How Are Graduate Studies Organized at McGill?
You can think of Mcgill’s organizational structure as a series of concentric circles. Within each of these circles there are different people/positions with whom you may interact over the course of your studies.
Department
Your primary point of contact is generally your supervisor/principal investigator (PI), who is responsible for the running and funding of your lab and for mentoring you through your degree.
Your second point of contact is typically your Supervisory Committee (SC). Your SC will consist of other PIs from within the department (and sometimes from other departments) and assists with progress tracking and research project development. They can also help with problem solving in the supervisory relationship.
The Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) is a departmental administrative staff member who can provide you with practical support with respect to admissions, registration, degree milestones and funding. They can also help you find resources relating to health and wellness and conflict resolution.
The Graduate Program Director (GPD) is a faculty member within the department who is responsible for Biology’s graduate programs, graduate students and postdocs. The GPD can often help with problem solving if your interactions with your PI and/or SC have proven unproductive.
Faculty
The Biology department is part of the Faculty of Science and within the Faculty of Science, the Associate Dean Graduate Education is involved with graduate fellowships, courses and programs and in development of various initiatives designed to support graduate students.
University
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) is the university-wide organization that manages matters relating to the graduate and postdoctoral community. You can read their strategic priorities here. GPS oversees graduate student registration, fees, degree progress and leaves, as well as other aspects of your graduate experience. Their website will provide you with much of the information and resources required to navigate your degree and they have a separate site with resources relating to supervision.
Within GPS, the Associate Deans are responsible for handling graduate student and postdoctoral affairs and for helping graduate students, postdocs, and their supervisors resolve problematic situations. They are also the disciplinary officers for all graduate students. The Dean of GPS oversees GPS and holds academic and administrative responsibility for graduate programs and postdoctoral experiences.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
In 2020, McGill University created a 5-year Strategic Plan to increase Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) and numerous resources exist to help you address issues concerning EDI.
McGill carries out an annual census to understand the diversity of their student body. You can access the census results here.
Resources
The McGill webpage on equity provides information on employment equity at McGill, initiatives and education for staff and students, and the office of mediation and reporting, including resources relating to:
Disabilities and accessibility
Equity-related policies and reports
Gender neutral bathrooms on campus
The McGill department of biology EDI page links to McGill’s strategic plans to promote EDI and address racism and provides other resources related to department-specific initiatives.
The PGSS resources on gendered and sexual violence provides resources for sexual assault survivors, witnesses and supporters.
Student Achievement and Accessibility provides support and accommodation for students with disabilities.
Workshops & Education
McGill’s Sexual Violence Education Program is a mandatory online sexual violence education program for the entire McGill community.
Teaching and Learning Services provides a series of workshops called “Our Shared Spaces”. Current workshops include Being Black @ McGill, Sexuality 101, Gender 101, Fostering Inclusive communities, Intro to Anti-Oppression, and Addressing Microaggressions in the classroom.
SKILLSETS provides various workshops with topics that depend on the year, but past trainings have covered EDI-related topics.
Equity at McGill also provides a series of workshops through their Equity Education initiative. These cover a range of topics on equity, including accessibility and mentorship. While they are geared towards faculty, students are allowed to register.
Groups & Committees
There are many ways to involve yourself in promoting equity and diversity at McGill. Here are a few:
EDI committee: Within the Department of Biology, the EDI committee consists of departmental faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students. They organize departmental BIPOC events, anti-racism events, and run an EDI-focused book club.
PGSS equity and diversity committee: The PGSS Equity and Diversity Committee is a group of graduate students dedicated to promoting EDI among the graduate community. They are a point of contact for graduate students who have EDI-related comments, questions or concerns. Additionally, they provide numerous resources, run events, and organize the Equity and Allyship Book Club.
Diversity in STEMM: A student-driven initiative at the Redpath Museum that promotes diversity in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine. They run a mentorship program that pairs an undergraduate student in an underrepresented group with a graduate student mentor.
People and Places within Biology
Contact List
The Department of Biology maintains a contact list for faculty, support staff, and various committees. Some of the contacts you will need most frequently are listed below:
|
Position |
Name |
Contact Info |
Responsibilities |
| Administrative Office (AO) | Caroline LeBlond | Rm. N7/2, (514) 398-6402 caroline.leblond [at] mcgill.ca |
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| Administrative Assistant | Luisa Sabaz | Rm. N7/7, (514) 398-5740 luisa.sabaz [at] mcgill.ca |
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Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) |
Ancil Gittens |
Rm. N7/6, (514) 398-5478 ancil.gittens [at] mcgill.ca |
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Administrative Coordinator
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Tami Piovesan |
Rm. N7/7, (514) 399-9336 tami.piovesan [at] mcgill.ca
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| Student Affairs Coordinator | Patricia Lianos | Rm. N7/6, (514) 398-6401 patricia.lianos [at] mcgill.ca |
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Building Director |
Carole Smith |
Rm. N8/13, (514) 398-6406 carole.smith [at] mcgill.ca |
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Undergraduate Student Affairs Coordinator |
Susan Gabe |
Rm. N7/9A, (514) 398-7045 susan.gabe [at] mcgill.ca |
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Biology Receiving |
Joseph Iantomasi |
Rm. N3/17, (514) 398-6432 joseph.iantomasi [at] mcgill.ca |
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Graduate Program Co-Directors (GPD) |
David Dankort & Nam-Sung Moon |
Bellini Rm. 264, david.dankort [at] mcgill.ca Bellini Rm 266, nam.moon [at] mcgill.ca |
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Building Porter (Stewart Biology) |
Dino Bisanti |
Rm. N2/1, (514) 398-5078 stewartbioporter.fmd [at] mcgill.ca
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Research Facilities
The two main buildings for Biology faculty and students are the Stewart Biology Building and the Bellini Life Sciences Complex, which house the majority of individual labs as well as core research facilities such as the Phytotron, the Integrated Quantitative Biology Initiative, and the Advanced BioImaging Facility. These in-house capabilities are complemented by a range of affiliated research facilities:
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Facility |
Location |
| Québec | |
| Québec | |
| Québec | |
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New Brunswick |
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| Québec | |
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Barbados |
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Panama |
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Québec |
Student Associations
There are several associations organized for or by graduate students in the Department of Biology. The Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA) organizes social and academic events for students and sends out weekly updates relevant to the Department.
The Post-Graduate Student's Society (PGSS) advocates for graduate students and offers a variety of services including courses, community events, health insurance, and more.
The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM) represents TAs and invigilators and has bargained with the McGill administration to produce Collective Agreements, which are legal documents that protect student workers.
Student Services
Students should be provided with office space in which to work while on campus. Office space is generally allocated by your lab and you should first ask your PI and/or other lab members to see what is available. You may also ask the Building Director.
The departmental lounge in the Stewart Biology Building, Room N8/1, is open to all members of the Biology Department. There are microwave ovens, a fridge, lunch tables, sinks, and books. There is also a single-cup coffee maker, with department-provided coffee (but bring your own milk). Users must clean up after themselves.
Students also have access to the lounge in the BGSA’s office in the Stewart Biology Building, Room S3/5. There is a small kitchenette, socializing area, as well as communal and private workspaces, which can be used to meet with colleagues, undergrads, etc. They also have a renovated meeting room created especially for conference calls, with sophisticated microphones and webcams, sound proofing and a hardwired internet connection! Please contact the BGSA for further details.
Thomson House is the graduate student lounge and headquarters for the PGSS. You can work and socialize on the main floor; order food and drinks at the bar; and attend events such as trivia night. They also have private meeting rooms and a ballroom available for booking.
The department mailrooms are located in the Stewart Biology, Room N8/11 and the Bellini Life Science Complex, Room 276. Mail slots are allocated by lab. Only official departmental correspondence and stamped personal correspondence may be placed in the outgoing external mail bag.
Campus Life & Engagement (CL&E) provides a detailed list of many of the resources available to McGill students. These include academic resources (writing help, library services, academic policies, etc.), career and professional development resources (career planning, networking, skill building, etc.), resources for wellbeing (health and wellness needs, athletics and recreation, family care, international student services, etc.), and more.
Online Platforms
You will use several online platforms during your studies. For assistance with any of these platforms, contact IT Services. The most commonly used platforms are described below:
|
Platform |
Description |
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McGill Marketplace |
Purchase equipment and supplies from preferred suppliers at lower prices |
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Register for courses, view funding amounts and disbursements, submit travel advances and expense reports, and much more |
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Access course materials, view grades, submit assignments, and more |
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Search for various types of jobs and career-related events |
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Find volunteer activities with organizations on and off campus, since up for workshops and events |
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View and update lab chemical inventories and access electronic material safety data sheets |
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Access multiple McGill platforms and important links without sign-in prompts |
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Create an individual development plan for professional development, career goals, and personal wellbeing |
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Track degree progression and milestones |
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Nominate examiners and complete initial thesis submission |
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Apply for TAships, record hours worked, and view payment records and tax slips |
Mailing Lists
Information about funding opportunities, departmental affairs, and professional development opportunities is often distributed through mailing lists. You should email the listserv or its coordinators to be added. A number of campus listservs, including those maintained by SKILLSETS and Career Planning Services (CaPS), are available.
The Biology Department listserv (biologydept [at] lists.mcgill.ca) is managed by the administrative coordinator, and is normally used for announcements of a general nature, such as seminars, lost/found items, etc. New students are automatically added to this listserv on a termly basis. Note that announcements meant strictly for students will never be circulated on the listserv and will instead be sent via email to graduate students only.
| List | Description | Sing Up |
| BGSA listserv (bgsa [at] lists.mcgill.ca) | Delivers weekly updates relevant to Biology students, including announcements about events. | Send an email with a blank subject line to listserv [at] lists.mcgill.ca containing the following text command in the body: subscribe BGSA firstname lastname. |
| BioWeekly | Contains department-wide announcements, including those concerning CEEB, NBB and MCDB seminars, EELs, WIPS, and PhD thesis seminars/defenses. | Send an email with a blank subject line to listserv [at] lists.mcgill.ca containing the following text command in the body: subscribe BIOWEEKLY firstname lastname. |
| Work in Progress Seminars (WIPS) | Schedule for talks throughout the year and regular reminders about upcoming presentations. | Ask your supervisor or lab members for the current contact person. |
| Ecology and Evolution Lunches (EELs) | Schedule for talks throughout the year and regular reminders about upcoming presentations. | Ask your supervisor or lab members for the current contact person. |
| Organismal Seminars | Updates about upcoming seminars. | Ask your supervisor or lab members for the current contact person. |
| Molecular Seminars | Updates about upcoming seminars. | Ask your supervisor or lab members for the current contact person. |
| NBB Seminars | Updates about upcoming seminars. | Ask your supervisor or lab members for the current contact person. |
Human Resources
Leave of Absence
You can apply to take a leave of absence for a number of reasons, including new maternity/paternity, personal or family health, professional development, mandatory military service, and employment. To apply, you must request a leave.
A leave of absence must be requested on a term by term basis and may be granted for a period of up to 52 weeks. You will not be charged tuition and fees during an authorized leave of absence. However, research supervisors are also not obligated to remunerate you while you are on leave.
To be covered by the graduate supplemental health and dental plan during a leave of absence, you should make arrangements with the PGSS and/or International Student Services. International students may face additional considerations.
Parental Leave
The policies surrounding financial support for parental leaves of absence depend on your funding sources. If you intend to take parental leave, you should familiarize yourself with the policies particular to your funding source. These policies are readily available for common funding sources including the Fonds de Recherche du Québec, the Tri-Council Agencies, and your supervisor’s research grants. If you have received funding from other sources, it is your responsibility to inquire about parental leave policies.
To take parental leave, you must request a leave of absence for the terms that you will be away. Like other leaves of absence, parental leave can only be requested on a term-by-term basis.
Vacation Leave
Graduate students are normally entitled to vacation, equivalent to university holidays and a total of 15 additional days throughout the year. If you take additional vacation leave, you may have your funding reduced. You and your supervisor should establish expectations concerning vacation timing and duration when you complete the letter of understanding.
Financial Resources
The office of Scholarships and Student Resources provides a broad range of resources to help you manage your finances. These resources include budgeting tutorials, debt management advice, and money-saving tips. Throughout the year, you can attend the Frugal Scholar Workshops to learn about specific topics such as filing Canadian and Quebec income taxes.
In addition, McGill and its partners now offer an eight-module course on Personal Finance Essentials that covers topics such as investing and real estate. These topics and others are also covered throughout the year by SKILLSETS.
Health and Dental Insurance
Canadian Students
You are automatically enrolled in a supplemental health and dental plan administered by the PGSS. The cost for a full-year of coverage under the Enhanced Care Plan is $575 and you can switch to the Basic Care Plan for $475 per year, choose only the health or dental plan, or opt-out of the health and dental plan entirely. The opt-out period is generally ~4 weeks at the start of the semester, the dates of which will be listed on the PGSS website. Whichever plan you choose, the cost is covered by the tuition and fees supplement provided by your supervisor as part of the specified minimum level of support. If you begin your program in the winter or summer term, you are not covered by this plan by default and must opt-in if you wish to be covered.
International Students
McGill requires all international students and your accompanying dependents to participate in the compulsory McGill International Health Insurance (IHI) plan which is administered by International Student Services. You are automatically charged the annual IHI fee of $999 upon registration at McGill University in the Fall and Winter terms. In some cases, you may be eligible for exemption from this plan. Additionally, you are automatically enrolled in the Enhanced Dental Plan at the cost of $200 per year and you may opt for more basic coverage or no dental coverage at all. Whichever plan you choose, the cost is covered by the tuition and fees supplement provided by your supervisor as part of the specified minimum level of support.
Sexual Violence
You must complete It Takes All of Us, a mandatory online consent education program for everyone at McGill. This program is an essential piece of the University-wide response to sexual violence. You must complete the program in your first term through myCourses. Note that TAs may be required to complete the program twice.
The Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education (OSVRSE) provides support for all members of the McGill community who have been impacted by sexual violence and works to foster a culture of consent on campus and beyond.
Addressing Problems
If you are experiencing a conflict with your supervisor, or have personal or academic concerns, there are a variety of people at McGill that can help. It is important to address problems when they arise and not to let them fester. It is equally important to maintain your own well-being. If you are struggling personally, practice self-care and seek help when you need it.
The hierarchy of help is provided by GPS and lists the people who can help you, in the order that you should contact them (e.g. try to speak to your supervisor first and if that does not resolve the issue, contact your SC, etc.).
For any issues involving McGill University and its members, you can also contact the Ombudsperson. The Ombudsperson offers confidential, informal and independent dispute resolution services to all students. The Ombudsperson is an advocate for a fair process (and not an advocate for the individual or for the administration), acts solely in an advisory and intermediary role, and does not make University policy or replace formal channels.
If you are the victim of harassment, violence, and discrimination prohibited by law from any member of the McGill community, you can contact the Office for Mediation and Reporting to initiate mediation or a formal investigation.
Within the Department of Biology, you can also use the BGSA Grievance & Suggestions form to anonymously air any grievance you may have about your lab, the department, or graduate student life. Only the active BGSA president has access to the form responses and you can choose whether to provide an email address for follow up.
The Student Wellness Hub offers a wide variety of services to support your success and well-being. Some of the services offered include advising, well-being activities, and appointments with a clinician. Getting an in-person appointment with a doctor or clinician can be difficult. For emergencies, students should seek a hospital. For non-emergencies, students can also consider booking appointments through Telehealth. Support can also be accessed through Student Advocacy for issues such as disputes with academic advisors.
Environmental Health and Safety
You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with lab safety at McGill. Additionally, if you will handle and dispose of hazardous materials in your research, you must complete WHMIS 2015 and Hazardous Waste Management & Disposal training before beginning lab work. When applicable, you must also complete training on biosafety, biosafety cabinets, radiation safety, and laser safety.
At McGill, research groups conducting lab work use myLab to view and update the chemicals kept within the lab and access the related electronic material safety data sheets (MSDS’s). MyLab is also used for issuing acquisition and disposal orders for certain hazardous chemicals.
For more information, you can contact the Environmental Health and Safety office for advice, training and technical support for laboratory safety. You can also contact the Hazardous Waste Management office which provides guidelines for the appropriate handling and disposal of hazardous waste.
Cost of Living
Housing
Housing costs in Montreal can vary widely, depending on location and living situation. Reported housing costs from a variety of sources are detailed below:
According to the 2020 BGSA Survey, graduate students from McGill’s Biology Department spend an average of $774 (median = $720, n = 26) on rent per month.
In 2019, the average monthly cost of an off-campus, one-bedroom apartment with low utility use in neighborhoods close to downtown was $1005. On campus, McGill offers various housing options including apartment-style residences and shared-facilities housing with monthly prices ranging from $605 - $1356.
Outside of the downtown area, housing prices are much lower. For those living outside of the downtown area, note that a commute to the downtown area typically lasts 30 minutes.
Data from the crowdsourcing website Numbeo suggest Montréalers, not necessarily students, spend the following on housing:
|
Accomodation |
Downtown |
Not downtown |
|
One-bedroom apartment |
$1475 |
$1100 |
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Single-room in three-bedroom apartment |
$845 |
$627 |
Additional Resources:
Good places to look for affordable housing:
Facebook | McGill Off-campus Housing
Facebook | Montreal Apartments/Logements Montréal
McGill Resources:
Average Monthly Expenses
In general, you can expect to spend $500 to $1000 per month on other living experiences.
Graduate students from McGill’s Biology Department reported spending an average of $549 per month on other living expenses in 2020. These expenses included utilities, phone & internet bills, groceries, household products, and transportation but did not include fitness memberships, prescription drugs, and healthcare expenses.
Public Transportation
Public transportation in Montreal is provided by the Société de Transport de Montréal and is relatively inexpensive. For daily commuters, the most economical transit pass is an OPUS card for four months, which costs $220, although other passes and fares are available. As a student, you can apply for student OPUS cards through Minerva, which you can then pick up at the Berri/UQAM station or have mailed to you.
Getting acquainted with McGill and the Biology Department
Campus Life & Engagement
CL&E organizes events to help get you settled into your new role at McGill and point you towards academic, professional, and wellness resources to help you throughout your graduate career.
PGSS
The PGSS hosts orientation activities and events to welcome all graduate students at McGill. It’s a great way to meet fellow graduate students across campus and learn about the services, resources, and activities provided by PGSS throughout the year. It’s also often your first chance to visit Thomson House, the graduate student lounge.
There are many ways to get involved with the PGSS, including a long list of committees. Joining a committee offers the chance to engage with topics that you care about and to build your CV. It is also a good way to meet students at McGill with similar interests, and can be a great way to broaden your network of contacts outside of the Biology department.
PGSS also offers various extracurricular courses that are open to graduate students, post-docs, faculty, alumni, and McGill staff. These courses provide opportunities to meet with your fellow students and faculty in a friendly environment. The courses include Language classes (French and Spanish), Yoga Flo, Basic Life Support Provider Course (CPR level C+) with the Emergency First Aid and self-defense courses. Courses are offered in the spring (8 weeks starting in mid-April), summer (2 weeks intensive beginning of July-limited selection of classes available), fall (10 weeks end of September), and winter (10 weeks, starting mid- January). Registration opens 1 month prior to the start of classes. Detailed information can be found here: Course Information | PGSS
BGSA
The BGSA welcomes new graduate students with events specifically for students in the Biology Department, to help break the ice with the people you will be seeing in the hallways on a daily basis. Stay tuned to the BGSA listserv for details.
The BGSA hosts Biology’s Department Day each year, an event where students and faculty join together for a day filled with research talks, Q&A sessions, social events and workshops. Attending this event is a great way for new students to meet other students and faculty, present their work, socialize and form new collaborations. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and help organize the event each year.
Science Outreach
Getting involved in outreach is a great way to connect with other students, and the community more generally. Learn more.
International Student Services
International Student Services (ISS) offers a variety of events and workshops to help international students get more acquainted with Montreal and McGill.
The buddy program pairs new international students with current/returning students (Buddy volunteers) who provide a helping hand for new arrivals. You can have online and/or face-to-face meetups with your buddy, or communicate with them via email. Your buddy acts as a general resource to facilitate your arrival in Montreal and can give you information about courses, professors, campus life, clubs, etc. New students can sign up here to find a buddy and current students can sign up here to become a Buddy volunteer. There is no hard deadline for signing up, although it's recommended to sign up in the summer before the term begins.