Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemical Engineering

The program information below was valid for the spring 2023 term (May 1, 2023 - August 31, 2023). 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
• Length of program 
  • The minimum period of registration for the PhD degree is four terms. Degree requirements must be satisfied within four calendar years following the date of admission into the PhD program, unless extensions are approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, Engineering. Requests for extension must be supported by a written departmental recommendation along with a realistic timetable for the completion of the degree and evidence of adequate progress in research. Extensions are not granted automatically and will be refused in the case of inadequate progress. University of Waterloo regulations stipulate that approval of an extension past three extended terms is at the discretion of the Associate Provost, Graduate Studies.
  • A minimum of two terms of full-time residence is expected from students who wish to proceed on a part-time basis. Full-time residency means that a student is present on campus for at least three days a week, or a sufficient period of time per week to satisfy the supervisor. The most appropriate time for this residence period will be established in consultation with the supervisor(s) and the Associate Chair Graduate Studies.
  • Part-time students should be advised that the Faculty of Engineering expects at least 20 hours per week to be devoted to advanced study and research.
• Program type 
  • Doctoral
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • At the time of admission, each student must have an approved PhD supervisor who has agreed in writing to supervise their academic program or co-supervisors, at least one of whom is an approved PhD supervisor. The Faculty of Engineering maintains a list of individually approved research supervisors, known as Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisors (ADDS). Additions to and deletions from this list are made by the Engineering Graduate Studies Sub-Committee upon the recommendation of the Chemical Engineering Department’s Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
  • Applicants must demonstrate excellence of background preparation and academic achievement in prior degrees and, usually, possess a relevant, thesis-based Master's degree. In the Faculty of Engineering, a minimum 80% standing in an applicant's appropriate Master's program is the usual requirement. A Master's degree obtained without a full research thesis is normally an inadequate qualification for admission to the PhD program.
  • Within the three required references for admission to Graduate Studies, the opinions on academic preparation and research ability must refer to the applicant’s demonstrated ability to formulate research problems and execute the research required to solve problems, as indicated by a Master’s of Applied Science (MASc) research thesis or published scientific/technical paper. The references should also refer to the applicant having adequate English language skills to pursue a doctoral program, with all of its requirements, at the University of Waterloo.
  • The Engineering Graduate Studies Sub-Committee requires objective evidence of English language skills. Technical publications that have been written principally by an applicant and published in refereed English language journals, a thesis written in English, or a personal interview with the Chemical Engineering Department’s Associate Chair for Graduate Studies are also considered as evidence.
  • Transfer to the PhD program without completion of the MASc program: A student enrolled in a MASc program at the University of Waterloo may apply for transfer to the PhD program without completing a Master's degree. Transfer from a MASc program to a PhD program will normally be initiated at the Department level.
  • The supervisor shall prepare for the Chemical Engineering Department’s Graduate Review Committee a memorandum that summarizes the applicant’s qualifications for transfer. At least one additional written recommendation from another Chemical Engineering Department faculty member will facilitate a decision on the transfer request.
  • Admission to the PhD program from a BASc program: In exceptional cases, applicants who have spent at least three years pursuing an appropriate Honours Bachelor's degree may be considered for admission to a PhD program, upon request from the Chemical Engineering Department.
• 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 with a MASc degree must complete CHE 600 Engineering and Research Methods, Ethics, Practice, and Law (0.25 credit weight) and 3 graduate courses (0.50 unit weight per course) as follows:
  • 3 graduate level elective courses (a minimum of 2 CHE)
  • If CHE 601 Theory and Application of Transport Phenomena and CHE 602 Chemical Reactor Analysis or course equivalents were not taken during MASc studies, electives are reduced and these courses are substituted
• 3 must be 600 or 700 level graduate courses. Note: 1 500 level course may be permitted if recommended by the student's supervisor and the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to enrolling in the course. The course must be approved by the student's supervisor, the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies and the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies.
• No more than 1 may be taught by supervisor(s).
• No more than 1 may be a reading course.
   
• Students without a MASc degree must complete CHE 600 Engineering and Research Methods, Ethics, Practice, and Law (0.25 credit weight) and 7 graduate courses (0.50 unit weight per course) as follows:
  • CHE 601 Theory and Application of Transport Phenomena
  • CHE 602 Chemical Reactor Analysis
  • 5 graduate level elective courses of which 2 must be CHE courses
• 5 must be 600 or 700 level graduate courses.
• No more than 2 may be 500 level courses.
• No more than 2 may be taught by supervisor(s).
• No more than 1 may be a reading course.
   
• The Chemical Engineering Department may require students to take more than 3 courses. In every case, a graduate course program is established by the supervisor(s) in consultation with the student and, if deemed necessary, with the Associate Chair Graduate Studies of the Department. Students may also be required to take additional courses as a result of a comprehensive examination.

• Graduate courses offered by the Faculty of Engineering are numbered as 600 or 700 series courses and are assigned a unit weight of 0.50, which means that they are one-term courses as defined in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

• Only courses taken within five years prior to the completion of the PhD degree may be counted for credit towards a degree, unless a request for revalidation is granted.

• Students must achieve a:
  • Minimum cumulative average of 70%.
  • Minimum grade of 65% in each individual course.
• Each student is responsible for monitoring their own academic records and must immediately notify their Graduate Coordinator of any inadequate grade or average.

Link(s) to courses

• Chemical Engineering (CHE) courses

Seminar Attendance

• Over the course of their degree program, all PhD students should attend 24 seminars from departments and research institutions where Chemical Engineering faculty members have a membership. The Chemical Engineering seminars are documented in the Events section of the Chemical Engineering Department.
• Note: At Chemical Engineering seminars, attendance is documented. At other approved seminars, students must complete an attendance form and get it signed by the seminar organizer. Full instructions are available on the Department website.

PhD Advisory Committee Meeting and Report

• Students are required to engage in a 30-60 minute, in-person or remote, PhD Advisory Committee meeting, composed of a 15-minute presentation by the student to report research progress along with a written summary of courses and milestones completed.
• The PhD Advisory Committee provides the student with a PhD Advisory Committee Report describing progress on coursework and milestones completed and an assessment by each committee member of the student’s progress (excellent, satisfactory, unsatisfactory) in the following areas:
  • Understanding of material
  • Ability to handle discussion
  • Preparation, presentation, and organization
  • Research progress
  • Coursework progress
  • Overall
• Students with a MASc degree must complete a PhD Advisory Committee meeting during the 3rd term after completing their PhD comprehensive examination, with no extensions.
• Students without a MASc degree must complete a PhD Advisory Committee Meeting during (i) the 4th term from the start of their program and (ii) the 3rd term after completing their PhD comprehensive examination, with no extensions.
• All PhD students will be required to complete a 2nd PhD Advisory Committee Meeting the 3rd term after completion of a previous PhD Advisory Committee Meeting in which their overall progress was assessed as “unsatisfactory” unless they have scheduled a PhD comprehensive examination or defense during that term.

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), with certain noted differences that are specific to the Faculty of Engineering Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements:
  • Comprehensive examination purpose: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
  • Timing: Students must follow the Faculty of Engineering completion timelines whereby students shall complete their comprehensive examination before the end of their 4th term or 6th term in cases where the student is admitted to the PhD program without a completed Master’s degree.
  • Committee: Students must follow the Faculty of Engineering committee composition guidelines which differ from the University-level minimum requirements in both number of committee members and committee makeup.
  • Who Chairs an examination: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
  • Format / Content: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements but with additional information provided in the Faculty of Engineering Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements.
  • Academic integrity: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.

PhD Thesis

• Students are expected to maintain continuous registration until the thesis is submitted to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Under exceptional circumstances, students may request Departmental approval for inactive terms.
• The role of a supervisor is to help a student establish a research problem with an appropriate scope, suggest alternative general approaches to the solution of a problem, and provide general advice on the structure and content of a thesis. The professional engineering code of ethics must be strictly observed in the supervisor-student relationship.