Students entering the program with no MSc or with an MSc from this Department must complete a minimum of ?32 in coursework, including a ?2 colloquium requirement, and a thesis. Courses taken during the MSc in this department may be included in this total.
Students entering the program with an MSc from outside the Department must complete a minimum of ?20 in coursework, including a ?2 colloquium requirement, and a thesis.
Core Courses (?12):
Core courses must be completed in the Entrance Year of the doctoral program
MATH 521
Three of the following, including at least one MATH course:
MATH 506
MATH 516
MATH 527
MATH 524
MATH 535
MATH 581
PHYS 511
PHYS 530
PHYS 610
Optional courses:
All coursework must be chosen in consultation with the supervisor
Graduate courses offered in the Department of Physics may be used as deemed appropriate
All coursework to be counted towards the program requirements must be approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate Studies).
Additional coursework may be required.
Graduate Colloquium (?2):
Students must complete two terms of MATH 601 and give a presentation in the Graduate Colloquium, unless this requirement was fulfilled as an MSc student in the Department.
Thesis:
Registration in 900-level THES. The principal requirement for the PhD is a substantial contribution to knowledge, embodied in a thesis.
Candidacy Exam:
It is strongly recommended that students take their candidacy exam before the end of their second year in the PhD program. All course requirements should have been met prior to the candidacy exam.
Entrance Year Academic Standing Requirement:
By the end of the second term in the program, PhD students must have passed four core courses with a minimum GPA of 3.6. Core courses taken as an undergraduate or MSc student are included in this calculation.
Failure to meet the required GPA may result in a recommendation by the Associate Chair (Graduate Studies) to FGSR that the student be placed on academic probation or required to withdraw.
Residence Requirement:
To satisfy the residence requirement for the PhD, students must spend at least two years in full-time study.
For part-time students, residence requirements are determined on a case-by-case basis.
Length of Program:
The program is designed to be completed within four years.
The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
University of Alberta
North Campus,
116 Street and 85 Avenue,
EDMONTON,
Alberta (AB),
T6G 2R3, Canada
The Department's minimum admission requirements are an MSc degree in mathematical, physical, or statistical sciences, with an admission GPA of at least 3.3 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution.
English Language Proficiency:
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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