Master of Science (MSc) in Biology - Water

The program information below was valid for the winter 2023 term (January 1, 2023 - April 30, 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
• Program type 
  • Collaborative
  • Master's
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • A 75% overall standing in the last two years, or equivalent, in an Honours Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent.
  • 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.
• 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 a minimum of 3 one-term (0.50 unit weight) graduate courses accepted for credit by the Department of Biology. 2 of these course credits will be satisfied by WATER 601 and WATER 602.
• Water core courses:
  • WATER 601 Integrated Water Management
  • WATER 602 Integrated Water Management Project
• This degree is offered through the Collaborative Water Program. This program, jointly offered by a range of departments across several academic faculties, promotes the development of interdisciplinary perspectives on water. Collaborative Water Program students complete their specialist training in their respective home departments, while working with colleagues from a variety of other departments in core interdisciplinary courses (WATER 601 and WATER 602).
• The Department will determine whether or not collaborative program courses can be used as electives. It is therefore possible that students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the specific requirements of the program.

Link(s) to courses

• Biology (BIOL) courses
• Water (WATER) courses

Academic Integrity Workshop

Master's Seminar

• Students will make a formal presentation on their research at an annual symposium or other designated event. This will be an opportunity to interact with a very broad multidisciplinary audience that crosses all areas of research in the collaborative programs.

Collaborative Research Seminar I

• Students are required to present a seminar on their thesis or major paper research proposal and, if appropriate, early stage results to current and past Water students and Water Institute faculty members. Seminars will normally occur following the completion of WATER 601 and WATER 602. Seminars will provide the opportunity for students to discuss how learnings from Water courses were applied in, or influenced, research proposals or research work in the student’s home department. Seminars will normally be poster presentations at Water Institute organized events. The seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis or paper; rather, its purpose is to develop the student's ability to communicate their research in an organized and informative manner.

Master’s Thesis Proposal

Master’s Thesis

• Students must submit and defend a thesis.