Organizational Structure

  • The Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, with academic and administrative responsibility for graduate programs and postdoctoral experiences, shares responsibilities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with the deans of disciplinary faculties. The Dean oversees Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
  • The Associate Deans of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies are responsible for handling graduate student and postdoctoral affairs. They are responsible for helping graduate students, postdocs, and their supervisors resolve problematic situations and are also the disciplinary officers for all graduate students. In addition, the Associate Deans assist with the development of graduate programs and policies related to graduate and postdoctoral studies and sit on university committees.
  • The Associate Deans responsible for Graduate Education support the development of graduate programs and postdoctoral opportunities and policies, and hold positions on various university committees. There is normally one Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education per faculty.

The following is a list of current Associate Deans of Research and Graduate Education:

Faculty Associate Dean
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Jean-Benoit Charron
Arts Cecily Hilsdale
Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences Bettina Maria Willie
Desautels Faculty of Management Sergei Sarkissian
Education Marie-Hélène Pennestri
Engineering Anne Kietzig
Law Colleen Sheppard
Medicine and Health Sciences Aimee Ryan
Music Jean-Sebastien Vallée
Science Laura Nilson
  • The Council of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies reports to Senate through the Academic Policy and Planning Committee. Its mandate is to develop, revise and approve regulations, guidelines, and policies on graduate and postdoctoral studies, and to make the appropriate recommendations to Senate. It participates in strategic planning for initiatives to promote and enhance graduate and postdoctoral studies, and reviews and approves proposals for the creation of new graduate programs.
  • The Graduate Advisory Council is a group that consults with the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies on policy changes. It is comprised of representatives from each faculty, the Associate Deans of Research & Graduate Education or their delegates.
  • Every department has an academic staff member, a Graduate Program Director (GPD), who is responsible for services to its graduate programs and students, as well as its postdocs.
  • Every department has an administrative staff member, usually a Graduate Program Coordinator or Secretary (GPC), who assists the GPD in related functions. All graduate students and postdocs are encouraged to acquaint themselves with their GPD and GPC, since these very important people provide a critical link between university administration and scholar.

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License.
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University.

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