thesis requirements mcgill

myThesis (Thesis Examination Management )

Service overview.

myThesis, McGill University’s Thesis Examination Management platform, allows masters and doctoral thesis students to register their intention to submit, upload their initial thesis and follow it's progress all the way to the final thesis submission. (See question 2 in the FAQ below for an overview of the complete thesis submission process.)

Who can use it

Registered masters and doctoral thesis students; McGill staff who are Supervisors, Co-Supervisors, Thesis Committee members, Graduate Program Directors (GPD), Graduate Program Coordinators (GPC), Graduate Associate Dean (GAD), Graduate Department Chair (GDC) and Graduate Postdoctoral Studies (GPS); Examiners both internal and external to McGill.

How to request & access the service

Request access (if needed).

Thesis students are automatically granted access when they have an active registration/academic record and are assigned a Supervisor.

Internal staff members must complete the SIS Security request form. Access is based on roles granted for myProgress .

Access myThesis

• Go to https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/thesis
• Log in with your McGill username (firstname.lastname@mail.mcgill.ca) and password.
• You should see your McGill ID and information about your program of study. Click on your McGill ID to open the Intent to Submit Thesis page.
• Follow the instructions on screen.

McGill Staff / Supervisors

Access myThesis through links in the notification emails you will receive, or by going to: https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/thesis .

Examiners (internal and external)

A link to the myThesis system will be sent via the Examiners Invitation email; log in with the same email address that invitation was sent to. See step-by-step instructions on logging into myThesis for examiners .

There is no cost associated with this service.

Availability

The service is available 24 X 7, except during planned maintenance or outages. Check the home page of the IT Support site for announcements.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a difference between eThesis and myThesis?

eThesis is no longer being used. It was used for final thesis submission for students graduating, in the summer of 2023 at the latest .

For students graduating in the fall of 2023 and onwards , the final thesis submission is done in the myThesis system. Students who submit their initial thesis to GPS via email will not have access to myThesis.

What are the steps in final thesis submission?

Here is the progress bar from myThesis showing all the steps from intent to submit to Final Thesis submission.

Can I log into myThesis without a McGill account?

Yes, external examiners can log in via the link you receive by email. See step-by-step instructions on logging into myThesis for examiners .

How will users be notified of changes?

An email notification is sent to all parties involved, at each stage of the process, with the details specified or requested.

• If a user is not receiving notification emails from myThesis: The spam filter on the users email account may be blocking the email. Check the Spam email folder to verify if emails are being directed there. If yes, the user should change their spam filter settings to include these email notifications or to a less restrictive setting.
• If a user receives an email with no visible links: This is caused by the user’s personal email settings. If it is set to convert all emails to plain text format, all the links will be removed from the email. The user will have to change their email settings to HTML format.

Why am I receiving "An unexpected error occurred" or "Invitation redemption failed" message when trying to login?

• An incognito or private window should be opened in your browser. This is to ensure that other previously logged in accounts are not auto-populated when trying access myThesis. The user should copy and paste myThesis link (https://mythesis.mcgill.ca/) in the incognito/private window and manually enter the McGill email address and password.
• Non-McGill users should always log in using the email address that originally received the invitation.
• McGill users should always log in with their @mcgill.ca or @mail.mcgill.ca email address.
• To ensure that you are logging in with the right account, open an incognito or private window in your browser. This is to ensure that the user’s auto-populated browser fields or saved cookies do not default when clicking the email link. Copy and paste into the new incognito window the "approve/decline the invitation" URL from the email invitation. Manually enter your credentials (email address that invitation/email notification was sent to) and password.

Best practices & policies

Always log out of the application when you are finished using it. 

Never leave your computer unattended while you are logged into Minerva.

Training & documentation

Visit the Thesis section of the GPS website: https://www.mcgill.ca/gps/thesis

• For technical issues, such as inability to log into the system, contact the IT Service Desk
• For all other questions related to the process, contact the Academic Unit. See the list of Academic Units on the GPS website.

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Master of Science Non-Thesis Project

Requirements.

The project work totals 15 credits and is intended to be equivalent to approximately a full term or four months of full-time work effort. It is up to you and your supervisor to determine whether you have performed adequate work for the project.

The written project report may be thought of as a small-scale version of a M.Sc. thesis. It must be typewritten and typically consist of between 20 and 30 double-spaced pages. Program listings should only be attached as appendices. The report should include an adequate introduction to the topic, as well as a full description of the work you have performed. While the depth of scholarship expected is less than that of a thesis, you must still demonstrate that you are familiar with state-of-the-art methods in the area of your project topic. A typical project involves the implementation of an interesting algorithm, program or system. A mundane data processing problem with well-known implementation techniques would probably not be suitable for a project. Alternative project formats, such as a research survey, software engineering effort, analysis of a problem, can all be equally acceptable, with the agreement of your project supervisor.

The suitability of your written report is determined by your project supervisor.

Report and Abstract Guidelines

The abstract is to appear on a single, separate (loose) page. It is to contain the names of the student and supervisor, title of the project, date, and a brief description (suitable for a general computer science audience) of the work.

The project report should be a substantial document, containing a complete description of the work done, in clear, correct English or French. It should include a non-technical over-view, specification and technical background for the project, description of the algorithm or design used, implementation details, documentation, a user's guide and a bibliography. Depending on the nature of the project, some of the preceding items may not apply and other items may need to be added; for example, most project reports will require appendices of program listings in order to provide a complete description of the project.

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Copyright: The essentials

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Copyright & licensing for McGill theses

Using materials from a mcgill thesis.

• Third-party materials in a publication or a McGill thesis
• Copyrighted readings & myCourses
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All McGill students keep the copyright of their thesis, but with the Final Thesis Submission , they are required to agree to two non-exclusive licences via the myThesis submission platform, one with McGill Library and one with Library and Archives Canada. McGill Library and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) consider graduate theses important sources of original research and make them available in electronic form in open access. The McGill license permits McGill University to make the thesis available in electronic form through McGill repository eScholarship@McGill . The license with Library and Archives Canada (LAC) permits the thesis to be visible and accessible by creating bibliographic records available through the Theses Canada Portal .

By signing these licences, students: 

• Grant to McGill "a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty free license, to reproduce, convert, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, communicate and distribute, and loan, in paper form, in microform, electronically by telecommunication or on the internet, and/or any other formats as may be adopted for such use from time to time."
• "Grant permission and authorize McGill University to permit access to my thesis and make it available to interested persons in paper or electronic form, through the library, interlibrary and public loan."
• Grant to LAC a licence "to reproduce, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, communicate to the public by telecommunication or on the Internet, loan, distribute and sell my thesis (the title of which is set forth above) worldwide, for commercial or non-commercial purposes, in microform, paper, electronic and/or any other formats."

Anyone seeking permissions to use material from McGill theses, must seek them directly from the author, as McGill Library does not hold any copyright in students' work.

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School of Computer Science Graduate Applications and Admissions FAQ

Tuition and funding, where can i find details about the tuition fees.

Tuition fees can be found at this page . Choose Residency depending on your status in Canada/Quebec. Relevant programs are

• PhD Full Time and PhD Additional Session.
• Master’s Thesis full-time and Master’s Additional Session
• Master’s Non-Thesis Programs and Master’s Non-Thesis Extension

PhD students that have already a M.Sc. degree complete the program in 4-5 years, requiring to register for 6 semesters as PhD Full time (3x Fall/Winter) and from then on in PhD Additional Sessions.

M.Sc. thesis students usually complete the program in 2 years, requiring to register for 3 semesters as Master’s Thesis full-time (Fall/Winter/Fall) and one semester as Master’s Additional Session (Winter).

M.Sc. program students can complete the program in 16 months, requiring to register for 3 semesters as Master’s Non-Thesis Program (Fall/Winter/Summer) and one semester as Master’s Non-Thesis Extension (Fall).

What sort of funding is available to graduate students? How do I apply for funding?

All our Ph.D. students and most of our Masters students are funded either through personal scholarships, McGill scholarships, research assistantships, or teaching assistantships. The funding package offered to admitted students varies from student to student, as a function of needs and merit. The admission letter you will receive will contain a formal funding offer. To be automatically considered for such funding admission applications must be completed by December 15.

Canadian citizens and Québec residents are encouraged to apply for NSERC and FQRNT scholarships one year ahead of their expected start date. International students are encouraged to apply to similar funding programs in their home countries. Students that hold certain provincial, national and international fellowships and scholarships receive significant top-ups.

I am accepted as a student but I am currently not provided any funding, is there any funding possibility in the future?

Yes, there is still a possibility for future funding. Once at McGill, you can apply for a teaching assistantship (TA). Furthermore, supervisors might be able to offer you funding at a later time in your studies.

Where can I find more information on funding?

More information can be found on this page.

How likely is it to get a TA position and when can one apply for the same?

Most students who apply for a TA are awarded one but new students can usually only apply for a TA during their second term in the program.

Test Scores

My toefl score is just below the school of computer science minimum admission requirement. will my application be automatically refused.

There are many factors taken into consideration when reviewing applications for admission. It is however recommended to meet minimum admission requirements of a score of 100 in TOEFL (internet based test) with at least 20 in individual sections. For more details refer to this page.

What is the minimum IELTS score expected for admission?

A band score of 6.5 or greater (Academic module) is required. For more details refer to this page.

If the language of instruction at my University was in English, do I need to write the TOEFL?

If you completed a degree (Bachelor or Master's) where the language of instruction was English, you are not required to provide proof of English competency in the form of TOEFL or IELTS. You are required to provide official proof (either stated on your transcript or in a separate letter from the University) that the language of instruction for your degree was English.

How are the test scores reported?

Test scores must be sent electronically directly from the testing agency to institution code #0935.

Why have I been waived off the English Proficiency Tests?

You have been waived from the TOEFL/IELTS test because you have studied at an English university. If you like you may still submit your TOEFL/IELTS test results to McGill.

Supporting Documents

What should i include in my personal statement.

M.Sc. thesis and PhD applicants: The personal statement should describe your research interests, experience, and achievements, and mention which professors you are interested in working with. You can optionally briefly describe proposed research directions as well as any special circumstances. It should not exceed one page.

M.Sc. Non-thesis applicants: The personal statement should state why you are interested in this particular program and how it aligns with your career goals. It should also describe projects you have worked on in the past and any other achievements, and inform about your teamwork and leadership skills. You can also indicate any special circumstances. The statement also helps us assess your writing skills. It should not exceed one page. Details about what to include in the personal statement can be found here.

Degree equivalency

How do i convert my percentage grades to a cgpa on a scale out of 4.0.

Information can be found on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office International Degree Equivalencies webpage , where you may also look up degree equivalence for your country.

Eligibility for applying

Can i still apply if i don't meet minimum admission requirements.

Applicants should meet minimum requirements. The admissions process is very competitive and if your application does not meet the minimum requirements then it will likely be refused. Note that all your documents are important for your application to be considered.

I don't have a CS background. Can I still apply?

For the M.Sc. programs you will find a list of courses whose material is a prerequisite to be admitted to our programs. See details here. Sometime students from similar backgrounds such as Electrical and Computer Engineering or students with a Minor in Computer Science have already taken equivalent courses and have sufficient background to apply directly. If you do not have these courses then you must take them first before applying. If you want to take the courses at McGill then you will have to apply as "special/independent" student at the undergraduate level in order to register for these courses. If you do not have the minimum admission requirements, we cannot encourage you to apply to our programs.

Application Status

The status of my application is "submitted". when will i receive an answer.

Most applications will stay in the "submitted" status until a decision is made. This can take up to one month before an update.

How can I inquire about my current application?

For inquiries concerning your application please use the communication tool through the application portal. Please do not send separate emails as it only delays the processing time.

What do I do if I have technical problems with my application, such as in uploading documents or logging in?

Please use the communication tool or contact your program coordinator by email here.

For more FAQs please visit the GPS site.

Questions related to Master Programs (Thesis /Non-Thesis)

Can i apply for more than one program, can i transfer from one program to another or from one university to another.

Once you have started your studies you might be able to switch between the thesis and non-thesis programs under special circumstances only.

If you have already partially completed a graduate program in Computer Science at a different university or a similar program within McGill (e.g., in ECE), and you transfer to one of our Master’s program, we can transfer a maximum of 2 courses.

Supervisor information

Is it mandatory to find a supervisor before applying for admission.

PhD program: All our applicants to our PhD program must list at least 3 proposed supervisors they want to work with on their application. Your application file will be appropriately forwarded once complete. Students are also encouraged to contact potential supervisors directly to discuss specific opportunities. Advice on contacting potential supervisors can be found here.

M.Sc. Thesis program: It is not required for the application but most of our students will have a supervisor at the time of admission. Either you have already been in contact with potential supervisors before or shortly after applying, or interested professors will contact you when seeing your application. If you do not have a supervisor at the start of your studies, you will be given one year to find a supervisor.

M.Sc. Non-thesis program: You will not need a supervisor at the start of your program. In the semester before you do your M.Sc. project (if applicable) you will have to find a supervisor.

How does one find a supervisor?

PhD and M.Sc. Thesis programs: Advice on contacting potential supervisors (shortly before or after you have submitted your application) can be found here. Please check the webpages of professors carefully before sending any emails. Several professors get many requests and might have specific guidelines regarding being contacted by potential students.

M.Sc. Non-thesis program: Students choosing the Research Project option will seek a supervisor before the end of the second term for their M.Sc. project to permit a project during the summer. Taking courses with potential supervisors will facilitate the search.

Will I be able to do work in machine learning with a professor of my choice?

If you are hoping to work with a specific professor in machine learning, note that many have limited capacity to take on new students. Nevertheless, there are opportunities for applying machine learning techniques in many areas (either as thesis or project).

For any specific questions, see contact information here.

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If you are a strong undergraduate student who is interested in research and you would like to stay at McGill to do your M.Sc. degree, the B.Sc. / M.Sc. track may be the thing for you!

This track is an early-admission process that allows strong McGill undergraduates to move directly into a M.Sc. or M.A. program offered by a department in the Faculty of Science after completing their B.Sc.

Undergraduates in this track will have the opportunity to tailor their U3 year program – for example taking higher-level courses and/or research courses – to ensure that they are well prepared for their M.Sc./M.A. studies and ready to focus on their research.

Students will normally apply during the second term of their U2 undergraduate year and will normally start their Masters program in the summer following their U3 studies.

Students interested in this new track should talk with their departmental advisors to determine if they qualify before making an official application.

Who can apply?

Any U2 McGill biology student meeting the CGPA requirements may apply, from February 1 of U2 until December 1 of U3.

For which term?

You will apply to start in the summer following your U3 year, even if you might want to defer your start to the fall. This is because it is possible to move an admission decision forward, but not backward.

How do I apply?

Your first step is to apply through the Department of Biology to obtain pre-acceptance. Items to be included in your application include:

• Unofficial transcript
• Letter of intent that includes strong evidence of research potential (generally through undergraduate research experience).
• Letter of reference from your proposed supervisor that includes confirmation of their willingness to supervise during the MSc.

Once approved by the department, they will open a special Summer Term application for you on the uApply McGill Graduate Admissions System.

Is it different from a normal grad application?

It is effectively the same application form, but the summer term admission is normally not available for Department of Biology graduate programs, so the term will need to be opened for you.

What are the admissions criteria?

A CGPA of 3.5 or higher is required.

I have more questions. Whom can I ask?

Please contact ancil.gittens [at] mcgill.ca (Ancil Gittens) , the department’s graduate program coordinator.

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The QLS Student Guide

Mcgill platforms.

Minerva Login

How to log into Minerva

Minerva allows you to access McGill's central information system through several menus:

Personal Menu

Update personal information (name, SIN, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail, McGill passwords…)

COVID-19 Self-Reporting form (for employees and student employees)

Student Menu

Select curriculum, add/drop courses, view unofficial transcript, order official transcripts, tax receipts…

Employee Menu

Direct deposit information, staff training registration, submit an…

Applicant Menu

Application for admissions

Financial Aid & Awards menu

myCourses login

Resources regarding myCourses

On myCourses, students can see all ongoing and previous courses and access their content (for as long as the instructor leaves them up). Grades for assignments and exams are also posted here. Note however, that the final grade for the course is the one appearing in your transcripts in Minerva (under Student Menu).

Login to myProgess

Resources about myProgress

MyProgress is a great tool for Ph.D. students as it allows you to track important and upcoming degree milestones and upload relevant documents (such as the LOU, progress tracking forms…).

Login to myThesis

Resources about MyThesis

myThesis is part of the myProgress hub. Through myThesis, students are required to notify supervisors of their intent to submit their thesis, nominate thesis examiners and submit their initial thesis (before the Oral Defence).

Program Requirements

Program requirements on the McGill website

The Quantitative Life Sciences PhD Program is a novel inter-department and inter-faculty program designed to produce the next generation of leaders in the rapidly changing world of biology, medicine, and biotechnology. This program has been designed from the ground-up with close consultation with all stakeholders to produce graduates with the quantitative and interdisciplinary skills that Quebec and Canada need to maintain their positions as world-leaders in biology and life-science research.

The general objective of the PhD Program in Quantitative Life Science is to educate students who are at the cutting edge of quantitative approaches (technological, computational, and statistical) for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of complex data from life sciences. Our students will ask questions that will drive biology and medicine tomorrow, and will be equipped to answer them. Research domains can encompass any level of life science, from molecules to ecosystems.

The PhD Program requirements include coursework, research seminars, a lab rotation program, annual advisory committee meetings, a comprehensive exam, a research thesis and an oral defence.

In the first year, students are required to take QLSC 600 Foundations of Quantitative Life Sciences , a two-semester, six-credit course. QLSC 600 provides an overview of important problems in the life sciences and introduces students to the latest computational, mathematical, and statistical approaches involved in their solution. The course includes a survey of modern technologies for biological data acquisition and promotes a common language to communicate across the biological, physical, mathematical, and computational sciences.

Students are also required to take a minimum of 9 credits of complementary courses, including 3-6 credits of life science courses and 3-6 credits of quantitative courses. The choice of the complementary courses will be made by the student in consultation with their supervisor/advisory committee.

Lab Rotations

Students will spend their first year rotating through three different research groups led by different supervisors. Rotations are mandatory in QLS, and students will be strongly encouraged to do rotations in a variety of domains. During this time, they will either undertake a short-term research project, or assist with a longer-term project, and will be expected to work at their rotation labs full time, with the exception of QLS-related activities such as courses or seminars. When possible, the rotations will be selected to be complementary.

Research Seminars

Each week during the academic year, QLS, in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre, holds a research seminar featuring high-profile invited speakers. Attendance at these seminars is mandatory. You will need to register for QLSC 601 D1/D2, QLSC 602 D1/D2, and QLSC 603 D1/D2 during your first three years in the program.

QLS Annual Research Day

The QLS Annual Research Day is an internal conference-type event, usually held around late January/ early February. All QLS students are expected to attend the Research Day and selected students also give a 15mins oral presentation on their research. Typically, the day begins with an hour-long talk from the keynote speaker. This is followed by the student presentations. Varying student workshops (e.g.: effective presentation skills, career panel for students, Q&A with post-docs and professors…) followed by a social hour generally conclude the QLS Annual Research Day.

See presentations from 2022

Advisory Committee Meetings

After the first year, students will choose their supervisor or co-supervisors. Then together, they will choose a thesis advisory committee ensuring that both quantitative and life science disciplines are represented. The committee will help the student prepare for the comprehensive examination and will meet at least annually.

Comprehensive Exam

Students will be required to pass a comprehensive exam before the end of their second year. The comprehensive exam consists of the three components: a written proposal, an oral presentation of the proposal, and an oral examination assessing breadth and depth of knowledge by their examination committee.

Thesis Requirements

McGill thesis guidelines

The thesis expectations follow the guidelines established by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at McGill. In general, the thesis must demonstrate a mastery of appropriate research as well as contributing original scholarship relating to the area of specialization. A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain (see section: withholding a thesis from circulation temporarily). The nature of academic research requires adherence to McGill’s policies on research ethics and intellectual property, as described below.

Oral Defence

An oral examination of the content and implications of the thesis will be held in a public forum to determine the quality of the written thesis document and the student’s oral defence of the thesis.

Program Milestones

QLS students are expected to do 3 rotations in different labs in the Fall, Winter and Summer semesters of their first year in the program. Students can use these rotations to explore new fields, learn specific methods and/or visit different lab environments at McGill. At the end of each rotation, first year QLS student present their project in the form of a 3-Minute Thesis competition, judged by all the other upper-class students (3MTs are also held at the university and national level! Visit https://www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/offerings/3mt for more).

All QLS students are required to take the year-long course QLSC 600 . QLSC 600 is split between the Fall (QLSC 600 D1) and Winter (QLSC 600 D2) semesters. Each semester is then divided into 3-4 modules covering different topics in bioinformatics and computational genomics, nonlinear dynamics in biological systems, linear and nonlinear models of biological signals, biophysical imaging technology, emergent behaviour in biophysical networks, and ecosystem dynamics and modelling.

Prerequisite courses to the program, such as MATH324: Statistics, should also be taken within the first year of the program.

First year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC601D1/D2 in Minerva for 1st years.

Finally, as students complete their first year in the QLS Ph.D. program, they should think about (and eventually choose!) a doctoral project and principal investigator(s). As such, the Letter Of Understanding should be signed by the student and PI(s) by the end of the 1st year in the program.

Following a year of exploration, the 2nd year QLS student should have a better idea of the direction their doctoral project will take. By the end of December of the Fall semester of the 2nd year, students should have built and submitted to the QLS Director their PhD Advisory Committee and a list of about 20 articles for their Comprehensive Examination. By the end of April of the Winter semester of their 2nd year, QLS students should have had their 1st Supervisory Committee, also serving as an oral project proposal.

Second year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC602D1/D2 in Minerva for 2nd years.

By the end of December of the Fall semester of the 3rd year, students should have taken their Comprehensive Examination. If the Comprehensive Exam is taken in the 3rd year, the student will not need to hold another Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking for the year. If, however, the Comprehensive Examination was taken in the summer of the 2nd year, or earlier, the 3rd year QLS student will need to hold another Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking during the year.

Third year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC603D1/D2 in Minerva for 3rd years.

4th Year and +

For the 4th year, and each year following, QLS students are expected to hold at least one Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking each year.

QLS students at this level are not required to attend the seminars, however it is greatly encouraged!!

Once the QLS student has completed all required courses (QLS600D1/D2, 3-6 credits in life Science and 3-6 credits in quantitative courses) and written their thesis, they can send their Initial Thesis Submission on myThesis . Then, along with the Thesis Advisory Committee they will set up a time and location for the Oral Defence. Once the student has passed their Oral Defence, they can proceed to the final thesis submission.

QUALSA is the Qua ntitative L ife S ciences A ssociation. We are a team of six dedicated QLS students aiming to provide you a well-rounded social and academic experience during your time at McGill. We organize regular social events and provide platforms for student to share and discuss various research topics in peer-review sessions. Furthermore, we also represent the QLS student body at the Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS, QUALSA’s parent organization) councils and during meetings with the administration. Together with the QLS administration, QUALSA also helps organize the Annual QLS Research Day. QUALSA’s council positions include:

Chair Secretariat

VP Academic

VP External

Social events:

Board game nights at Thomson House every 2nd Wednesday of the month.

Personalized QLS Sweatshirts and accessories.

Annual winter formal with other life science departments at McGill.

BBQs, intramural sports, monthly quantitative help desk.

Academic services:

QUALSA workshop series

Organizing practice sessions for comprehensive exams and/or thesis defences.

Grant and thesis writing support groups.