Fonds F1505 - Queen's University. School of Graduate Studies and Research fonds

Graduate work at Queen's University at Kingston was established formally in 1889, with the adoption of regulations for the Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees. At that time the degree of M.A. was not a graduate degree, but was given on the completion of honours work in certain courses provided the candidate had first class standing. With the introduction of a new system of studies in 1919, however, a graduate program was set up requiring a year of work beyond the B.A., and prescribing advanced lecture courses, plus a thesis, or other piece of independent work. In 1926, the Master' s course was strengthened by making the Honours B.A., or its equivalent, with at least second class standing, the standard of admission, and the regulations stated that the degree was to be given "not on the grounds of general attainment, but in recognition of the candidate' s wide knowledge of a special field of study."

The degree of M.Sc. was given for the first time in 1905-06. Graduates holding the bachelor's degree could qualify for the M.Sc. by practicing engineering for two years, or spending one year at the University. In 1922-23, a formal course was set up and one year of attendance beyond the B.Sc. was required. Strong emphasis was placed on research and the thesis. The establishment of the Chown Science Research Chair in 1919, and the Miller Memorial Research Chair in 1929, did much to stimulate graduate work in the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Geology, and Mineralogy, by increasing the number of graduate students in these fields.The administrative aspect of graduate work was first formalized by the Faculty of Arts, which set up a Committee on Graduate Studies in 1941. Other Faculties followed this example, and in 1943, the Senate constituted the Queen's University Board of Graduate Studies. This Board was reconstituted into the School of Graduate Studies in 1963. The School of Graduate Studies and Research has had responsibility for providing recommendations to the Principal and Senate on matters pertaining to University research policy, and for coordinating University-wide aspects of research administration since 1971.

The School of Graduate Studies and Research is constituted to administer the policies of the University Senate as they pertain to graduate studies, as well as coordinating research funding for all Faculties and Schools, except Medicine. The School embraces all those departments and interdisciplinary Schools which offer graduate programs, with the exception of the MBA program within the School of Business. These departments are grouped into five Divisions which govern the academic programs of graduate students in the related departments.

Membership of the School includes all faculty members engaged in teaching and supervision of graduate students. The representative body of the membership is the Council of the School. It is responsible for setting the policies for the School as recommended by the Divisions and the following standing committees: Steering Committee, Admissions and Degrees Committee, Fellowship Committee, Advisory Research Committee, and the Student Affairs Committee.

The Office of the Graduate School is responsible for the implementation of the Council's policies and the coordination of the admission and degree programs with the departments.