thesis supervision agreement

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Creating a Supervision Agreement

One of the most important supervision practices is for the dyad to collaboratively create a written agreement or contract that outlines both parties expectations. Supervision agreements must include information such as when the sessions will be, the cost, if any, how cancellations will be handled, and other such expectations. A good agreement will also include information about the supervisor’s teaching style or philosophy, how the supervisee should prepare for sessions, what information to bring, and how the supervisor will review the supervisee’s caseload. Below is a template to aid in creating a supervision agreement that new graduates can bring into a supervisor if the supervisor does not already use one. This template below is adaptable and contains the recommended topics (Milne, 2009; NASW, 2013; Sewall, 2019).

Based on the context, the supervisor should delineate power imbalances in the relationship. Supervisors who highlight how the supervisory relationship walks in between a student/teacher and a therapist/client can help supervisees feel comfortable discussing this dynamic as things arise. The Nebraska regulations (172 NAC 94) specify that supervisory relationships must be differentiated from therapeutic ones. While not required in Nebraska, it would greatly benefit supervisors and supervisees to attend multicultural training in the historical context of mental health, critical consciousness, bias, and privilege. Cultural awareness enriches the supervisory experience and helps the supervisor and supervisee maintain awareness of systemic oppression (Chernsky, 1986; Englebrecht, 2019). Regularly consult your professional code of ethics, state regulations, and agency policy.

Instructions for Supervision Agreement

The Supervision Agreement Form template below outlines written expectations for both participants by providing a collaborative space to document expectations relevant to individual circumstances. While a written supervision agreement form is not required in Nebraska, it can clarify the supervision process. This form is a starting point. Space is provided to individualize the agreement.

PLMHP Supervision Agreement Form

Today’s Date  ____________________

Supervisor   ______________________

Agency _____________________________

Supervisee   ____________________________________________

Agency_____________________________

We will meet regularly on __________________day at __________(time). In Nebraska, the supervision requirement for LMHP is one hour per week. The supervision requirement for LIMHP is 2 hours of supervision per 15 hours of contact with clients diagnosed with major mental disorder. In addition, for a LIMHP license, the supervisee cannot accrue more than 45 hours of contact with clients with major mental disorder without having supervision.

This supervision format will be conducted in (circle) group | individual | both format; and (circle) in person | over zoom.  If over zoom, include a stable link here:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cancellation policy: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supervisor Introduction and Reflection

Introduce yourself below to the supervisee. Describe your experience, the modalities you practice, and any supervision philosophies or practices you would like the supervisee to know about. Reflect on what the supervisor will bring to the supervision session. Helpful details to include might be attitudes and philosophies about the supervision process, particular skills that can benefit the supervisee, teaching style, traits, and personality information. For an example see: Supervision Agreement

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supervisee Introduction and Reflection

Introduce yourself below. Describe your experience, your attitudes about supervision, how you learn best, your traits and personality information. Describe what you bring to supervision and what you want to get out of supervision. Sample Agreement with Supervisee Expectations (p3)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Structure of Supervision Sessions

Supervision is more successful when sessions are structured clearly and both participants know exactly what to expect. The content covered in supervision sessions will be unique, depending on the participants knowledge, desires, theoretical orientation and the content of the work the supervisee is doing. This section is to help guide you to create the structure (not content) of the supervisory sessions, such as when, where, record keeping, timing of evaluations and other regulatory concerns.

Date and time of sessions is:

___________________________________________, how will client records be reviewed, how will provisionally licensed hours be tracked and reviewed how will supervisory sessions be documented, how will ethics and relevant laws and regulations be incorporated into supervision (required by regulation):, how often will the accompanying goals and competencies worksheet:, other considerations: will the sessions include board examination preparation, education, case consultations, or other multidisciplinary partners:, discussion points.

Many view supervisors as the gatekeepers of clinical practice and control if the supervisee will obtain licensure. Open communication is critical. Discuss the following:

• After supervision has concluded, what is the process for completing the state-mandated affidavit of hours?
• Where will the supervisee’s clinical hours log sheet be located, and with what frequency will it be reviewed?
• What is the arrangement for the supervisee’s affidavit of hours to be signed should either party leave their current employment?
• Does the supervisor require that the supervisee arrange to complete the state-mandated affidavit of hours by a specific time after supervision is terminated?

This space is provided to include anything else you think is helpful, such as roles and responsibilities:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supervisor_________________________________________________________________Date____________________________________

Agency or Practice _______________________________________________

Supervisee_________________________________________________________________Date____________________________________

Guidebook for Clinical Supervision in Nebraska Copyright © 2022 by Susan Reay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Rights and responsibilities of students and supervisors during a thesis process

Students are expected to: .

Supervision and progress of research  

• prepare a supervision agreement with their supervisor(s)   
• keep the supervision agreement and personal study plan up-to-date    
• stay on the schedule agreed with the supervisor   
• inform the supervisor of all changes that may significantly affect the progress and schedule of  their research    
• take responsibility for the progress of their research   

Good scientific practice  

• be familiar with and adhere to the principles of academic integrity and research ethics   
• become familiar with and comply the principles of good scientific practice during the thesis process (such as learn how to identify violations of good scientific practice)    

Meetings between student and supervisor  

• prepare carefully for each meeting with their supervisor   
• send excerpts of their thesis to the supervisor well in advance before a meeting   
• write a short memo of the points discussed at the meeting and send it to the supervisor  
• contact the supervisor through mutually agreed upon channels to request guidance and support but work independently and show initiative   

In addition, licentiate/doctoral students are expected to:   

Supervisory meetings and research progress   

• ensure that they complete the mandatory and optional studies counted towards their doctoral degree in accordance with the study plan besides conducting dissertation research     
• discuss the overall progress of their dissertation and the achieved results with their main supervisor on an annual basis  The other supervisors are also advised to attend these annual meetings.     
• To ensure that licentiate/doctoral students make effective progress towards their degree, supervisors are encouraged to discuss progress with full-time students at least once a month and with part-time students at least four times a year.   

Dissertation and publication   

• maintain active contact with their supervisor while writing their research papers   
• agree on the principles concerning co-authored publications in advance with the supervisor   
• The author of a dissertation is responsible for the language and content of the final dissertation (including text, images, tables and references) and for the research data, results and conclusions presented in the dissertation.      

Mobility and funding   

• seek to build professional relationships with international partners as agreed upon with the supervisor    
• look into potential funding opportunities and actively seek funding for their research    

Students who meet the above requirements are entitled to receive active supervision.   

Supervisors are expected to:   

• prepare a supervision agreement with the student. The agreement must at least specify the topic of the thesis and the target completion time, identify the supervisors and their mutual division of duties, and describe the practical supervisory arrangements.    
• guide and support the student in the choice of research topic and with defining research questions, mapping out existing body of knowledge, preparing a detailed research plan and conducting the research      
• advice the student on how to agree on the use of research data and store data  
• adhere to the principles of academic integrity and research ethics and ensure that the student becomes familiar and complies with the principles of good scientific practice (such as learn to identify violations of these practices)     
• prepare carefully for each meeting with the student    
• look into the materials submitted by the student before each meeting    
• stay on the schedule agreed with the student and respond to the student’s questions and feedback requests within a reasonable time    
• inform the student of any changes that may significantly affect the supervisor’s ability to provide supervision to the student   
• attend events where the student presents his or her work, if possible   

Mobility and funding  

• at their own discretion, write letters of recommendations and statements related to, for example, research funding awarded to the licentiate/doctoral student or the building of professional contacts in Finland and abroad    

In addition, the supervisors of doctoral students are expected to:    

Dissertation and publication  

• monitor that the manuscript satisfies the scientific and formal requirements for doctoral dissertations
• ensure that a manuscript intended as a doctoral dissertation undergoes an originality check and examine the originality report produced by the plagiarism detection software together with the student from the perspective of good scientific practice   
• participate in refining the student's research papers and identifying relevant publication channels    
• agree on the principles concerning co-authored publications in advance with the student  
• The main supervisor decides when a manuscript intended as a doctoral dissertation is ready to be submitted for preliminary examination  

Supervisory meetings and research progress  

• discuss the overall progress of their dissertation and the achieved results with the student on an annual basis The other supervisors are also advised to attend these annual meetings.  
• make peer support available to the doctoral student, if possible (such as regular research seminars, group meetings between students and their supervisor, etc.)  
• To ensure that licentiate/doctoral students make effective progress towards their degree, supervisors are encouraged to discuss progress with full-time students at least once a month and with part-time students at least four times a year.  
• participates in the preparation of a supervision agreement and the student’s personal study plan and in updating the documents   
• supports the students in exploring potential future employment and career options in and outside academia    
• If a student is pursuing a double degree, the supervisor and members of administrative staff are responsible for preparing the required agreement and agreeing on the management of the double degree with the partner university.      
• support the student in the acquisition of research funding, if possible   
• Encourages the student to seek international experience and offers advice on the timing and other arrangements concerning a study period abroad    

When supervisors meet these requirements, they are entitled to expect their students to make progress towards their degree according to plan    

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Supervision Agreement

The supervision agreement helps you and your supervisor plan and complete your doctorate. This document makes each party’s rights and obligations transparent, and defines the focus of qualification and traceable milestones. The elements of the supervision agreement can and should be adjusted and changed as the dissertation project develops. The synopsis and the name of your chosen mentor can normally be submitted up to six months after your entry into the doctoral candidacy list.

In order for you to apply for entry into the doctoral candidacy list and to become a member of the TUM-GS, the completed supervision agreement must be signed by you, your Graduate Center and your supervisor. Then you must submit the agreement, along with all the other required materials , to the institution responsible for granting your doctorate. The requirements for qualification elements may vary for the individual Graduate Centers.

The following elements are part of every supervision agreement, and must be completed by you and your supervisor:

• Content and research design
• Qualification elements

You can find the supervision agreement on the website of your respective Graduate Center .

In addition to your supervisor you will choose a mentor, who ideally will support you throughout your whole doctoral program. This person can be, but does not need to be, your second committee member. We recommend choosing someone outside your department in order to avoid possible conflicts of interest. It could be a former supervisor or colleague from the industry, an employee or professor from another department, or even one of your friends or family members, etc. In order to make sure they understand your situation as a doctoral candidate, it is usually best if the mentor also has a doctorate.

One requirement for choosing a mentor is a trusting relationship. The mentor’s tasks are different from those of your supervisor. The main goal is to provide you with personal and professional advice during your doctoral program, to share experiences and information, to build networks, and to help you deal with problematic situations. However, mentoring can also be helpful in planning your career. A mentor from the science sector, for example, can arrange valuable contacts for you and give you insight into the unwritten rules of academia.

In order to ensure you make the right choice in your search for a mentor, you generally have up to six months after your entry into the doctoral candidacy list. During this time, you should think about where you need support other than at the content level, and who would be the best person to help you with this.

The Graduate Centers or other doctoral candidates in your department can give you ideas and information. However, you should also talk with your supervisor. Don’t be afraid to ask people you may have met at conferences, in other research projects, etc.

Please note:

Some Graduate Centers require their prospective doctoral candidates to name a mentor already when applying for entry into the doctoral candidacy list. For further information, please contact your Graduate Center.

Experience reports

How did you find your mentor?

My mentor was the advisor for my Master’s thesis.

Did you actively seek help from your mentor?

Yes, often. Sometimes even more often than the chair of my dissertation committee.

How satisfied are you with your mentor?

First of all, she was very helpful at the specialized level, since my mentor comes from a different field of study than my committee chair. Second, she also looks at my non-subject-related, personal further development and offers a different perspective. You are usually very absorbed in your project, but the end often comes sooner than you think. Your mentor helps you keep the big picture in mind, gives you advice about life after the dissertation, tips and ideas about other possibilities, and helps you think about long-term goals while you’re still working on your dissertation.

Michael Matiu, IGSSE

“It was clear right from the start of my doctoral program who my mentor would be. That was partly because of the unusual circumstance at our institute, which is where I am actually spending all my time during the program. My advisor, who is our station director, is not on site most of the time. The physical distance means there’s no way to have daily personal contact. But my mentor is a Group Leader and also an IGSSE PTL. So she is also very familiar with my doctoral project.

I actively consulted my mentor almost every day, for theoretical and practical academic problems as well as project planning, etc.

I work closely with my mentor, and I’m very satisfied with this arrangement.”

Pia Scherer, IGSSE

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Joint PhD/Cotutelles

• Supporting Graduate student well-being
• Graduate Research Trainee

What is a Cotutelle?

A Cotutelle is an agreement on joint supervision at the doctoral level between two cooperating institutions. Designed to enhance international collaborations, Cotutelles allow the doctoral students to receive academic training and to perform research work under the joint responsibility of a Thesis Supervisor from McGill University and a Thesis Supervisor from the partner institution. Cotutelle students are awarded a single PhD degree but two diplomas, one from each institution, indicating the collaboration with the partner institution.

• A unique opportunity that opens access to an international level of research
• Doctoral students benefit from resources and networks at two institutions
• Graduates receive a joint degree and two diplomas, each reflecting the collaborative nature of their degree

Important Considerations:

A doctoral student registered in a Cotutelle must:

• Satisfy the academic requirements of the Ph.D. program at each partner institution and comply with both institutions’ academic regulations.
• Spend roughly half their time at each institution and remain registered at both institutions for the duration of their degree.
• Pay registration and tuition fees according to a pre-established mobility schedule, and only to the institution where they are physically at during any given semester.
• Receive sufficient funding to support their studies at both institutions.
• Produce only one thesis that meets the requirements of both institutions.
• Defend their thesis once, at either university.

For more information and to obtain an application form, please contact academicprograms.gps [at] mcgill.ca (subject: %5BCotutelles%5D%20) (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies) .

Cotutelle Information Sheet

• English version
• French version

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i apply for a cotutelle.

You will want to start with the steps highlighted below. GPS will work with you, your supervisors, your McGill department, and the partner institution on a study and mobility plan. Details related to registration, supervision, thesis examination, and the oral defence will be covered in a Cotutelle (Joint Thesis Supervision) Agreement.

Steps to Follow - Doctoral Student

• Write to the Graduate Program Director (GPD) of the McGill graduate program to which you will apply, stating your intention to apply to a Cotutelle (Joint Thesis Supervision).
• Ask about the departmental procedures for identifying potential Supervisors.
• Get confirmation in writing from the potential co-supervisors at each institution that (pending admission) they will be willing to jointly supervise you.
• Apply to the appropriate graduate program at McGill and at the partner institution.
• Take necessary steps at the partner institution to apply to Cotutelle (may require separate application form).
• Work with your supervisors on completing the documentation required for the Cotutelle Agreement.

If admitted into the graduate program, you must also:

• International students: Apply for CAQ and Study Permit as soon as you accept the McGill offer of admission, even if you are planning to start (spend your first semester) at the partner institution.
• Complete your registration at both institutions by the required deadline.
• Provide your legal documents (proof of residency, immigration documents) to both institutions by the required deadline.

Am I eligible?

We expect interested students to apply before starting their PhD (some exceptions may apply). Students must have the approval of both institutions, supervisors, and departments, to be able to move forward with a Cotutelle. Cotutelles at McGill are organized with universities outside Canada only.

I am a graduate program director, faculty member, or department administrator and a student/applicant has contacted me to do a Cotutelle. What are next steps?

Steps to Follow – Graduate unit (Supervisor and Graduate Program Director)

• Cotutelle Application Form
• Study plan (included on p.3 of the Application Form)
• In consultation with GPS (and the partner institution as necessary), the Student and their Supervisors complete the above documents.
• The Department, the McGill Supervisor, and student should agree on the study plan (signatures or email confirmation required).
• The McGill supervisor should provide GPS with the completed application form, the signed study plan, and a copy of the Ph.D. program requirements at the partner institution.

GPS will then liaise with the partner institution to finalize the Cotutelle Agreement. The department and supervisors will receive a final signed copy when the process is completed.

What is included in a Cotutelle Agreement?

The following information is typically addressed in the Cotutelle Agreement:

• Duration and possibility of extension (normally 3 years with possibility of an additional year)
• Registration and Fees (only paid at the institution student will be physically at)
• Mobility periods
• Comprehensive / candidacy exam
• Required courses (justify exemptions if applicable)
• Thesis examination and oral defence
• Awarding of the Degree (two parchments, each indicating collaboration with partner institution)
• Generic confidentiality and IP clause (contact GPS for any IP-related concerns)

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is responsible for approving the Cotutelle Agreement on behalf of McGill University and will act as the main liaison with the partner institution. Negotiating the Agreement requires the active involvement of the McGill supervisor and the graduate unit (Graduate Program Coordinator/Director). GPS usually aims to finalize the Cotutelle agreement by the end of the student’s first semester.

How do I make my study/mobility plans?

You and your supervisors will agree on a program of study and the residency period in each institution. Your study plan specifying when and where the McGill requirements will be met should be approved at the department level prior to finalizing the Cotutelle Agreement. It is your responsibility to complete your program requirements and degree milestones at McGill, including coursework, the comprehensive exam, and annual the Progress Tracking form. In most cases, Cotutelle students may be exempt from taking a required course(s) at McGill if they take a similar course at the partner university and/or already have that expertise. These decisions are made and recorded on a case-by-case basis at the start of the Program. In terms of mobility, you should plan to spend a minimum of 4 full-time semesters at McGill to meet residency requirements. Note: Work completed as a Graduate Research Trainee (GRT) at McGill will not apply toward any McGill doctoral program a student may be admitted to in the future.

Can I make any changes to my study and mobility plans after I start my Cotutelle?

Yes. However, any changes to the Agreement must be submitted in writing to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. It is especially important to let GPS know of modifications to the mobility plan, as this will influence registration/tuition fees charged to the student. The Student record should be up to date at both partner institutions for the duration of the Agreement. Doctoral Students requesting an interruption to their studies (such as a “Leave of Absence”) at the partner institution must inform Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in writing to ensure any status changes are also recorded at McGill.

Do I need to meet student milestones on myProgress?

Yes, you need to meet all the student milestones on myProgress . Remember that all doctoral students at McGill should be tracking their progress toward the degree using the Graduate Student Research Progress Tracking Form . Moreover, all students must have a supervisory committee consisting of at least one faculty member in addition to the supervisor(s). The supervisory committee must provide, on a regular basis, guidance and constructive feedback on the student’s research.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License . Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Thesis supervision

Find a thesis supervisor.

Thesis supervisors must be authorized by their Faculty to supervise theses.

Finding a thesis supervisor arrow_drop_down

Before thinking about a supervisor, students should make sure they are committing to the area of study that most interests them. They should ask themselves whether they are enthusiastic enough about a topic area to sustain this enthusiasm over the period of time it will take to prepare the thesis. Speaking to students and professors who do research in the proposed area of study will help clarify the students’ thoughts. The students should make sure they are well-informed before they approach any potential supervisors.

A professor is not obligated to take on a student if he or she feels the match-up would not be a good one, or if the professor lacks lab space, time or funding.

A student may have more than one supervisor. When mention is made of the thesis supervisor, it is implicit that there may be a co-supervisor.

• Information to collect before contacting a potential supervisor
• Questions to ask after the meeting with the potential supervisor
• Professors, by research interest

Appointment of a thesis supervisor arrow_drop_down

From the uoZone Application tab, click Service Requests to create a service request and appoint a thesis supervisor.

Meetings between the supervisor and the student arrow_drop_down

Preliminary meetings.

Before a student begins researching and writing a thesis, the supervisor and the student should have a detailed discussion of expectations and requirements. Below are examples of general and specific issues to be discussed during the preliminary meetings.

As soon as possible, the student should obtain ethics approvals or any other required approvals to conduct research. The student should discuss with the thesis supervisor and visit the  Office of Research Ethics and Integrity  Website.

• General and specific topics to be discussed

Regular meetings

The student and the supervisor should plan to meet regularly whether or not the student has any finished work to show to the supervisor.

If it is a major meeting, the student should draw up and deliver to the supervisor an agenda beforehand. If the meeting is to discuss text that has already been written, the student must send the draft well in advance of the meeting. 

After the meeting, and based on this agenda, the student prepares a brief report on what was discussed and decided, and shares this report with the supervisor.

It is important to be productive at these major meetings, but it is also crucial to just keep in touch.

Components of a typical agenda

• a summary of the purpose of the meeting
• a review of what was discussed at the previous meeting and what has been accomplished to date
• a discussion and clarification of the current topics, ideas and issues
• next steps as a result of this discussion
• agree with a date for the next meeting

Feedback and revision arrow_drop_down

All along during the thesis preparation process, a student will receive feedback and should expect to do revisions. Revising a thesis based on feedback from the thesis supervisor, advisory committee (if applicable) and from the jury is an important part of the thesis preparation process.

Part of the advancement of knowledge that preparing a thesis fosters involves engaging in dialogue and learning from these discussions, learning how to communicate clearly, and responding appropriately to suggestions for improvement

Already a student?

Types of supervision, co-supervision arrow_drop_down.

A joint management with a professor in another discipline may be considered if the research project of a student is favoured.

Cotutelle arrow_drop_down

A doctoral student may prepare a thesis under a cotutelle agreement. You find below additional information to help familiarize yourself with the roles played by each of the stakeholders.  

Learn more about Cotutelle.

Thesis advisory committee arrow_drop_down

In many academic units, a thesis advisory committee, also referred to as thesis committee, is assembled as soon as a student finds a thesis supervisor. Please note that not all academic units have thesis committees, the students must check on the protocol in their own academic unit.

Constitution of the thesis committee

How the thesis committee is formed varies from academic unit to academic unit. The thesis supervisor plays the biggest role by approaching colleagues who have the expertise and inviting them to join the committee.

A thesis committee is made up of:

• the student
• the thesis supervisor, and
• usually at least two other professors.

The thesis supervisor is usually the chair of the thesis committee.

Role of the thesis committee

While the roles and responsibilities of thesis committees may vary from one academic unit to another, members of the committee should provide guidance to the student on thesis planning, research and writing; be available to discuss ideas or for consultation on any other matter related to the thesis; and, if this is the practice within the discipline, evaluate the thesis after submission.

Thesis committees meet according to a schedule set either by the academic unit or by the committee itself. The student is usually responsible for initiating the meetings. When concerns about the progress of the research arise, the supervisor and/or academic unit may require meetings at more frequent intervals.

Useful information

Contracts arrow_drop_down.

Some supervisors and students have contracts or agreements to formalize the expectations and delineate the responsibilities in the preparation of a thesis.

Although these agreements are not considered official documents with force of law, they set out the expectations of the student and supervisor in relation to many of the issues covered in this Website section and help avoid conflict and misunderstandings.

A student should not make assumptions about who will do what in the research and who gets credit for any new discoveries or inventions. A supervisor should not assume the supervised student is aware of any assumptions the supervisor has or any authorship or credit protocols that may exist in the area of research.

Professors who use contracts do so because they have found such agreements are a good tool for helping students achieve their goals and finish their theses. However, while a written agreement can be very useful, one of the keys to a successful supervisor–student relationship is good communication and mutual trust. Both sides need to foster and build on that. 

Absences arrow_drop_down

Sometimes a potential supervisor is approached by a student looking for a thesis supervisor and both the student and professor agree it would be a good match, but the professor is going on an academic leave partway through the period in which the student will be preparing this thesis. In the event of a scheduled absence from the University for more than one month, the thesis supervisor must make the necessary arrangements with his students and the academic unit concerned to ensure that students continue to be accompanied during the supervisor's absence.

A thesis supervisor who is going to be away should let the student know well in advance. The same goes for the student. The student should discuss this with the thesis supervisor well ahead of time. In case of illness, the student should let the supervisor know the expected timeline for recovery.

If the student is planning to suspend work on the thesis for a term or more, for whatever reason, the student needs to apply for and receive approval for a leave of absence. Please note that absence has an impact on eligibility for funding.

Form - Request for leave of absence (PDF)

Professionalism arrow_drop_down

As a student, the development of professional skills—for example, communicating appropriately in writing and in person, responding promptly to e-mails, coming prepared to meetings, following up after meetings, respecting deadlines, tracking changes to the text so that it is easy for the supervisor to review each draft after revisions—is important in the preparation of the thesis. Some faculties offer courses in professional skills.

If the student feels aspects of the supervisor’s behavior are unprofessional, he or she should consult the graduate program director or the chair of the academic unit.

Changing supervisors arrow_drop_down

As for changing supervisors partway through a thesis, this is not recommended. Keep in mind that as long as the thesis is logical and the conclusions drawn from the data are valid, the student and the supervisor do not need to be in total agreement on methodology, analysis or interpretation.

The thesis committee may be able to fill in whatever gaps the student perceives in the relationship with the supervisor. If the research goes off in an unexpected direction, one that is not very familiar to the thesis supervisor, the student could see what opportunities are available and what guidelines the academic unit has for this situation. The student could consider joint supervision as an alternative to finding a new supervisor.

If the student has explored all other options and still wish to change supervisors, he or she should talk to the graduate program director. If the supervisor happens to be the graduate program director, the student should talk to the director of the academic unit. If the student remains uncertain or dissatisfied, he or she should talk to the vice-dean graduate studies of his/her home faculty. Beyond that, the student can talk to the university ombudsperson. The student can request that the exchanges with any or all of these individuals (directors, vice-dean, ombudsperson) remain confidential.

The student should be sure to explore options carefully before withdrawing from the supervisory arrangement—a student who terminates the relationship with a supervisor before finding another supervisor may have difficulty securing another supervisor and compromise the thesis project.

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ETSAB Barcelona School of Architecture

≡ co-supervision agreement, co-supervision agreement.

A Co-supervision Agreement allows the doctoral student to obtaining the degree of doctor, simultaneously at the UPC and at other foreign university, with the presentation of a single doctoral thesis, in either of the two universities. It is necessary to formalize a specific Agreement.

To consider:

• The PhD student must enroll each year in both institutions. At the UPC it is compulsory to pay the tuition fee  each academic year. Also, the thesis deposit and the issuance of the title, in time.
• A "Research Plan" must be made and presented at the UPC
• The PhD student will spend a minimum of six months in each university. The periods may be non-consecutive.

In addition, must be meet the rest of the regulatory requirements applicable to doctoral students at each university and the individuals established in the Co-supervision Agreement

Steps to be taken:

1. A online admission application

  In addition to the documents that are requested in the online admissions application, in the case of requesting the Co-supervision Agreement, it will be necessary to also include in said online application:

• A writing, in free format, with the title “Co supervision Agreement”, indicating the intention to formalize said Agreement, detailing, among other possible information, the name of the UPC thesis director and that of the other University .
• Proof of being enrolled in the foreign university.

 In case of admission:

2.   Enrollment . 

3. Co-supervision Agreement

We will ask our Doctorate School to initiate  the procedures for the formalization of the Co-supervision Agreement, between the UPC and the foreign University. They (a different office) will contact you.

An Agreement model is attached, for guidance only (at the time of its formalization, this model will have to be confirmed and translated, if applicable).

Master's Thesis and Supervision

All students at the Faculty of Educational Sciences are assigned a thesis supervisor. The relationship between student and supervisor is regulated by rules and requirements and a binding agreement.

Supervision Contract

All master students are entitled to a supervisor when writing their thesis and have to commit themselves to the guidelines set for the supervision. Before the work on the master thesis can start, both supervisor and student must sign the supervision agreement. For changes please use the second part of the contract (Amendments to Supervisor Agreement).

Supervision contract (pdf) (odt) Supervision contract for HE and CIE IPED (pdf)  

Master i pedagogikk ("Veiledning")

Amendments to supervisor agreement (pdf) (odt)  

Important information can be found in the attachment to the contract .

The University of Oslo has developed ethical guidelines for supervisors.

Supervisor Appointment

Are you wondering about how supervisors are assigned? Contact your Department .

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