PhD Progress and Activity Reports
The Progress and Activity Report highlights your progression through your PhD program, to identify successful achievements, professional development opportunities, and any areas for improvement.
The process is undertaken collaboratively between you and the full advisory committee.
Every doctoral student is required to submit a progress and activity report to their advisor by April 15.
If you hold a multi-year external scholarship (e.g., TriCouncil), this completed report will be used to confirm progression for continued eligibility and may be released to the granting agency, if required, for audit purposes.
Review Process
The review process for the report is as follows:
- Your advisor reviews the report and is commented on by the full advisory committee.
- Full report (includes your statement and the advisor's submission) is reviewed and acknowledged by you and your program's graduate officer.
Submission Deadlines
The full report, including your submission, is due to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies by June 1.
Late submission of this report may result in a delay of your financial support from the university.
Graduate Student Advisor Resource
Students and their advisors are encouraged to complete and review, at least on an annual basis, the Graduate Student Advisor Resource. The resource is intended:
- To help establish a positive framework for the mentor/trainee relationship.
- To articulate the expectations of the advisor and the student.
- To promote a successful graduate student experience at Laurier.
Accessment Decisions
Three assessment decisions are available.
Satisfactory
This decision may be assigned if the student meets all the normal progression requirements in a timely and satisfactory manner.
With Some Concerns
An assessment of "with some concerns" may be assigned only twice for the duration of your PhD program.
This decision may be assigned if:
- the student is struggling to meet the normal progression requirements of the degree, or
- the student's academic and professional development is partially meeting the overall expectations of the program.
Where progress is deemed (C) With Some Concern:
- An Action Plan, including specific activities and/or accomplishments and timeline to completion, is required.
- The Progress and Activity Report must be completed within a maximum of six months.
The second instance normally results in the student being placed on academic probation.
The following are required:
- An Action Plan, including specific activities and/or accomplishments and timeline to completion, is required.
- The Progress and Activity Report must be completed within a maximum of six months to verify that the student's progress is then either:
- Satisfactory: Student is making progress to degree consistent with the program objectives and requirements, as confirmed by having met the stipulated requirements as outlined in the details of the Action Plan, or
- Unsatisfactory: Student has failed to make progress to degree consistent with the program objectives and requirements and the advisory committee and Graduate Program Co-ordinator recommend that the student be required to withdraw.
Unsatisfactory
Only in exceptional cases or circumstances is this category available without an initial assessment of With Some Concerns and may be assigned if:
- You are not meeting the normal progression requirements of the degree and/or
- Your academic and professional development is not meeting the overall expectations of the program, or
- You have not met the requirements of the Action Plan following a second assessment of "with some concerns" in an earlier review period.