All graduate students must complete safety training as part of their graduate program at McMaster University. Please review the TA/RA training matrix (PDF). Note that depending on your type of work in the research lab or as a Teaching Assistant or a Research Assistant, you may need to complete additional courses. Check with your graduate supervisor as well as with your course supervisor, if you are a TA, which courses you need to complete. Training registration is performed via Mosaic and courses are delivered online through Avenue to Learn.

• University Health and Safety website
• FHS Safety Office
• CAF website
• Biosafety training
• Code Awareness

Discuss with your supervisor which graduate courses you will take. For graduate courses registration visit Course Listing tab.

All graduate students, including part-time students, must complete the course SGS 101 – Academic Research Integrity and Ethics and SGS 201 Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). A graduate student may not obtain a graduate degree at McMaster without having passed these courses. These two courses must be completed prior to the end of the first month of your first term of graduate studies.

The list of Teaching Assistant (TA) assignments will be shared with all students as soon as the positions are confirmed between the graduate and undergraduate programs. If you find your name on the TA schedule as an assigned TA, please make sure to promptly get in touch with the respective course instructor.

If you have a TA or a Research Assistantship (RA) guaranteed in your official offer letter, but your name is not listed on the TA schedule, it indicates that you might receive an RA instead of a TA position in the second term. There’s also the potential for you to be considered for a TA position in the second term if circumstances change. If you have any particular questions regarding this process, please don’t hesitate to contact: fhsgrad@mcmaster.ca.

These are just a few examples of areas for students to get involved in around campus and off-campus and meet other students:

• McMaster Medical Sciences Student Association
• Medical Sciences Mentorship Group
• Health Sciences Graduate Student Association
• GSA (Graduate Student Association)
  • GSA (Graduate Student Association) on Facebook
  • GSA (Graduate Student Association) on X
• McMaster Athletics & Recreation

• Community Volunteer Action at Open Circle
• Volunteer Opportiunities at OSCARplus, McMaster University’s Online Career Portal
• McMaster Children’s and Youth University

Our city has a lot to offer to everyone, and we would like to help newcomers to Hamilton discover the city. Make sure to check out the following:    

• Hamilton Art Gallery
• Hamilton Waterfalls Guide
• Westdale

Hamilton trails for running, cycling, hiking and other outdoors:

• Hamilton Waterfront Trail
• Bruce Trail
• Other trails in the Hamilton area (not a full listing!)