Workshop descriptions

General information sessions

Goal:

To address any changes in the upcoming year in regards to policies & procedures, and to discuss new GPS initiatives. It is also an opportunity to raise issues and ask questions.

Topics of discussion:

  • Graduate calendars (eCalendar, Fellowships)
  • Thesis evaluation, thesis policy and procedure changes
  • Changes to registration dates, session fees, extra courses, DFWs, academic integrity
  • Graduate funding: allocations, external funding competition Fall 2011 debrief
  • Status updates on major projects: Graduate Admissions Project (GAP), Banner Student Aid for Canada (BSAC), Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies transition
  • And more!

Primary audiences:

  • Graduate Program Coordinators
  • Graduate Secretaries and Administrators
  • All Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Staff

Materials from previous sessions:

2015 
GPC Workshop 2015.ppt

2013 
Funding and Thesis presentation

2012 
Overview & General_Information
Admissions
Fellowships & Awards
Registration & Records 
Thesis & Graduation

Policy changes session: thesis submission, registration & fees

Goal:

To address any questions regarding the "Policy Change Implications: Thesis Submission, Registration, Fees & Graduation" information.

Primary audiences:
  • Graduate Program Directors
  • Graduate Program Coordinators
  • Graduate Secretaries and Administrators
Materials from previous sessions:

Graduate supervision workshops and panels

McGill's reputation for great supervision is one of things that sets us apart as a world-class, research-intensive and student-centered university. It's also vital to our students' success.

To help keep graduate supervision strong, GPS and Teaching and Learning Services  (TLS) offer free workshops and panels for supervisors and thesis students.

Please review the offerings on the TLS website - a whole suite of faculty workshops on teaching, mentorship and advising. Experienced supervisors and experts from a variety of disciplines will share case studies, templates and best practices on everything from writing reference letters to managing a lab.

Introduction to world higher education database

Goal:

To introduce the World Higher Education Database as a valuable admissions resource.

Topics to be discussed:

  • What does the education system of this country look like?
  • Is this an accredited, recognized institution?
  • Does this school offer that degree?
  • Was the degree taught in English?
  • and many others that you frequently encounter as you review applications for admission.
Primary audiences:
  • Graduate Program Coordinators
  • Graduate Secretaries and Administrators
Materials from previous sessions:

GPA calculation workshop

Topics to be covered:

  • using the CGPA calculation spreadsheet,
  • calculating CGPAs under different conditions and on the basis of varying information,
  • and how to help ensure that the graduate admissions process runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Primary audiences:
  • Graduate Program Coordinators
  • Graduate Secretaries and Administrators
Materials from previous sessions:

 

Fellowships & awards information sessions

Goal:

Held in a series of webinars in mid-September 2012, these sessions explained departmental requirements and tips relevant to fellowships & awards, including GPA calculation and file assembly.

Primary audiences:
  • Graduate Program Directors
  • Chairs of Fellowships Committees
  • Graduate Program Coordinators
  • Graduate Secretaries and Administrators

This session helps you advise your students as they undergo the Tri-Council application process and make departmental recommendations. The information sessions cover the following topics for SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR:

• Award details and eligibility
• Application policies and procedure
• Required documents (reference letters, transcripts, etc.)
• Deadlines
• Quotas, using FAD, and recommendation criteria
• Tips, tricks and resources to make the process easier

NSERC presentation

SSHRC presentation

CIHR presentation

TOEFL iBT, ETS PPI and GRE Seminar

Goal: 

To discuss best practices in the use of the TOEFL internet-based test (TOEFL iBT), the GRE and the ETS Personal Potential Index (PPI).  Find out how using these tests can help you to select the most qualified candidates for your programs and how the results can help determine which candidates are most apt for teaching assistantships and other positions.

Topics of discussion:

  • The TOEFL Test Difference and New Developments
  • Tools for Reviewing TOEFL iBT Score Requirements
  • Using TOEFL iBT Speaking Section to Screen International Teaching Assistants
  • New Services from TOEFL
  • ETS’s new non-cognitive measure: Personal Potential Index (PPI)
  • GRE Plans for Revision of the General Test
  • Using GRE Scores for Admission to Business Schools

Primary audiences:

Anyone who is involved in making graduate admissions decisions, faculty, program directors, and staff, is encouraged to attend.

Admissions training: high level 'how-to'

Topics
  • Admissions process
  • Student, department, GPS roles
  • Admissions timeline (January admission)
  • Admission requirements (general and your department)
  • Using MINERVA for admissions
  • Using Banner for admissions
  • Supporting documents
  • GPA calculation for admissions
  • Making the on-line recommendation to GPS
  • What to send GPS and when
  • Admissions communications to students (process and timeline)

Submitting fellowship applications: hands-on training clinics

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is increasing our support offerings by holding clinics to provide hands-on training for submitting student fellowship applications. Bring your files to the session as you will receive one-on-one advice and assistance.

Topics to be Covered:

  • Documents needed to complete an application file (which ones students provide, which ones the unit provides).
  • How to assemble a file.
  • Department file review and recommendation process.
  • How to submit the files to GPS.
  • GPS’ processes and following-up with the unit.
  • Questions.

    Structure:

    • 20-min introduction to go over the topics above.
    • 60-min break-out group to review actual files brought by participants

       

      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.

      Back to top