All MASc and PhD students working towards a graduate degree will receive progress report check-ins from the ECE graduate program staff. However, students are advised to stay in constant communication with their supervisors to ensure milestones and progress goals are being met.
MEng students will also receive check-in emails each year to go over any questions or concerns a student might have regarding their successful program completion.
If progress for any student is deemed to be unsatisfactory by the student’s supervisor or the ECE Graduate Advising team, students will be informed in writing before any further action is taken regarding their future in the program.
For more information on UBC policies and procedures on academic progress please click here. Any questions can be sent to help@ece.ubc.ca.
All MASc and PhD graduate students and their supervisors (or supervisory committee) in ECE will be asked to complete an annual progress report detailing their progress over the past academic year. Upon receipt of the completed document, the ECE Graduate Advisor will determine if the student’s progress has been satisfactory, and make any necessary recommendations.
PhD students who do not advance to candidacy within 24 months of their start date will also be asked to submit a candidacy progress report. In these cases, a new candidacy progress report will be due every 3 months until the qualifying exam is held.
MASc Annual Progress Report.pdf
MASc Annual Progress Report.docx
PHD Annual Progress Report.pdf
PHD Annual Progress Report.docx
Candidacy Progress Report.docx
Definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress for MASc Students:
A minimum of 60% must be obtained in any course taken for the student to be granted pass standing. However, only 6 credits of pass standing may be counted towards a Master’s program. For all other courses, a minimum of 68% must be obtained.
On the recommendation of the graduate program and the approval of the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (for MASc students), a student may repeat a course for higher standing or take an alternate course. When repeating a failed course, a minimum grade of 74% will normally be required. When taking a replacement course for a failed course, a minimum grade of 68% will normally be required. Higher minimum grades may be required depending on the case and the recommendation for continuing in the program.
If the graduate program does not make such a recommendation for a student to continue, or if the recommendation to continue is not approved by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the student may be required to withdraw from the program. A student who obtains a grade of less than 68% in an excessive number of courses will normally be required to withdraw. The student will be informed of unsatisfactory academic progress in writing before any withdrawal action is taken.
Fail (F) for individual courses is defined as below 60%. If a course is repeated, both marks will appear on the transcript. The higher mark will be used for promotion considerations or in any decision to admit or withdraw a student from the program. For all other purposes, averages will be calculated using both marks.
Definition of Satisfactory Academic Progress for PhD Students:
A minimum of 68% must be achieved in all coursework taken for credit. Where less than 68% is obtained, and on the recommendation of the graduate program and approval of the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the student may repeat the course for higher standing or take an alternate course. When repeating a failed required course, a minimum mark of 74% must be obtained. Higher minimum grades may be required.
If the graduate program does not make such a recommendation, or if the recommendation is not approved by G+PS, the student will be required to withdraw. A student who obtains a grade of less than 68% in more than one course may be required to withdraw. The student will be informed of unsatisfactory academic progress in writing before any action regarding withdrawal is taken.
Fail (F) for individual courses is defined as below 68%. If a course is repeated, both marks will appear on the transcript. The higher mark will be used to determine promotion and in any decision to admit or withdraw a student from the program. For all other purposes, averages will be calculated using both marks.
Deferred Standing may be granted by the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science when a student has a valid reason for not completing course requirements as scheduled and does not qualify for Aegrotat Standing.
Deferred Standing is appropriate if medical or personal problems (of a very unusual nature) make it impossible for the student to complete the course requirements on time, but the requirements can be completed with an extension of time. In this case, the student’s Supervisor should send a memo to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as early as possible recommending Deferred Standing and the reasons for the recommendation. The Deferred Standing will then be entered in the student’s record and transcript.
Students granted Deferred Standing in the Winter Session must complete all outstanding course requirements by August 23 of the following Summer Session. Students granted Deferred Standing in the Summer Session must complete all outstanding work by December 25 of the following Winter Session.
Students granted Deferred Standing are responsible for making satisfactory arrangements with their instructors for completion of outstanding course requirements. If a student fails to complete the outstanding requirements by the dates specified, the Deferred Standing will be replaced with a grade or standing that reflects requirements completed in the course. Students unable to meet the specified deadlines because of further medical, emotional or other difficulties must make an additional application for Academic Concession no later than August 31 for Winter Session courses or December 31 for Summer Session courses following the original deferral.
Further information on deferred standing can be found on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.
Students who wish to protest decisions relating to their academic studies may do so. The protest should be made initially as near the source of difficulty as possible, presumably an instructor, and progress to the Department Head and then to the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. There is a standing committee of the University Senate, the Committee on Appeals on Academic Standing, that reviews all appeals made to the Senate, the senior academic authority in the University. Please follow the policies and procedures as outlined here.