you must ensure that your committee members have a minimum of 10 working days (excluding weekends and holidays) to read and comment on the draft stages of your work. Other internal timelines may apply if a committee member is away for a conference, for example. Distribute copies of your thesis to all committee members including the Head or Head's Delegate.

It is highly recommended that all MES students inform themselves about the formatting procedures that apply either to their project or thesis prior to embarking on the writing process.

Thesis Submission and Binding Information

To ensure that you are on the degree list for a particular term, please remember that your thesis must reach the Graduate School by a firm deadline. To find more information on this including formatting, templates and to submit your FINAL thesis copy (PDF only) electronically, consult the library E-Theses link at QSPACE.