Overview
Prior to writing their Ph.D. thesis, the Doctoral student is required to give a formal Thesis Seminar, during which they will explain the background and rationale for their research, and present and explain their findings. While social distancing remains in effect, your seminar can take place via zoom. After the successful completion of your seminar, you will be granted permission to start thesis writing, and will no longer be required to organize Advisory Committee meetings.
Format
- At least two weeks prior to the desired schedule for the seminar, the student is responsible for arranging the date, time and venue of their Thesis Seminar, and in ensuring that their Advisory Committee members and Supervisor can attend (the mentor does not have to attend). This should be done using a doodle poll.
- When the poll is decided, the student must send an electronic calendar invitation on the McGill Exchange System to their supervisor, exam committee members, and ipn [at] mcgill.ca. The student will then attach the thesis seminar-related documents to this calendar invite.
The Ph.D. Thesis Seminar must be attended by all members of the student's Advisory Committee, and must be chaired by the student's supervisor. The seminar can be attended by other interested individuals as well.
Template to be used:
Dear Members of my Ph.D. Seminar Committee,
This is to confirm that my Ph.D. Thesis Seminar will take place on:
Full date and time
The meeting will take place on zoom: insert the meeting link that you have set up.
Attached you will find my:
- Student Transcript
- Ph.D. Seminar Poster
You will find more information on the Ph.D. seminar presentation on the following site:https://www.mcgill.ca/ipn/current-students/program-requirements/phd-thesis-seminar.
Following the presentation, the committee members will indicate that the student has successfully completed the Thesis Seminar by signing the Seminar Approval Form, which will go into the student's file. Please email the completed form to ipn [at] mcgill.ca.
Form: https://www.mcgill.ca/ipn/files/ipn/ph.d._seminar_approval_v2018.2pdf.pdf.
The presentation should be approximately forty-five minutes, and will be followed by a question and answer period. Following the seminar, the Advisory Committee and the supervisor will meet in closed session to review the student's file, the student's performance in the seminar, and whether sufficient and satisfactory data is available to write a successful thesis.
The decision of the committee will be made by consensus on a pass/fail basis.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
If the student is considered to have failed in the performance of the thesis seminar, one repeat will be permitted.
Deadline
Seminars cannot be scheduled during the summer season (July & August).
Forms
| Form | Submission | Deadline |
 Student Poster |
By student, to ipn [at] mcgill.ca |
At least 3 weeks before the seminar |
| Ph.D. Thesis Seminar Approval Form |
By student or supervisor, to the IPN admin office | Right after the seminar |