Original Research Option

Guided Research course option students may undertake a small research project under the supervision of a full-time FIMS faculty member. Unlike the Individual Study, the Guided Research course is not designed as an advanced reading course, but must include an original research component, with the formulation of sound research questions and appropriate methodologies to address such questions. 

General Requirements:

1. Only regular FIMS faculty members can supervise Guided Research studies, and normally no faculty member will supervise more than two student projects in any one term;
2. Part-time faculty may volunteer (outside of their collective agreement responsibilities as instructors) to be a co-supervisor on an Guided Research study if appropriate, but the full-time faculty member is the one with primary responsibility for ensuring the study is valid, academically rigorous, and conducted according to sound methodological principles. No actions should be taken with respect to the study without the involvement and consent of the full-time faculty member;
3. While the content of Guided Research study may incorporate topics dealt with in other courses, it must differ significantly from any course currently listed in the calendar,

Ethics Requirements and Procedures:
Ethics and Procedural information is available on the Intranet.

An Individual Study may be undertaken for a one-course credit under the supervision of a full-time FIMS faculty member. The purpose of the study is to enable the student to explore some aspect of the profession or discipline not covered through regular courses.

An Individual Study usually does not involve original research per se but rather allows the student to examine issues in the literature or in practice and complete a paper or project on that topic. However, in some instances, an Individual Study may encompass a small focused piece of original research, such as an exploratory or feasibility study.

An Individual Study must be completed within one term. In the term preceding the desired start of the Individual Study, the student must find a full-time FIMS faculty member who is willing to supervise the proposed project and who will work with the student to ensure that the project is achievable within the time allowed. The student then must develop a proposal in consultation with the faculty supervisor. The proposal must be approved by the supervisor so that work can commence at the start of the next term.

General Requirements:

1. Only regular FIMS faculty members can supervise Individual studies, and normally no faculty member will supervise more than two student projects in any one term;
2. Part-time faculty may volunteer (outside of their collective agreement responsibilities as instructors) to be a co-supervisor on an Independent Study if appropriate, but the full-time faculty member is the one with primary responsibility for ensuring the study is valid, academically rigorous, and conducted according to sound methodological principles. No actions should be taken with respect to the study without the involvement and consent of the full-time faculty member;
3. An Individual Study is NOT a means by which a student can take a regular course that is not being offered during a particular term;
4. While the content of Individual Study may incorporate topics dealt with in other courses, it must differ significantly from any course currently listed in the calendar.
5. The study should not make major time demands of the supervising faculty member and would typically involve directed readings, some sort of term project, and a final report of 25-30 double spaced pages or something equivalent.
6. An Individual Study usually does not involve original research whereby ethics approval would be sought (such as in the case of surveys, interviews, focus groups or other participation by human subjects).