Research & Coursework

MSc students develop competence in independent research, with the goal that their thesis work lead to a scientific publication. Students also complete a one-semester (0.5 FCE) graduate level course.

Evaluation

Progress is evaluated during regular meetings with the advisory committee. At the conclusion of the program, students defend their thesis in an oral examination.

Program Duration

Typical time to completion is 16-24 months, with funding guaranteed for the first 16 months. Exceptional students demonstrating outstanding progress in their MSc research may transfer into the PhD program at the end of their first year.

Research & Coursework

PhD students conduct original independent research programs that make substantial and innovative contributions to their fields. The thesis is composed of multiple chapters, each worthy of publication as a primary scientific paper. Students must also complete three or four one-semester (0.5 FCE) graduate level courses, depending on admission stream, by the end of their third year.

Evaluation

Progress is evaluated during annual or twice-annual meetings with the advisory committee, and in an appraisal examination and seminar midway through the program. At the conclusion of the program, PhD students must present their research in a public exit seminar, and defend their thesis in an oral examination.

Duration of Funding

The typical time to completion is 4-6 years. Doctoral students have funding guaranteed for 4-5 years, depending on admission stream. Funding beyond the guaranteed period may be available through departmental awards, teaching assistantships, or from the supervisor.

The Environmental Studies (ES) Collaborative Specialization gives students an opportunity to specialize in an area of environmental research and gain exposure to a wide range of intellectual and methodological disciplines focused on environmental issues.

The Collaborative Specialization in Genome Biology & Bioinformatics trains graduate students in the computational, theoretical, biochemical, structural, biological, and genetic approaches used to investigate the connections between genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, and their various functions.

We have been tracking the careers of former PhD student who graduated since 2006.  Of the 149 PhD students who finished between 2006 and 2017, many (66%) have gone on to do postdocs.  Of the ones who have moved beyond postdocs into their careers (n = 97), 34 (35%) them have faculty and/or museum curator positions and 47 have science related jobs.  In other words, of these 149 PhD graduates, almost all of them do/are doing postdocs, have faculty positions, or are doing science-related work.  As far as we know, the few students who have not found relevant employment are limited geographically by family or have been ill.

We recently started tracking the career paths of our MSc alumni.  Of the 142 students, we are aware of the career paths of 108 of them.  Of those, 43 went on to a PhD (40%) and 8 went on to other degrees.  51 went on to science-related careers including positions in government at all levels.

Your T-Card is your University of Toronto student ID card. It provides access to services and facilities such as libraries, athletic facilities, exams, online learning portal, printing services, and more.

Your UTORid is a personal identifier used to access University of Toronto online services, including the Student Web Service, ACORN. It is created for you when you receive for your T-card.

UTmail+ is the University’s official email service, used by students, faculty, and administration for University-related correspondence.

Please create your University-issued email account and link it with your student account on ACORN.

The University Health Insurance Plan is a mandatory health insurance plan for all international and exchange students enrolled in an Ontario university. UHIP helps to cover the cost of hospital and medical services you may need to maintain your health while in Canada. You are automatically enrolled in UHIP, and the coverage charge will be listed on ACORN, your student account.

Domestic students are already covered by provincial healthcare plans, and so are not eligible for UHIP.

Graduate students may apply to live in U of T’s graduate residence Grad House, or those who have a spouse/partner and/or children may apply for student family housing. Many graduate students also choose to live off-campus.

Login to ACORN to register, pay tuition or defer payment.

At the beginning of each academic year, students must register and pay their tuition + other fees (or defer fees until April 30) in order to attend classes or use university facilities.

Registration deadline is mid-Sept (check EEB Grad Handbook). After the final date, you will be required to show proof of payment and register at the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). A late registration fee of $44 plus a $5 per additional day to a max of $94 will be charged.

Students in the funded cohort may register without payment (deferring fees). Students who are out of the funded cohort should contact the EEB Grad Office for a deferral form.

Fees paid by doctoral students in the final year of their program are pro-rated and based on the 12-month academic year. These fees are based on the date the thesis is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, not the date of the thesis defense. It can take SGS several weeks to adjust the final amount of tuition owed after the thesis is submitted. PhD students who submit their final thesis with all corrections and modifications by Sept. 15 do not pay fees for the Sept. session but, after this date, a charge applies for each month in which degree requirements are not completed by the 15th of the month.  

For a table of monthly charges contact: gradadmin.eeb@utoronto.ca. Students whose time limit for degree completion has expired but wish to return (for a max of 12 months) to defend a thesis are required to be reinstated and pay a reinstatement fee. For further information contact the gradadmin.eeb@utoronto.ca

Graduate students may apply for affiliation with Mississauga or Scarborough campus if they meet specific criteria.