Doctoral Degree

Applicants must have academic credentials consistent with being fully-qualified to undertake graduate work at the doctoral level; the categories of probationary or qualifying student do not apply at the doctoral level. Admission normally requires that the applicant has obtained a thesis-based Master's degree in the discipline. In a few academic units (Biology, Chemistry or Biochemistry, and Engineering), an applicant with an honours bachelor's degree of first class standing (including a thesis) from an accredited university may be considered for direct entry to a doctoral program. In either case, at the time the recommendation is made, the supervisor(s) must be identified, and in faculties lacking formal departments, the Dean of the faculty or designate must indicate approval.

An applicant who is judged deficient in background training or in courses prerequisite to scholarly work in the particular subject(s) of study and research will not be admitted as a doctoral student. An applicant may be admitted as a Master's student and be required to undertake specific courses or activities towards establishing appropriate credentials, but any graduate study undertaken for this purpose cannot be counted as time spent toward formal requirements for the degree. Alternatively, an applicant may be accepted at the Master's level as a means of illustrating suitability to enter a doctoral program, and after the first year may request, through the academic unit, a transfer to a Ph.D. program (see below).

A comprehensive examination or equivalent is not a formal requirement of FGSR, but may be required by individual academic units.

Master's Degree

General requirements for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research apply and specific details include:

• A baccalaureate graduating average of at least 70% is required for direct admission to all programs except for English and History where the average for admission is 75%. International students should check the web site for grade conversions based on the most common grading scales for each country. Applicants with a marginally lower 4-year average may be accepted if their performance in the last two complete years is significantly higher (75% or more). Letters of recommendation, preferably from former professors or persons acquainted with the work of the applicant, and in a position to comment critically on the capability to do graduate research or course work, must support this promise of ability.
• An applicant is to have the academic background required to undertake graduate studies in the chosen field. Applicants who fail to meet this requirement but who otherwise meet the criteria may be admitted; however, background deficiencies will be addressed by taking appropriate courses either prior to or in parallel with graduate work.
• Some academic units have additional entrance requirements (see Application Procedures).
• Special regulations and procedures apply to full-time University employees as candidates for graduate study (see Policies and Procedures).
• Offers of admission are valid for one year unless specified otherwise.
• If the academic unit recommends acceptance, the application is then referred to the Dean or designate for further review. Acceptance of an applicant into a graduate program is the purview of the Dean of FGSR. Academic units may correspond with applicants concerning availability of specific classes, research equipment, etc, but NOT CONCERNING ACCEPTABILITY. Note that a faculty member's willingness to serve as supervisor does not constitute acceptance into a graduate program. The official letter of acceptance/non-acceptance is sent to the applicant by the Dean of FGSR or the Dean's designate. Non-acceptance of an applicant may depend on considerations other than those listed in the Admission section. These include availability of facilities for the type of research that the applicant wishes to pursue and the availability of faculty members to supervise the proposed research.