Thesis option
You can choose the thesis option or the extended essay option for your master’s degree. The thesis option is ideal if you’re interested in completing research at a more advanced level or aiming for a career in academia.
You can expect to take up to 2 terms to complete your thesis.
You and your supervisory committee determine your thesis topic based on a major research project. Your committee will determine the appropriate nature and length of your thesis, which you will defend in a final oral examination.
Course Requirements
You’ll need a grade B or above in the following courses:
| Core courses | Unit value |
|---|---|
| ECON 500 Microeconomic Analysis | 1.5 |
| ECON 501 Macroeconomic Analysis | 1.5 |
| ECON 545 Econometric Analysis | 1.5 |
| Total | 4.5 |
| Elective courses | Unit value |
|---|---|
| ECON 500 level courses | 1.5 |
| ECON 500 level courses | 1.5 |
| ECON 500 level courses | 1.5 |
| ECON 500 level courses | 1.5 |
| OR combination of ECON 400-undergraduate level and/or graduate courses from other departments | Max 3.0 |
| Total | 6.0 |
| Thesis | Unit value |
|---|---|
| ECON 599 Master's thesis | 4.5 |
| Total | 4.5 |
| Program unit total | 15 |
Supervisory Committee
Your supervisor is a faculty member who will mentor you while you study at UVic. They'll guide your research and the resulting thesis. You’ll select a supervisor before September of your second year in the program.
Thesis supervisory committees consist of a supervisor and second member, who may be a co-supervisor or a committee member. The committee will appoint an external examiner to examine the thesis and the oral defense.
Timeline
Submit your research proposal form to the graduate adviser by March 31 indicating your field and supervisor preferences. The adviser will connect you with faculty members to discuss their research interests. By May 31 you should have met with potential supervisors.
Once your supervisor is in place and you’ve determined a research topic, you need to complete the thesis registration form. Deadline to register is September 30 of your second year.
Oral Examination
The final component of your program is to defend your essay in an oral examination known as a defense.
Contact the graduate program assistant when you’re ready to defend. You must notify them at least 25 working days before your tentative defense date.
Oral defense procedures/checklist
Responsibility of: student
Completed by:
- November 15 (June convocation)
- February 15 (June convocation)
- July 15 (November convocation)
Apply to graduate by the deadlines above. You must be registered in ECON 598 in the term you plan to defend.
Responsibility of: supervisor
Completed by: at least 30 days before your defense
Your supervisor will appoint a co-supervisor, member or outside member. They will also recommend an external examiner.
Responsibility of: student
Completed by: 30-35 business days before your defense
Finish the written portion of the thesis and give a copy to the supervisory committee to review.
Responsibility of: student and supervisory committee
Completed by: 25-30 business days before your defense
Once your supervisory committee has read the thesis and agreed it is examinable, together you will decide on a date and time for your defense.
Contact the graduate program assistant with:
- Defense date and time
- Thesis title
- Members of the supervisory committee
- Full contact information for external examiner
- Any special requirements like video conferencing or a large room
Responsibility of: graduate program assistant
Completed by: at least 20 business days before your defense
The grad program assistant will submit a request for oral examination form and a copy of the thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Student and committee member signatures are required.
Graduate Studies will not proceed with a defense if these are not received in their office 20 business days before the defense date.
Responsibility of: student, supervisory committee
Completed by: day of defense
The student will pick up any reserved audio-visual equipment on the day of defense. You are responsible for the return of these items to the department.
If your thesis satisfies the requirement for the MA degree, everyone on the supervisory committee will sign the thesis approval form. The supervisor will sign after revisions are done.
Responsibility of: student, supervisor, graduate program assistant
Completed: after defense
Sign necessary post-defense forms and return keys. Submit a final PDF of the essay to the graduate program assistant.
Responsibility of: student
Completed by: end of term
If you defended your thesis or dissertation within the first 15 calendar days of a term, you may be eligible for the completion postponement fee adjustment (CPFA).
- Upload your thesis to UVicSpace
- Submit a PDF of your final thesis to the graduate program assistant
Take note of when your completion deadline is (December 31, April 30 or August 31) and be sure to have everything completed several days before.