Extension Policy

Graduate General Regulation 1.12.1 Time Limit:

The time limit for students in a master's program to complete all of the requirements is nine terms from the start of the program. The time limit for students in a doctoral program to complete all of the requirements is 18 terms from the start of the program, or in the case of a student who has transferred from a master's into the doctoral program, without completing the master's, 18 terms from the start of the master's program.

Graduate General Regulation 1.12.2 Extensions (This Applies to All Students)

Students may apply for an extension to the time limit if they are enrolled in a master's or doctoral program and need more time to complete the program requirements. A single extension may be for one to three terms, and students may be granted more than one extension. A master's and doctoral program can be no longer than the time limit plus six terms of extended time. Extensions may be less than the maximum of six terms and must meet the criteria established by the academic unit. Students should contact their academic unit to confirm the specific extension policy for their program.

Applications for an extension must be submitted no later than the term in which the time limit or current extension expires. Extensions are not available to students who are discontinued from their program. Students are required to maintain continuous enrollment throughout their extension and are eligible to go on medical/compassionate or parental leave (see 1.8.4). Extensions are approved by the supervisor, graduate program chair and the dean of graduate studies.

Departmental criteria concerning extensions for graduate students:

Within the Department, applications for extension must first be approved by the supervisor, with input from the other members of the supervisory committee, and then by the graduate program chair, using the applicable form. If approved by the graduate program chair, the application for extension will be forwarded to the dean of graduate studies for consideration.

The Department of Psychology will approve extension requests only under the following circumstances:

• The student has successfully defended the masters thesis or doctoral dissertation proposal; AND
• The student has made substantial progress in terms of completing all program requirements, including the thesis or dissertation; AND
• The student provides compelling and persuasive evidence that all program requirements can reasonably be expected to be completed within the extension timeframe.

The student must also include the following information as part of the request for extension:

• A timeline and plan, approved by the student’s supervisor, with input from the other members of the supervisory committee, that outlines how and when the program requirements will be completed; AND
• A statement addressing the reasons for why an extension is necessary, any steps the student took to try to finish on time, and why these steps did not lead to successful timely completion; AND
• A working draft of the thesis or dissertation; AND
• A detailed summary of progress on the thesis or dissertation (e.g., ethics approval; percent of data collected; percent of planned analyses completed; whether any written sections of the thesis or dissertation have been reviewed and approved by the supervisor).