PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.

• Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Nutritional Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants may enter the PhD program with an appropriate MSc degree with at least an A– standing or evidence of strong potential as a researcher.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • NFS1304Y Doctoral Seminars in Nutritional Sciences

  • a minimum of four half courses (2.0 FCEs).

• The courses will be chosen by each student to provide an appropriate background for their area of investigation. It is expected that all students will have an adequate knowledge of research design and statistics through coursework in their past or the current graduate program. The choice of courses will be made in consultation with the supervisor and the student's advisory committee and is subject to the approval of the department.

• Successful completion of a PhD qualifying examination in nutritional sciences is required by the end of Year 1 of registration in the program. The examination is designed to ensure that students have developed a rigorous and comprehensive research proposal in a timely fashion. The oral examination is approximately two hours long, is graded as pass/fail, and takes place approximately nine months following initial registration. The examination will be conducted by the PhD Qualifying Examination Committee consisting of two faculty members appointed by the department and two faculty members chosen by the student. A student who fails the first attempt at the exam will be permitted one more attempt. Failure of the second attempt will result in a recommendation for program termination.

• Thesis.

• Student must pass the departmental examination before proceeding to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.

• The residence requirement is two years, whereby students must be on campus full-time and consequently in geographical proximity to be able to participate fully in the University activities associated with the program.

• It is expected that students can complete their PhD within four years of full-time study, research, and thesis preparation; however, some students may require longer.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 4 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time

 

PhD Program (Transfer)

Transfer Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in the U of T MSc program in Nutritional Sciences. Excellent students with high academic standing (normally a minimum A– average on MSc courses) who have clearly demonstrated the ability to do research at the doctoral level may be considered for transfer to the PhD program. Recommendation of the advisory committee is required.

• Successfully complete a reclassification transfer exam within 12 months of starting the MSc program; this includes successfully defending a research proposal during a reclassification oral examination.

• Successfully complete the required MSc courses:

  • NFS1204Y Master's Seminars in Nutritional Sciences and

  • two other half courses (1.0 FCE).

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete successfully complete a total of 4.0 FCEs as follows:

  • NFS1304Y Doctoral Seminars in Nutritional Sciences

  • a minimum of six half courses (3.0 FCEs) including the two half courses taken during Year 1 of the MSc program.

• For a student who is reclassified from the MSc to the PhD, the intent is that all requirements of the normal MSc (except the thesis) plus all requirements of the PhD shall be completed. There is no priori reduction of course requirements and no expectation that the course requirements to be completed in the PhD will be any different than would hold if the student completed the MSc and then enrolled in the PhD.

• A PhD qualifying exam is not required for students transferring from the MSc program.

• Thesis.

• Students must pass the departmental examination before proceeding to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.

• The residence requirement is three years, whereby students must be on campus full-time and consequently in geographical proximity to be able to participate fully in the University activities associated with the program.

• It is expected that students can complete their PhD within five years of full-time study, research, and thesis preparation; however, some students may require longer.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time

 

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.

• Applicants must also satisfy the Department of Nutritional Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants may enter the PhD program directly from a bachelor's degree if they have an academic background in nutrition or a related discipline, an A or better average in their final two years, and strong evidence of research aptitude (such evidence may include lead authorship on research publications and presentations at scientific conferences and strong letters of reference from undergraduate research mentors).

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 4.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • NFS1304Y Doctoral Seminars in Nutritional Sciences

  • a minimum of six half courses (3.0 FCEs).

• The courses will be chosen by each student to provide an appropriate background for their area of investigation. It is expected that all students will have an adequate knowledge of research design and statistics through coursework in their past or the current graduate program. The choice of courses will be made in consultation with the supervisor and the student's advisory committee and is subject to the approval of the department.

• Successful completion of a PhD qualifying examination in nutritional sciences is required within the first 18 months of registration in the program. The examination is designed to ensure that students have developed a rigorous and comprehensive research proposal in a timely fashion. The oral examination is approximately two hours long, is graded as pass/fail, and takes place approximately nine months following initial registration. The examination will be conducted by the PhD Qualifying Examination Committee consisting of two faculty members appointed by the department and two faculty members chosen by the student. A student who fails the first attempt at the exam will be permitted one more attempt. Failure of the second attempt will result in a recommendation for program termination.

• Thesis.

• Student must pass the departmental examination before proceeding to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.

• The residence requirement is three years, whereby students must be on campus full-time and consequently in geographical proximity to be able to participate fully in the University activities associated with the program.

• It is expected that students can complete their PhD within five years of full-time study, research, and thesis preparation; however, some students may require longer.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time