Program Policies and Procedures

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Training
The University is committed to achieving barrier free accessibility for persons with disabilities studying, visiting and working at Western.

AODA training is required for all who interact with Western's "public" e.g. undergraduate student population.  Should a graduate student accept a Teaching Assistantship position, s/he is required to complete AODA training through WebCT.  Training is only required once.

Western ONECard
A Western OneCard functions as an identification card within the Western community.  The card also acts as a library card, meal plan card, and is also used for building access.

A graduate student may obtain a card by visiting Western Student Services.  Proof of identity (i.e. passport, citizenship card, driver's license) is required in order to obtain the card.

Email
The University uses the "@uwo.ca" for all correspondence.  A student may wish to forward mail from this account to a private email address for easy access.

Email is the primary method of correspondence and as such, it is the responsibility of the student to check his/her email account regularly.

Building Access
Building access is handled through the MME graduate and departmental office.  Upon arrival, building access will be provided. In order to gain access to a lab or office space, access will not be issued to a student until a WHMIS certificate is completed and proof of certificate is provided to the MME graduate office.

Desk Space
Desk space is only assigned and provided after completion /submission of ALL health and safety certificates.  Assigned space is a limited University resource that should be managed responsibly while upholding our commitment to workplace health and cleanliness. Please adhere to basic cleanliness standards, including proper waste disposal and overall tidiness of desk area. By working together and taking collective responsibility for the health and cleanliness of our work environments, we can ensure that our assigned spaces remain pleasant and efficient places to work for everyone.

WHMIS as well as Laboratory Safety and Hazardous Waste Management must be completed prior to receiving access for laboratories. Lab key requests may be made through the Facilities Management portal.  Please be patient with the request process - do not send multiple requests, as this only causes difficulty in the system.  You will receive a response in due course.

Leave of Absence
A student may apply for a Leave of Absence on medical or compassionate grounds, providing justification/medical certification to the MME graduate office. This change of status request is made through the graduate student web services portal.  The recommended deadline for application is one month prior to the start of term.

Pregnancy/Parental Leave
A graduate student may apply for up to three (3) terms of leave, which must be started within twelve (12) months of the date of birth or custody.

A graduate student is eligible to a $1,500 bursary, provided s/he has been registered for at least one (1) term and is not receiving addition Tri-Council benefits.  A student must consult with both the GTA Union and a Benefits Counsellor in Human Resources.

Holiday/Vacation Leave

Full-time graduate students are expected to be active in the program for all three terms of the university year, as specified in Section 4.10. In addition to statutory holidays (see Sessional Dates) and the week-long closing of the University from late December until early January, it is acceptable for students to take days off, which is scheduled by mutual agreement between graduate student and supervisor, as appropriate. Time away from studies must take into account the impact on timely progression and the impact on research and other responsibilities.
Any vacations or prolonged absences must be discussed with the supervisor and MME Graduate office. An off Campus Request form must be completed and submitted at least 1 week prior, or in the case of a change in status for the term, at least 1 month prior.
The student should meet the terms and conditions of any financial contractual agreements, such as a TA position. In such cases, such as absence during the Fall/Winter terms, an Off Campus Request form must also be completed.

Request for Enrolment Letter
A research student (M.E.Sc./PhD.) wishing to obtain an enrolment letter must do so by emailing MME graduate office.  Note there is a five (5) day turn around for the issuance of the letter.

Extension of Study Permit
An international student who intends to apply for an extension of his/her Study Permit, must provide the MME graduate office a copy of the payment receipt, which will be kept in his/her file.

An international student who obtains an extension of his/her Study Permit, must provide the MME graduate office a copy of the new Study Permit.

Student of Advisor on Sabbatical or Other Leave
A supervisor who has been granted Sabbatical or other Leave, shall complete documentation outlining the arrangement made for the supervision of his/her graduate student(s), and submit the documentation to the MME graduate office.  A copy of the documentation shall be forwarded to each graduate student involved.

Procedure for Changing Supervisor
Occasionally a student may feel it is in his/her interest to change their supervisor.  The agreement of the current supervisor should first be sought; in the event that it is withheld, the student must notify the Associate Chair (graduate), who will attempt to resolve the impasse.

Procedure for a Missed Exam
The Faculty of Engineering has adopted the same policy regarding a missed examination, as the policy that is in place for an undergraduate student.  The official university policy may be obtained at: https://uwo.ca/univsec//academic_policies/index.html

A graduate student shall submit documentation as soon as possible, to the Graduate Coordinator in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, together with a request for relief specifying the nature of the accommodation being requested.

A faculty member must report any such absence to the Graduate Coordinator of the home department of the student.

Academic Records
Students should be aware it is their responsibility to regularly check their academic record and report any discrepancies to the MME Graduate Office.  Every student has access to their academic record through their Student Centre.

Scholastic Offences
Members of the University community accept a commitment to maintain and uphold the purposes of the University, and in particular, its standards of scholarship.  It follows, therefore, that acts of a nature that prejudice the academic standards of the University are offences subject to discipline.  Any form of scholastic dishonesty, including plagiarism, that undermines the evaluation process, also undermines the integrity of the University's degrees.  The University will take all appropriate measure to promote academic integrity and deal appropriately with scholastic offices.

Appeals
A graduate student is entitled to appeal in any situation in which he/she feels that s/he was not treated fairly.  It is incumbent on the student to first attempt to resolve the matter informally, at the earliest opportunity, with the person in authority who is most immediately involved, e.g. Course Instructor.  In the event at a satisfactory resolution is not obtained, the student may then lodge a written appeal with the Associate Chair (graduate) in their home program, within four (4) weeks of the issuance of the mark or ruling.

For more information regarding the appeals policies, please see the Western/SGPS regulations.

Non-Degree Part-Time
The purpose for the Non-degree part-time, is to allow an applicant the opportunity to take specified gradaute courses, without obtaining a degree.  This may be beneficial to a working engineer who is interested in taking an MME gradaute course in order to expand his/her knowledge in a specified research topic.   

First Term of Registration
During the first term of registration and in consultation with the Supervisor, a student shall complete a Proposed Program of Study.  The proposed program of study must indicate the topic and proposed set of courses.  These course may include undergraduate courses not for degree credit, required to make up deficiencies in the student's preparation for graduate work in engineering.  All such courses must be taken during the first year of registration.

Request for course exemption/advanced credit (maximum of four (4)) for graduate courses taken at a previous university, must be made at the same time as submission of the Proposed program of study.  Official course outlines (from previous university) must be provided as appropriate documentation.  

A student must submit a revised form should any subsequent change be made to the original Proposed Program of Study.

Failure to submit a Proposed Program of Study by the end of the first term, may entail the denial of permission to register in further courses.

Continuous Registration
A student enrolled in a degree program must maintain continuous registration in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in each successive term from initial registration, until all requirements for the degree are completed.

An international graduate student must have a valid Study Permit.

Subsequent Terms of Registration
A graduate student is required to maintain a cumulative average of at least 70%, with no individual grade less than 60%.  However, in order to maintain funding a minimum cumulative average of 78% is required.

Request for Registration Extension
A graduate student who is either in his/her 7th (M.E.Sc.) or 13th (PhD) term of registration, must apply for a Request for Registration Extension in order to be term activated for the following term.  The deadline for submission of the form is six (6) weeks prior to the start of term.  A graduate student who does not apply or submit the form will have his/'her record sealed, which will result in not being able to access any services on campus.  There is an approximate $48.00 charge to unseal a record.

Maximum Registration
The maximum registration period for completing a M.E.Sc. is three (3) calendar years from initial registration, and six (6) calendar years from initial registration for the Ph.D.  A student who transfers from a M.E.Sc. (without completing the M.E.Sc.) will be given a maximum of seven (7) calendar years from initial registration, in order to complete the Ph.D.

The maximum registration period to a student admitted to an approved part-time M.E.Sc. is four (4) years.

Western Engineering funds both M.E.SC. (tuition plus $14,200) and Ph.D. students.  Effective September 2023, minimum financial support for a PhD student is tuition  plus $17,000 per year, from all sources (contingent upon maintaining a minimum 78% cumulative average). An additional $1,000 is provided for a Ph.D. student after completion of a successful comprehensive examination.

Funding is provided for a full-time research graduate student for the first two(2) years of the M.E.Sc. program, and the first four (4) years of the Ph.D. program. If a student transfers from the M.E.Sc. (after the first year), to the Ph.D., the student is provided funding for the first five (5) years.

Each student will receive a welcome letter from a supervisor(s), agreeing to supervise a research project and provide financial support prior to commencing studies. The letter will outline the total annual funding to be provided by The University of Western Ontario. Continued funding beyond the two (2) or four (4) year periods is conditional on satisfactory performance in research and availability of funds. There is no guarantee of funding beyond the period stated in the offer letter.

Funding is provided from a variety of sources, and can differ from student to student. A student must be term active (with conditional offer of admissions cleared) in order to receive payment. A student may receive support in the form of a tuition scholarship (WGRS), teaching assistantship (TA) and/or graduate student fellowship (GSF).  WGRS is applied to tuition prior to the tuition deadline. GSF is comprised of paying the remainder of tuition and student stipend for the term in a lump sum, which the student receives by direct deposit after the tuition deadline.  TA for each term is paid monthly on the second last working day of the month.

As funds come from a variety of sources, each source may have a different regulation regarding the timing of payment. As a result, funds may sometimes be unevenly distributed throughout the year. The support package can change, for example, when a student receives an external scholarship, or in response to a student's change in residency.  A graduate student is expected to budget his/her finances on the basis of the total yearly support outlined in his/her welcome letter.  Funding is usually provided on a term by term basis.

A student may decline all or part of the funding package.  Where a student declines all or part of the package, the program must submit a written statement to SGPS, signed by the student and Grad Chair, wiaving the graduate program's responsibility to provide the declined funding during the student's program.

When a student completes the program or withdraws without copleting while receiving financial support, the support may be subject to repayment or pro-rating for the remainder of the term.

Each student is required to complete banking information in MyHR, in order to receive payment.

Tax Slips from Revenue Canada
A student is required to provide a current address in his/her Student Centre and myHR, in order to be provided a tax slip by Revenue Canada. Tax slips are forwarded in February of the following year, to the current address on file.

A student must maintain a 78% cumulative average to be eligible for a TA.

Teaching Assistantship (TA) appointments are made by the Chair of MME.  Appointments of up to 10 hours per week are made in the Fall and Winter terms, according to teaching needs and availability of funding.  A student is not obligated to accept a teaching assignment, however, since a TA is an important component of graduate student funding and part of the financial commitment, a decision made by a student not to undertake assigned duties, may result in a reduction in total annual support.

Each term, if assigned a TA, a graduate student will receive an offer of employment, including a Duties of Specification letter.  Duties and responsibilities may include those functions listed in the PSAC Collective Agreement.

The regulations governing the total number of hours over any given term are outlined in the PSAC Collective Agreement between the Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) and The University of Western Ontario.

It is expected the Teaching Assistant will be punctual in attendance at his/her duties, and be present for the full scheduled time with the possible exception of a short break as agreed to with the course instructor. A TA should make certain to be available on the first day of class (see Western University's Academic Calendar). A Teaching Assistant is expected to be knowledgeable in the subject matter of the undergraduate course assigned.

A Teaching Assistant may occasionally be asked to perform duties that do not fall within the categories outlined.  Only under exceptional circumstance may a Teaching Assistant be required to replace a faculty member as a lecturer in the classroom.  Assignment to such duties will only be permitted with the approval of the MME Chair.

As per PSAC Collective Agreement, the course instructor shall meet with the TA around the mid-point of his/her appointment, for the purpose of conducting a review of the TA's Duties Specification Agreement and report any issues that arise.

The Teaching Support Centre (TSC) offers various workshops at no cost to a graduate student, to enhance the practice of teaching and learning.

Graduate course enrolment must follow a student's Program of Study.  It is mandatory that all courses be selected in consultation with the supervisor.  Appropriate approval MUST be in place prior to any modification in the Proposed  Program of Study.  Any course appearing in the academic record that is not listed in the Proposed Program of Study, will be automatically deleted from the academic record.

A maximum of two (2) courses is allowed to be taken outside the home program.  A graduate student who wishes to also enrol in a collaborative program (i.e. CMHR) must complete the collaborative program admission form and submit it to the MME graduate office.

Non-Engineering or Non-MME Engineering Degree
A student with a non-engineering or non-mechanical engineering background, may be required to take additional relevant courses, to provide fundamental understanding in order to complete his/her degree. These ccourses must be taken during the first term of registration

Course List and Schedule
The course list and schedule will be available each term, on the MME website as well as being posted on the graduate bulletin board outside MME office.  This list may be subject to change so it is advisable for each student to check this site regularly

For course information pertaining to a program other than MME, please see the individual department website.

Graduate Course Enrolment
Effective January 2012 term, a student can enrol electronically in a graduate course through his/her Student Center.  Closer to the start of each term, the student will be provided an information sheet outlining the instructions and process of electronic enrolment. 

Each student will be assigned a random appointment time to enroll in courses, and he/she will find the enrollment appointment date and time by signing into his/her Student Center.  Enrolment deadline for the Winter, Summer and Fall terms is: January 15th, May 15th, September 15th, respectively. The system is automatically closed each term after these dates.

Deadline dates for adding or dropping a course will normally be calculated according SGPS regulation.

Graduate Course Audit
The student must declare an intention to audit a graduate course by the enrolment deadline for the term, using the Graduate Course Audit Form. The student must have the instructor’s signed approval to audit the course, as well as approval from the supervisor and Associate Chair (graduate). An Audit requires regular attendance and any other obligations as stated by the course instructor in the Comments/Expectations section of the form. If these requirements are not met, the audit will be removed from the student’s record at the instructor’s request.

After the enrolment deadline, a student may not make a change from auditing a course to taking it for credit, or vice versa, within a given term.

Undergraduate Course Enrolment 
A graduate student may take an undergraduate course without additional charge only if needed for his/her degree requirements, and with the approval of the supervisor, course instructor and Associate Chair (graduate) and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. A graduate student wishing to take an undergraduate course must use the Graduate Student Taking Undergraduate Course form, and follow undergraduate regulations.

Graduate Enrolment in a Graduate Course Outside Home Program
A graduate student may enrol in a graduate course outside of his/her program, with permission of the Course Instructor and home program, using the Request to Enrol in Graduate Course Outside Home Program form.

Student outside MME program, wishing to take an MME graduate course

A graduate student outside the MME program wishing to take a graduate course (credit or audit) offered by the MME department, must obtain approval from both the instructor and the graduate office, and meet all other criteria assigned by the Instructor and/or the MME department.

A graduate student must first obtain Instructor's signature and submit the signed form to the MME graduate office by the MME graduate course registration deadline for the term (4:00 p.m. January 15th, May 15th, or September 15th). Once approval is granted, it is the responsibility of the student to submit the form to his/her Home Program/Office of the Registrar so they may enrol the student in the course.  Failure to complete and/or submit the form in the manner outlined above, will result in automatic removal from the course.

If a student wishes to drop a course,  he/she must complete a Request to drop form, obtaining the signature of the supervisor and Associate Chair (graduate), and submit it to the MME office before the following deadline for each term: January 30th, May 30th, September 30th.

• Course(s) dropped within one (1) month of the official beginning of the term will not appear on the academic record.
• Course(s) dropped after the deadline date, but within eight (8) weeks of the beginning of the term stay on the academic record with the notation of "WDN" (withdrawn).
• Course(s) dropped after eight (8) weeks from the beginning of term stay on the academic record and are recorded as "FAI" (failed).

Each graduate student is required to attend and participate in the Graduate Seminar Series.  The seminar is held weekly, with attendance being taken.  Each student is required to attend a minimum of 75% each term, throughout the duration of his/her program.  Failure to meet the attendance and participation requirement in all subsequent terms of your registration in the program, will result in the input of NOT COMPLETE on your academic record, with the academic record being sealed.  There is a $50 fee to unseal an academic record. 

Each Ph.D. student is also required to present a seminar each year, as well as act as a Facilitator for other seminar presentations.

The Ph.D. student's presentation may be considered as a presentation for his/her supervisory committee (to tie in with the yearly progress).  It is therefore important that an supervisory committee member for each individual student (in which he/she serves on the supervisory committee), attend the seminar presentation.

Seminar Schedule
The seminar schedule  is finalized at the beginning of the fall term, for both the Fall and Winter terms. The list and schedule will available each term, on the MME website as well as being posted on the graduate bulletin board.  This list may be subject to change so it is advisable for each student to check this site regularly.

Each graduate student must follow the presentation guidelines posted on our website.

Graduate Milestone
The graduate seminar will appear on each student's academic record as a milestone, which must be satisfied prior to completion of his her program.

The M.E.Sc. program is a research degree comprising of a thesis and a minimum of four (4) courses.

At the beginning of each student's program, the student will meet with the supervisor, to discuss the expectations of academic research, performance and timelines for progression.  The research topic/title shall be selected, as well as the set of courses required.  It is expected the student enrol in  9600 or 9700 courses, and a maximum of two (2) courses only, to be taken outside the home program.

Request for advanced course  exemption (credit) must be made at this time. Courses being requested for credit, must be equivalent to an A- (based on the Western University scale). These courses may include graduate or undergraduate courses not for degree credit, required to make up deficiencies in the student's preparation/background for graduate work in MME Engineering. Exemption is NOT provided for courses taken from a previous graduate program in which a degree is obtained.  Official course outlines must accompany the request for exemption.

The supervisor shall propose members of the supervisory committee, consisting of at least one (1) faculty member who is a member of the School of Graduate and PostDoctoral Studies, in addition to the supervisor.

The completed Proposed Program of Study must be submitted by the end of the first term of registration.  Failure to submit by this time, may entail the denial of permission to register in further courses.

Progress Review
An annual review meeting will be held with the student, the supervisor, and supervisory committee.  The results of the review are to be submitted by the student on the appropriate form, to the MME graduate office.  The student is responsible for arranging the review meeting.

Participation in Graduate Seminar Series
Each MESc student is required to attend our weekly gradaute seminar series.

Thesis
Each student shall refer to SGPS's Thesis Regulations, The pages detail specific information about UWO's dissertation processes, requirements, services and deadlines, as well as other helpful resources and materials.

Students currently in the MEng program may request for a transfer from MEng to MESc, such that they meet the admission requirements for the MESc program. Transfer can only take place effective in the 2nd term. The funding eligibility period (6 terms) is not counted from the date of transfer but rather the count begins when a student starts a graduate program at Western. Hence, the funding eligibility period is not extended on the transfer date. More information is available at https://www.eng.uwo.ca/graduate/current-students/academic-support-and-accommodations/course-exemption.html

From time to time a student in the M.E.Sc., program will demonstrate excellent potential for doctoral studies and the student and the supervisor both agree that rather than complete the M.E.Sc. the student should expand the research into a doctoral thesis. A request for transfer must be submitted to the graduate office on an Application for Transfer form, in the third (3rd) term of registration, along with the Ph.D. Submission of Examination Committee form. The Submission of Examination Committee form must indicate the date and time of the comprehensive to take place.

The student must successfully pass the comprehensive examination in the 4th term, before the request is forwarded to SGPS . The transfer will occur at the beginning of the fifth (5th) term, and the student shall be subject to all regulations and procedures applicable to Ph.D. students.

All graduate courses taken for the M.E.Sc. at The University of Western Ontario, will normally be credited towards the eight required half-courses.

Minimum criteria regarding eligibility to transfer to the Ph.D. program:

• student demonstrates excellent capability to pursue a Ph.D.
• student to have taken a minimum of two (2) graduate courses at Western University
• student has a minimum cumulative average of 85% in  graduate courses taken at Western University

The Ph.D. program is a research degree comprising of a thesis and a minimum of eight (8) courses.

At the beginning of each student's program, the student will meet with the supervisor, to discuss the expectations of academic research, performance and timelines for progression.  The research topic/title shall be selected, as well as the set of courses required.  It is expected the student enrol in  9600 or 9700 courses, and a maximum of two (2) courses only, to be taken outside the home program.

Request for course exemption (credit) must be made at this time. Courses being requested for credit exemption must be equivalent to an A- (based on the Western University scale). Official course outlines must accompany the request for credit exemption.

A maximum of four (4) graduate courses taken previously at another university, may be used as credit exemption to fulfill course requirements.  Official course outlines must accompany the request for exemption.

The completed Proposed Program of Study must be submitted by the end of the first term of registration.  Failure to submit by this time, may entail the denial of permission to register in further courses.

The supervisors(s) shall propose three (3) members of the Ph.D comprehensive committee, who have membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.  These three (3) members may include the supervisor, however the supervisor is not allowed to be on an examination committee if the student is transferring from the MESc to the PhD. program.

Progress Review
An annual review meeting will be held with the student, the supervisor, and supervisory committee.  The Ph.D. comprehensive examination will serve as the first meeting of the supervisory committee. 

Participation in Graduate Seminar Series
Each Ph.D. student is required to present a seminar each year, as well as act as a Facilitator for other seminar presentations.

The Ph.D. student's seminar presentation may be considered as a presentation for his/her supervisory committee (to tie in with the yearly progress).  It is therefore important the supervisory committee members for each individual student attend the seminar presentation.

Thesis
Each student shall refer to SGPS's Thesis Regulations, The pages detail specific information about Western University's dissertation processes, requirements, services and deadlines, as well as other helpful resources and materials.

The comprehensive exam is an assessment of student’s competency to carry out the proposed PhD research.  The exam focuses on the fundamentals of engineering science relevant to the area/topic of research and the appropriate tools/methodologies to conduct the proposed research.

The comprehensive examination consists of two parts: proposal and oral examination. The procedure for the comprehensive exam is described as follows:

• 1. The comprehensive examination form must be submitted to the MME Graduate Office in the third (3rd) term of registration, and the exam must be taken before the end of the fourth (4th) term. The examination committee is proposed by the candidate's supervisor(s) and will include a minimum of three (3) members, who have membership in the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. These three (3) members may include the supervisor, however, the supervisor is not allowed to be on the examination committee if the student is transferring from the MESc to PhD program.
  2. Student submits a written proposal of his/her Ph.D. research to the MME Graduate Office, three (3) weeks prior to the scheduled comprehensive examination date. The proposal must only be written on the template available on our program website. Any proposal that is not written using this template will not be accepted by the graduate office.
  3. Examiners review the proposal and submit the completed assessment rubric (with scores) to the Graduate Office no later than one (1) week prior to the oral examination date.
  4. The committee decision is made based on the average scores from the examiners. The Graduate Chair collects the scores from the examiners and convey the outcome to the student.
  5. If pass, the oral examination proceeds as planned. Otherwise, the oral examination is cancelled and the re-submission of the proposal is required.
  6. The revised proposal must be resubmitted no earlier than three (3) weeks from the date of the assessment result of the proposal is conveyed to the student. The oral examination should be rescheduled to a date at least three (3) weeks after the proposal resubmission date.
  7. During the oral examination, the candidate must make a short oral presentation (15 minutes) on the research project at the beginning of the examination.  This will be followed by questions to the candidate from each member of the committee. The oral examination is closed. 
  8. The committee decision on the oral examination is based on the average scores from the examiners. The results of the examination shall be stated as: 

1. 1. • • Passed without conditions, or
        • Passed with specific conditions to be satisfied for continued registration, or
        • Failed (with oral re-examination, required to withdraw, or recommended to transfer to MESc)

A student who fails the first attempt at the comprehensive examination may be required to withdraw, transfer to MESc program or may be allowed to attempt the oral examination again.  The re-examination may not take place before three (3) months, but must be completed by the end of the fourth (4th) month from the original oral examination.  A student who has passed with conditions but fails to satisfy the conditions shall be required to withdraw. The assessment rubrics for both written proposal and oral examination are on our program website, which can be used as guideline to prepare your written proposal and oral examination.

Prior to completion, graduate students who have been assigned desk space, MUST clear their desk for the next incoming student.  This includes removal of any paperwork, garbage, etc.  Please also make arrangement with your supervisor regarding removal of PC's and printers.

Each student must complete a clearance form before departing the Faculty of Engineering. Once SGPS has accepted the candidate's SGPS-approved final electronic thesis submission, he/she has officially completed the thesis requirement for the degree. The candidate and program will receive email notification of thesis completion from SGPS. Subject to approval by  University Senate, the candidate's name is placed on the convocation list. There are three (3) convocation dates: Spring (June), Fall (October) and In absentia (February). In order to participate in convocation, each student must apply to graduate through their student center. This is the last step in securing completion of your graduate degree.Failure to apply to graduate, may result in not receiving a diploma, nor having the degree award reflected in your academic record. The student should make his/her own arrangements with the Office of the Registrar, if his/she is not attending convocation.This includes receipt of diploma. Western University does not provide a lifetime @uwo.ca email for convocated graduate students.