ACADEMIC REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS

Click on each request to be directed to the specific instructions.

Table of Contents

MASTERS STUDENT REQUESTS

Send your request to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca

DOCTORAL STUDENT REQUESTS

Send your request to doctoral.exams@nursing.ubc.ca

ALL GRADUATE STUDENTS

Send your request to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca

NON-NURSING STUDENTS

Adding a Supervisor / Chair

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  • When the student has a faculty member who has confirmed they will be their supervisor, they send an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Name, student number, and faculty member's name.
  • Graduate Student Support will follow up with the faculty member and the Program Coordinator to confirm approval.
  • Once the request is approved, the student's record will be updated by Graduate Student Support and they will be notified by email.

Adding a Committee Member

  • This request is submitted by the student or supervisor.
  • Once the student and their supervisor have discussed suitable faculty members to join the supervisory committee, the student or supervisor sends an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Name, student number, and selected faculty members' names for committee membership.
    • If the faculty being nominated are not members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS)
      • MSN and MN students should include the contact information for the faculty member being nominated.
      • PhD students should visit "Request a non-G+PS Faculty Member."
  • Graduate Student Support will follow up with the nominated faculty members, the student's supervisor, and the Program Coordinator to confirm approval.
  • Once their request is approved, their record will be updated by Graduate Student Support, and they will be notified via email. 

Request to Complete a Transfer Course (WDA or Other)

Request to Complete a Directed Study or Practicum

Request a Leave of Absence

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  • Students send an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Name, student number, type of leave, and a memo addressed to the Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies explaining the personal, academic, and professional circumstances leading to the leave of absence request.
      • There are three kinds of leaves of absence: personal, parental, and medical. Please review the G+PS Leave of Absence Policy.
        • For professional leaves of absence, the student must provide the name of the employer and position.
        • For medical leaves of absence, see instructions below.
    • A PDF copy of the completed "REQUEST FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE" form (student portions only).
  • Graduate Student Support will receive the email (with supplemental documents), obtain approval from the supervisor and Program Coordinator, and submit it to G+PS. The student will be notified.
  • G+PS will directly notify the student of the result of the request.
  • Please note: for medical leaves of absence, students are recommended to meet with an advisor at Centre for Accessibility
    • These advisors will confidentially collect and assess medical paperwork required and recommend a leave of absence directly to the Dean of G+PS.
    • Once Graduate Student Support at the School of Nursing receives the recommendation from the Dean's office, they will process the paperwork and notify the student.

Request an Extension to Your Program End Date

  • This request is submitted by the supervisor.
  • The student meets with their supervisor to review the circumstances leading to the need for an extension and collaboratively create a plan for successful completion within the requested timeline.
  • After the meeting, the supervisor sends an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Name, student number, original end date, length of extension requested (4/8/12 months), new end date proposed, and rationale for the extension.
    • A signed memo addressed to the Dean of G+PS justifying the request for an extension and explaining why the attached extension timeline is reasonable. The memo must include the date of the last supervisory committee meeting and the written report from that meeting.
    • An extension timeline created from this G+PS template.
    • A PDF copy of the completed "REQUEST FOR EXTENSION TO TIME ALLOWED FOR DEGREE COMPLETION" form (student information and supervisor signature portions only).
  • Graduate Student Support will receive the email (with supplemental documents), obtain approval from the supervisor and Program Coordinator, and submit it to G+PS. The student and supervisor will be notified.
  • G+PS will directly notify the student of the result of the request.
  • Please note: for extensions required to accommodate a medical diagnosis, students are recommended to meet with an Advisor at Centre for Accessibility
    • These advisors will confidentially collect and assess medical paperwork required and recommend a program extension directly to the Dean of G+PS.
    • Once Graduate Student Support at the School of Nursing receives the recommendation from the Dean's office, they will process the paperwork and notify the student.

Schedule a Comprehensive Exam (PhD)

  • This request is submitted by the supervisor.
  • Student and supervisor review the Comprehensive Exam Guidelines and follow the checklists provided.
  • The supervisor sends an email to doc.exams@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Name, student number, start date of written exam, due date for written exam, and date for oral exam.
  • Graduate Student Support receives the request, reviews it with the Program Coordinator, and, if approved, the Program Coordinator assigns a chair.
  • Once the request is reviewed and approved, the student will receive confirmation of exam details and further instructions.

Request a non-G+PS Member for Supervisory Committee (PhD) 

  • This request is submitted by the student and/or supervisor.
  • Once the student has identified committee members who are non-G+PS members and discussed this with their supervisor, the student or supervisor sends an email to doctoral.exams@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • Student name, student number, and request type (request to add a non-G+PS member to the supervisory committee).
    • A copy of the non-G+PS nominee's CV.
    • A rationale from the supervisor explaining how the nominee can and will contribute to the student's committee.
    • A statement from the non-G+PS nominee accepting the committee membership responsibilities.
  • Graduate Student Support will fill out the Recommendation for a non-G+PS Member to join Supervisory Committee form.
  • Graduate Student Support will send the form, the CV, and the supervisor's rationale to the Program Coordinator for approval.
  • Once the request has been approved, Graduate Student Support will send the form and supporting documents to the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies for final approval.
  • The student will be notified of the final approval by email.

Request an Extension to the Time Allowed to Candidacy (PhD)

  • This request is submitted by the student and/or supervisor.
  • Once the student and their supervisor have discussed an extension for the time allowed to advance to candidacy, the student and/or supervisor will send an email to doctoral.exams@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information:
    • The new proposed deadline for advancement to candidacy.
    • A memo from the supervisor with the rationale for the delay in advancement to candidacy and the student's progress to date.
    • The date of the last supervisory committee meeting and a summary of what was discussed.
    • A proposed extension timeline (Sample Timeline).
  • Graduate Student Support will fill out the Extension to Time Allowed for Advancement to Candidacy form and send it to the Program Coordinator for approval.
  • Once the request has been approved, Graduate Student Support will submit the form and supporting documents to the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies for final approval.
  • The student will be notified by email of the final approval.

Schedule a Candidacy Exam (PhD)

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  • After the student has discussed and confirmed advancing to candidacy and the proposed date for the candidacy exam with their supervisor, the student will inform Graduate Student Support of the exam request date by emailing doctoral.exams@nursing.ubc.ca.
  • Graduate Student Support will fill out the Recommendation for Advancement to Candidacy form and obtain the required signatures.
  • Graduate Student Support will submit the completed and signed form to the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies to be processed and approved.

Request External Examiners (PhD)

Reference: Selecting External Examiner

*Should be submitted approximately 8 weeks before the intended date of submission of the dissertation for external examination.

  • This request is submitted by the supervisor.
  • When the student and supervisor have discussed moving forward with the final doctoral exam process, the supervisor will:
  • Graduate Student Support will obtain the Program Coordinator's approval.
  • Graduate Student Support will submit the completed and signed form to Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies for approval.
  • The student and supervisor will be notified by email.

Submit Dissertation for External Review (PhD)

Schedule Final Oral Exam (PhD)

Request University Examiner(s) (PhD)

Submit Final Dissertation to cIRcle (PhD)

Submit Term Progress Report (MSN)

Switch between SPAR and Thesis (MSN)

  • Students must choose between SPAR or Thesis stream by the end of their first year of study.
  • This request is submitted by MSN students.
  • Students are required to be registered in NURS 595 SPAR or NURS 599 Thesis throughout their MSN program.
  • Students are able to register in either stream from the start and should consult the MSN Handbook for instructions on how to select the appropriate course.
  • If the student and their supervisor decide the student's project is better suited to the stream they are not currently registered in (for example, switching from thesis to SPAR or SPAR to thesis), the student will send an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the following information: 
    - Full name and student number
    - The type of request and rationale for it
    - Supporting email from the supervisor, if available.
  • Graduate Student Support will follow up with the student's supervisor and the MSN Program Coordinator to confirm approval.
  • Once the request is approved, the student's record will be updated by Graduate Student Support and the student will be notified by email.

Report Thesis / SPAR Proposal Approval (MSN)

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  1. THESIS PROPOSAL APPROVAL:
  • When the student has presented their thesis proposal to the supervisor and committee member(s) for approval and obtained approval, the student will formally request thesis proposal approval.
  • The student must send an email to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with their full name, student number, thesis title, and a statement indicating they are requesting thesis proposal approval.
  • Graduate Program Support will notify the Program Coordinator, and the email documenting approval will be filed in the student's file for record keeping and program progress tracking.
  1. SPAR PROPOSAL APPROVAL:
  • When the student has presented their SPAR project proposal to the supervisor and committee member(s) for approval and obtained approval, the student will email academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca with the approval email from the supervisor and committee member(s).
  • Graduate Program Support will notify the Program Coordinator, and the approval email will be filed in the student's file for record keeping and program progress tracking.

Submit Final Thesis to cIRcle (MSN)

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  • Refer to the Thesis submission details for steps to submitting your thesis to cIRcle.

Switch from Full-time Status (Schedule A) to Part-time Status (Schedule B) (MSN)

  • This request is submitted by the student.
  • The student reads the policy on Full-Time and Part-Time Study.
  • The student emails academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca to request the student status switch.
  • Graduate Student Support will forward the student's request to the MSN Program Coordinator to arrange a consultation by email or phone.
  • The MSN Program Coordinator will provide Graduate Student Support with approval.
  • Graduate Student Support will complete and submit the appropriate paperwork for the requested switch. 
    *The switch must occur prior to the first time tuition is assessed by the University.

Reference: Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies - Full Time/Part Time Student Status

Register in a Nursing Course as a Non-Nursing Student

Requests to add non-nursing students to courses should be sent to academic.support@nursing.ubc.ca. The email should include the student's name, student number, and the course/section they should be permitted to take. Then our grad programs staff can enroll them. For instructors, please cc the student on your email so they also have it for their records.

UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. E-commerce Cart A shopping cart. Time A clock. Chats Two speech clouds. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Home A house in silhouette. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Mail An envelope. Telephone An antique telephone. Play A media play button. Search A magnifying glass. Arrow indicating share action A directional arrow. Speech Bubble A speech bubble. Star An outline of a star. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. User A silhouette of a person. Vimeo The logo for the Vimeo video sharing service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service. Future of work A logo for the Future of Work category. Inclusive leadership A logo for the Inclusive leadership category. Planetary health A logo for the Planetary health category. Solutions for people A logo for the Solutions for people category. Thriving cities A logo for the Thriving cities category. University for future A logo for the University for future category.