Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Sustainability Management

The program information below was valid for the winter 2022 term (January 1, 2022 - April 30, 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
• Delivery mode 
  • On-campus
• Program type 
  • Doctoral
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • A Master’s degree with distinction (typically an overall average of at least 80%, or equivalent).
  • Facility with research methods is expected, whether through the presentation of specific graduate courses or original research at the graduate level.
• Application materials 
  • Résumé
  • Supplementary information form
  • Transcript(s)
• References 
  • Number of references:  3
  • Type of references: 

    academic references are required unless a professional reference is specified.

• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Thesis option:

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• Students must complete the following courses:
  • SUSM 701 Advanced theories
  • SUSM 702 Research design and methods
  • 2 elective courses
• Students may request permission from the SEED Graduate Advisor to enrol in elective courses in other graduate programs that will complement their program of study.

Link(s) to courses

• Sustainability Management (SUSM) courses

PhD Professional Development Seminar I and PhD Professional Development Seminar II

• The PhD in Sustainability Management prepares students for career paths both inside and outside academia, including employment in government, business and third sector organizations. PhD professional development seminars allow students to gain skills suitable to knowledge mobilization and careers outside of academia.
• Students are required to complete two professional development seminars. Normally seminars should be completed before the PhD comprehensive examination.

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).
• Further details are available from the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) website.

PhD Thesis Proposal

• Students present the research proposal to their doctoral advisory committee that has been set up, consisting of the supervisor, two committee members from the school, and one internal-external member who is not appointed or cross-appointed as SEED faculty. The research proposal consists of a written and an oral part. The milestone will be completed shortly (within a term) after the comprehensive examination. Students send the proposal in a written form to the committee members, gets their feedback and integrates the feedback into the proposal. The research proposal is accepted if all committee members agree to accept it. The decision will be communicated to the school’s graduate officer. The approved proposal is binding to both the student and the advisory committee.

PhD Thesis

• The thesis should address original research and can be written either in form of a monograph or as a paper-based thesis. The thesis has to be presented in a public defense in front of a doctoral defence committee consisting of the members of the student’s doctoral advisory examination committee and an external member who is not a faculty member of the University of Waterloo and who has not been involved in the candidate’s research. After the presentation the committee asks questions about and provides comments to the thesis and the presentation.