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Grad Success Days

Grad Success Days offer graduate students the opportunity to network with fellow students, enhance their research and writing skills, and participate in wellness activities.

About

Grad Success Days are designed to help graduate students overcome common obstacles during their studies, as well as provide useful tips and strategies for their research or writing projects. These events are open to graduate students in both course-based and thesis-based programs, and undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies.

Grad Success Days are designed to support graduate students at different stages of their degree.

Whether you're just beginning your degree and need help with grad school fundamentals, or you're closer to completing your studies and want more specific support, you're sure to find something that fits your needs. Sessions are spread throughout the year.


Grad Success Day - Research Proposal and Candidacy Exam Stage | November 13

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Grad Success Day at a glance

Are you writing a research proposal or preparing for your candidacy exams? If so, this Grad Success Day is for you!

  • Morning | Learn how to prepare for your candidacy exams and manage candidacy-exam anxiety; hear from a panel of students about their own candidacy-exam experience; and round off your morning with a networking activity designed to give you the opportunity to discuss your research with a friendly peer or two.
  • Lunch | If you’re attending in person, join Dr. Tara Beattie, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, for a free lunch at the Last Defence Lounge. Gluten-free and vegetarian options provided.
  • Afternoon | Get tips on how to do proposal research using Sage tools; learn to write an effective research proposal by understanding the characteristics of the genre; and find out how to communicate your research to the scholarly community in the most compelling way!

Grad Success Day – Course Work Stage | August 27

Grad Success Day at a glance

Are you doing graduate coursework in Fall? If so, this Grad Success Day is for you!

  • Morning | Learn how to keep on top of your reading load and process course material into the most effective study notes; watch a live demo of some powerful note-taking apps; and round off your morning with a networking activity.
  • Lunch | If you’re attending in person, join Dr. Tara Beattie, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, for a free lunch at the Last Defence Lounge. Gluten-free and vegetarian options provided.
  • Afternoon | Hear from a panel of grad students about what they wish they’d known when starting their degree; get tips on how to balance school, work, and family; and learn how to navigate Generative AI with integrity.
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Grad Success Day - Writing and Defence Stage | April 22

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Grad Success Day at a glance

Are you in the process of writing or preparing to defend your thesis or dissertation? If so, this Grad Success Day may be just what your supervisor ordered! 

  • Morning | Get tips on how to manage your thesis or dissertation, with spotlights on how to avoid procrastination and process supervisory feedback. Round your morning out with a presentation on the merits of various bibliographical management tools and a demo of Zotero. 
  • Lunch | Join Dr. Tara Beattie, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies for a networking lunch. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
  • Afternoon | Get publishing tips from our expert panel and learn how to write a better conference abstract.