Graduate student support
The Faculty of Graduate Studies administers all graduate programs at the University. Learn more about registration, health plans, professional development, and important dates.
How long will it take to complete my degree?
The time required to complete your program will vary depending on the success of your research project. In general:
- The MSc degree takes a minimum of one year and usually 2-2.5 years.听
- The PhD program takes a minimum of two years and usually 4-5 years to complete
It is important to note that internal scholarship funding, and many external scholarships, last for only two or four years for an MSc or PhD program, respectively.
Courses and course requirements
MSc students have a minimum requirement of four graduate level courses (3.0 credit hours each), including the required AGRI5700 Communications Skills and Graduate Seminar.
PhD students must complete a minimum of the two required graduate courses (3.0 credit hours each), including AGRI6700 Research Methods in Year 1 and AGRI6800 Advanced Research Seminar at some point between Years 2 and 3.
Faculty of Agriculture graduate students can take courses from other academic departments. Graduate students interested in taking undergraduate courses should note that these are considered ancillary courses and do not count towards your minimum number of graduate courses.
Required courses
Every student MUST register for the following courses every semester:
MSc
AGRI 9000 Master's Thesis
REGN 9999 Registration Course (Can be found on the under All > Registration Course - Graduate)
PhD
AGRI 9530 Doctoral Thesis听
REGN 9999 Registration Course (Can be found on the under All > Registration Course - Graduate)
Unless an equivalent course has been taken previously and this has been approved by the graduate coordinator, the Graduate Communications course is required.
You must also include the appropriate CRN number for each semester associated with your registration. You can register through
Special topics courses
The Faculty of Agriculture follows FGS Regulations regarding Special Topics courses. A maximum of two Special Topics or Directed Studies courses may be taken in the MSc program. Speak with a potential instructor and register for the course online.
Transferring programs
You can apply to transfer听from the MSc to the PhD program听prior to or after your ATC examination.
- Transfers should occur within the first year of the MSc program.听
- If interested, you should discuss this possibility with your supervisor and write your ATC proposal for a more substantial PhD project.听
- Transfers from MSc to PhD are only approved when the student has clearly demonstrated an ability to conduct PhD research and the proposed project is deemed appropriate for our PhD program.听
- If you transfer from a MSc to a PhD program the total time allotted to the program is typically still 4-5 years.
If interested in switching from the PhD program to the MSc program, you should discuss this possibility with your supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator.
Forms and documents
Faculty of Graduate Studies forms
- Graduate Students will use (login required) for: Letter of Permission, Leave of Absence Request, Notification of Voluntary Withdrawal.
- Graduate Students will use the to request a "Letter to Confirm Registration and Upper Time to Completion" or a "Letter to Confirm Degree Requirements have been met".听
- For PhD defence timelines and forms consult the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 听(login required) page.
- All other information on Graduate Studies regulations can be found directly through the Faculty of Graduate Studies: graduate.studies@dal.ca.
- ATC Extension Request Form听[PDF - 30 kB]
- ATC Guidelines听[PDF - 191 kB]
- ATC Planning Form and Part 1 [PDF - 188 kB]
- MSc Thesis Defense Planning Form听[PDF - 107 kB]
- MSc Thesis Submission Form [PDF-56 kB]
- 听(login required)
- 听(login required)
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Explore graduate student life
Contact us
Faculty of Agriculture鈥檚 Graduate Studies Office
Margaret Mulrooney听
Graduate Program Assistant, Faculty of Agriculture