Year 1
Course Work

September 
(Fall - Term 1)

• CMPUT 603
• 1-2 other computing science graduate courses

January 
(Winter - Term 2)

• 1-2 computing science graduate courses

August

• Choose a Supervisory Committee

Year 2
Course Work

September
(Fall - Term 3)

• Completion of course work
• Choose a Ph.D. topic

December

• Meeting 1 with Supervisory Committee
• Submit your Individual Development Plan to the Graduate Program Admin

January
(Winter - Term 4)

• Completion of course work
• Graduate Seminar 1

Year 3
Research

September

• Refine and finalize selection of research topic
• Research

December

• Meeting 2 with Supervisory Committee
• Graduate Seminar 2 (before Candidacy Exam)

Sometime this year

• Prepare Candidacy Document
• Candidacy Exam

Year 4
Research

September - ...

• Make substantial progress towards the completion of the Ph.D. thesis
• Publish your results

December

• Meeting 3 with Supervisory Committee

Year 5
Research & Completion
 

September - ...

• Continue research
• Publish your results
• Write thesis

December

• Meeting 4 with Supervisory Committee

At least 9 weeks (45 business days)
prior to Defense

• Begin preparations for defense

1 week 
prior to Defense

• Thesis seminar (unless combined with Defense)

Defense date

• Thesis seminar (if combined with Defense)
• Defense

Within 2 weeks
after Defense

• Complete your revisions (if required) and finalize thesis
• Once your supervisor has signed the Thesis Approval / Program Completion form and it has been submitted to FGSR, Submit your final thesis to FGSR (FGSR Thesis Submission Deadline)
• Return keys and prox card to Graduate Program Administrator

April 
for Spring Convocation

September 
for Fall Convocation

• Meet FGSR convocation requirements
• Apply for convocation through Bear Tracks
• Pay outstanding fees by the convocation deadline (typically 2 months prior)
• Submit your Professional Development Completion forms to the Graduate Program Admin prior to convocation