Student Conduct and Responsibilities

MDA candidates are expected to conduct themselves academically in a manner that upholds the integrity and reputation of Western University. In particular, students are expected to:

• Act and communicate professionally, both in class and when representing the program outside of the classroom environment, including on e-mail and social media platforms;
• Attend classes, seminars, and any other special events of an academic and/or career-development nature hosted by the program;
• Check their official Western email account on a regular basis;
• Use their Western email account for correspondence with faculty and staff from the program;
• Read and be familiar with MDA course outlines and policies listed therein;
• Submit original work that is their own.

In addition, courses for the MDA program are offered by the Department of Statistical & Actuarial Sciences and the Department of Computer Science at Western. These two departments have additional policies that apply to students enrolled in their courses. In particular:

• Statistical & Actuarial Sciences has adopted a "Mutual Expectations" policy. This policy governs the classroom environment and all work submitted by students. The policy was developed under the premise that all interactions between students and faculty should be governed by the principles of courtesy, respect and honesty. The full text of the policy can be found here.
• The Computer Science Department has a set of rules of ethical conduct with which all students agree to comply when they accept their computer account provided by the department. These rules can be found here.
• The Computer Science Department also provides documentation related to scholastic offences available here.
  

Western encourages students to make their health and wellness a priority. Several on-campus health-related services are available to help you engage in healthy living while pursuing your graduate degree. For more information see: https://www.uwo.ca/health//shs/index.html

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health at Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. 

Successful completion of the experiential learning component of the MDA program involves:

1. Full participation in the career-focused classes, events and initiatives that take place in the fall and winter terms leading up to the experiential learning term;
2. Successful completion of all coursework and the Personal Career Management classes & activities;
3. Completion of a minimum of 500 work hours during your experiential learning term;
4. The achievement of a minimum “satisfactory” performance rating on the formal employer evaluations;
5. Attendance and participation at the MDA TD Capstone Event 
6. Successful submission of a final report summarizing your activities and personal reflections during your experiential learning term;
7. Receipt of a passing grade on your final report. 

Job descriptions for experiential learning positions and the organizations offering such opportunities will vary from year-to-year.

MDA candidates are expected to research their areas of interest and investigate prospective organizations with which they would prefer to work. Candidates must determine if each organization is offering an appropriate opportunity. 

Consistent communication with the MDA Career Services Officer is required: during the entire recruiting process from application to interview to offer. In so doing, the MDA Career Services Officer is able to provide each candidate with the guidance and facilitation required to ensure they are best positioned to secure an opportunity which allows them to successfully meet the experiential learning requirement of the program.

In summary, the candidate is required to secure their experiential learning opportunity and the program will support their efforts throughout all steps of the process.