Posthumous degrees and certificates

Posthumous credentials can be granted to a graduate student who, at the time of their death, was admitted to, or actively pursuing, a University of Waterloo graduate degree.

If a student is terminally ill, similar criteria can be used, and the approval of the degree expedited. The most senior and appropriate administrator available may deliver the degree, in person, if possible, to the student at the student’s (or student’s family’s) request.

Typically, the student’s research supervisor(s), the student’s Program Director, or the Graduate Officer from the student’s home department/school or program initiates the process for recommending a posthumous degree to the Faculty Associate Dean, Graduate Studies. If approved by the Associate Dean, the request is then sent to the Associate Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (AVP GSPA). The AVP GSPA and the Vice President Research and International, as co-chairs of Senate Graduate and Research Council (SGRC), will decide if the posthumous degree will be conferred.

The following criteria should be evaluated when assessing a student’s eligibility for a posthumous degree:

Professional or Coursework Master’s:

Grant a posthumous degree if:

• 50% or more of the total required courses are completed successfully.
• Note: If all course requirements for the program were achieved, any Type 2 Graduate Diplomas will be recognized on the student transcript and diploma, if these additional course requirements were also met. Relevant graduate specializations will be recognized on the student transcript (not diploma), if the requirements for the specialization were completed.

Grant a certificate of degree enrolment if academic requirements for a posthumous degree are not met.

Research-based Master’s with thesis or Master’s Research Paper (MRP):

Grant a posthumous degree if:

• 50% or more of the total required courses are completed successfully;
• proficiency in the area of study has been demonstrated (e.g., through required milestones); and
• there is substantive progress on thesis/MRP research. Evidence of sufficient research progress may include refereed output(s) in the research area related to the thesis/MRP, demonstrable progress on a draft of the thesis/MRP, a thesis/MRP submitted, but not defended/graded, or a thesis/MRP that only requires electronic submission to the University.
• Note: If all course requirements for the program were achieved, any Type 2 Graduate Diplomas will be recognized on the student transcript and diploma, if these additional course requirements were also met. If applicable, a graduate research field will be recognized on the student transcript (not diploma) if the requirements for the field were completed.

Grant a certificate of degree enrolment if academic requirements for a posthumous degree are not met.

PhD:

Grant a posthumous degree if:

• 50% or more of the total required courses are completed successfully;
• proficiency in the area of study has been demonstrated through successful completion of comprehensive examination or other required milestones; and
• there is substantive progress on thesis research. Evidence of sufficient research progress may include a research proposal, refereed output(s) in the research area related to the thesis, a draft of the thesis, a thesis submitted, but not defended/graded, or a thesis that only requires electronic submission to the University.
• Note: If all course requirements for the program were achieved, any Type 2 Graduate Diplomas will be recognized on the student transcript and diploma, if these additional course requirements were also met. If applicable, a graduate research field will be recognized on the student transcript (not diploma) if the requirements for the field were completed.

Grant a master’s degree rather than a PhD where criteria related to thesis progress is not met, but work would satisfy other requirements for posthumous degree.

Grant a certificate of degree enrolment if academic requirements for a posthumous master or PhD degree are not met.