Annual student review: policy and procedures

Purpose

The annual review is intended as a means to provide an individualized and comprehensive feedback to graduate students on their progress and to their thesis supervisors. It also permits the Graduate Studies Committee to identify students who are experiencing academic or personal difficulties. The review procedure emphasizes prevention but it may also lead to the recommendation of specific actions if a student has continuous difficulty making reasonable progress in his/her program. Finally, the annual review provides a mechanism for promoting ongoing program improvement and for monitoring the efficacy of the policies that pertain to graduate studies in psychology.  

Evaluation committees

The annual review is to be carried out in the spring of each year. The files of Experimental Psychology students are to be examined by the Sub-Committee of the Experimental Psychology program, while the files of Clinical Psychology students are to be examined by the Sub-Committee of the Clinical Psychology program. Only problematic cases will be brought to the attention of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Cases in which the performance of Clinical Psychology students is found to be problematic in clinical training aspects of the program (i.e., in practica or internship), rather than in academic aspects, will be referred to the Clinical Program Student Professional Review Committee.  

Evaluation procedure

The primary goal of the student review is to verify that students are making timely progress through their respective program relative to specific milestones, namely: 1) the Research Program Outline, 2) the PhD thesis proposal, 3) the clinical practica and internships (for Clinical Psychology students only), and 4) the doctoral thesis. The secondary goal of the student review is to verify that students' conduct has been in accordance with professional standards in various contexts such as: Research and clinical practica/internships, as users of the Vanier Building, as users of the School's computer facilities, etc.

The procedure consists of verifying that:
The outcome of the review is based on evidence of progress derived from three sources: documents submitted by the Graduate Studies Secretariat, documents submitted by the student, and documents submitted by the student's supervisor. These documents must be submitted to the sub-committees by May 15th of each year.  

  1. Each student's progress is in agreement with the expectations expressed in the policies of the School of Psychology (e.g., the milestones) and the Graduate Studies Office of the Faculty of Social Sciences;

  2. Each student's level of productivity is in agreement with what is expected in their particular graduate program;
  3. Each student's conduct is in agreement with professional standards.

Documents provided by the Graduate Studies Secretariat

  1. The student's progress profile form (which includes data on courses taken, grades obtained, scholarships, etc.);
  2. Evaluations of performance on research/clinical practica or internships;
  3. All documents relevant to misconduct (e.g., practica/internships, in the application of ethical principles, in the use of the School's facilities, etc.). In accordance with Regulation No. 110, information relevant to teaching and research assistantships may not be used in the review process.

Documents provided by the student

  1. A report on the progress made toward the completion of the doctoral thesis;
  2. A curriculum vitae;
  3. (Optional) A letter in which the student presents their perspective on issues that might affect the outcome of the annual review.
  4. For students registered in the Experimental Program : during the first year: a description of the research activities which have been identified and completed in the context of the Master's Level Research Practicum (PSY 5023); the list of committee members and short description of the thesis should be provided in third year; during the fourth year: the document approving the thesis project signed by the members of the thesis committee.

Documents provided by the student's supervisor

  1. The University's Annual Research Progress Report;
  2. A summary evaluation form. This form is intended to speed up the processing of students' files;
  3. (Optional) A letter in which the supervisor presents their perspective on issues that might affect the outcome of the annual review.

Feedback for students in Experimental Psychology

All students receive a letter that contains the results of the annual review by June 30th . A copy will also be sent to the student's supervisor.

The global evaluation for students in the Experimental Program will be expressed by one of two grades:

  1. Satisfactory performance: given to students who meet all requirements and expectations;
  2. Conditionally satisfactory progress: given to students who have not yet met the criteria for their year in the program; students have until the end of the current academic year (August 31 for those who entered in September; and December 31 for those who entered in January) to complete the requirements;
  3. Unsatisfactory progress: given to students who have not met the criteria for their year in the program.
     
  4. Actions following unsatisfactory performance in the Experimental program

    For students in the Experimental Program, unsatisfactory performance may result in one of the following:
    An unsatisfactory rating in two consecutive years triggers a mandatory review of the student's standing in the experimental program.  

    1. The instruction to take action and fulfill particular requirements in order to be on schedule by a deadline set by the Experimental Graduate Studies Committee; such cases could undergo an interim review in the Fall of the following academic year;

    2. The recommendation (for first-year students only) not to allow the student to transfer from the Master's level to the Ph.D. level;
    3. The recommendation to withdraw from the graduate program.

Feedback for students in Clinical Psychology

All students receive a letter that contains the results of the annual review by June 30th . A copy will also be sent to the student's supervisor.

The global evaluation for students in the Clinical Program will be expressed by one of three grades:

  1. Satisfactory progress: given to students who meet all requirements and expectations;
  2. Conditionally satisfactory progress: given to students who have not yet met the criteria for their year in the program; students have until the end of the current academic year (August 31 for those who entered in September; and December 31 for those who entered in January) to complete the requirements;
  3. Unsatisfactory progress: given to students who have not met the criteria for their year in the program.
  4. Actions following conditionally satisfactory performance in the Clinical Program:

    Students whose performance in the Clinical Program is rated as conditionally satisfactory are required to submit evidence of having met criteria to the Clinical Program Committee by the deadline in order to receive a revised rating of satisfactory progress. This subsequent review of the student's progress will occur at the beginning of the subsequent academic year (i.e., September for those who entered in September or January for those who entered in January.)  
     
  5. Actions following unsatisfactory performance in the Clinical Program.

    For students in the Clinical Program, unsatisfactory performance may result in one or more of the following:
    An unsatisfactory rating in two consecutive years triggers a mandatory review of the student's standing in the Clinical Program.  
    1. The instruction to meet the Director of the Clinical Program and/or the Coordinator of Practica and Internships to plan their course of study and clinical work;
    2. The suspension of permission to engage in supplementary practicum experience until academic milestones are met;
    3. The requirement to submit progress reports to the Clinical Program Committee at the end of each term;
    4. The recommendation (for first-year students only) not to allow the student to transfer from the Master's level to the Ph.D. level;
    5. The recommendation to withdraw from the graduate program.

Appeal procedure

The student may appeal the result of the annual review. They then must do so in writing during the two weeks following notification of the committee's decision. The letter must state clearly the reasons for their decision to appeal the result of the annual review and must be forwarded to the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee of the School of Psychology.

The student's file will then be re-evaluated by the entire Graduate Studies Committee, including representatives of both graduate programs. If a member is potentially in a conflict of interest with respect to the appeal, the member will not be involved in the re-evaluation and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee will ask the Director of the School of Psychology to name a replacement (from the professors eligible to serve on the Committee) to contribute to the Committee’s deliberations. If the Director of the program in which the student is enrolled must be replaced, they may submit in writing to the Committee any information considered relevant to the appeal within 2 weeks of the reception of the notification of appeal.

The student will be informed in writing of the result of the second evaluation one month at the latest after the appeal is processed by the Graduate Studies Committee. Following this second evaluation, the usual channels of appeal remain open.

Approved by Management Committee on March 1st, 2017

Approved by School Council on March 31st, 2017