Graduate studies seminar overview

All MSc and PhD students in the School of Pharmacy are required to attend the Research Seminar Series continuously throughout their academic program, as outlined in the Pharmacy Academic Calendar. 

Seminar schedule

  • Seminars are offered during the fall and winter terms; regular attendance is expected throughout these periods.

  • Seminars are primarily held in person, and students are expected to attend on-site.
    • In-person sessions are not streamed or recorded.
    • Remote seminars may occasionally be offered to accommodate international speakers.
  • One calendar invitation will be sent for the seminar series and posted to the Pharmacy Graduate Studies Outlook calendar (gradpharm@uwaterloo.ca).
  • Individual seminar details will be posted on the Pharmacy Events page and embedded in the Pharmacy graduate student handbook as well as on the Research Seminar page.

Upcoming seminars

Attendance policy

  • Students are responsible for reviewing the seminar schedule and planning their attendance to maintain a satisfactory attendance record throughout their program. 
  • An attendance sheet is circulated at each session; students are responsible for signing the attendance sheet to ensure their participation is recorded. 
    • Arriving late or leaving early will not count toward attendance. 
    • Students who arrive after the seminar begins or leave before it concludes will be marked absent.
    • By signing the attendance sheet, you confirm your presence at the seminar in accordance with this policy. 
    • Your signature also signifies your commitment to honesty and academic integrity in reporting attendance.
  • Students are expected to attend continuously until degree completion (i.e., until the final thesis has been submitted to UWSpace).

Attendance exceptions

A minimum of seven research seminars are typically scheduled each academic term. Seminar dates are published in advance to facilitate planning and ensure that students have sufficient opportunity to meet attendance requirements. Students are expected to prioritize participation in seminars organized by the School of Pharmacy as part of their academic milestones.

In exceptional circumstances where attendance at the required number of seminars is not feasible due to extenuating circumstances, accommodations may be considered in accordance with the provisions outlined in the academic calendar. Students seeking such accommodations must adhere to the following procedure to ensure that alternate seminar attendance is appropriately recognized:

  1. Identify an alternative research-focused seminaroffered by another department or institution that is comparable in duration and academic rigour to Pharmacy Research Seminar Series presentations.

  2. Complete Part A of the Alternate Seminar Approval Form and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator for review and approval at least one week piror to the student attending the seminar.

  3. Upon approval, attend the seminar and complete Part B of the form, which includes a summary and critical reflection on the seminar content.

  4. Return the fully completed form to the Graduate Coordinator for final approval.

Once all steps have been completed and approved, the alternate seminar will be credited toward the student's seminar attendance requirement for the current term.

Additional requirement for PhD students

As part of this milestone, PhD students are additionally required to present in the School's research seminar series prior to graduation. 

Student presentations are adjudicated by faculty reviewers and automatically considered for the Best Student Presentation in the Research Seminar Series Pharmacy Graduate Award. 

Ideally, students will give their PhD presentation one year before the intended degree completion date, to ensure this milestone is completed well in advance of their thesis defence and so they can receive their award before they graduate, if applicable.

Giving presentations at credible scientific venues is strongly encouraged in the graduate program and is supported through special awards like the Christine and David Edwards graduate studies travel award. However, for the purpose of this milestone,students should make every effort to present at the Pharmacy research seminar seriesas this venue provides students the opportunity for practice and exposure in delivering presentations that would meet industry and academic standards in a friendly and familiar environment; a 10-15 minute presentation at a major conference, while valuable in its own right, does not provide such an opportunity and does not meet the milestone requirement. 

Note for students who defend at the end of a term

Students who defend their thesis at the end of a term are required to continue attending seminars in the subsequent term until their thesis has been approved for submission to UWSpace. Once approval is granted by the Dissertation Coordinator for Science, students must forward the confirmation email to the Graduate Coordinator to indicate they are ready to upload their thesis.

  • Students who complete their degree requirements before the 100% refund deadline are exempt from this seminar attendance requirement.

  • Part-time students who complete their degree by the 50% refund deadline must attend one seminar; full-time students must attend two.

  • Students who have not completed their degree requirements by the 50% refund deadline must fulfill the full seminar attendance requirement, based on their enrollment status.

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