FGS Membership Criteria

Only members of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) may be involved in graduate student education. For each student writing a thesis/dissertation, the program must provide a thesis/dissertation supervisory committee, consisting of a Supervisor who must have membership in the graduate program of the student, and at least one additional FGS member.

Core Membership

  • Describes individuals authorized to participate in the program on a continuing and substantial basis
  • Renewable terms of up to seven years
  • Requires ONE of the following:
    • An academic appointment at Lakehead University as Assistant Professor or higher
    • An appointment at Lakehead University of Adjunct Professor to the discipline (i.e., faculty from another university or individuals affiliated with research institutes)
    • The title of Professor Emeritus of Lakehead University, with continuing evidence of research and scholarly productivity appropriate to the discipline

Normally, Core Members are expected to gain supervisory experience as Master's Non-Thesis Members before attempting a sole supervisory role. In certain situations, however, the FGS recognizes that this progression may not always be possible or desirable. In such cases, new Members would proceed directly to Master's Thesis Membership upon the recommendation of the unit and approval by the FGS Membership Committee.

Non-Core Membership

Describes individuals providing limited graduate educational activities for limited time periods. Limited terms of up to three years.

Membership Definitions

Supervisor:
The faculty member has the appropriate level of core supervisory membership and primary responsibility for overseeing the Master's thesis or Doctoral dissertation research. Indicates primary credit for such supervision.

Co-Supervisor:
Applicable where two faculty members supervise a Master's thesis, one of whom has Master's or Doctoral membership, and the other has a Non-Thesis Core Membership. These co-supervisory arrangements allow new faculty members without supervisory membership to gain supervisory experience via a mentoring process of working with more senior established faculty.

Joint-Supervisors:
Applicable where two faculty members in a program supervise a thesis/dissertation, both of whom have the same level of core supervisory membership, and thus share joint responsibility for the thesis/dissertation. These arrangements allow both faculty members to receive equal credit for supervision. Only one of the Joint Supervisors must be a core member of the program granting the student's degree.

Core Membership Responsibilities

  
Membership & CriteriaResponsibilities
Master's Non-Thesis Membership

Nominated by a Lakehead University graduate program offering an OCGS approved Master's degree

Ph.D. degree or equivalent qualification appropriate to the discipline

An appropriate scholarly and/or professional record commensurate with program activities and responsibilities

Participation as a member of thesis/dissertation Supervisory Committee

Participation as an Internal Examiner for a thesis/dissertation

Normally, Co-supervision of a master's thesis (with master's supervisory member)

Supervisor of a master's project, cognate paper or portfolio

Graduate Course Activities: includes all teaching activity incorporated under a graduate course number, such as instruction or service as a second reader on research projects (non-thesis) and instructor involvement in practicum courses, internships/co-ops and field courses

Participation as a reader on a major research paper and/or Ph.D. comprehensive examination

Organizing/conducting/evaluating graduate colloquia, presentations, exhibitions, seminars, field trips/excursions, etc.

Serving as a General or curriculum advisor for a graduate student (general mentoring - program counselling for students regarding course selection, career paths

Master's Thesis Membership

Nomination by a Lakehead University graduate program offering an OCGS approved Master's degree

Ph.D. degree or equivalent qualification appropriate to the discipline

An appropriate track record of peer-reviewed research publications or other evidence of peer reviewed scholarly productivity appropriate to the discipline

A program of research or performance

A record of successful participation in graduate education (such as teaching a graduate course or serving on an thesis committee)

In addition to all activities listed under Non-Thesis Membership:

Supervisor or Joint-Supervisor of a master's thesis

Chair of a doctoral examination (cannot be from the graduate program of the student)

Doctoral Supervisory Membership

Nominated by a Lakehead University graduate program offering an OCGS approved Doctoral degree

Ph.D degree

An appropriate track record of peer-reviewed research publications or other evidence of peer-reviewed scholarly productivity appropriate to the discipline

An established program of research or performance

A record of successful participation in graduate education (such as teaching a graduate course or serving on a thesis committee)

Satisfactory supervision of at least one master's thesis (or other appropriate experience in graduate education and research)

In addition to all activities listed under Non-Thesis Membership and Master's Supervisory Membership:

Supervisor or Joint-Supervisor of a doctoral thesis

Non-Membership Responsibilities

 
Membership & CriteriaResponsibilities
Limited Membership

Appropriate scholarly and/or professional record commensurate with the program activities and the nominee's responsibilities

Limited to the period of graduate activity (up to three years)

Participation as Thesis Supervisory Committee member

Participation as an Internal Examiner for thesis/dissertation

Graduate course activities: includes all teaching activity incorporated under a graduate course number, such as instruction or service as a second reader on research projects (non-thesis) and instructor involvement in practicum courses, internships/co-ops and field courses

Participation as a reader on a major research paper and/or PhD comprehensive examination

Organizing/conducting/evaluating graduate colloquia, presentations, exhibitions, seminars, field trips/excursions, etc