Checklist - Recreation and Leisure Studies - PhD Aging, Health and Well-being

1. Register as an active student every term (Fall, Winter, and Spring) by arranging payment of your tuition fees. Inactive registration is exceptional for medical reasons or other temporary obligations. If you do request inactive status, you must seek approval from your supervisor, the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, and the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies. Requests for inactive status will not always be approved.

If you fail to register for any term, you are automatically withdrawn from your program. Readmission is not guaranteed, and if granted, requires payment of fees for the term(s) you dropped out.  If you are readmitted, you will be required to register for a minimum of one term without a tuition refund.

2. Complete two academic integrity milestones (these milestones are required by the University and must be completed before a student can graduate).

• Milestone 1: Through your LEARN account, complete the online Academic Integrity Tutorial (normally to be taken within first 8 weeks of starting program).
• Milestone 2: AHS Academic Integrity Workshop (normally held in September).

3. Meet with your supervisor to discuss individualized program of study including section of appropriate courses.

4. Complete a minimum of 9 courses above the BA level. For most students, that means a minimum of four courses, including REC 600, REC 700, REC 750, and a graduate level advanced methods course. Coursework is normally completed in the first two terms:

• REC 600 Integrative Seminar in Recreation and Leisure Studies (Could be taken as AHWB elective with a focus of the paper/presentation/final assignment on aging, health and well-being).
• REC 700 Foundations of Knowledge in Leisure Studies (Could be taken as AHWB elective with a focus of the paper/presentation/final assignment on aging, health and well-being).
• REC/KIN/HLTH 750 Fundamentals of Aging, Health and Well-being
• Graduate level advanced statistics or research methods course (normally one of REC 772 Quantitative Research Data and Analysis and Interpretation OR REC 773 Designing Advanced Qualitative Inquiry).

Note:

Students who have not completed a graduate level qualitative research course and/or graduate level quantitative research course will be required to take REC 662 (Foundations of Quantitative Inquiry) and/or REC 663 (Foundations of Qualitative Inquiry).

Students who have not completed a research thesis for their Master's degree will be required to do a research project under the direction of a faculty member before entering the comprehensive examination process.

5. Complete PhD Research Seminar milestone. In order to fulfil this requirement, students in the AHWB program can choose to complete one or both research seminars: the Aging, Health and Well-being Seminar AND/OR the PhD Research Seminar in Recreation and Leisure Studies. Students must attend for a minimum of two terms and the expectation is that students will attend the seminar for the duration of their degree.

6. Complete Research Presentation Milestone (usually as part of the PhD Research Seminar milestone).

7. In consultation with your supervisor, select your Comprehensive Examination committee. The comprehensive exam is normally completed during the second year and must be completed by the end of the seventh term of enrolment.

8. Complete, and have signed and submit a PhD Comprehensive Examination Approval of Committee and Date of Examination form before the comp process begins.

9. Receive Comprehensive Exam Questions (supervisor should have finalised questions to the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies no later than one week before the comp process to begin). 

• Complete and submit written response to comps questions within the four month deadline (six months for part-time students).
• Schedule a date, time and room for the oral exam.

10. In consultation with your supervisor, select a thesis topic and thesis committee.

11. Complete, have signed and submit a MA/PhD Thesis Topic and Supervisor form.

12. Prepare a thesis proposal in close consultation with your supervisor. You may also want to consult with members of your supervisory committee.

13. Schedule an oral defence of your proposal at least one month in advance.

• Arrange a time and date acceptable to your committee and the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies.
• Book a room on Outlook Calendar or through the AHS Receptionist. 
• Obtain and submit a copy of the PhD Thesis Proposal Notification form (form 3) from the Faculty Graduate Studies Coordinator at least three weeks prior to the presentation.

14. Pass oral proposal defence and make necessary modifications to the proposal, if applicable (proposal to be on display two weeks before defense).

15. Obtain approval for data collection from the Office of Research Ethics, if appropriate.

16. Submit application for research support funding to the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, if needed (maximum of $350).

17. Conduct thesis research and write up thesis in close consultation with your supervisor. Multiple drafts and rewriting are to be expected.

18. Submit original receipts and expense claim form for research support funding to the Department Administrator.

19. Arrange proposed examining board at least 8 weeks prior to final defence, (Your supervisor should complete and submit the PhD Thesis Examination Board Form (form 5) at this time).

• The examining board must consist of 5 members: Supervisor (must hold appointment with the Department as a regular faculty member, adjunct faculty member, or cross-appointed faculty member), advisory committee, an internal/external member, and the suggested external examiners for approval by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee.
• A Chair will be appointed by the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Office.
• Include required information on the external examiner, including an arm’s length statement from your supervisor. Include a copy of your abstract. Once the external examiner has been approved, your supervisor will be informed of the decision and will contact the external for her/his agreement and availability.
• In consultation with the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies and/or Associate Dean, an internal/external member will be appointed to the committee. This member is to be external to the department but internal to the University. See guidelines outlined in the Academic Regulations section of the current graduate calendar under the heading Minimum Requirements for the PhD Degree for further clarification on the examining board.

20. In consultation with your supervisor determine a time and date for your thesis defence.

• The final defence must be set four weeks before Convocation.
• The Faculty Graduate Studies Administrator will book a room (most PhD defences are held in AHS 1686 or BMH 3119). 
• Obtain Approved PhD Thesis Examination Committee, form 6, from the Faculty Graduate Studies Administrator when you are ready to hand in your thesis for display. This form must be signed by committee members and returned to the Faculty Graduate Studies Administrator. Your thesis must be on display five weeks prior to defence and at least 4 weeks prior to the   registration day of the following term in the Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. Leave one display copy and one copy for the external examiner with the Graduate Administrator.
• A brief written report prepared by the external examiner is required one week in advance and sent to the Associate Dean’s Office. The supervisor will be allowed to convey any general concerns that are outlined in this report with the student. The student is allowed to read the report after the defence upon request.

21. Pass final oral defence.

• Make final modifications to thesis to approval of committee (your supervisor should complete and submit the PhD Thesis Examination/Acceptance Report (PDF)

22. Complete the application to graduate on Quest.

• Upload final thesis to online UW Space
• Remove belongings from graduate student desk and leave file cabinet key in the top drawer
• Return fob to Department Administrator
• Forward your @uwaterloo.ca email to another email address to ensure you continue to receive your messages

23. Attend convocation and celebrate! More information about convocation can be found on the Registrar's Office Graduation and Convocation website.

• Plan to attend the pre-convocation reception in the AHS foyer