Admission and Registration Information

Minimum Admission Requirements

1. The normal minimum admission requirement is a four-year undergraduate degree or equivalent as recognized by Nipissing University in an appropriate discipline, with a minimum B standing. For master’s degrees with a Thesis or Major Research Paper (MRP)/Research Project, where appropriate to the program for which the candidate applies, preference will be given to applicants with an honours degree with an independent research component (such as an honours Thesis or research paper).
2. All applicants are required to provide at least three letters of recommendation from professors or other appropriate professionals who can speak to their level of preparation and readiness for graduate studies. At least two of the references must be from someone qualified to address the academic ability and competence of the applicant to undertake graduate studies. Reference letters cannot be completed by anyone who is personally related to the applicant.
3. All applicants are required to write a statement of approximately 500 words explaining the value of undertaking a master’s degree for their specific circumstances. Depending on the requirements of the program, applicants may also be asked to write a statement about their research interests and their desired area of Thesis or MRP/Research Project.
4. Applicants may also be asked to submit supplemental information, such as GMAT or TOEFL scores, as appropriate.
5. It is understood that admission to graduate programs is limited and, therefore, applicants who meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements are not guaranteed admission.

Admission Process

Regular Admission

Applications for each program are reviewed by the program's Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee forwards a recommendation for admission to the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate. Offers of admission may have conditions attached, which may have to be met before registration is permitted. Approved applications for admission are forwarded by the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate to the Office of the Registrar. Borderline or questionable cases for admission will be dealt with by the Graduate Advisor/Faculty Graduate Chair in consultation with the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate. The decision of the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate on admissions is final and is not subject to appeal.

For programs where it is appropriate, the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate will take relevant funding considerations (such as scholarships and other forms of student financial support) into account when considering a recommendation for admission. In some programs students will not be admitted without appropriate levels of committed funding. The decision of the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate is final and is not subject to appeal.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit the results from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TESL) including the Test of Written English (TWE) component or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This requirement may be waived for applicants who are graduates of English language universities.

The following are the minimum ESL requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies; in addition each program will have minimum language requirements specific to their program.

The required minimum scores must be submitted before the candidate can be considered for admission. The required minimum score for the TOEFL iBT is 80 with no less than 20 in each section of the test. The required minimum score for TOEFL is 550 on the paper-based test with a minimum score of 5 on the TWE. These tests are administered by the Educational Testing Service (www.toefl.org). The required minimum score for the IELTS is an overall score of no less than 6 with no band less than 6. The test is administered by IELTS Test Centre Canada (ielts@conestogac.on.ca).

Conditional Admission

In exceptional circumstances, applicants may be accepted into a graduate program subject to the successful completion of conditions in addition to the regular admission requirements.

Offers of Admission

Only offers of admission from the Office of the Registrar are valid. Communication with a program representative (including the Graduate Advisor / Graduate Chair) or a faculty member does not constitute an offer of admission. Nipissing University may revoke an offer of admission or cancel registration in the program if it finds that the applicant has provided false or incomplete information.

Time of Completion Regulations

The School of Graduate Studies operates on a trimester basis, with three terms defined as: fall term (September to December); winter term (January to April); and spring/summer term (May to August). The academic year begins with a fall term followed by a winter term.

One Year Programs

All full-time graduate students in a 1 year program will complete their degrees within a period of 3 consecutive terms, including spring/summer terms. The part-time equivalent is 9 terms including spring/summer terms.

Two Year Programs

All full-time graduate students in a 2-year program will normally complete their degrees within a period of 6 consecutive terms including spring/summer terms. The part-time equivalent is 18 consecutive terms, including the spring/summer terms.

Extensions

Under exceptional circumstances the time to completion may be extended by the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate. All requests for extensions shall use the appropriate form and should be directed to the Graduate Advisor/Graduate Chair who will make a recommendation to the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate.

Leave of Absence

Upon recommendation of the Graduate Advisor/Graduate Chair, the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate may grant a Leave of Absence for medical reasons, maternity or paternity reasons, or where serious circumstances beyond the control of the student require an interruption of their study. The Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate will only grant such a leave where it is deemed necessary and appropriate. A leave of absence will not normally exceed three (3) terms. Students who require a leave of absence must file the appropriate form and the supporting documents to the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who withdraw from a graduate program are to immediately inform the Graduate Advisor / Graduate Chair and their Research Supervisor in writing, using the Voluntary Withdrawal form. Immediate notification is important since the amount and speed of possible fee reimbursement is influenced by the date of withdrawal. The Graduate Advisor / Graduate Chair will forward the withdrawal notice to the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate.

A withdrawal is not official until it has been received by the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate and the Registrar’s Office. Under no circumstances will the Dean/Director of Graduate Studies or Designate back-date a withdrawal notice.

After a request to voluntarily withdraw has been processed by the Office of the Registrar, the student is then officially withdrawn. In all but Thesis or MRP, a mark of “W” (Withdrawn) or “F” (Failed) may appear on a student’s academic record, depending on the date that the withdrawal request has been received. In an MRP or Thesis course a mark of “W ” will appear on the student’s academic record.

Discontinuing attendance in classes, failure to submit any assignments, notification to the instructor, or stopping payment on a cheque, do not constitute official withdrawal.

Tuition and other Fees

Graduate students pay all required tuition and other fees as set by Nipissing University. Such fees are set on a per term basis. Graduate students must maintain continuous registration in their program of study (unless they are granted a leave of absence) until their program is complete or until they have reached the time limits for completion of the program. Please refer to the Charges and Fees section of the Calendar

Exit Surveys

The School of Graduate Studies will undertake Exit Surveys with all graduate students upon their completing or leaving their program. The results of the surveys will be used for ongoing monitoring of program quality control.