Description of the program

The objectives of the Ph.D. Program in Materials Science are to provide students with broad knowledge of materials science concepts, to accentuate their knowledge in their specific area of materials science expertise, and to provide training in the conduct and dissemination of advanced-level research in materials science. The wide breadth of research interests and academic disciplines encompassed by the program will ensure that students will be exposed to a variety of distinct, yet complementary, research areas and approaches. The program will thus foster a broader scientific background compared to that typically offered in single-discipline programs.

Given the prevalence of mining-related research activity by many core faculty in the program, the students in the program will also be exposed to the many facets in which materials science is applied to the mining and mineral processing sector. This aspect of the program will provide students with a unique perspective on the field of materials science not emphasized in other North American universities.

General regulations

In general the requirements for admission are: language competency, residency, thesis, time limit, etc. The general academic regulations for the program are as follows:

Admission requirements

The normal entry requirement for the PhD in Materials Science is a M.Sc. or M.A.Sc. in a materials science-related discipline from a recognized university with a minimum grade of B+. The M.Sc. discipline may include, but is not limited to, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Earth Sciences/Geology and Mathematics. All applications will be evaluated by the Program’s Admissions Committee, which will determine the suitability of the prospective applicant’s academic background for entry into the Program (in light of the courses taken, research experience, etc.). Admission to the program also requires approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, as well as the assignment of a research supervisor.

Alternately, particularly strong applicants registered in a pertinent M.Sc. program may be permitted to transfer into the PhD program, provided they have completed at least 9 credits of M.Sc. course work. Such transfers will normally be done after one year of being registered into the M.Sc. program, with the approval of the Program’s Admissions Committee, the Office of Graduate Studies, and the research supervisor

On admission, each student will be assigned a supervisory committee composed of the student’s supervisor, plus two additional core faculty of the Program chosen by the Program Coordinator in consultation with the supervisor. The students will then meet with their supervisory committee and the Coordinator of the Program in Materials Science to discuss the proposed thesis research topic and the academic plan for the student.

Residency requirements

Students are expected to complete requirements for the Ph.D. degree within 4 years following entry into the program. Students are expected to study full-time, except under extraordinary circumstances where a person may receive special permission to study on a part-time basis upon petition to the Director of Graduate Studies. Students enrolled on a part-time basis must complete the requirements for the Ph.D. degree within 8 years. Full-time Ph.D. students can expect to receive teaching and research assistantships for a maximum of 4 years from the inception of their doctoral studies.

Academic regulations

Students must obtain a minimum grade of 60% (C standing) in each course. Students who fail (receive less than 60%) in a compulsory course must repeat it. Students who fail (receive less than 60%) in an elective course may repeat it or take another elective. Students may not repeat courses they have not failed. Students are permitted a maximum of one failed three-credit course.

Stipend

The minimal annual stipend for students enrolled in the PhD program is $20,000. Full-time PhD students can expect to receive teaching and/or research assistantships for a maximum of four years from the start of their doctoral studies.

Program requirements

Course Requirements

Candidates for the PhD in Materials Science will be required to complete the following:

• Core course - MTRS-6006EL - Advanced Materials Science (3 cr.)
• At least two additional elective graduate courses (6 cr.)
• Comprehensive Examination
• Materials Science Seminar - MTRS-6056EL - Seminar in Materials Science
• Research Thesis and Seminar – MTRS-6000EL - Thesis

The elective courses will be selected from a list of program-approved options offered by various departments, subject to the approval of the student’s research supervisor and the Program coordinator. MTRS 6005 and the elective courses will be assigned a grade. An overall 70% average must be maintained in these courses. The comprehensive examination, seminar and thesis components of the program are graded on a Pass or Fail basis, without numeric grades.

Comprehensive examination

Every student in the Ph.D. Program in Materials Science will be required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination. The examination must take place within the first 2 years of entrance to the Ph.D. program. Enrolment for the Comprehensive examination is limited to two consecutive academic sessions. Failure to complete the comprehensive examination within the required time limits will preclude continuation in the doctoral program, unless there are valid reasons as determined by the Program Coordinator. The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to ensure that the student masters the essential physical and chemical concepts of materials science (both inside and outside his/her area of thesis specialization), and to ensure that the student has a solid understanding of more advanced concepts related to his/her area of thesis specialization. Students who fail their Comprehensive Examination at the Phase 2 oral questioning stage will be given the opportunity to repeat the comprehensive examination at another time. A second failure will be grounds for dismissal from the Ph.D. program.

Thesis

Students in the Program are required to complete an original research thesis project that contributes new knowledge to the field of materials science. The results of this research project must be compiled into a research thesis. For the Ph.D. degree, either a “standard thesis” or a “thesis by publication” format will be acceptable. The standard thesis format requires an introduction of the published literature related to the thesis topic, a materials and methods section describing the procedures of the thesis, a results section containing all of the data and a narrative describing the results, a discussion which explains the results in the context of published knowledge, and a bibliography. To submit a thesis by publication a student must have generated data for at least three publications. In this format, the manuscripts/reprints will be reproduced in thesis format with a statement describing the student’s contribution to each publication. The thesis must also contain a separate introduction, discussion and bibliography covering the entire project. Ph.D. theses should not exceed 300 pages, double-spaced in 12 pt. font. Students will be required to present a public seminar and, subsequently, to undergo an oral defence of their thesis.

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