Graduate Student Handbook

Welcome to the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies program at the University of Waterloo and Conrad Grebel University College! We are glad you are here.

Throughout your studies, you will be part of a cohort within a community united by a commitment to pursuing justice and peace, undergirded by values of local and global engagement, compassionate service, responsible citizenship, and scholarly excellence.  These values inspire us to create a setting within which each person is part of the community and a resource for others.  We expect that you will learn in the classroom as well as in the hallways, from fellow students as well as from professors and members of our administrative team.  We look forward to getting to know you better and hearing your stories.

Faculty and staff are here to guide and assist you as you refine your interests, ask new questions, engage with new challenges, explore new opportunities, and develop your strengths.  We take our roles as teachers and mentors seriously, and do our best to create a caring and collaborative environment that supports academic success, personal reflection, and professional growth.  You are our future colleagues in the pursuit of social justice, conflict transformation and peace. 

Conrad Grebel is an affiliated college of a research university recognized internationally for integrating innovative academic curriculum with experiential learning and practical applications.  In MPACS we see ourselves as continuing this tradition with our unique blend of interdisciplinary scholarship, research, experiential learning, and reflection. Our academic partners provide course options for MPACS students at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, in the Political Science Department, and in the School of Environment, Enterprise Development. We also see ourselves benefiting from being located in a college rooted in the Anabaptist/Mennonite heritage and informed by Grebel’s mission to “seek wisdom, nurture faith and pursue justice and peace in service to church and society.”   There are also elective course options for MPACS students within Grebel’s Master of Theological Studies program.  

Our building and the University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldminad Tract and the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples.  It is territory governed by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum and is land promised to the Six Nations Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) to sustain them in perpetuity.  At Grebel we recognize that we have benefited from living and working on this colonized land.  Our work at reconciliation with Indigenous peoples includes decolonizing our education, historical narratives, our minds, and our hearts. This is an ongoing process, and we have a long way to go.  We do this in humility and gratitude to our Indigenous neighbours, past and present. We invite you to join us in this work during your MPACS studies.

This Handbook is designed to help you navigate the MPACS program and to take advantage of the many opportunities open to you as a graduate student at Grebel and the University of Waterloo.  The Handbook includes a roadmap through your MPACS journey, an inventory of resources and services, helpful information relating to student finances, MPACS policies, and material related to career development.  We are mindful that graduate studies can be stressful and encourage you to develop a plan for self-care and wellness during your studies.  While we look to support a healthy MPACS community here at Grebel there are many more resources and professional supports helpfully offered through Campus Wellness.  

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the contents of this Handbook, and let us know if you have any suggestions for updating and improving it.  

We wish you much success as you begin the academic year and look forward to being part of your learning journey. 

Reina Neufeldt, PhD

Program Overview

At the beginning of the academic year, the MPACS program organizes an orientation session for all incoming students. MPACS Orientation is an important event in the program and is typically held the first week of classes in the fall term. It is an opportunity to meet other students in the program, meet faculty, become familiar with facilities and services available to you, and have many of your questions answered. Some of Grebel’s events are held together with returning MPACS students and with students in the Master of Theological Studies program.  Participation is required for all new students, including those who may have begun courses in the winter term. Orientation includes some events organized by the Faculty of Arts, including a mandatory Academic Integrity Module (completed online).

The University of Waterloo offers a very useful resource for incoming graduate students called Waterloo Grad Ready. New students are automatically enrolled and can access the program content through their LEARN account.

Additionally, the Graduate Student Association offers a series of orientation events for all graduate students.  This includes a full-day campus-wide orientation, a welcome reception and sessions for international students.  

Academic integrity is an integral part of academic research, teaching and learning. MPACS students, as well as all other UWaterloo students and faculty, are expected to demonstrate academic integrity in their work. In order to assist students in understanding what academic integrity entails, and what constitutes academic misconduct (for example, plagiarism), all MPACS students must complete and pass the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) in their LEARN account. This is a Milestone requirement of the MPACS program – while students do not receive academic credit for completing the workshop, it is a requirement for graduation. 

The Office of Academic Integrity has a number of useful online tools, including a learning tutorial for graduate students. Students should also familiarize themselves with the UWaterloo policies on student discipline and appeals. 

Applicants who have met all of the conditions on their Offer of Admission (e.g. have sent all official transcripts) will notice that their status in Quest will change from “Intent to Matriculate” to “Matriculate.” When the term enrolmen period opens (check the GSPA Important Dates calendar) students will be able to enroll in classes through their Quest account. Students will see an “Enroll” link in the “Academics” tab in of their Quest account.

Students decide on courses by consulting with the Graduate Coordinator. Course descriptions and the Schedule of Classes are available on the MPACS website. The University of Waterloo’s Schedule of Classes for graduate students has official scheduling information.

Graduate course enrolment for the fall term opens in late July and continues throughout the summer. Enrolment for winter classes begins in November.

For step-by-step instructions for enrolling in courses on Quest, see “How do I add classes?”

Please note for enrolment purposes that the “Course Subject” is PACS, the “Course Number” is a three-digit number (e.g., 601, 604) and the “Course Career” is Graduate. If you leave course number blank, the search will return all available courses.

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All new students need to get a WatCard.  Once your status in Quest has changed to “matriculated” you can request your WatCard by following the instructions on the WatCard webpage.

WatCard Office Phone: 519-888-4567 x32751 

WaCard Uses

University of Waterloo Identity and Access Management (WatIAM) is the main online identification system of UWaterloo.  The WatIAM user ID is a universal password for all UWaterloo online services. You manage your userid and password using the WatIAM system.

WatIAM is secured by two-factor authentication (2FA). All students must enroll in 2FA in order to use their WatIAM credentials. 

Quest

Quest is the University of Waterloo’s student information system. It is used to manage university-related affairs, such as enrolling in courses or paying tuition fees. It is accessed with WatIAM credentials. 

Email

MPACS students are welcome to use Conrad Grebel’s library, atrium, dining room, Common Grounds café and other public spaces. Students needing space for small group projects may book classrooms through the MPACS Graduate Studies Coordinator; group study rooms are also available for reserve in the Grebel library. Additionally, the “Grad Hive” (lounge and study area) is located on the fourth floor as part of the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement and is a space designed specifically for Grebel graduate students. 

There are also lockers available to rent on a term by term basis. They can be registered at the through the CPA Coordinator, who can provide a locker # and the combination for the lock. 

Conrad Grebel is home to the Milton Good Library. While MPACS students have full access to all UWaterloo and other Omni libraries (described below), the Milton Good Library is home to a large collection of PACS-related material and is the most easily accessible library to students based at Grebel. The Milton Good Library acquires reference and research materials in academic fields of PACS, Music, and Theology. A second, specialized, concern of the library is to develop a research-level collection in Anabaptist-Mennonite materials.

Milton Good Library Hours

Please see the Milton Good Library webpage Hours and Access for the most up-to-date service hours.

Typically the library is open the following times: 

Fall and Winter Terms (September-April) 

Monday to Thursday: 8:30 AM - 10:00 PM  
Friday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM  
Saturday: 1 PM - 5 PM 
Sunday: Closed

Spring Term (May to August) 

Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM 

Saturday-Sunday Closed

Reference Services are generally available Monday to Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

Overview

The main library of the University of Waterloo is the Dana Porter Library, located in the centre of campus.  The bulk of UWaterloo library collections for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are located here, along with group and individual study spaces, computer labs, and a café available for students’ use.  In addition to the Dana Porter Library, the UWaterloo library also includes several other subject-specific libraries.

UWaterloo students also have access to the libraries of the affiliated University Colleges. This includes access to the Milton Good Library at Conrad Grebel, as well as the libraries at Renison University College and St. Jerome’s University College.

Access and Services

Once students have registered at UW and have obtained a WatCard, they may borrow books and explore the services and resources available to you. The University of Waterloo Library  homepage is an important starting point for the many library services offered, including the “Get Access From Anywhere” login which is your first step when using online library resources (research databases, electronic journals, etc.) from off-campus. The Peace and Conflict Studies subject guide holds an abundance of information about library services. The library offers a variety of services for graduate students, including online and in-person tutorials, workshops, and one-on-one assistance with a library liaison. 

Omni and the Library Catalogue

The University of Waterloo is a member of the Omni library consortium, which is a collaborative initiative of 14 Ontario University libraries, including the University of Waterloo.  Omni combines the library resources of 14 university libraries into one shared catalogue.  All that is needed to borrow an item from any Omni library is a WatCard.  Students at UWaterloo may request that a book from any participating library be sent to the library of their choosing for pick-up. 

Students can also search for electronic articles and resources directly in the catalogue.  However, not every resource that the library has access to will show up in a catalogue search.  All of the databases with PACS content are listed in the PACS Study Guide.

InterLibrary Loan

While the Omni library has a vast amount of resources, there may be times when an item you need is not available in Omni.  This is when you could place an Interlibrary Loan request.  All students, staff, and faculty have access to this service, which includes borrowing privileges from most other Canadian university libraries.

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Community-building is an important aspect of the MPACS program – the people you meet during the program may become colleagues or friends who you stay in touch with long after you leave.  The MPACS program is made up of diverse cohorts of students from a variety of backgrounds. Socializing with other MPACS students can make your time more enjoyable, allow for more depth, openness and learning during conversations in class, and help you form a professional network in the field of peace and conflict studies.  The Orientation Day for MPACS students (described in the “New Students” section), is an important feature of the program, and offers students their first opportunity to get to know each other. Occasional social events will be planned throughout the program to help you get to know one another; participation in these extra-curricular activities is encouraged.  

In addition to hosting a variety of academic programs, Grebel also has a residence and on-campus apartments for undergraduate students.  While MPACS students may not live on-campus at Grebel, they are encouraged to participate in other elements of community life at the College. MPACS students are welcome to attend weekly chapel services, eat in Grebel’s dining room, attend events hosted by Grebel, and make use of other community spaces on campus, such as the atrium and Common Grounds café. 

The Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement, which is located on the fourth floor of the new academic building includes space designated for MPACS students. This space is intended as an important informal meeting place for students to gather. 

All MPACS students will be added to an email list, along with faculty and staff.  This listserv is an important means of communication between students, faculty and staff.  Anyone on the mailing list can send information about lectures, events, job postings, conferences and any other topics that are relevant to others in the program.

Emails to the MPACS Listserv are monitored by the Graduate Studies Coordinator. To send a message to the listerve, email: mpacs@lists.uwaterloo.ca  

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Visit Waterloo's finance website for a current fee schedule. Without scholarships or awards applied, approximate tuition plus incidental fees for Canadian and Permanent Residents is $2,715 per term (as of Fall 2020). International students should expect to pay approximately $10,150 per term (as of Fall 2020). 

Each term, students are charged a number of “incidental fees,” which help to cover the costs of non-academic services on campus. For graduate students, this includes a non-refundable Graduate Student Association (GSA) fee, as well as a bundled compulsory fee administered by the GSA.  These fees cover the supplementary health and dental plans, a Grad House Fee, and the UPass fee (transit pass).  Students may opt out and be refunded from some of these fees, with the exception of the UPass. To opt out of the health and dental plans, students must show proof of equivalent coverage from another insurance provider.  

Other incidental fees include a non-refundable health services building fee, non-refundable student services fee and a refundable graduate studies endowment fund fee.

All international students will also be assessed a non-refundable premium for University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). International students will automatically be enrolled into UHIP when they become “fees arranged” for each term. 

Students must arrange to pay their fees before the university posted deadline (see GSPA Important Dates) – usually by submitting a promissory note and making an online payment for the remainder. See Payment Options.

Promissory Notes for Funding: Students receiving scholarships, bursaries and awards will need to submit a “Promissory Note” through their student Quest account as proof of forthcoming funds for outstanding tuition fees.  More information on becoming “Fees arranged” and submitting your “Promissory Note” is available online.  

The Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program provides a limited number of scholarships and bursaries for full time students but does not guarantee financial support. Peace Scholar Awards (research assistantships) and Marking Assistantships are limited in number. 

Students may be eligible for other Waterloo scholarships and bursaries, external funding, or loans. Information on University of Waterloo awards and funding and external awards is provided by the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Office. 

A limited number of marking assistantships are available to MPACS students, and may help to offset the cost of tuition.  The Marking Assistant Policy and other logistics related to Marking Assistantships are outlined below.

Marking Assistant Overview

In order to graduate, students must complete 5.0 units: 2.5 units (5 courses) of core courses; a minimum of 1.0 unit of PACS electives; and up to 1.5 units of PACS cross-listed electives. In addition to these course requirements, MPACS students must complete two ‘milestones’: the research colloquium (taken at the end of the program), and the academic integrity workshop (usually completed during orientation).  Students can track their progress towards meeting these requirements by using the MPACS Degree Requirement Worksheet, a copy of which is available in Appendix A.

Core Courses

All MPACS students must take 5 required core courses (or 2.5 units), which will introduce students to key themes related to systems of peace and governance, building civil society, conflict analysis, and conflict transformation and peace-building. These courses build upon our theoretical approach to peace, which emphasizes the potential of civil society to act as a catalyst for peace, while preparing students for effective engagement across societal sectors. These courses will ground students in core concepts of a multi-sector, and multi-disciplinary approach to peace building and conflict analysis emanating from civil society, in both theory and practice.

Additional PACS cross-listed electives

An additional 1.5 units may be chosen from courses offered by the International Development, Global Governance, Political Science or Theological Studies graduate departments. 

The PACS cross-listed electives include: 

MPACS students may enroll as either full-time or part-time students.  The definitions of full-time and part-time studies, and expected times for completion, are detailed below. 

Full-time Option

In the MPACS program, a student who takes 2 courses (1.0 credits) or more per term is considered to be studying full-time. Full-time students will normally complete the program over a four-term period, enrolling in three courses during each of their first two terms and two courses during each of their last two terms. A regular term at the University of Waterloo is four months long, so full-time students can expect to complete the program in 16 months.  

Full-time students will be admitted only in the fall term of a given year (starting in September), and be expected to complete their studies at the end of the fall term in the subsequent year (at the end of December). 

Term 1: students enroll in 3 courses, including at least 2 core courses. 

Term 2: students enroll in 3 courses, including at least 2 core courses. 

Term 3: students enroll in 2 courses; students who choose the internship option will normally complete it during this time (as the equivalent of two courses). Internships must be for a minimum of 50 working days. 

Term 4: students enroll in 2 courses and must present at a Research Colloquium (orally present a major paper you have written, receive peer review, and respond to questions and critique). 

Part-time Option

An MPACS student who takes less than 2 courses (either 0.25, 0.5 or 0.75 units) a term is considered to be studying part-time. A limited number of students will be admitted to the program on a part-time basis. Part-time students must also complete 5.0 units in order to graduate. Part-time students are expected to complete at least two courses per academic year, and have five years to complete the program from the date of their initial enrolment. 

Tuition differential between full-time and part-time studies

MPACS tuition costs at UWaterloo are not computed on the basis of the number of courses taken, but rather on the basis of whether a student is enrolled in full-time or part-time studies. The University of Waterloo collects tuition fees from students one term at a time. 

Time required to complete the MPACS degree

MPACS students are required to complete the degree within five years from first enrolling in a course.  This applies to both full-time students who may shift into part-time studies and part-time students who may shift into full-time studies.   

To change enrollment status from full-time to part-time (or vice versa), students must seek verbal permission from the PACS Chair, fill in a change of enrolment status form available on the Graduate Studies Forms page, and bring the form to the Graduate Studies Coordinator to get the required signatures. 

Students pursuing an internship should change their status to “full-time off campus.” This will result in a slight reduction of tuition fees. The above procedure should be followed in order to make this change. 

Students may apply for “Inactive” status for a term for circumstances such as illness, maternity/parental leave or temporary financial difficulties. Students should follow the above procedure in order to become Inactive. Normally, Inactive status is approved for a maximum of two consecutive terms. 

See the Residency/Enrolment page of the Graduate Studies Calendar for more information. 

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For an up-to-date listing of Course Drop/Add Dates, as well as other important calendar events and academic deadlines, please visit the Graduate Studies Calendar. 

Auditing Courses

A student wishing to audit a class must fill out a Course drop/add form with the designation of “A” and get the appropriate signatures from the instructor and Director of the dept. At the end of the term, the instructor must email a Graduate Studies Records Specialist to indicate whether or not the student has fulfilled the requirements for auditing his/her class. If the requirements have been completed, the course title and grade of ”Audit” will appear on his/her transcript. 

Assessment Methods

Courses offered in the MPACS program will be assessed by a variety of methods that best fit the objectives of each course.  Student work will be evaluated by a combination of written work (papers, reflections, case studies, policy briefs, book reports, conceptual mapping), application projects (digital assignments, programming projects) as well as by some exams and quizzes. 

Grades

Graduates of Peace and Conflict Studies programs pursue a wide variety of careers in non-governmental and governmental organizations, universities and schools, business, and international institutions. While the MPACS program is particularly geared towards preparing students to work for peace from within the civil society sphere, graduates pursue careers in fields ranging from conflict management, mediation and restorative justice to international development, human rights work, research and policy analysis, to name just a few. 

The following diagram, developed by John Paul Lederach and Kathryn Mansfield at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies visually represents a variety of “peacebuilding pathways” that graduates of PACS programs may take in their careers, while depicting how these pathways fit together to collectively promote peacebuilding activities. The inner circle highlights the three major areas of peacebuilding: efforts to prevent, respond to and transform violence; efforts to promote structural and institutional change; and efforts to promote justice and healing.  The outer circle illustrates a variety of sub-fields of practice, and potential career paths within each of these fields.  

In order to assist MPACS grads in their career development and job search post-graduation, the MPACS department has prepared a special career resource guide, tailored specifically to MPACS students.  This guide may also be useful for you as you consider potential internship options. The guide is available as a “Related Link” on the MPACS homepage.

The University of Waterloo’s Centre for Career Action also has tools and resources to assist in both professional development and job-searching.