Timelines and Milestones

  1. Summer prior to starting the PhD program

    • meet with your interim supervisor
    • set up your @ucalgary.ca email account (https://ucalgary.service-now.com/it)
    • register for required Fall and Winter courses
    • attend the Faculty of Social Work Student Orientation
    • attend the Faculty of Graduate Studies' Student Orientation

  2. Fall Year 1

    • begin PhD program
    • meet with your interim supervisor
    • apply for SSHRC/CIHR funding
    • complete two required courses: SOWK 741 and SOWK 743 (may also take an option course) 
    • with your interim or permanent supervisor fill out the Student-Supervisor Checklist and submit it to Student Services by the end of October

  3. Winter Year 1

    • complete required courses: SOWK 747 and SOWK 745 (also take an option course)
    • apply for GAC (Graduate Award Competition)
    • meet with your interim supervisor to discuss Spring/Summer course selection
    • in February register for Spring/Summer courses
    • in March register for Fall and Winter courses
    • select your supervisor by April 30, and notify your graduate program administrator in Student Services

  4. Spring/Summer Year 1

    • complete Annual Progress Report (APR)
    • complete option courses 

  1. Fall Year 2

    • complete option courses
      Important: you need to have completed 8 courses (4 required and 4 option courses) by the end of this term
    • apply for SSHRC/CIHR funding
    • select your supervisory committee (preferably within three months of selecting your supervisor and no later than mid-December)
    • meet with your supervisor and supervisory committee to discuss your proposal ideas

  2. Winter Year 2

    • take required course: SOWK 721 (last course; you will prepare a draft proposal and ethics application as part of this course)
    • work with your supervisory committee to finalize your 30 page proposa

  3. Spring/Summer Year 2

    • complete Annual Progress Report (APR)
    • finalize your proposal and have it approved by your committee (form to be submitted)
    • finalize your ethics application (to be submitted once you pass your candidacy exam)
    • prepare your portfolio and present it to your supervisory committee
    • discuss candidacy exam questions with your supervisory committee
    • prepare for your candidacy exam
    • initialize your registration for Fall/Winter (continuing registration)

  1. Fall Year 3

    • your supervisor will select examiners for your candidacy exam
    • your supervisor will inform the FSW GPA of your candidacy exam date and questions (exam can be scheduled for any time after your proposal has been approved by your committee, but no later than December 15)
    • five weeks prior to the exam date the FSW GPA will email you three candidacy questions (you have three weeks to prepare 3 papers, 20-25 pages each)
    • two weeks prior to your candidacy oral exam date (3 weeks after receiving the questions) submit your 3 papers to the FSW GPA (committee will have one week to read them)
    • complete your oral candidacy exam (5 weeks after receiving exam questions)

  2. Winter Year 3

    • submit your ethics application upon completion of your candidacy exam
    • begin working on your PhD research once you receive ethics certification

  3. Spring Year 3 until max. Aug 31 Year 6 in the program (e.g., if you start Sept 2019, the final/app

    • complete Annual Progress Report (APR)
    • initialize your registration for next Fall/Winter (continuing registration)
    • work on your PhD research
    • write up, defend your dissertation and graduate