Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6

S.94-73

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?

MEMORANDUM

To: ?

From: ?

Subject:

Date: ?

Graduate Curriculum Revisions

Action undertaken by the Senate Graduate Studies Committee and the Senate Committee

on Academic Planning, gives rise to the following motion:

"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of Governors

the Co-op Option to the M.Sc. Degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry, including

Proposal for a Co-op Education Option to the MSc Degree

in Chemistry/Biochemistry

Summary

This is a proposal to allow the Chemistry Department to offer, as well as the regular M.Sc.

program, a modified program that includes two 1-semester work terms (practica) in an industrial

or government laboratory in addition to the normal coursework and thesis requirements for the

M.Sc. degree.

Introduction

The Chemistry Department has been a strong supporter of the Faculty of Science Undergraduate

Co-op Education Program leading to the B.Sc. degree. Numerous Chemistry/Biochemistry majors

have opted for this program and have benefitted from it in widening their undergraduate education

and improving their preparation for and prospects of subsequent employment.

This proposal increases the opportunity for SFU Chemistry/Biochemistry students to take advantage

of a cooperative program by introducing it at the M.Sc. degree program level as well.

SFU would not be the first to do this: Guelph - Waterloo have had a co-op option for both the

M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry for several years. At SFU, there are already graduate co-op

• ?

programs in Mathematics/Statistics and Resource and Environmental Management.

The proposal is, in part, a response to the view expressed by some of the employers associated with

the undergraduate co-op program to the effect that they would particularly welcome, as employees,

students who had completed graduate degrees with co-op work experience. This view has received

further favourable response in an informal market survey conducted with other employers.

The Proposal

The M.Sc. co-op option will differ from the regular M.Sc. program only in the addition of two 1-

semester co-op practicum courses Chem 881 and Chem 882 (see course proposal forms, attached)

and the evaluation of the co-op work report.

At SFU, the timing of the M.Sc. Chemistry research seminar courses Chem 801 and 805, as well

as the desire not to have the work terms interrupt already-begun thesis research has led to a

terms are engaged in subsequently. A year by year breakdown of the program follows. This

differs from the Guelph - Waterloo program, where the thesis research is interrupted by the two

work terms.

The co-op work term will be graded (Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory or Withdrawn) by a Departmental

sub-committee using the following criteria:-

the assessment made by a performance evaluation (written) by the employer supervisor.

the assessment made by visitation of the student during the co-op work term.

the work report written by the student and submitted to the co-op office.

Successful completion of the practica will be recognized by a co-op certificate. Participation in this

program by non Canadian citizens will be subject to Canadian Government Regulations.

Students are not required to necessarily express an interest in doing the co-op option at the time of

admission to the M.Sc. degree. However, so as to allow the co-op coordinator time to find suitable

employers, students must register for the co-op option no than later the beginning of the penultimate

semester prior to the beginning of the first work term (i.e. 8 months). Registration will be subject

to the mutual agreement of the supervisory committee and the student, as approved by the

Department Graduate Studies Committee. Withdrawal from the Coop program after the registration

commitment has been made will require the approval of the Graduate Program Committee.

Students who graduate from the M.Sc. co-op option will, of course, be eligible to apply for entry

to the Ph.D. program.

The M.Sc. co-op option will be the responsibility of the M.Sc. Co-op Committee, a subcommittee

of the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee consisting of one member of the Departmental

Graduate Studies Committee plus the Co-op Coordinator, which will report to the Departmental

Graduate Studies Committee.

Employers wishing to participate in the M.Sc. co-op program will be required to submit a suitable

work term project proposal. The M.Sc. Co-op Committee will help by providing criteria for

projects that are considered suitably challenging and appropriate for the M.Sc. level candidate. The

Departmental Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for approving the work term project

805 ?

ffn

* This is the most accelerated possibility. More probably the Thesis defence might occur in

Year 3 Fall, to be followed by practica in Spring and Summer.

Implementation

Approval of this proposal by the Department, Faculty and University will be sought as early as

possible in 1994.

The responsibilities of the co-op coordinator for undergraduate students in Chemistry/Biochemistry

will be modified to include coordination of the graduate M.Sc. co-op option.

Suitable employment placements will be arranged for Chem 881 to be first offered in Fall

1995.

This will allow students presently in the M.Sc. program to consider the co-op option and to register

in January 1995 for the Fall 1995 work term.

Anticipated Benefits

The co-op M.Sc. option will provide participating students with work experience during the M.Sc.

degree program, give potential employers first hand knowledge of the abilities and academic skills

of our graduate students, and improve employment prospects for our graduates.

. ?

It will help to develop further liaison between the Department and government or industrial research

laboratories.

In some cases, faculty and industrial contacts may find that there are mutual interests that may lead

to research collaborations or co-op practica that are more closely related to research at SFU than

otherwise.

Initially 4 placements per year are anticipated. It is expected that the cost of field travel for site

visits and Coordinator's salary will be covered on existing funds for Chem\Biochem undergraduate

co-op programs, since the same personnel will be coordinating both co-op options. Many of the

same employers will be common clients, so current field travel costs will cover both graduate and

undergraduate placements. Some extra telephone and correspondence costs will be involved but

these are not expected to be high.

Proposed Calendar Entry:-

Co-operative Education Program

The Department of Chemistry offers a Co-operative Education option in its graduate program in

order to allow students to gain work experience outside the academic sphere. Students who are

currently enroled in the department's M.Sc. program may apply for registration in Chem 881 and

. Chem 882. This option is only tenable after the completion of an M.Sc. thesis and defense but

before formal graduation. Registration in these courses requires the approval of the Graduate

Program Committee on the evaluation of the Supervisory Committee.

H\HOME\.kDM\LrZCO-OP.O

-3

Senate Graduate 

Nev

Graduate Course Proposal Form 

CALENDAR IN FORMAi IC: 

Department ? 

Course Number: 881-0 

Title 

:C

00P Practjcujm I 

Description: 

First Semester Work Experience Term for Graduate Students 

Credit Hours: 

?

-

? _Vector:0 

?

Prerequisite(s) if any: _Comp letion 

of-M.Sc. thesis including Defence 

ENROLLMENT AND SCHEDULIN 

Estimated Enrollment:4/year 

?

When will the course first be offered:September_1995 

How often will the course be offered: Each semester where there is demand 

JUSTIFICATION: 

Would attract high quality graduate st%idents by offering good long term 

employment opportunities. 

RESOURCES: 

Which Faculty member will normally teach the course: n/a 

What are the budgetary implications of mounting the course: None; the program will be 

?

administered by the Cooperative Education office and Chemistry Department using 

present resources. 

Are there 

sufficient Library resources (append 

details): 

_n/a 

Appended: a) 

b)

Outline of the Course 

An indication of the competence of the Faculty member to give the course. 

Library resources 

Senate: 

III

Approved: 

Bete: Dec. 16, 199 

Date:IO'k1 

pate:jy/t 

Date: 

of Chemistry 

De par tmen 

Faculty Graduate Studies Committee: 

Faculty: 

Senate C 

New Graduate Course FropoSai roi 

CALENDAR

INFORMATION: 

Department: 

_ChemistrY/B10che15tV 

?

Course Number: 882-0 

rr itle: Co-op Praticuin II 

Description: Second Semester work Experience for Graduate Students 

Credit Hours:° 

?

_Vector: _0 ? 

Prerequisite(s) if any:ComPtb0n 

of .Sc. thesis including Defence 

ENR0LLMT AND SCHEDULfliQ.

Estimated E.nrol]-ment:_4/year 

?

When 

Each semester where there is demand 

JUSTIFICATION: 

Would attract high quality graduate students by offering good long term 

employment opportunities 

•i 

RESOURCES: 

n/a

Which Faculty member will normally teach the course: 

What are the budgetary implications of mounting the course:None; the program will be 

administered by the Cooperative Education office and Chemistry Department using present 

resources. 

Are there 

sufficient Library resources (append details):, nja 

Appended: a) Outline of the Course 

b)

An indication of the competence of the Faculty member to give the course. 

c)

Library resources 

will the course first be off ered:St1995 

Bow often will the course be offered: 

Date: 

Senate: 

-of

_