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Funding


Program funding is subject to change. Applicants and students should confirm the current funding model relevant to their situation by contacting the Graduate Affairs Assistant.

PhD Students
(Domestic & International)

  • Guaranteed funding for 4 years.
  • Students are provided a minimum of $25,000 per year.
  • Funding support packages can be comprised of funds from a variety of sources including Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), TA appointment and other sources. 
  • Should you be awarded a Tri-agency award, no WGRS will be awarded.
  • Additional research funding may be available from your supervisor.
  • You and your supervisor are expected to apply for external funding (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR).

Master’s Students
(Domestic & International)

  • Guaranteed funding for 2 years.
  • Students are provided a minimum of $18,000 per year.
  • Funding support packages can be comprised of funds from a variety of sources including Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), TA appointment and other sources. 
  • Should you be awarded a Tri-agency award, no WGRS will be awarded.
  • Additional research funding may be available from your supervisor.
  • You and your supervisor are expected to apply for external funding (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR).

Teaching Assistantships

Graduate students are offered a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) as part of their funding arrangement.  There is a wide array of teaching assistant duties which vary by course and range from lab demonstration, to tutorial facilitation, to marking.

GTAs work 10 hours/week (140 hours per term) during the academic year. These positions are covered under a collective agreement between Western and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

  • The Collective Agreement outlines employment terms, including grievance procedures.
  • Union representatives are appointed within each academic unit.
  • In the Department of Geography and Environment, the Graduate Chair and Department Chair represent the University.
  • All TAs receive a copy of the Collective Agreement from the union.
  • Appeals and grievances related to TA roles must follow the union’s process, not the academic appeals system.
  • For more information, visit the Graduate Teaching Assistants Union website.
     
  • TA assignments are coordinated by the Graduate Chair, with support from the Graduate Administrator.
  • Faculty submit their course TA needs in Summer (for Fall courses) and Fall (for Winter courses).
  • Graduate students can indicate their TA assignment preferences, and the department aims to accommodate them.
  • A final list of TA assignments is shared at the start of each term.
  • Each TA must complete and sign a Duties Specification Agreement (DSA) and a TA contract with their course instructor.
  • Mid-term check-ins are required to ensure TA hours are being properly managed and fulfilled.

First-year TAs receive teaching support through two TA seminar days hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Additional training options include:

  • Weekend TA Training Programs
  • International TA Training Program
  • Details are available on the Teaching Support Centre website.
  • A more in-depth teaching course for graduate students is offered by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies:
    SGPS 9500 – The Theory and Practice of University Teaching

E.G. Pleva Award

  • Honors outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistants in the Geography and Environment Department.
  • Two awards ($300 each) are given annually in June.
  • Recipients demonstrate exceptional support in instruction, marking, or guidance beyond typical TA duties.
  • Winners are selected based on Teaching Assistant Evaluation forms from undergraduate courses.

Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) Teaching Award

  • A campus-wide annual competition recognizing excellent teaching.
  • Nomination details and forms are available at www.sogs.ca.