Permission to Write

(BCH, CMM, MIC, NSC and CTM students only)

Before requesting Permission to Write, you must complete all program requirements.  

At your final scheduled TAC meeting, ask your committee to approve your Permission to Write request.  

Once you receive Permission to Write:

• Focus on writing your thesis rather than conducting additional laboratory work.  
• Remain enrolled in the thesis course until your thesis is submitted for evaluation.  
• Submit your thesis within six months.  

If you cannot submit your thesis within six months, you must submit a progress report to support future enrolment.  

Submit a Permission to Write Request

Submit a Service Request and provide the following information:  

• Category: Research
• Type/Subtype: Thesis Advisory Committee

Required document

• Permission to Write Form (found on our Forms page)

Writing a Thesis Proposal

Students in Epidemiology should follow the program-specific thesis proposal guidelines.  

The guidance below applies to students in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Neuroscience, and Clinical and Translational Medicine. It is intended for your first TAC meeting and does not apply to MSc-to-PhD transfer proposals or progress reports.

General Requirements

• Work with your supervisor to revise your proposal before your first TAC meeting.  
• Use double spacing throughout the document.  
• Include page numbers at the bottom of each page.  
• Submit your proposal to TAC members at least one week before the meeting.  

Part 1: Introduction

Provide a review of the relevant literature and a critical assessment of previous studies. End the section by clearly identifying the research questions or problems you plan to investigate.  

Expected length: 4 to 5 pages.  

Part 2: Objectives and Hypotheses

Clearly state your objectives and hypotheses. Each should be concise and no longer than two lines.  

Part 3: Research Plan

Describe how you will test your hypotheses. Include:

• Experimental approaches.  
• General experimental conditions. (e.g. drugs to be used, time of exposure, specific conditions that animals are exposed to)  
• Key techniques and methodologies. (e.g. RT-PCR for measurement of mRNA, Western blot to quantify proteins, measurement of membrane potential using patch clamp technique, etc.)

Do not include detailed laboratory protocols or step-by-step procedures. (e.g. how RT-PCR and Western-blot are done, or the description of saline solutions that will be used to measure membrane potential.)

Expected length: 4 to 5 pages.  

Part 4: Results

If you have preliminary data, present it in a format similar to a manuscript intended for publication. Include a concise Results section.  

Place all figures and tables at the end of the proposal and include descriptive legends that provide enough information for readers in your field to understand the work.  

If you do not yet have preliminary data, briefly describe the results you expect to obtain.  

Part 5: Conclusion

Provide a brief summary of your objectives and explain the significance of your research and its contribution to the field.  

Part 6: References

Use in-text citations that include the first author's name and publication year. Provide a complete reference list at the end of the document and follow the reference style used by the Journal of Cell Biology.  

The proposal must not exceed 15 pages, excluding references. 

Thesis Proposal Approval

Your written thesis proposal must be reviewed and approved by your Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). You must be enrolled in Thesis Proposal (EPI 9997) during the term in which you submit your proposal to the TAC.

Once your TAC approves the proposal, submit a Service Request under the following: 

Category: Research

Type: Plan of Study category (select View All if the category is not immediately visible):

Required documents:

• Statement of Thesis Supervisor Form (available on our Forms site)
• Approved thesis proposal

After TAC approval and once all required research approvals are in place (for example, Research Ethics Board approvals or research contracts), you may begin your thesis research.

Public Presentation of the Thesis Proposal

Although there is no formal oral defence of the thesis proposal, all PhD students in Epidemiology & Applied Health Research are required to give a public presentation of their thesis proposal within six months of TAC approval.

Choosing a Presentation Forum

The presentation should be delivered to an audience that:

• Is relevant to your area of research.
• Is not your supervisor's research team.
• Is not a class in which you are currently enrolled.
• Includes individuals with expertise in your content area or research methods who can provide meaningful feedback.

Possible venues include:

• School of Epidemiology and Applied Health Research events
• Public Health or other rounds

The presentation should be a full-length presentation of at least 30 minutes.

Reporting Feedback to the TAC

After your presentation, you must report back to the TAC, including:

• Where the presentation took place
• A summary of the feedback received
• Any changes made to the project based on that feedback

The feedback and any agreed-upon revisions must be documented using the Statement of Thesis Proposal Public Feedback Form (available on our Forms site).

Once the TAC approves this form, submit it through a Service Request under the following:

Category: Research

Type: Plan of Study category (select View All if the category is not immediately visible):

Required documents:

• Statement of Thesis Proposal Public Feedback Form (available on our Forms site).

You must remain enrolled in EPI 9997 until the form has been reviewed and approved through the Service Request process.

Important Timelines

1. Submit the Thesis Proposal

After completing the comprehensive examination (ideally in the following term):

• Enroll in EPI 9997.
• Submit your thesis proposal to the TAC for review and approval.

Exception: Students who fast-track to the PhD program may submit their proposal before completing the comprehensive examination, with approval from their supervisor.

2. Present the Proposal Publicly

Within six months of TAC approval:

• Deliver a public presentation of your thesis proposal.
• Submit a brief report to the TAC after the presentation.
• Remain enrolled in EPI 9997 until the Public Feedback Form has been approved.

3. Complete the Thesis Proposal Requirement

All thesis proposal requirements must be completed within 24 months of initial enrollment in the PhD program.

Progress Report

Purpose of the Progress Report

Each year, you and your supervisor complete a Progress Report to:  

• Review your progress in the program.  
• Discuss course selection and academic performance.  
• Set goals for the coming year.  

Complete the report and send it to your supervisor(s) for review. After approval, submit it through a Service Request.  

Submit a Progress Report

Before submitting your report, make sure that Sections A, B and C are fully completed. Incomplete reports cannot be reviewed or processed.  

Submit a Service Request and provide the following information:  

• Category: Research  
• Type/Subtype: Research Progress Report

Required document

• Progress Report Form (found on our Forms page)

First Progress Report Due Date

• BCH, CMM, MIC, NSC and CTM: within 8 months of your first enrolment.  
• EAHR: within 12 months of your first enrolment.  

Subsequent Progress Reports

You must submit one progress report each year until your thesis has been submitted.  

You may need to submit reports more frequently if:

• Your progress is unsatisfactory.  
• You have received a program extension.
• You are requesting a leave of absence.  

If You Do Not Submit Your Progress Report

If you do not submit your progress report by the deadline, you will not be able to register for future terms until you submit it.  

A registration hold may have significant financial consequences and could eventually lead to the closure of your academic file without further notice. Your scholarship may also be suspended or cancelled.

Unsatisfactory Progress Reports

Your supervisor or the Faculty may determine that your progress report is unsatisfactory. This may happen for several reasons, including:  

• You have not progressed as expected.  
• External factors have significantly affected your research.  
• Your achievements do not align with the objectives established for the reporting period.  
• Your findings are not yet sufficiently clear or developed to support your thesis.  

If your report is unsatisfactory, you will receive recommendations and may be required to:

• Submit a detailed study plan.  
• Establish more specific goals with your supervisor.  
• Meet with a thesis committee.  

After receiving an unsatisfactory assessment, you must submit a new progress report that is satisfactory before the next term.  

If you receive two unsatisfactory progress reports during your studies, you will be withdrawn from the program.