Graduate Student Newsletter – Week of December 1, 2019

Announcements:

  1. Applying to one of our Graduate Programs in Education:
    • Note that ALL components of the application (including references) are due by the deadline.
    • Submit your online application at least three weeks in advance of the deadline in order to give your references time to complete their components of your application! (It will take approximately 5 business days to obtain your MyFile link, and then you will need to add references’ information; they need two weeks to complete their submission.)
  2. Full-time PhD ONLY: Blanket applications for 2020-21: The window to submit blanket applications for the upcoming academic year is now open! Full-time students can find the CUPE-1 application at https://3903.cupe.ca/resources/other-useful-forms-ii/. Remember to check off the “blanket application” box, and also indicate if you are interested in completing a “ticket” (teaching an undergraduate course). Students are welcome to apply to positions in other Faculties as well at https://cupejobs.uit.yorku.ca; applicants must apply to each Faculty directly. Applications for positions in the Faculty of Education should be sent to academicprograms@edu.yorku.ca.
  3. The Pierre Trudeau Foundation launched the renewed doctoral scholarship competition Nov. 15, and this is the revised nomination process. In the past, the nomination process took place in late summer to early fall, but because of the revised schedule of this year’s competition, FGS is accepting applications from outstanding students who meet the eligibility criteria at this time. As one of the most prestigious doctoral scholarship for humanities and social sciences research in Canada, nominated students must have an exceptional academic record, leadership experience and a desire to contribute to public dialogue and share knowledge. Please note that all social sciences and humanities disciplines are eligible, but disciplines related to law, public health, public policy, environmental studies are more represented in the past successful scholars. The scope of the program has been revised this year with a focus on technology and ethics, as well as a focus on leadership experience and abilities, public engagement and knowledge mobilization – see the program website for more information.

       Timelines for the Nomination process:

    • Launch of competition: Nov. 15
    • Students planning to apply should complete the MachForm found here: https://fgs.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=97996 as soon as possible to indicate their interest in submitting an application
    • Full application submission internal deadline: December 17 (via Trudeau Foundation application portal, designating York University as the Nominating University)
    • Internal adjudication: Jan. 6 to Jan. 10
    • Students notified of internal results: Jan. 10
    • Nominated students to work on revisions: Jan. 11 to Jan. 20
    • Submission to the agency: Jan. 22

4. Winter course availability! There are still spaces in some winter-term courses, including:

    • EDUC 5463 (3.00) Section M • Comparative Perspectives on Global Migration and Education • Monday 17:30 – 20:30
    • EDUC 5545 (3.00) Section M • The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education • Tuesday 17:30 – 20:30
    • EDUC 5851 (3.00) Section M • Cultural Studies in Science Education • Mondays 17:30 – 20:30
    • EDUC 5925 (3.00) Section M • Reading the Holocaust and Memory • Wednesday 11:30 – 14:30
    • EDUC 5221 (3.00) Section M • Life History: Research, Methods, Applications • Wednesday 17:30 – 20:30

5. Trying to enroll in a course that is full:

    • Check the FGS website for the dates to add courses. There is still time!
    • Until that time please check back online for empty seats. There is constant movement in courses throughout the fall, and if someone drops a course, a space will open immediately in the system.
    • Please be aware that only the Course Director can provide permission to increase the size of their class beyond the established maximum, and the fire code of the room is also a factor.

6. Update for Ontario K-12 teachers: Do you have a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, but have not yet registered with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT)? Please be aware that you if you have not applied for certification by March 31, 2020, you will be required to write a Math Proficiency Test.  If you are not yet OCT certified, you are encouraged to visit https://www.oct.ca/becoming-a-teacher/requirements/mathematics-test  for details. If you are intending to apply for your certification, please review the information on the OCT website at https://www.oct.ca/becoming-a-teacher/applying.

7. Please be sure to check the important dates page for registration and enrollment deadlines.

8. Click here for more funding/awards opportunities!

9. Students should link their banking information to their student accounts for the ease of refunds on your student account.

10. Remember to set up and/or update your Student Financial Profile (SFP), if you are a full-time student. The SFP must be completed when applying for scholarships and/or bursaries.

  • Apply for a bursary in the fall-winter term between November 17 and January 25.

11. If you have passed your second term and are completing an MRP or Thesis, or if you are a Doctoral student and have passed your sixth term, please be sure to complete a Supervisor & Supervisory Committee Approval form and submit it to the graduate program office immediately. Please find further details on the checklists.

12. FGS’s policy on Graduate Supervision can be found here

13. Attention regarding advertisement of final oral exam: Oral exams are normally a public academic event. However, if the student and the supervisor prefer not to have the exam public, they must inform the Graduate Office in Education upon submission of the Recommendation for Oral Examination form.

14. Feel free to join our Facebook group and post articles, events and other information that you think is relevant to your fellow students! You can also visit our direct Facebook page.

Convocation

1. The online application to graduate in June 2020 is open. Apply by February 28, 2020 to make sure your application is processed in time.

  • If you are in the last term of your program and expect to graduate, you must apply to graduate online (https://convocation.students.yorku.ca/preparing/apply). The Graduate Program in Education (GPE) Office will then evaluate your eligibility to graduate.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to be sure they have met all of the requirements to graduate prior to applying to graduate but if you are unsure of something please contact us gradprogram@edu.yorku.ca

2. Read this “graduate in June” attachment for additional important details.

3. Read the following “need to know” graduation/convocation information/links.

  • Your status will not be projected anywhere online, and we will only contact you directly if there are issues with your degree audit. 
  • If you have applied to graduate and have not received an email from us during the audit process, you are all set to attend convocation and must go to the Convocation Website for further information on next steps and how to R.S.V.P.
  • If you are requesting to graduate with a Diploma be sure to follow the steps outlined in the “Graduate in June” document above and here is the “Convocation Diploma“ form mentioned in the document.
  • If you are enrolled in Winter courses: You must inform the course director that you have applied to graduate, and that your final grade (this can be an interim grade) will need to be submitted 2 weeks prior to the August FGS deadline in order for you to graduate. The sooner you inform the course director, the sooner we can work together on getting your final grade posted on time.
  • If you are not attending convocation and want to pick up your diploma after convocation, you can do so at Registrarial Services (W120 Bennett Centre for Student Services) or request that it be sent to you.
  • If you applied to the February convocation in absentia: Once your eligibility to graduate has been confirmed for February, your status will be reflected on your transcript. You will be able to pick up your diploma starting March 2, 2020 from Registrarial Services or request that it be sent to you. Your name will appear on YU Verify as having convocated in February.  Since there is no February ceremony, you will automatically be invited to the June convocation ceremony. You will receive an invitation to RSVP for the June ceremony approximately four to six weeks before the June convocation.

Resources and Updates

  1. Graduate Program Calendar: http://edu.yorku.ca/graduate-program-calendar/
  2. Understanding your student account: The following link takes you through an overview that has been developed to assist you in navigating the various financial processes relevant to graduate studies. It is divided into 3 primary categories accessible through the tabs on the page:
  3. Reminder for submission of all forms and to ensure they are accepted and processed:
    • Students are fully responsible for the download, completion, and submission of forms to their graduate program. Students must attach any correspondence that supports their request at the time of submission.
    • The Graduate Program in Education (GPE) office is unable to accept any incomplete forms, so be sure to have all required signatures (emails in lieu of) and required documentation in a complete package before submitting (hardcopy or email) any forms.

4. Graduate Program in Education Grad Student Guidebook: can be found on our site under current students/graduate

5. Accommodations for Graduate Students.

Events, Conferences and Workshops

  1. Campus Lecture: “Mindfulness in Education: What is it about and what can we expect of it?” by Oren Ergas, Beit Berl College. Monday April 8th, 10 am to 12 pm. Location: Vanier Senior Common Room, 010 Vanier College. See information here.
  2. Graduate Student Workshop: The Walking Dead – Necrpolitics and Genealogies of Governance. Monday, April 15th, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Location 626 Kaneff Tower, York University. RSVP: juliapyr@yorku.ca with a brief explanation of your research topic. Bring questions or a writing sample into which you want to incorporate necropolitics. 2 required readings will be pre-circulated.
  3. Campus Event: Second Annual Indigenous Women’s Speakers’ Series Event presented by the Centre for Feminist Research. Monday April 8th, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Location: 519 Kaneff Tower, York University. RSVP: juliapyr@yorku.ca. See information here.
  4. Join Reseach Study on Clinical Trial for PTSD. Researchers from the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at York University are launching the first registered clinical trial in Canada to investigate the effectiveness of an online yoga and mindfulness-based program to help alleviate symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among young adults, ages 18-34, enrolled at York University. For more information please contact: Megan Kirk Chang, PhD Candidate & Primary Investigator. Email: mkirk@yorku.ca.

Employment/Volunteer Opportunities:

  1. GenUrb_ Guyanese Student Transcriber Position, City Institute, York University.
  2. Communications Advisor, Uniterra. La Paz, Bolivia.
  3. Web Communications Advisor, Uniterra. Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania.

Please note: Information regarding employment opportunities is provided for your information only. York University does not pre-screen, review, endorse or approve employers or employment/volunteer opportunities, and is not responsible for any of the hiring processes or positions. If you have any questions about positions, please work with the employer directly.