Admission requirements for students admitted to the PhD program are as follows:
- A 75% overall standing, or equivalent in a MSc degree in a relevant field. There is no probationary status (See Academic Regulations for general admission requirements.)
- Three letters of reference, at least two of which must be from academic sources.
- Proof of competency in English (if applicable). A score of at least 580 minimum overall on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), plus 4.0 minimum on the Test of Written English (TWE). A score of at least 237 on the computer based version of the TOEFL, plus 4.0 minimum on the Essay.
- Applicants holding degrees from institutions outside Canada may be required to submit Graduate Record Examination scores (GRE, Analytical and Quantitative) with their application. (Effective September 2007.
There is also an option of transferring from the Master's program to the Doctoral program. This is not a routine option, but can be approved on a case-by-case basis for suitably qualified individuals. Further information is available from the departmental graduate officers.
Before completing an application form, you are strongly advised to establish contact with potential supervisors. It is a good strategy to identify whether the potential supervisors you want to undertake research with have available positions and can fund your research assistantship.
There is no specific deadline to the Doctoral program; however, the student should apply 4-6 months before the term in which they propose to start graduate studies.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded by the Faculty of Science to candidates who have demonstrated a broad knowledge of Biology and have demonstrated a satisfactory level of achievement in research.
Degree requirements for students in the Doctoral program are as follows:
- Satisfactory completion of two one-term courses (0.50 unit weight) accepted for graduate credit by the Department of Biology.
For candidates who do not hold a Master's degree, the requirement will be a minimum of four one-term courses (0.50 unit weight).
Undergraduate level courses cannot be credited towards the PhD requirements.
- Completion of PhD Thesis Proposal
- Completion of PhD Graduate Seminar requirement
- Satisfactory performance in a Comprehensive examination
- Submission and defence of a thesis, embodying the results of original research