Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Mathematics (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 Master of Mathematics (MMath), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Applied Science (MASc), and Doctor of Philosophy (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 Applied Mathematics is given below.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements are the same as those for the PhD in Applied Mathematics.
Degree Requirements
For the PhD in Applied Mathematics (Quantum Information), students must fulfill the requirements of the Applied Mathematics PhD in addition to the specific requirements for the Quantum Information program. These combined requirements are described here.
The requirements for the PhD degree in Applied Mathematics (Quantum Information) are:
-
four one-term (0.50 unit) graduate courses after the Master's degree, with a breadth requirement and Quantum Information course requirement, or eight one-term (0.50 unit) graduate courses after the Bachelor's degree, with a breadth requirement and Quantum Information course requirement,
-
the successful completion of the PhD Comprehensive Examination,
-
the PhD Lecturing Requirement
-
the Quantum Information Seminar Requirement
-
the presentation and defence of a PhD thesis in Quantum Information which contains the results of original research.
PhD students are allowed to take at most one 600-level course (including similar cross-listed courses offered by other departments) for credit.
Breadth Requirement
All Doctoral students are required to take one Computation course, one Differential Equations course, and one Techniques course, from the following list:
If a PhD student has taken an equivalent course during a Master's program, this can be counted, upon approval from the graduate officer, towards completion of the breadth requirement but does not reduce the number of courses required.
The program of studies of a PhD student is directed by an Advisory Committee consisting of the research supervisor and two other faculty members who may be from outside the Applied Mathematics Department. The supervisor, who has the primary responsibility for directing a PhD student's research, must be an Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor (ADDS). "ADDS" status is granted by the Mathematics Faculty Graduate Committee. A list of approved Quantum Information supervisors is available on the Institute for Quantum Computing website.
The course work of a PhD student's program is approved by the supervisor. In the spirit of the interdisciplinary nature of Applied Mathematics, students are encouraged to take a broad spectrum of courses which are not necessarily restricted to Applied Mathematics Departmental courses. For example, our students often take relevant courses from the Departments of Pure Mathematics, Physics, the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, and the various Departments in the Faculty of Engineering.
Quantum Information Course Requirement
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 the two core Quantum Information courses or their equivalents at another institution, or must complete them during the PhD program. These interdisciplinary courses provide a strong foundation in quantum information science.
- QIC 710: Quantum Information Processing (0.50 credit)
- QIC 750: Implementation of Quantum Information Processing (0.50 credit)
Furthermore, the 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.
PhD Comprehensive Examination
The PhD Advisory Committee should be approved within 12 months of enrolment in the PhD program. It shall consist of the supervisor(s) and two others who will normally be in the department. This committee will ultimately be part of the PhD Examination Committee.
In the fourth term of enrolment in the program, the candidate will give a seminar of at most 30 - 45 minutes on the proposed area of research, emphasizing the background material. Shortly thereafter the Advisory Committee shall meet to decide on which areas relevant to the research the candidate will be examined and who will be responsible for each area. The candidate will be informed of the areas of examination 3 - 4 months prior to the Comprehensive Examination.
The candidate will submit a typed research proposal (normally 25 - 30 pages in length) to the Advisory Committee at least two weeks prior to the Comprehensive Examination, which will normally be taken in the fifth term of the PhD program. The proposal will contain a statement of the research problem, together with appropriate background information and motivation, references to related work in the literature, an indication of the methods that might be used to solve the problem, and any progress made to date. The examination will consist of a presentation by the candidate of the proposed research, 20 - 25 minutes in length, followed by two rounds of questions. The first will be on the background material and the second on the formulation of the research proposal and on the relevant research literature. Each examiner shall question the candidate for approximately 15 - 20 minutes in each round. If there is more than one supervisor, the candidate will normally be questioned by only one supervisor in each round in order not to diminish the time allotted to each questioner. The Comprehensive Examination should normally be completed in two hours.
If the Committee finds that the candidate's performance is unsatisfactory in some aspect, they will specify what further requirements the candidate has to fulfil, e.g., to resubmit the research proposal, suitably modified, or to take an oral examination on a specific subject area at a later date.
The Comprehensive Examination is normally taken within the fifth term of admission to the PhD program. Students who have not satisfactorily completed this requirement by the end of the fifth term will have their progress reviewed by the Departmental Graduate Committee.
PhD Lecturing Requirement
Students normally satisfy this requirement by teaching a one-term undergraduate course, usually at the first or second year level, under the supervision of a faculty member. Students will satisfy this requirement after completing the PhD Comprehensive Examination and after obtaining experience as a teaching assistant. If the Department is unable to provide the student with a suitable undergraduate course to teach, the requirement may be met by giving a series of lectures of an introductory nature concerning their field of research.
PhD Quantum Information Seminar Requirement
PhD students in the Quantum Information program must successfully complete a seminar milestone consisting of one IQC seminar, and one seminar on a QI topic aimed at members of the home academic unit.
If appropriate, lectures given as part of the Applied Mathematics PhD Lecturing Requirement may also be used to satisfy the seminar requirement.
PhD Thesis Examination
It is required that a PhD thesis contain original results of a student that would warrant publication in the research literature. Indeed, candidates are encouraged to publish papers based on their research either before or after submitting their theses. Moreover, the Department expects a PhD thesis to be a scholarly work that is broad in scope. As such, it should contain a discussion of the history of the research problem and an analysis of the relevant literature.
The candidate shall defend the thesis in an oral examination before an Examining Committee, which shall consist of the supervisor, two faculty members in the Department, one faculty member from outside the Department, and an external examiner familiar with the student's research field. The committee is approved by the Faculty Graduate Committee. (See Graduate Studies Calendar: Academic Regulations - Minimum Requirements for the PhD Degree.)
Transfer from MMath (Thesis) to PhD Program
Master's students who are excelling in their graduate work may transfer to the PhD program. To initiate a transfer the student's supervisor must submit a written request to the Graduate Officer. Names of two potential examiners should be included. The request should be accompanied by a statement of research progress to date, written by the student, approximately three pages in length. Normally transfers will be considered during the student's fourth semester.
If the Graduate Officer agrees to consider the transfer, the student will be asked to give a departmental research seminar. The seminar will be attended by an examining committee, consisting of the supervisor(s), two other faculty members and the Graduate Officer. The examining committee would normally become the PhD Advisory Committee, should the requested transfer be approved. The research seminar should be approximately 40 minutes in length, with 20 minutes for questions by the examining committee and other members of the audience. For the transfer to be approved, the student must have excelled in his/her course work (normally four graduate courses) and must demonstrate outstanding research potential. In addition, the student should demonstrate good oral and written English skills. The transfer to the PhD program must be approved by both the examining committee and the Graduate Officer.
Students who transfer to the PhD program should normally have their comprehensive examination in the fifth semester since their initial enrollment in the graduate program.
Applicants for the PhD program who hold a Master's degree from another university may, in some cases, be admitted initially into the MMath program. In such cases the Graduate Committee will decide, within three terms, whether to transfer the student into the PhD program.
A list of Quantum Information courses that are offered each term is available on the Institute for Quantum Computing website.
For more information about the program, please contact:
Applied Mathematics, Graduate Studies
Email: amgrad@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33170
or
Monica Dey
Institute for Quantum Computing
University of Waterloo
E-mail: mdey@iqc.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 38702