M.Sc.

The duration of the M.Sc. program is 16 months.  Students may register on May 1 (field students) or September 1.  Students must complete one graduate course (0.5 full-course-equivalent – i.e. a half-course) chosen from the Courses of Instruction (the Faculty Research Course is recommended).  A thesis is completed under the direction of the student’s supervisor, assisted by an advisory committee, and defended at a departmental oral examination.

A supervisory committee of the supervisor plus two other professors meets within a month or so of first registration to discuss research plans.  A second meeting of the supervisory committee will take place 8 – 9 months after registration to review progress and make any recommendations for completion of the degree.  The student must prepare a written progress report for this meeting.  MSc students must demonstrate competence in independent research and would normally author or co-author research results for primary publication.

Ph.D.

The duration of the Ph.D. program is four years (in exceptional cases five years if entering without an M.Sc. degree).  Students must complete four graduate half-courses chosen from the Courses of Instruction (three courses for students entering with an M.Sc.).  Students transferring into the Ph.D. from the M.Sc. may apply one graduate course (half-course) towards the PhD course requirement.  All students are examined 18 months into the program on both their mastery of concepts in ecology and evolutionary biology and a submitted research proposal.  Students must deliver two public seminars in the Department on their thesis research, and must submit a thesis and defend it at an oral examination conducted by the School of Graduate Studies.

Exceptional students may transfer from the MSc program by demonstrating research excellence at the second meeting of the MSc advisory committee held 8 – 9 months after registration or at an additional committee meeting held no later than 11.5 months after first registration.  These students would register for the PhD program at the beginning of their second year of graduate studies.

Exceptional students admitted to the PhD program without an MSc degree will be admitted into a five-year program and will be required to complete coursework equivalent to the Master’s program in addition to the PhD course requirements.

All PhD students are expected to complete an original independent research program that makes substantial and innovative contributions to their field of research.  It is expected that PhD candidates will publish a number of primary scientific papers based on their research.

 A supervisory committee comprising the supervisor and two other EEB faculty members meets shortly after September registration to evaluate the student’s background and research plans, and meets at least once per year after that to review the student’s progress.  The student must prepare written progress reports for these meetings.  The appraisal examination held no later than 18 months following registration consists of a public part during which the candidate gives a seminar on the thesis work to the whole department and an in camera part. During the in camera phase the student would be expected to demonstrate senior undergraduate competence in general biological principles, mastery of fundamental ecological and evolutionary concepts, advanced expertise in their research specialization, and to defend a strong research proposal. A final supervisory committee meeting would be held approximately three months before the final oral exam to ensure the student is prepared for the final exam held according to School of Graduate Studies regulations.  All students would be expected to present a second departmental seminar on their thesis research during the two-month period before the final oral examination.