Expectations Regarding the Timing of QP completion within PhD program

• Other things being equal, QP1 is expected to be defended in the 1st or 2nd term of Year 2.
• Other things being equal, QP2 is expected to be defended in the 2nd term of Year 2 or the 1st term of Year 3.
• Note that the periods when a student is working on QP1 and QP2 will thus normally overlap.

Exceptional extenuating circumstances (e.g. relating to health or other emergencies) can justify holding an individual QP defence outside of the April/December mini-conference events.

Similarly, special circumstances may warrant QP1 and/or QP2 being completed later than in the terms specified above, subject to the approval of the supervisory committee and Graduate Advisor. In any case, both Qualifying Papers must have been completed no later than the 2nd term of Year 3. (Note that all other requirements for advancement to PhD candidacy must likewise have been met before the start of Year 4.)

Comments and feedback: best-practice guidelines

• For any material submitted to readers or other committee members (e.g. proposals, full or partial drafts of papers), students should expect to receive comments on that material within 2 weeks.
• Conversely, students should allow for up to 2 weeks before receiving comments from readers on any drafts or other material they intend to submit, and budget their time accordingly (e.g. with respect to the official deadlines on the QP schedule).