Current Students

INS Guidelines: Master's Programs

You are expected the follow these INS guidelines as they will determine how you will be evaluated at the end of each year. If you do not comply with the guidelines your case will be reviewed by the INS Steering Committee.

You are expected to:

  1. maintain a minimum 3.50 CGPA with a minimum letter grade of B in each course.
  2. complete all course work within three terms from the start of your program.
  3. have a minimum of two committee meetings per academic year and submit one annual graduate progress report online.
  4. defend your thesis orally within six terms from the start of your program.
  5. follow your program requirements. Any course work done outside of approved program requirements may not count towards the minimum program requirements.
  6. complete all degree requirements within six terms.

Failure to achieve any of these guidelines will normally result in your progress being deemed unsatisfactory. The penalty for unsatisfactory performance may result in withdrawal from the program or withdrawl of financial support.

INS Guidelines: Doctoral Programs

You are expected the follow these INS guidelines as they will determine how you will be evaluated at the end of each year. If you do not comply with the guidelines your case will be reviewed by the INS Steering Committee.

You are expected to:

  1. maintain a minimum 3.50 CGPA with a minimum letter grade of B in each course.
  2. complete all course work within five terms from the start of your program.
  3. have a minimum of two committee meetings per academic year and submit one annual graduate progress report online.
  4. customize the number and form of comprehensive exams to best support your research project.
  5. present your thesis proporal orally within six terms from the start of you program. This can be done during one of your regular committee meetings.
  6. follow your program requirements. Any course work done outside of approved program requirements may not count towards the minimum program requirements.
  7. completed all of your degree requirements within twelve terms.

Failure to achieve any of these guidelines will normally result in your progress being deemed unsatisfactory. The penalty for unsatisfactory performance may result in withdrawal from the program or withdrawl of financial support.

INS Student News

Information about your program, deadlines, and what's happening with INS students will be listed below.

Fall 2021 Update

This fall, we are happy to announce the new INS website and introduce you to INS Student News. This page will be updated every term with important reminders and information for current INS students, as well as highlights of what some of our students have been up to. We encourage you to share your research and expertise with us and the broader SFU community by submitting your profile and/or events and activities to Graduate Studies.

Upcoming Deadlines

Enrollment and Registration

  • Registration for the Spring 2022 term will open on November 8. We recommend that you register for your courses early.
  • If you are planning on taking a Directed Readings Course in Spring 2022, please review the information on our website. Students should submit the DR form 3 weeks prior to the start of the term to avoid delays in registration. Please send your DR form to Marina at ins@sfu.ca by December 15 at the latest.
  • As a graduate student, you must remain enrolled in graduate level courses every term (Fall, Spring and Summer). If you are planning on taking a leave of absence, please fill out the Leave of Absence request form and send it to ins@sfu.ca as soon as possible so we can process your request.

Completion and Graduation

  • If you are planning on defending your thesis in Spring 2022, please inform Marina at ins@sfu.ca at least 6 weeks prior to your intended defence date. More information about the thesis defence process can be found at the Graduate Studies website. Please note the deadlines for Library thesis submission.
  • The time limit for completion of your program is 9 terms for Master’s students and 18 terms for PhD students. If you are approaching this time limit, please contact us at your earliest convenience if you haven’t already done so.

Find additional resources for managing your graduate program.

Directed Readings

All directed readings courses must be taken through INS. Submit the completed Directed Readings Course Proposal form to ins@sfu.ca prior to enrollment in the course.

Completing an INS Directed Readings Course Proposal Form and Course Outline

Your course proposal and course outline for the INS Directed Readings Course should be thorough.

We've provided a sample of each of these for you to consider when creating your own INS Directed Readings Course.

Click on the images to download the samples.

Sample INS Directed Readings Course Proposal

Sample INS Directed Readings Course Outline