1. Introduction to Graduate Studies in the HPE Program

Alison Kraft

Overview

This module will start by welcoming you as a new student within the Health Professions Education (HPE) graduate programs at the University of Saskatchewan and within the College of Education.

The specific academic requirements of the Health Professions Education (HPE) programs will be covered, and an outline of what your path to completion will look like.

Key information and contacts will be collected here, and will serve as a reference guide throughout your graduate studies.

Learning Objectives

When you have finished this module, you should be able to:

  1. Find key contacts and information relevant to graduate students in the Health Professions Education (HPE) programs.
  2. Identify the academic requirements for completion of the HPE programs (certificate or M.Ed streams).
  3. Review academic and administrative policies in place for graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan.

Welcome to the College of Education

Mission, Vision and Values

Mission:

The College of Education fosters innovation and collaboration through teaching, learning, discovery, and transformative pedagogy.

Through working together, we impact the development of teachers and learners who are committed to advancing the growth of students and communities, and to building a positive foundation for a stronger and healthier future.

Vision:

We embrace Indigenization and reconciliation, recognizing the diversity of values and perspectives, of all peoples.

We endeavour to expand upon pedagogical practices that acknowledge and make space for the cultural and linguistic diversity of our province.

We strive to be leaders of effective and innovative pedagogy, of curiosity-based research work, scholarly work, and artistic work, and of practice that has a sustainable impact locally, nationally, and internationally.

We respond actively and collaboratively to emergent provincial, national and international priorities, including those of the university, school divisions, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, and the Ministry of Education.

Values:

We Champion: We Embrace: We Demonstrate:
  • Academic Freedom
  • Collaboration
  • Collegiality
  • Curiosity-based Research
  • Equity
  • Inclusivity
  • Mental and physical health
  • Pedogogical Excellence
  • Professionalism
  • Promotion of Well-Being
  • Reconciliation
  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Imagination
  • Indigenous Knowledges
  • Socio-ecological Justice
  • Wisdom
  • Accountability
  • Civility and Respect
  • Equality
  • Humility
  • Impactful research, artistic and scholarly work
  • Integrity
  • Transparency

Message from Dean of the College of Education

I would like to welcome you as you begin your studies in the Masters in Health Professions Education program of the College of Education. This program gives you an opportunity to explore the connections and synergies across a wide range of disciplines, frameworks and perspectives. You will learn much from your instructors and from each other, and you will develop new understandings and skills that will support you as you proceed in your professional life. We are proud of our graduate students, and we all benefit from the experiences they share with us as they study here. I wish you well in this new undertaking.

Dr. Beth Bilson, Ph.D., Q.C.

Message from Associate Dean, Research, Graduate Support and International Initiatives

Welcome to the College of Education Masters in Health Professions Education program. By investing your valuable time in this program, we hope that you will gain deeper understandings of leadership, engage in teaching and learning, and learn practical skills and knowledge to assist you in your professionally related teaching and learning endeavors. Additionally, by enrolling in this program, you are becoming a student of the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This handbook serves as an essential resource for understanding the policies, guidelines and procedures that inform the steps of your academic journey.

Dr. Vicki Squires, Ph.D.

Program Contacts – Health Professions Education

General Information

Important Dates

Support Units

  • The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) is a central support unit and a campus partner for all students, staff, and faculty.  ISSAC is dedicated to fostering a welcoming, globally aware and inclusive campus community.
  • The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning supports teaching and learning through a variety of events, workshops, and ongoing programs.
  • Access and Equity Services (AES), formerly Disability Services for Students (DSS), is guided by Saskatchewan’s Human Rights legislation and the duty to accommodate individuals requiring accommodations based on disability, religion, family status, and gender identity.

Online Learning Resources

  • LinkedIn Learning – This eLearning portal is available to help students identify skills that require mastery and provides the necessary resources:
  • Remote Learning Readiness Tutorial – An online tutorial to help you better understand the skills associated with remote learning success and help you make the most of remote learning.

Program Information

Registration Policy

Time in program is measured from the beginning of the first term of registration for work which is included in the program of studies, excluding any periods of approved leave.  Program time limits are five years for master’s programs.

Grades Required to Pass

The standards below are the minimum acceptable grades for passing a course.

Master’s
Graduate Class 60%
Cumulative overall average needed 70%

Course Requirements

  • Certificate in Quality Teaching in Health Professions Education
    • ECUR 836, Teaching Methodologies Facilitating Learning Through Teaching
    • ECUR 837, Technology and Simulation in Teaching and Learning
    • EADM 894, Laboratory in Educational Administration
    • ECUR 838, Learner Assessment
  • Certificate in Improving Teaching & Learning in Health Professions Education
    • ECUR 809, Models and Methods for Evaluation of Educational Programs
    • EADM 816, Leadership for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning
    • ECUR 839, Program Curriculum and Course Design Development
    • EADM 829, Organizational Renewal in Educational Systems and Settings
  • Master’s degree in Health Professions Education – Completion of the 8 courses in the certificate programs followed by an additional 2 courses:
    • EADM 842, Research in Health Professions Education
    • ECUR 991, Scholarship in Teaching (Final course in program)

EADM 990 Seminar

In EADM 990 students will develop an understanding of, and ability to apply, research scholarship and methodology in the field of Education.

This non-credit seminar is required to be completed by all Health Professions Education students in the first fall term of their program.

Program Planning

Planning your program is dependent on course availability.  Courses for the Health Professions program are offered in the following terms:

Figure 1-1: HPE Course Offerings by Term

College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan belong to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS) and will follow all CGPS Policies.

Ethics and Integrity

All master’s graduate students are required to complete the following ethics module, in accordance with the CGPS policy:

  • GPS 960 – Introduction to Ethics and Integrity.

Some students may be required to complete an additional module if their research involves human subjects:

  • GPS 961 – Ethics and Integrity in Human Research.

Previous credit for these ethics’ courses from a University of Saskatchewan master’s program will satisfy the PhD program requirement.

Timeline for Completion

CGPS policy states that time in program is measured from the first term of the first course taken toward the program (this may be course work done at USask or elsewhere approved for transfer credit), excluding any periods of approved leave.

PhD students have a maximum of 6 years to complete from the start of their program.

Leaves of Absences

CGPS policy states that leaves of absence are available to students for compassionate, medical, parenting, educational and ‘Co-op Program’/Industry reasons.

The leave period is not included in the time period for completion of the degree, and tuition is not assessed during the leave.  Nominal student fees are assessed during the leave period.  While a student is on leave, all supervisory processes are suspended.  Unless otherwise permitted by the source of funding, financial support offered to a full-time, fully qualified student is not available to a student on leave.  All leave requests should be discussed with the student’s supervisor, then appropriate documentation should be forwarded to the graduate administrator for processing.

Types of Leaves:

  • Compassionate and Medical Leaves – a graduate student who has developed an illness, who has been the victim of an accident, or who has suffered grave events in his/her life, upon provision of appropriate documentation to the graduate chair, may be eligible for medical or compassionate leave.
  • Maternity, Adopting, Parenting Leaves – a graduate student who is bearing a child, and/or who has primary responsibility for the care of a child immediately following a birth or an adoption is eligible for parental leave.
    • Parental leave may be granted for up to 16 months.
    • Maternity leave may be granted for up to 4 months.
    • Maternity leave and parental leave can be taken consecutively when applicable.
  • Co-op Program Leaves and Graduate Studies in Industry – when a graduate student receives an offer to spend a period of time in industry or the public sector pursuing research-related activities which are closely linked to their PhD, the CGPS will consider granting a four-month leave.

Withdrawals

Withdrawal from courses:

  • Before withdrawing from a course, students should discuss their intentions with their course instructor and/or the graduate chair.
  • Please check registration deadlines. Withdrawals from courses after the add/drop deadline, but prior to or on the day of the withdraw deadline, are assigned a grade of withdrawal (W). Withdrawing from a course after the withdraw deadline will result in a failing grade.  Requests to repeat a course must be made in writing to the graduate chair.

Withdrawal from program:

  • Students are encouraged to have a discussion with their graduate chair before proceeding to withdraw from the program.
  • To withdraw from the program students must complete the Notice of Withdrawal from Graduate Program form. Please include your graduate administrators name on this form so that they may be informed of the withdrawal.

Graduation

To graduate, students must pass all required courses with a combined minimum weighted average of 70%.  In calculated weighted averages the grades in all courses will be used (excluding transfer credit courses from other institutions).

In the last term of your master’s program students must complete an application to graduate through their PAWS account. Complete the application for spring convocation on or before March 31, and for fall convocation on or before August 31. Late applications to graduate are not accepted.

After completion of the four courses in each of the certificate programs students are eligible to receive their certificate at convocation. Complete the alternate graduate application on or before March 31 for spring convocation, and on or before August 31 for fall convocation.

All information about the ceremony will be sent to students through their PAWS email account.  Students are asked to order tickets through PAWS.  Information about convocation ceremonies including gown rental, photography and tickets is available at: Graduation and Convocation Ceremony.


EADM 990 Required Task

The following task must be completed to obtain your EADM 990 credit. Submit your work within Canvas by the date indicated in the Syllabus.


Create a program plan (i.e., a simple schedule) for your upcoming program of study. From now through to the end of your program, list which classes you plan to enrol in for each upcoming term. Indicate the term (fall, winter, spring, summer) as well as the year. Double-check that:

  1. You will have completed all of the Course Requirements outlined above in order to complete your program.
  2. That each course will indeed be offered in the term you plan to enrol (use the information in Figure 1-1 as a reference).

Post your program plan to the appropriate Canvas Discussion board.

 

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Essential Skills for Graduate Studies (HPE) Copyright © 2022 by Alison Kraft is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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