[SGS] Changes to Regulations on Lapsing

SGS #012, 2010-2011
TO: Graduate Chairs, Graduate Coordinators and Administrators
FROM: Brian Corman, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Education
CC: Council of Graduate Deans, School of Graduate Studies
DATE: March 8, 2011
RE: Changes to Regulations on Lapsing

At the February 26th, 2011 Graduate Education Council, a proposal was approved to change the General and Degree Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies with respect to the regulations on lapsing for flexible-time option PhD, professional doctoral and master’s students. This will complete the change introduced last year for PhD students other than those in the flexible time option, and extend it to include master’s students.

The Graduate Education Council adopted the proposal to replace lapsed status for flexible-time option PhD, professional doctoral and Master’s students who are beyond the time limit for the degree with a new extension regulation. All doctoral students who have not completed the program requirements by the time limit may now apply for up to four one-year program extensions. Master’s students who have not completed the program requirements by the time limit for the Master’s degree may apply for up to three one-year program extensions. Students must be registered in the year prior to the year in which the extension would occur. Registration beyond the extension period will not be permitted.

Failure to Register:

The current Calendar (2010-11) attempts to deal with students who fail to register under several headings, suggesting procedural differences according to status. The matter is now addressed under one “Failure to Register” subheading as follows:

“Students will not receive credit for work completed during a session in which they have not registered. Students who fail to register during a program requiring continuity of registration and who do not have an approved leave may only apply to re-register if at the time of application they are still within the maximum allowable time for the degree program (normal time limit plus maximum extension years). A student wishing to re-register must apply to the relevant graduate unit. Reinstatement requires approval from both the graduate unit and SGS. The program’s
normal requirements and time limits will apply to reinstated students as if they had been continuously registered, and reinstated students must pay fees owing for any session(s) in which they did not register. Non-registered students forfeit any funding that would have been available had they been registered.”

Time-limit

All full-time Master’s programs will now have a time limit of 3 years (The Master of Architecture (MArch) degree and combined programs have a time-limit of 4 years + 3 years extension.), with up to 3 years of extension subject to annual approval of the graduate unit, the final year also needing SGS approval. Part-time students will have a time limit of 6 years, with a possible 3 years of extension subject to annual approval of the graduate unit (and SGS in the final year). If a student transfers from FT to PT, or vice versa, they simply take on the time limits applying to their new status.

“Stopping-out” in Course Work Only Masters

Students in a thesis program (doctoral or master’s) or in course-work only master’s program with other requirements to complete, such as a project, major research paper or recital, require continuity of registration.

Prior to completing all courses in a course-work only program, and with the permission of their graduate unit, master’s students admitted to a full-time or part-time course-work only program may continue to ‘stop out’ between sessions for up to 12 months. However, no change is made to the time limit for completing the degree.

Fees for Students on Extension

During each year of extension, all full-time students in master’s and doctoral programs, both domestic and international, will be registered as full-time students and charged an academic fee equal to 50% of the domestic fee and full-time incidental and ancillary fees.

Part-time students on extension, both domestic and international, will be assessed 100% of the program fee plus sessional incidental & ancillary fees.

Fees for the Final Year in Doctoral Programs

Academic fees for the final year in doctoral programs will continue to be prorated for the number of months that elapse between September and (including) the month in which the final version of the thesis (including corrections required by the final oral examination committee) is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Incidental fees will be charged on a sessional (term) basis. Flexible-time PhD and professional doctoral students must be registered full-time in the year prior to their final year to be eligible for pro-rated fees in their final year. For doctoral students in the extension period, the prorated fee will be based on 50% of the domestic fee for the 12-month academic year,

Master’s students are not eligible for pro-rated fees in their final year.

“Opt-in” Option for Students Admitted Prior to September 1, 2011

Registered students who commenced a flexible-time PhD program option or a professional doctoral or master’s program prior to September 2011 will be eligible to “opt-into” the new extension arrangements. Any such students on an approved program extension which began on January 1, 2011 or May 1, 2011 will be eligible to opt-into the new arrangements as of September 1, 2011; applications will be considered by the graduate unit and SGS on a case-by-case basis at the time that a
program extension is required. (PhD students other than flexible-time who registered before September 2010 already have a similar opt-in option.)

Students who opt-in on a January 2011 program extension will be assessed 50% of the domestic fee for one session of registration (Fall 2011). Students who opt in to a May 2011 program extension will be assessed 50% of the domestic fee for Fall/Winter 2011-2012. Currently registered students who are beginning a program effective as of September 1, 2011 or later are also eligible to opt-into the new extension arrangements.

All students who sign on to these new arrangements will not be permitted to lapse and seek reinstatement in the future. Program Extension forms are available on the SGS Student Services website. Lapsed students are not eligible for the new extension arrangements.

Lapsed Status and Reinstatement

“Lapsing” as currently defined will no longer be permitted in any graduate program effective as of September 1, 2011. Flexible-time option PhD, professional doctoral and master’s students who began their programs prior to September 1, 2011 (Sept 2010 for PhD students other than flexible-time), and who do not “opt-into” the new extension arrangements, may lapse and seek reinstatement. Currently lapsed students must seek reinstatement according to the regulations in the year in which they were
admitted.

Should you have any questions, please consult the Director of Student Services, Heather Kelly at heather.kelly@utoronto.ca or your Divisional Student Services Officer.