Doctor of Philosophy in Nanotechnology
The University of Waterloo offers the first MSc and PhD programs in Nanotechnology of its kind in Canada. The interdisciplinary research program, jointly offered by three departments in the Faculty of Science and four in the Faculty of Engineering, provide students with a stimulating educational environment that spans from basic research through to application. The goal of the collaborative program is to allow students to gain perspectives on nanotechnology from a wide community of scholars within and outside their disciplines in both course and thesis work.
The MSc collaborative program provides a strong foundation in the emerging areas of nano-science in preparation for the workforce or for further graduate study and research leading to a doctoral degree. Four key areas of research strengths have been identified: nanomaterials, nano-electronics design and fabrication, nano-instruments and devices, and nano-biosystems. The objective of the PhD program is to prepare students for careers in academia, industrial R & D and government research labs.
Admission requirements are the same as home department programs. The home department in which the applicant intends to pursue graduate study must approve the application. Interested students should apply directly to one of the following departments via the regular university application process:
Biology
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
Physics and Astronomy
Systems Design Engineering
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements are the same as those for MSc and PhD in Chemistry. Please refer to the following website: http://www.gwc2.on.ca/files/chem_plus_nanotechnology.pdf
Degree Requirements
The MSc program requirements are:
- three half credit (0.5) courses including two required core courses, one graduate level Chemistry elective course from the approved list ,
- MSc thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 794, and
- original research thesis dissertation
For the PhD program, students who are admitted with an appropriate masters degree must complete:
- three half credit core (0.5) courses including two required core courses and one graduate level Chemistry course or if students have already completed the BASc degree in Nanotechnology Engineering or Masters degree in Nanotechnology at the University of Waterloo, two half credit (0.5) courses including one half credit graduate level elective Chemistry course and one half credit course from all graduate courses from the approved list of electives,
- PhD thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 795,
- a PhD comprehensive oral examination (CHEM 796), and
- an original research dissertation
Students admitted with an appropriate honours bachelor’s degree who transfer directly to the PhD program must complete:
- four half credit (0.5) courses including two required core courses, one elective graduate level Chemistry course from the approved list and one graduate level Chemistry course,
- MSc thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 794,
- PhD thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 795,
- a PhD comprehensive oral examination (CHEM 796), and
- an original research dissertation
Students who transfer directly from a masters program to the PhD program must complete:
- five half credit (0.5) courses including two required core courses, one elective course from the approved list, and two graduate level Chemistry courses,
- MSc thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 794,
- PhD thesis proposal milestone, CHEM 795,
- a PhD comprehensive oral examination (CHEM 796) and
- an original research dissertation
Core Courses
Core courses are designed to provide the base knowledge and skill set required to prepare students for more specialized courses and to conduct interdisciplinary nanoscale research. Generally, students are required to take two core courses and complete the Nanotechnology seminar. All core courses will have written examinations.
The two required core courses are:
NANO 701: Fundamentals of Nanotechnology (0.5 credit)
NANO 702: Nanotechnology Tools (0.5 credit)
Exemptions
Students who have completed their BASc degree in Nanotechnology Engineering or Masters degree in Nanotechnology at the University of Waterloo will not be required to take the two core courses. Instead, they can choose all graduate courses from the prescribed list of electives.
Graduate Chemistry students are required to complete, as required, the Chem 794 MSc Seminar and/or Chem 795 PhD Seminar and are exempted from the Nanotechnology Seminar milestone. Seminar attendance requirements can be completed by attendance at any combination of Chemistry and Nanotechnology Seminars.
Nanotechnology Seminar
The nanotechnology seminar is a forum for student presentation of research results or proposals. Speakers from academia and industry will also be invited from time to time. The range of topics that will be addressed in the seminar crosses all areas of nanotechnology research in the collaborative program. To receive this milestone credit, the student is required to present at least one seminar.
For the updated list of approved technical elective courses, click here
Faculty Advisors/Thesis Supervisors
Current listing of thesis supervisors and their home departments can be found at the following link:
http://www.gwc2.on.ca/files/ocgs_areas-of-research_and_specialized-reserach-interest.pdf
For more information, please contact the Guelph-Waterloo Graduate Work in Chemistry and Biochemistry Office
(GWC)2 Director
Department of Chemistry
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON
N1G 2W1 CANADA
Web site: www.gwc2.on.ca
Email: gwc@uoguelph.ca
Phone: (519) 824-4120 Ext. 53848
or
Lisa Baxter
Assistant to the Director
Nanotechnology Graduate Program
Email: lbaxter@uwaterloo.ca
(519) 888-4567 ext. 32019