Doctor of Philosophy in Quantum Information
The University of Waterloo, home of the Institute for Quantum Computing, offers graduate students unique opportunities to learn about and engage in world-leading research in quantum information through a wide range of advanced research projects and advanced courses on the foundations, applications and implementation of quantum information processing.
In particular, the University of Waterloo offers a unique interdisciplinary graduate program in Quantum Information that leads to MMath, MSc, MASc, and PhD degrees. This program is a collaboration between the Institute for Quantum Computing and:
- The Departments of Applied Mathematics, Combinatorics and Optimization, and the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science in the Faculty of Mathematics
- The Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy in the Faculty of Science
- The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering
These academic units are referred to hereinafter as the home units.
MMath, MSc, and MASc students will receive both strong and broad foundations in quantum information science, coupled with knowledge and expertise obtained within their home programs. This will prepare them for the workforce and/or further graduate studies and research leading towards a PhD degree.
PhD students will be especially well-prepared for careers as scholars and researchers, with advanced expertise in quantum information science, together with the focus of their home programs. This new program is designed to provide students with knowledge of quantum information, including both theory and its implementations, advanced expertise in quantum information science and in home program disciplines, as well as training in research.
Admission requirements are the same as those of the home programs. The home unit in which an applicant intends to pursue graduate study must approve the application. Interested students should apply directly to one of the following units via the regular university application process:
Department of Applied Mathematics
Department of Chemistry
Department of Combinatorics and Optimization
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Information specific to the Department of Chemistry is given below.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements are the same as those for PhD in Chemistry. Please refer to the following website: http://www.gwc2.on.ca/files/chem_plus_quantum_information.pdf
Degree Requirements
For the PhD in Chemistry (Quantum Information), students must both fulfill the minimum requirements of the Chemistry PhD and meet the Quantum Information program requirements. The combined requirements are described below.
Course Requirements (for students who have completed a Master’s degree)
Students entering the PhD program following completion of a Master’s degree equivalent to that offered by one of the participating academic units at the University of Waterloo must either previously have successfully completed two core Quantum Information courses, QIC 710 (Quantum Information Processing) and QIC 750 (Implementation of Quantum Information Processing), or their equivalents at another institution, or must complete them in addition to a minimum of two one-term courses (all courses of weight 0.5 unit).
Completion of two graduate courses in Quantum Information (other than QIC 710 and QIC 750) is required as part of the requirement for a PhD in Quantum Information at the University of Waterloo. Note in this context that any QIC course offered by the Department of Chemistry satisfies one of the Chemistry course requirements.
Chemistry requires the equivalent of two (2) 0.5 credit Chemistry Graduate courses, which may be satisfied by QIC courses offered by the Department of Chemistry. Where a student does not take a QIC course offered by the Department of Chemistry, another Graduate Chemistry course(s) must be taken to meet the Chemistry course requirement.
An updated list of Quantum Information courses can be found at the following link:
http://www.iqc.ca/graduate-program-in-qi/courses.php
Seminar Milestones
- PhD students in the Quantum Information program must successfully complete a seminar milestone consisting of one seminar held at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC), and one seminar on a QI topic aimed at members of the home academic unit.
- Students must also fulfill the Chemistry program PhD Seminar Proposal milestone. This can be fulfilled simultaneously with the QI requirement for one seminar on a QI topic aimed at members of the home unit.
Thesis Requirement
Students are required:
- to complete the PhD comprehensive oral examination milestone, and
- to submit and defend an acceptable PhD Thesis in Quantum Information
*Direct Admission from a BSc, or Direct Transfer to the PhD program after one year of MSc study
Students who are either admitted to a Master’s degree program at the University of Waterloo with an appropriate honours Bachelor’s degree and who thereafter transfer directly into the PhD program, or are directly admitted from a Bachelor’s degree, must complete:
- QIC 710 and QIC 750
- one of Chem 745 (Statistical Mechanics), 746 (Quantum Chemistry), 756 (Spectroscopy), 769 (Physical Organic Chemistry), 713 (Chemistry of Inorganic Solid Materials),
- two additional QIC courses,
- the MSc thesis seminar proposal milestone,
- the PhD thesis seminar proposal milestone,
- Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) seminar milestone,
- a PhD comprehensive oral examination milestone, and
- an original research dissertation in Quantum Information
Chemistry requires the equivalent of two (2) 0.5 credit Chemistry Graduate courses, which may be satisfied by QIC courses offered by the Department of Chemistry. Where a student does not take a QIC course offered by the Department of Chemistry, another Graduate Chemistry course(s) must be taken to meet the Chemistry course requirement. Any QIC course offered by the Department of Chemistry satisfies one of the Chemistry course requirements.
Faculty Advisors/Thesis Supervisors
Current listing of thesis supervisors and their home departments can be found at the following link:
http://www.gwc2.on.ca/files/ocgs_areas-of-research_and_specialized-reserach-interest.pdf
For more information, please contact the Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry and Biochemistry Office:
(GWC)2 Director
Department of Chemistry
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
N1G 2W1 CANADA
Web site: www.gwc2.on.ca
Email: gwc@uoguelph.ca
Phone: (519) 824-4120 Ext. 53848
or
Monica Dey
Institute for Quantum Computing
University of Waterloo
E-mail: mdey@iqc.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 38702