The following table indicates which types of professors, instructors, and adjunct faculty are eligible to serve as supervisors, co-supervisors, and committee members for M.A. and Ph.D. student theses.
Note to Ph.D. students: Professors can act as sole supervisors of Ph.D. theses only if they have tenure. Professors without tenure can co-supervise with a tenured faculty member, or serve as committee members.
Please consult the Graduate Administrator if you have questions about supervisory status.
Graduate Supervision Status
| Carleton Faculty -Supervision status is granted automatically based on rank |
Master’s Level | Ph.D. Level |
| Assistant Professor without a PhD (term appointment) |
Yes | Advisory Committee only |
| Assistant Professor without a PhD (preliminary appointment) |
Yes | Advisory Committee only |
| Assistant Professor with a PhD (term appointment) |
Yes | May co-supervise |
| Assistant Professor with a PhD (preliminary appointment) |
Yes | May co-supervise |
| Tenured Assistant Professor without a PhD | Yes | Advisory Committee only |
| Tenured Assistant Professor with a PhD | Yes | Yes |
| Associate Professor without a PhD | Yes | Advisory Committee only |
| Associate Professor with a PhD | Yes | Yes |
| Full Professor | Yes | Yes |
| Lecturer | Yes | Advisory Committee only |
| Instructor I, II, or III | No† | No |
| † Except with express permission from line Dean | ||
| Master’s Level | Ph.D. Level | |
| Faculty and Honourary Ranks at other universities who are involved with Joint Institutes (The University of Ottawa or Trent University) |
May co-supervise if has supervisory privileges at home institution |
May co-supervise if has supervisory privileges at home institution |
| Honourary Ranks – Must apply for graduate supervision status through FGPA |
Master’s Level | Ph.D. Level |
| Adjunct Professor | May* co-supervise | Advisory Committee only |
| Adjunct Research Professor | May* co-supervise | May* co-supervise |
| Professor Emeritus | May* co-supervise | May* co-supervise |
| Distinguished Research Professor | May* supervise | May* supervise |
| * with the permission of FGPA |
For all categories, members may only (co)supervise graduate students in the academic program(s) for which they have been formally granted supervisory privileges.