Admission Requirements
Admission to the PhD program is based upon the student's academic record and evidence of ability to pursue independent research. At the time of admission, each PhD student must have a faculty supervisor who has endorsed the recommendation for admission. Normally, admission is made to a two-year PhD program from the Master's degree. Once candidates are formally registered they must maintain active registration continuously until the thesis is submitted. The actual time required to satisfy all PhD requirements is usually longer than six terms, but normally twelve terms are considered ample time. Extensions beyond 12 terms must be approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee.
An applicant for the PhD program must normally hold an MASc degree from the University of Waterloo or an equivalent degree in engineering, applied science or mathematics from a university of recognized standing. Admission to the PhD program is approved by the Faculty of Engineering Graduate Studies Committee on an individual case basis. The principal admission criteria are:
- excellence of background preparation and academic achievement in prior degrees and the possession of a relevant Master's degree
- Three letters of reference, at least two of which must be from academic sources
- Proof of competency in English (if applicable). A score of at least 550 is required in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of at least 213 is required on the computer version of the TOEFL . (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification for other acceptable tests of English)
Also...
- All applicants must submit a copy of their resume
- All applicants must submit a one - two page "Plan of Study"
- All applicants must submit a Supplementary Information Form available through the on-line application process*.
Application Deadline
Deadlines for applications to the doctoral should be received by the following deadlines: February 1, to be considered for September admission; July 1, to be considered for January admission and November 1, to be considered for May admission.
Please see the University Admissions information for detailed information concerning admission requirements and deadlines by program and access to the *Apply on-line application process.
Graduate Studies Brochure
Degree Requirements
Coursework
The coursework associated with the PhD program is intended to provide a foundation for advanced learning in the chosen field of research. A minimum of three credit units is required for a PhD studeht holding a MASc degree (7 course credits from a Bachelor program). The faculty supervisor will consider the level and adequacy of each student's preparation in drawing up the candidate's program. It is expected that PhD candidates will maintain a 78% minimum accumulative average in the course work. To obtain credit for the PhD program, an individual course must be passed with at least 75%. Graduate courses will normally include a supervised examination, worth at least 50% of the final grade.
Comprehensive Examination
This examination is conducted by the Department for each candidate. It is normally held 6-16 months after the initial registration for the PhD degree. The examination has two main objectives:
- to examine and approve the thesis proposal, after which an Advisory Committee is identified which is willing to assist the student with the subsequent research program;
- to satisfy the Department that the candidate has a broad knowledge of his/her field and a thorough technical background to pursue his/her research; the candidate will be questioned on his/her background preparation.
The result of this examination is the identification of an advisory committee which has examined and approved the candidate's thesis proposal and is willing to assist the supervisor with the subsequent research program. The validity of the comprehensive examination expires after three years.
PhD Research Seminar
The aim of the Research Seminar is to allow the student to gain experience in preparing and presenting his/her work. The Research Seminar should be given three terms after the PhD comprehensive examination. These seminars will be attended by faculty members, members of the student's advisory committee, and the PhD and MASc students. Since this is not intended to be an examination, the seminar presentation, and the feedback communication, would be regarded as satisfying the seminar credit requirements.
Thesis
The primary objective of the PhD program is the accomplishment of independent and original research work and reporting thereon in a research thesis. The subsidiary requirements are completion of a suitable coursework program, passing a comprehensive examination and receiving a satisfactory review by an advisory committee.
The requirements for the PhD degree are completed when the student successfully defends his or her thesis before an examination committee. This committee should consist of the supervisor, 3 other members of the University (at least one of whom should be from outside the Department) and an external examiner. Faculty from other Departments who hold cross appointments in the Department are counted as departmental members in defining examining committees.
See the Graduate Studies Calendar - Thesis Submissions