Ph.D. Mineral Deposits and Precambrian Geology

Potential students should contact the faculty member in the area of interest before applying through the office of Graduate Studies.

The Ph.D. program requires the completion of six one-term graduate level course equivalents beyond the B.Sc., or four one-term graduate-level courses beyond the M.Sc. In either case, one of the courses shall be the PhD Graduate Seminar (GEOL 6007). In addition a candidate must prepare a Ph.D. research proposal within nine months of registration; they must pass an oral Ph.D. Qualifying Examination within 18 months of registration, and must successfully defend a Ph.D. Thesis (GEOL 6000).

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program must normally possess a Master's degree or equivalent in Geoscience from a recognized university with a minimum average grade of B+. Applicants must provide evidence of suitable educational background and potential for advanced research in their selected discipline. Letters from referees, professional experience and publication record are additional criteria that may be taken into consideration for admission. A student with a B.Sc. Honours degree will not normally be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program. M.Sc. students wishing to transfer to the Ph.D. program without completing an MSc thesis must first obtain a recommendation from their M.Sc. Advisory Committee. The Department will then evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the performance of the student in graduate courses and research.

Residency Requirements

A minimum of two full academic terms of full-time residence is required for all Ph.D. students within their first two years of study. The minimum period of study is two years (full-time) for candidates holding a M.Sc. degree, or three years (full-time) for candidates entering the program with a B.Sc. Honours degree.

Procedures for Ph.D. Research Proposal Evaluation and Qualifying Examination

1. Students entering the Ph.D. program must submit a written Ph.D. Research Proposal to their Ph.D. Advisory Committee within 9 months of registration. The research proposal consists of no more than 6 single spaced typewritten pages including figures and references. It must contain:

• A short abstract of no more than 150 words
• A clear explanation of the research problem and thesis objectives
• A brief review of the critical literature relevant to the project
• An outline of the research methodology
• A discussion of potential results of the research and their implications
• A timetable of research activities

The proposal must be approved by the Ph.D. Advisory Committee in order to proceed to the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The Ph.D. thesis supervisor will forward a copy of the thesis proposal to the Departmental Graduate Coordinator to be filed in the student’s personal dossier.

1. Full-time and part-time students registered in the Ph.D. program with a M.Sc. degree must pass an oral Ph.D. Qualifying Examination within 12 months and 18 months of registration, respectively. Students transferring from the M.Sc. to Ph.D. program without first completing the M.Sc. program must pass the Qualifying Examination within 12 months of the transfer or within 24 months of first registration in the M.Sc. program, whichever period is longer.
   
2. The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Board will consist of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee and at least one other member of the Department who will be selected by the Ph.D. Advisory Committee in consultation with the Departmental Graduate Coordinator. The Departmental Graduate Coordinator or a designated alternate will chair the examination.
   
3. Only the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Board will attend the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. The student must present a brief oral summary of the research proposal, including details of work to date, work in progress, and a plan for completion. Following the presentation, the student will be asked questions in subdisciplines of geology relevant to the thesis project. The subdisciplines will be decided by the Ph.D. Advisory Committee and communicated in writing to the student within one week of approval of the Ph.D. Research Proposal. The number of subdisciplines will normally be limited to three, but more than three may be identified by the Ph.D. Advisory Committee if necessitated by the scope of the Ph.D. Research Proposal.
   
4. The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Board will assign an unconditional pass, a pass with conditions, a fail with the option to retake the examination once within six months, or a fail with dismissal. A simple majority vote, or a split vote if the Board is composed of an even number of voting members, is required for an unconditional pass or a pass with conditions. The conditions may include taking one or more undergraduate or graduate courses and/or studying a list of texts/research papers. The student will be notified of the decision of the Board immediately after the Examination. The Chair of the Board will submit a brief written report of the Examination to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies with copies to the student, the members of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Board, and the Departmental Graduate Coordinator.