School of
Graduate Studies

For academics interested in

• Further investigations and research
• Pursuing individualized-learning objectives as well as excellent research and publication opportunities.

Program overview

 The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program is research-oriented and offered in six multidisciplinary areas of study in the sciences

• Biomolecular Science
  • Concentrations: Bioinformatics; Biochemistry; Biophysics; Biotechnology; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics and development; Structural biology. 
  • Affiliated Departments: Biological Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Mathematics and Computer Science; Physics

• Biosystems and Biodiversity
  • Concentrations: Biogeography; Ecology; Environmental science; Evolutionary biology; Global change; Physiology; Resource ecology; Systematics; Water resource policy and management 
  • Affiliated Departments: Biological Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Geography

• Earth, Space, and Physical Science
  • Concentrations: Astrophysics; Biophysics; Climate change; Condensed and soft matter; Earth systems; Geophysics; Geomatics; Inorganic chemistry; Materials science; Nanoscience; Organic chemistry; Organometallic chemistry; Physical chemistry; Remote sensing; Spectroscopy; Water and environmental science
  • Affiliated Departments: Biological Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry; Geography; Physics

• Evolution and Behaviour
  • Concentrations: Animal behaviour; Behavioural ecology; Ethology and comparative psychology; Evolutionary ecology; Evolutionary psychology; Evolution and cognition: Language development; Sexuality 
  • Affiliated Departments: Biological Sciences; Psychology and Neuroscience

• Theoretical and Computational Science
  • Concentrations: Applied mathematics; Bioinformatics; Biophysics; Computational and theoretical chemistry; Computer science; Geophysics; Nanoscience; Pure mathematics; Theoretical physics; Mathematical biology; Demography; Statistics 
  • Affiliated Departments: Chemistry and Biochemistry; Mathematics and Computer Science; Physics

• Neuroscience
  • Concentrations: Behavioural neuroscience; Cell and molecular neuroscience; Cognitive neuroscience; Computational neuroscience; Neuroimaging; Neuropsychology; 
  • Affiliated Departments: Psychology; Neuroscience

Students will complete 0-6 courses, a comprehensive exam, and a written thesis

Fees

Finding a Supervisor

Program Requirements

Basic criteria include:

• Master degree awarded from a recognized institution where the language of instruction is English and the student's work is in English

• Minimum grade point average of 3.5 (based on a 4.00 scale) on all graded master’s-level courses

International Students

English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELP)

• TOEFL (U of L institutional code is 0855) taken within the last two years
  • a paper-based TOEFL of at least 580 and a Test of Written English (TWE) score of 5.0
    OR
  • iBT TOEFL (computer-based) of at least 93
• IELTS with an official score of at least 6.5 (no band less than 5.5); taken within last two years
• CAEL Assessment score of 70 or higher, taken within the last two years.

PhD candidate (neuroscience) Tine MacDonald talks about her experience at the University of Lethbridge