Students should identify a thesis supervisor in the 3rd year of studies before March 1, 2024. The 3rd year rotations are a great way to be introduced to the various research projects happening at the Faculty of Medicine and can help students find a supervisor.  You don't need to do your thesis work in your rotation lab.  However, your 3rd year summer work and your Honours thesis should be in the same laboratory that you will do your graduate thesis work in.

Note: Students will be required to complete their third ear summer work with their supervisor. However, they will be able to do their third-year rotation in any Faculty of Medicine laboratory.

Students consult the faculty research interest webpage and contact potential supervisors directly by email.

The stipend is intended to help students pay for their basic living expenses allowing them to focus on studying and working on their research. Stipends are provided through your thesis supervisor’s research grants.

During the 3rd year spring/summer term, you will be paid the same stipend as an MSc or PhD student in the program they have entered (CMM, BMI, MIC, or NSC). You will also receive a full stipend when you enter graduate school following the completion of your 4th year in the TMM program. Students are not paid a stipend during the Fall and Winter terms of their 4th year.

The Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) initiates MSc and PhD candidates to the concept of a research proposal, experimental design, data analysis and science writing (drafting of scientific publications, thesis). For students in the Integrated program, the first TAC meeting must be completed in the Winter Term of their 4th undergraduate degree before March 1, 2024. The meeting serves as an assessment of your suitability to the graduate program, the research progress made as well as an assessment of core program competencies required for graduate enrollment.

The TAC is established by the Supervisor in consultation with the student. The committee should consist of professors knowledgeable in the areas important to the research proposal who can provide useful feedback to the student on their project and can evaluate progress in the area of research. For the MSc program, the TAC is composed of the supervisor, and at least two other faculty members, including at least one from the home department. For the PhD program, the TAC is composed of the supervisor and at least three other faculty members, including at least one from the home department.

As the thesis proposal procedures are the same as graduate students, please consult the “ Writing a Thesis Proposal” section on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

The progress report is used as a tool for students and supervisors to access the student’s progress in their academic studies and research. The progress report must be submitted by the end of the fall term of the 1st year of the graduate program (December 1, 2025).

As the progress report procedures are the same as graduate students, please consult the “ Role and Procedures for the Annual Research Progress Report ” section on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

The TAC should be established early in the fall term of the 4th year of undergraduates studies with the expectation that the first meeting will be held before March 1, 2024. 

The candidate will submit a written Thesis Proposal at least one week in advance of the scheduled TAC meeting.

As the meeting procedures are the same as graduate students, please consult the “TAC Meeting Procedures” section on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.

TAC Report Form

The TAC meeting, which determines if your eligible to transition to the graduate program needs to be completed by March 1, 2024.

The candidate will submit written research proposal at least one week in advance of the scheduled TAC meeting. The TAC meeting will proceed according to home program guidelines. At the meeting, the student is expected to present the research proposal and defend the approaches chosen. Satisfactory performance, as deemed by the TAC is required to remain in the integrated stream.

The TAC meeting will evaluate whether a candidate has the research knowledge and skills required to successfully proceed to their graduate program, such as:

• Knowledge of the literature
• Objectives and hypothesis
• Research plan
• Research performance
• Written presentation
• Oral presentation
• Overall student performance

The TAC and the supervisor must support the transition from the BSc to the MSc program. Your supervisor must also have sufficient funding to support you financially during your graduate studies. Final approval is granted by the graduate program director.

Please note that students are only provided one opportunity to pass the TAC and move to the graduate portion of the degree.

Students in the integrated BSc-MSc or BSc-PhD programs will receive two degrees at the end of their graduate studies.

Students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Translational and Molecular Medicine (BSc) and a Master of Science (MSc) or with a Bachelor of Science in Translational and Molecular Medicine (BSc) and a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD).

Information on how to register to graduate is available on the Obtain your degree webpage.

Note: Students can change from the integrated program to the undergraduate TMM program. To do so they will need to contact their academic office for further information.