Grading standards of graduate courses

Letter grades are to be used in all final reporting for Graduate courses. The equivalence of these letter grades with numerical grades is indicated above. Whereas a minimum passing grade for an undergraduate in a course is a D, the minimum passing grade for a graduate student is 'B-'(=good=70%). It is not intended that marks should be awarded more liberally to graduate students than to undergraduates; rather, a higher level of performance is considered adequate mastery of the course material for a graduate student.

GPA calculations (for internal purposes)

In order to proceed past the first year in the graduate program (either to transfer from the MSc to the PhD Physics, or to re-register after the first year of the direct-entry PhD), an average grade of at least B+ must be earned in coursework. This is calculated using the 9-point scale given above (A+=9, B-=4, FZ=0) and includes only lecture courses. The above-B+ threshold is an average of 6.0 or higher.

Lecture courses

It is recommended that the grading scheme for graduate PHY courses be based on more than one component: research has shown that the validity and reliability of grades show strong positive correlation with the number of contributing components. In the event that a significant fraction of the grade is based on a seminar or an oral examination, it is strongly recommended that the seminar be accompanied by a report written by the examiner and signed by the student. These reports need not be formal or comprehensive.

As early as possible in each course and no later than the last date to enrol in course, the instructor will make available to the class the methods by which student performance will be evaluated and the relative weights of these methods. After the methods of evaluation have been made known, the instructor may not change them or their relative weight without the consent of at least a simple majority of the students enrolled in the course. Commentary, appropriate in the instructor's judgement, on assessed work and time for discussion of it must be made available to the student.

Research courses - PHY60xxY

MSc and PhD direct-entry candidates register in a 60x1Y-series Research Course in their first year of graduate study, in PHY60x2Y in their second year of graduate study, and so on. Grades for Research Courses are based on an evaluation of the student's ability to perform research and to produce effective results appropriate to the stage of postgraduate studies reached. Included in this evaluation are such things as the student's common-sense, technical competence, industry and maturity of judgement, the organisations and quality of the research design, care in data-taking procedures, measurement and calculations, careful attention to the estimation of errors and biases, the ability to work independently and to take initiative, evidence of creativity and imagination, and, especially in the senior postgraduate years, evidence of originality. The grade is provided by the supervisor based on the observation of the student's work.

Grades for these courses are due by 10 May (for MSc Option II) and 10 September (for MSc Option I and PhD direct-entry).

Report courses - PHY3400Y

The Report Course (PHY 3400Y) is taken by students in the MSc (options I and II) programme and consists of a written report of research performed in the MSc year. It should be completed within three terms of full-time graduate study, and be brought to a point where the quality of the research is demonstrable and the candidate's ability to carry out independent research can be evaluated.

A report need not meet archival standards, being a document internal to the Department of Physics. The grade for the report will be assigned on the basis of the following criteria: clarity and correctness of language, organization of the material, thoroughness of the investigation, attention to biases and error analysis (where appropriate), evidence of the candidate's independent contribution, and maturity of scientific judgement. For many students the report course would be the first serious research experience. The supervisor should guide the student first and foremost in the scientific research aspects and also help in organising structure and linguistic aspects of the report at the initial draft stage.

For MSc Option-I students, the report is to be a written account of an agreed minor research topic or literature survey carried out with the advice of a research supervisor. It is not expected to involve extensive calculations or the building of any new experimental equipment. The Option-I MSc report is expected to be roughly 6,000 words, and should be submitted to the Graduate Office before the end of the third week of August (or whichever is the 12th month of enrolment). It is considered to constitute the same workload as two full courses, with one full-course grade being assigned by the supervisor for the supporting research as the Research Course (PHY60xxY) grade, and one full-course grade being assigned by an independent Faculty assessor for the MSc report, which is listed as PHY3400Y on the candidate’s transcript.

For MSc Option-II students, the report describes research that addresses a significant scientific question, but need not involve extensive calculation or the construction of any new piece of experimental equipment. The Option-II MSc report is expected to be roughly 12,000 words, and should be submitted to the Graduate Office before the end of the third week of August (or whichever is the 12th month of enrolment). It is considered to constitute the same workload as three full courses, with one full-course grade being assigned by the supervisor for the supporting research as the Research Course (PHY60xxY) grade; one full-course for the written report, which appears as PHY3400Y on the candidate’s transcript; and one full-course grade for the Seminar Course (PHY700xY, which consists of the oral presentation and defence of the report, see below). Marks for PHY3400Y and PHY700xY are assigned by the MSc Oral Examination Committee which consists of two Faculty Assessors, appointed by the Department, and the the supervisor as the chair and non-voting member of the Committee.

Seminar courses - PHY700xY

MSc Option-II students enrol in the seminar course (PHY700xY) appropriate to their area of research. The grade for this course is provided by Faculty Assessors on the basis of the student's ability to orally present and defend the results of the Research Project at the MSc Oral Examination. The Seminar Course will be graded on the basis of the candidate's ability to give a clear, concise, and well organized oral presentation of the research performed, and to answer promptly and correctly questions posed by the examination committee on points raised or related to the presentation and the written report.

Submission procedures

Course grades are due in the Graduate Office as follows:
F courses: 10 January
S and Y courses: 10 May
L courses: 10 May

A mark in a course is not final until it has been submitted to the Graduate Office and reviewed by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies for anomalies.

Appeals

Should a dispute over a grade not be resolved in discussion with the examiner(s) and with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, the student may then make a formal appeal in writing to the Chair of the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee (GDAAC).