Understanding roles and responsibilities
There are a number of individuals with whom you will work closely while pursuing graduate studies at the university. It is important to understand their roles and responsibilities, as well as your own duties as a graduate student, to ensure you are successful in your program.
- Graduate program director
- Faculty advisor
- Research supervisor
- Supervisory committee
- You, the student
Supervisor-student conversation starters
The relationship between you and your research supervisor is most important to your successful completion of a graduate degree. Our conversation starter document is designed to complement the Graduate Academic Calendar’s section on roles and responsibilities of supervisors and students. The conversation starters are suggested to help align expectations of supervisors and graduate students (adapted from the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies).