Frequently Asked Questions
Have IDP requirements changed for PhD students?
Yes. PhD students admitted from Fall 2019 onwards are now required to attend an approved IDP workshop, create an IDP, and complete the IDP Census once before the end of their 6th term. Previously, they had to complete the IDP Verification Form annually.
Who is required to create an IDP?
All PhD students admitted from Fall 2019 onwards, all master’s non-thesis students (except those in self-funded programs) admitted from Fall 2022 onward, including professional and applied programs, and all master’s thesis students admitted from Fall 2024.
Do students in self-funded programs have IDP requirements?
Students in self-funded programs (Master's of Public Policy, MBA, MM-Finance, MM -Analytics, MM-Retail, MM-International Health Leadership) are welcome to take advantage of IDP programming and resources at Â鶹AV but do not have IDP requirements to complete.
When should students create their IDP?
Students must create their IDP anytime before the end of their 6th term. GPS recommends that students establish a new IDP at the start of each academic year; however, some students prefer to establish their IDP at the start of the calendar year or in the spring (at the end of the academic year). Students can decide based on what works best for their circumstances.
How often do students need to create an IDP?
To meet the requirement, students need to create an IDP once before the end of their 6th term. However, GPS recommends that students create a new IDP every 6-12 months and maintain their IDP throughout the year, revising as needed.
How will GPS verify whether students have created an IDP?
Students attest that they have made an IDP on the IDP Census.
Are students required to submit or share their IDP with their department or GPS?
No. The IDP is a personal document that students can choose to keep private. We strongly recommend that students discuss their IDP with an advisor or mentor who can provide guidance on what to prioritize and specific actions that might help them to achieve their goals. Examples of advisors and mentors that students should consider are faculty members, student support professionals (e.g. Local Wellness Advisor), Â鶹AV alumni, and people working in their target career.
When should students attend an IDP workshop?
Students must attend an IDP workshop before the end of their 6th term. It is recommended that students attend a workshop in their first year of study so they can put goal setting strategies to good use early on in their degree.
Where can I find a list of eligible workshops?
Approved IDP workshops offered at Â鶹AV are open to all graduate students and can be found on the myPath website: www.mcgill.ca/mypath/about-idp/idp-requirements/qualifying-workshops. In-class or custom workshops facilitated by myPath may also qualify for the IDP requirement. If you attend a workshop offered by another unit, please contact to mypath [at] mcgill.ca confirm it meets the IDP requirement.
If a student attended an IDP workshop in the past, do they need to attend a new one?
Students who attended at least 50% of an approved IDP workshop are considered to have met the IDP requirement for workshop attendance. Students should contact mypath [at] mcgill.ca to confirm that we have a record of their attendance.
When should students complete the IDP Census?
Students should complete the IDP Census before the end of their 6th term, after they have attended an eligible IDP workshop and created their IDP. Students are only required to complete the IDP census once.
I created an IDP in the past but didn’t attend a workshop. Have I met the requirement?
No. You must attend an eligible IDP workshop and complete the IDP Census to meet the requirements. We also strongly recommend that you create a new IDP if your IDP is more than 12 months old.
I attended a workshop in the past but didn’t create an IDP. Have I met the requirements?
No. You’re not required to attend another IDP workshop, but you must create an IDP and complete the IDP Census.
If a student is past their 6th term, when is the deadline to complete their IDP requirements?
The deadline to complete IDP requirements for students admitted between Fall 2019 and Summer 2023 is July 1st, 2025.
Which students have an IDP milestone on myProgress?
An IDP milestone has been added to myProgress for PhD students admitted from fall 2019 onwards, master’s thesis students admitted from fall 2024 onwards, and master’s non-thesis students admitted from fall 2022 onwards in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Milestones for master’s non-thesis students in other faculties may be added at a later date.
Who is responsible for marking the IDP milestone on myProgress as complete?
GPS will mark the milestone as complete after verifying workshop attendance and IDP census data. Please contact myPath [at] mcgill.ca for any questions related to the IDP milestone on myProgress.
What happens if a student does not complete their IDP requirements?
This is a one-time, non-degree requirement. The milestone will remain incomplete on myProgress until the student has completed all three requirements. Completion of the IDP requirements is required for students applying for funding for the Doctoral Internship Program and Graduate Internship Program for Engineering and Computer Science.
When I try to register for a workshop, it says I'm not an authorized user. Help!
If you are a registered Â鶹AV graduate student, you can register for our workshops with your Â鶹AV email address. To resolve this issue follow these steps:
- Log-in to your Ìý- this will automatically reset your permissions.
- Register by following the registration link provided. Be sure to use your Â鶹AV email address.
- If problems persist, contact us at mypath [at] mcgill.caÌý
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