Understanding graduate studies

Deciding to pursue a graduate degree is an important step toward building a future loaded with opportunities for exciting research, indulging your intellectual curiosity and for meeting inspiring people from all over the world.

Finding a graduate supervisor means that you will have found someone whose research interests match your own and whose expertise will guide you in your research for the next two to five years. Having a great graduate supervisor will propel you to achieve big things such as winning major scholarships, presenting at conferences and even gain publishing experience.

The path toward finding a faculty member who will fill this important role can start as early as your undergrad degree when you are narrowing down your interests to a specific research area. 

If you’re still unsure of your research interests, here are some questions that can help clarify them:

• What classes have you found the most interesting?
  • Have any subjects captivated you or made you want to learn more on your own?
• Why do you find a particular area of study interesting?
  • Maybe it’s due to personal interest, or perhaps you admire someone researching the subject or working in the field. Obviously, it’s very important to have mentors you admire, but it’s just as critical that you find motivation on a personal level.
• What subject do you see yourself studying in the long term?
  • Graduate studies are self-directed, so you’ll have to search for new discoveries and ask your own questions. Make sure you consider what you are most motivated to study.

Talking to as many people as possible will also help you get a sense of what it’s like to conduct research in particular disciplines. Ask professors of your favorite courses about their work. Find out about the challenges and rewards of their research. Graduate students in your faculty can also help narrow down your options and offer you guidance on what classes to take and which professors to reach out to.

If you are finishing an undergraduate degree, make sure you take advantage of any opportunities that come your way for research projects and start building your academic résumé.  

• Gain as much research experience as possible. This will help you find out how you like to learn and conduct research. Then, you can search for potential supervisors who match your learning and working styles.
• You’ll need between two and four references for your grad school applications, so start cultivating relationships with advisors and professors early on. Choose professors who work in your area of study and who can comment on your work ethic, level of independence, and ability to think creatively.
• Read papers and stay up-to-date with new and interesting research — especially papers published by faculty members.
• Create a dream list of people you would love to work with.
• Connect with as many people as possible in your field to build your network and you’ll have a large base to work from. Attend career fairs, workshops, and seminars hosted at the university. At the University of Calgary, you can find events through:
  • Student Success Centre
  • My GradSkills
  • International Student Services
  • Graduate Student Association
• Talk to current grad students to discuss their research, workloads, working with supervisors, the application process, etc. You’ll likely discover some useful information and appease any worries. If you don’t know any grad students, contact the Graduate Student Association (GSA). 

Once you’ve decided on your area of study, and, if your graduate program of interest requires you to find a supervisor at the time of application, you can begin your search.

Talk to your current professors as well as graduate students in your faculty. They can provide insight into supervisors who can best match your needs.

Visit faculty websites to find out which professors are studying areas that align with your research interests. Their profiles or websites will offer details about conference participation, previous courses taught, CVs and lists of publications.

An important note — not all programs require students to have a supervisor before applying. Even if this is the case, it’s always a good idea to find out now who will be available to supervise your work. The department Graduate Program Administrator is the best person to talk to.

As you research, try to discover the following:

• What topics are these professors publishing papers on?
• How active are they in publishing their research?
• Are graduate students included on the authors lists?

Use all the information you’ve gathered to narrow down your options and create a shortlist. Your final selections should consist of a few potential supervisors whose current work closely matches your own research goals.

• Read papers written by faculty members to improve your understanding of their research.
• Talk to graduate students who are currently working with these potential supervisors. Ask them if they think your research would complement the supervisors’ work.

Although your research interests are the most important factor when choosing a supervisor, there are some other criteria to consider that can help you narrow down your list.

As a graduate student, you will need to apply for funding and be able to state why your work is worth an investment. When you are ready to approach a potential supervisor, ask if their projects have existing funding, or if there are opportunities for grants, bursaries, or scholarships in your field. A potential supervisor will know of funding options and will be willing to advise you through the application process.  

You need to confirm that supervisors have the availability to take on another graduate student. Ask supervisors if they’ll be away on research leave at any time during your study period. 

With your shortlist finalized, it’s time to reach out to faculty.

You can initiate contact via email, or by using the web form in the supervisor profiles, which you can access from your graduate program. You can get to your graduate program page from the Explore Programs section on the university website.

Be careful to avoid even the slightest mistakes in your initial contact with your future supervisors — double check the spelling of names and be accurate when referring to research. Keep emails short and concise, tailoring each to the individual recipient. Refer to facts to show you’ve done your research and make it obvious that you’re excited about the chance to work with the supervisor.

• Use proper letter format.
• Open with a formal salutation (Dean/Professor/Dr. last name) and close with “Yours sincerely” followed by your full name and contact information.
• If you are sending an email, attach your CV and current transcripts. Make sure to use an appropriate file format.
• Specify the program or specialization for which you are applying.
• Explain why you are interested in grad studies, talk about your career goals, and highlight your research experience and leadership skills.
• If you already have funding, specify the source, value, and duration. As this may be the most important detail in your email, make sure it’s near the top.
• Talk about why you would like to work with the supervisor and how your research interests are a good match. Refer to specific published articles that interest you.
• Suggest further discussion through a teleconference, video conference, or perhaps in person.
• Don’t embellish your past accomplishments, or projects and, of course, don’t lie. If you are unsure, sticking to the facts will help you tell your story in the best way possible.
• End your letter by suggesting a time to discuss future graduate opportunities.

Whatever happens, don’t get discouraged. Remember, professors are busy people, and you may not receive an answer to your email immediately. If you don’t hear back within a reasonable amount of time, follow up with a phone call to the department of the supervisor and ask them if there’s a better way you can get in touch. Make sure to check that the professor is not on research leave when you call.

Important points of contact

Along with your supervisor, Graduate Program Staff (GPS) will be your main point of contact throughout your program. Your GPS is there to answer all your questions about program requirements, supplementary materials and the admission process. 
Your Graduate Program Director (GPD) is another important contact. They may be able to advise you if a particular faculty member is taking on new students and can answer your questions regarding funding and can advise you on your searching for a supervisor within their department. 

When you hear back from one or more of your potential supervisors, you’ll need to prepare for your interview. If you are planning to meet with a supervisor in person, set an appointment.

Be prepared and bring along a list of questions. Read up on the program and its requirements before you arrive. You should also bring a printed copy of your work, your CV, and a pen and paper to take notes.

At a minimum, make sure you cover the following:

• Has the professor supervised many grad students? What are these students doing now?
• How often will you have the chance to meet? How will you stay in touch?  
• How many students are currently under the professor’s supervision?  
• Is the supervisor eligible for Research and Scholarship Leave during your period of study?  
• Will you have the chance to gain experience by presenting at conferences?  
• Will you be working as a team or individually?

If you interview in person, you will also get a sense of how you get along, and how easy it is for you to speak and share your thoughts and opinions. This should give you an idea of how you will work together.

You should also interview the professor’s former students. Ask students if they spent most of their time working independently or if they had regular check-ups with the supervisor. Find out if the professors encouraged publications by their students.

At a minimum, make sure you cover the following:

• Is the Supervisor more hands on, or hands off?
• How often do they meet with students?
• Are they often in the lab and/or department lab?
• What other responsibilities does the Supervisor have? 

During your visit, pay a trip to the graduate studies office to pick up additional information about the school, and anything else you want to know about. Walk around the campus to get a feel for the environment — this could be your new home!  

Some places to visit are:

• Active Living Centre
• Crowsnest Hall
• International Student Services
• Wellness Centre
• Taylor Family Digital Library
• Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

If an in-person visit is not possible, you can explore the campus through a virtual tour.