Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biology

The program information below was valid for the fall 2022 term (September 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

• Admit term(s) 
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
• Delivery mode 
  • On-campus
• Program type 
  • Doctoral
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • A 75% overall standing, or equivalent in a Master of Science (MSc) degree in a relevant field.
  • Students holding degrees from institutions outside Canada may be required to submit Graduate Record Examination scores (GRE, Analytical and Quantitative) with their application.
  • Before applying to the program, students are strongly advised to establish contact with potential supervisors. It is a good strategy to identify whether the potential supervisors that students would like to undertake research with have available positions and funding.
  • 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 Department Graduate Officer.
• Application materials 
  • Résumé
  • Supplementary information form
  • Transcript(s)
• References 
  • Number of references:  3
  • Type of references: 

    at least 2 academic

• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Thesis option:

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• Students must complete 2 one-term graduate courses (0.50 unit weight) accepted for credit by the Department of Biology. A minimum of 1 course should be from the Biology course offerings.
• For candidates who do not hold a Master's degree, the requirement will be a minimum of 4 one-term graduate courses (0.50 unit weight). A minimum of 2 courses should be from the Biology course offerings.
• Undergraduate level courses cannot be credited towards the PhD degree requirements.

Link(s) to courses

• Biology (BIOL) courses

Academic Integrity Workshop

PhD Seminar

• Students will make a formal presentation on their research at an annual symposium or other designated event.

PhD Thesis Proposal

PhD Comprehensive Examination

• Students are required to meet the University-level PhD Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements outlined in the “Minimum requirements for the PhD degree” section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar (GSAC).

PhD Thesis

• Students must submit and defend a thesis, embodying the results of original research.