Admission Requirements
Admission requirements for students admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program having completed a Master of Science (MSc) degree are as follows:
- A 78% overall standing in a two-year MSc or equivalent degree, in a relevant field.
- Three letters of reference, with at least two being academic referees.
- Provide proof of proficiency in English (if applicable); accepted examinations and required minimum scores for graduate studies are listed on the English Language Proficiency page.
We expect that most students entering our program will have previously graduated from a thesis-based MSc degree. There is a possibility to be admitted to the PhD program in the absence of a thesis-based MSc and equivalency will be established on a case-by-case basis. The Admissions Committee however, will require evidence that the student has fulfilled the expected MSc outcomes even in the absence of the MSc degree.
Students in the MSc program in Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo may apply to transfer to the PhD program after their first year in the MSc program but not later than the end of the second year. To be eligible to transfer, the following conditions must be met:
- The student must have completed at least two courses (a total of 1.0 credit units) at the graduate level and have achieved a score of at least 75% in each course.
- The student must be in good academic standing, including not being on probation or carrying incomplete grades.
- The student must demonstrate good progress in a research project that the Advisory Committee considers could be expanded to a PhD project.
- The student must demonstrate superior academic, research and scientific writing and oral presentation skills such that the experience of conducting research, collecting and analyzing data and preparing and defending a thesis at the MSc level could be bypassed. Implicit in this is that the student must demonstrate the necessary potential for research skills and knowledge to successfully complete a PhD.
The student must successfully pass the MSc Thesis Proposal Milestone before being recommended for transfer. Enrolment in the PhD Program for transfer students will be counted from the date of initial registration in the MSc program. The student may begin work on the PhD only after the transfer is approved.
Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded by the Faculty of Science to candidates who have demonstrated a broad knowledge of Pharmacy and have demonstrated a satisfactory level of achievement in research.
The PhD in Pharmacy degree requirements and program milestones are as follows:
- Satisfactory completion of three to five one-term (0.5 unit weight) graduate-level courses, depending on route of entry into the Program, inclusive of PHARM610: ‘Topics in Drug Development’
- Completion of Science Academic Integrity Workshop
- Completion of PhD Thesis Proposal
- Satisfactory performance in a Comprehensive examination
- Completion of PhD Graduate Seminar requirement
- Submission and defence of a thesis, embodying the results of original research
The exact requirements in different circumstances are:
PhD requirements (admission with MSc or equivalent)
- Two one-term (0.5 unit weight) graduate elective courses.
- PHARM 610 (0.5 unit weight).
- All graduate courses with a final mark of 60% or greater.
- Overall cumulative average 70% or greater.
- Completed by a maximum of 12 terms (four years).
PhD requirements (transfer from MSc or admitted from BSc)
- Four one-term (0.5 unit weight) graduate elective courses.
- PHARM 610 (0.5 unit weight).
- All graduate courses with a final mark of 60% or greater.
- Overall cumulative average 70% or greater.
- Completed by a maximum of 18 terms (six years).
Among the three to five courses taken, courses from other departments at the University may be accepted toward this requirement if approved by the Supervisor, Advisory Committee and the Graduate Officer. The main criterion for acceptance will be gaining knowledge in an area that is outside the background of the student but will benefit his/her research program.
Program Structure
In their first year, students will establish their supervisory committee, begin their course work and research, and define and present their thesis proposal. In this year, students will also make a presentation of their thesis proposal to their supervisory committee and and audience including any interested parties so they can receive valuable feedback on their work. The thesis proposal provides the student with an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth and depth of knowledge as well as demonstrate an understanding of how their research fits within their broader discipline.
The second year is devoted to intensive preparation for the comprehensive examination, completion of courses and continuation of research. The Comprehensive Milestone allows the student to demonstrate and be assessed on their breadth and depth of their knowledge as well as their ability to present their arguments in a coherent, logical and scientific manner.
The third and fourth years of the student‘s program are devoted to research, writing, and defending the thesis. In addition to demonstrating the ability to carry out research and teaching at the highest intellectual level, our students will be able to communicate the fruits of that research to a much wider audience than simply those in their particular area of specialty. At the thesis defense, students are required to make a public presentation of their research, which is part of the Program‘s commitment to ensuring the public intelligibility of scholarship.