Physical and Environmental Sciences

MEnvSc Program; Field: Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

• A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

• Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

• A science or engineering undergraduate degree including at least two half courses or one full course in each of chemistry, physics, calculus, and biology.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science

  • EES1117H Climate Change Impact Assessment

  • EES1132H Climate Data Analysis

    • Note: students who have completed EESD21H3 as part of their undergraduate degree, and achieved a minimum grade of 70%, should replace EES1132H with another elective graduate course of the same credit weight (0.5 FCE).

  • EES1133H Climate Change Science and Modelling

  • Completion of two of the following three courses:

    • EES1131H Applied Climatology

      • Note: students who have completed EESD31H3 as part of their undergraduate degree, and achieved a minimum grade of 70%, cannot complete EES1131H as part of the MEnvSc program; they should complete EES1134H and EES1136H.

    • EES1134H Climate Change Policy

    • EES1136H Climate Change Adaptation

  • Completion of either:

    • 0.5 FCE in elective courses (see course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y), or

    • 1.0 FCE in elective courses (see course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y). Students planning to complete the research paper option must complete the prerequisite (EES1114H).

• Students will choose either a research or internship option.

  • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

  • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

• A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

MEnvSc Program; Field: Conservation and Biodiversity

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

• A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

• Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

• An undergraduate degree in biology or a closely related field, and successful completion of an undergraduate course in conservation biology. Students who have not successfully completed an undergraduate course in conservation biology will be required to complete an undergraduate course, BIOC63H3 Conservation Biology (0.5 FCE), as an extra (EXT) course.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science

  • EES3000H Applied Conservation Biology

  • EES3001H Professional Scientific Literacy

  • EES3002H Conservation Policy

  • EES3003H Topics in Applied Biodiversity

  • Completion of either:

    • 1.0 FCE in elective courses (see the course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y) or

    • 1.5 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y).

• Students will choose either a research or internship option.

  • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

  • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

• A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

MEnvSc Program; Field: Terrestrial and Aquatic Systems

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English, must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

• A minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

• Applicants must submit a written statement explaining their objectives for entering the program and the suitability of their background. Appropriate post-graduate work experiences will be considered as part of the admission application.

• A science or engineering undergraduate degree including at least two half courses or one full course in each of chemistry, physics, calculus, and biology.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 5.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • EES1100H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science

  • Complete either:

    • 3.0 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 2.0 FCEs for the internship (EES1116Y) or

    • 3.5 FCEs in elective courses (see the course list) and 1.5 FCEs for the research paper (EES1101Y). Students planning to complete the research paper option must complete the prerequisite EES1114H.

• Students will choose either a research or internship option.

  • Research option: Each student is required to have a research supervisor. For full-time students, the intensive research necessary for the research paper will normally be completed in the final Summer session. The final research paper needs to be written in scientific journal format and will be presented and defended orally in front of an examination committee. The committee will include the supervisor and two other members of the graduate faculty.

  • Internship option: For full-time students, the internship in private industry, government, or a non-governmental organization (NGO) will normally be completed in the final Summer session. It will consist of a minimum of four consecutive months. Successful completion of the internship is based on an assessment completed by the student's work supervisor, the satisfactory completion of a written experience report, and the satisfactory completion and presentation of a poster highlighting the internship experience.

• A final grade below 70% in any course equates to an FZ, which is an insufficient grade. A MEnvSc student who receives more than one final grade of FZ (i.e., two or more) will be recommended for termination of registration from the MEnvSc program.

MSc Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

• A science or engineering undergraduate degree with a minimum mid-B grade average in the last two years of the undergraduate program.

• Applicants must submit a written, maximum 300-word statement describing their interests in Environmental Science. The statement should describe any research experience, the suitability of their academic background for an MSc in Environmental Science, and their environmental science-related research objectives in the MSc program. Applicants must make clear in their written statement the agreement of a proposed supervising professor with which they plan to conduct their thesis research and their interest in conducting research in their chosen area.

• Applicants must have completed one of the following:

  • At least one supervised research experience during their undergraduate studies. This may include an honours thesis, a research-based work term (involving lab or field work, modelling), a summer research experience, or another course formally linked to a research project. One of the applicant’s reference letters must be from their research experience supervisor or co-supervisor.

  • At least 10 one-term courses at the upper levels (Years 3 and 4 of full-time undergraduate studies) in a science discipline (for example, environmental science, earth science, physical geography, biology, chemistry, mathematics/statistics, physics, computer science, forestry) or in a branch of engineering (for example, civil, chemical, environmental).

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • EES1200H Environmental Science Research Experience.

  • EES1201H Environmental Science: Approaches and Methods in Research.

  • A minimum of 0.5 elective FCE to provide background for the student's research. Courses selected must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair. In some cases, additional courses may be required if a student's preparedness is assessed as being insufficient. Students may apply to take a number of graduate-level courses taught by the core faculty, both within and outside the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, as part of their 0.5 elective FCE for the degree. However, all courses for the MSc degree must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair.

• Thesis. The execution of an original piece of research in environmental science carried out under faculty supervision and presented in thesis form. The program requires the oral examination of the completed thesis to a committee of three faculty members, including the faculty supervisor(s).

PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants may be accepted into the PhD program following completion of the MEnvSc degree, an MSc degree in environmental science, or a related discipline, or the MASc degree in environmental engineering or related discipline, or equivalent from a recognized university with a minimum of B+ average in all work completed in the master's program.

• Applicants must make clear in their written statement the agreement of a proposed supervising professor with which they plan to conduct their thesis research and their interest in conducting research in their chosen area.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • A mandatory 0.5 FCE (EES2200H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science) plus 1.0 FCE to provide background for the student's research. Courses selected must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair. In some cases, additional courses may be required if a student's preparedness is assessed as being insufficient.

  • Students may apply to take a number of PhD-level courses taught by the core faculty within the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences. Courses taught by faculty outside the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences can be considered for the PhD degree as part (0.5 FCE) of their 1.0 FCE for the degree. However, all courses for the PhD degree must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair.

• Thesis. The execution of an original piece of research in environmental science carried out under faculty supervision and presented in thesis form. The program requires the development and submission of a thesis proposal, and its examination in an oral thesis proposal appraisal (before the end of Year 2), a departmental oral examination of the completed thesis, and a Doctoral Final Oral Examination (FOE) carried out under the auspices of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) involving examination by an appropriate at-arms-length external examiner.

  • The PhD proposal appraisal consists of a 20-minute presentation given by the student on the proposed thesis work followed by a question period where the student is examined on their proposal and their mastery of concepts in environmental science. The emphasis will be on the theory and proposed approach, rather than on progress to date. A negative outcome requires that the student retake the exam within four months after incorporating recommendations from the committee for improving the thesis research proposal. The outcome of the second exam will be either a pass or withdrawal from the program.

  • The Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' PhD program requires that all PhD candidates complete two thesis defences: a Departmental Thesis Defence and an FOE with SGS. Normally, the Departmental Thesis Defence will be held at least eight weeks prior to the FOE. The committee will notify the Graduate Chair that the thesis is ready to be forwarded to SGS for the FOE. If the PhD candidate does not pass the Departmental Thesis Defence, the committee may recommend that the PhD candidate postpone their FOE.

PhD Program (Transfer)

Transfer Requirements

• Applicants may be accepted into the PhD program by requesting transfer from a suitable master's program (see above); students may reclassify from the master's program after 12 months of full-time study. Transfer from the MEnvSc program is not permitted.

• Applicants must make clear in their written statement the agreement of a proposed supervising professor with which they plan to conduct their thesis research and their interest in conducting research in their chosen area.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • A mandatory 0.5 FCE (EES2200H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science) plus 1.0 FCE to provide background for the student's research. Courses selected must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair. In some cases, additional courses may be required if a student's preparedness is assessed as being insufficient.

  • Students may apply to take a number of PhD-level courses taught by the core faculty within the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences. Courses taught by faculty outside the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences can be considered for the PhD degree as part (0.5 FCE) of their 1.0 FCE for the degree. However, all courses for the PhD degree must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair.

• Thesis. The execution of an original piece of research in environmental science carried out under faculty supervision and presented in thesis form. The program requires the development and submission of a thesis proposal, and its examination in an oral thesis proposal appraisal (before the end of Year 2), a departmental oral examination of the completed thesis, and a Doctoral Final Oral Examination (FOE) carried out under the auspices of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) involving examination by an appropriate at-arms-length external examiner.

  • The PhD proposal appraisal consists of a 20-minute presentation given by the student on the proposed thesis work followed by a question period where the student is examined on their proposal and their mastery of concepts in environmental science. The emphasis will be on the theory and proposed approach, rather than on progress to date. A negative outcome requires that the student retake the exam within four months after incorporating recommendations from the committee for improving the thesis research proposal. The outcome of the second exam will be either a pass or withdrawal from the program.

  • The Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' PhD program requires that all PhD candidates complete two thesis defences: a Departmental Thesis Defence and an FOE with SGS. Normally, the Departmental Thesis Defence will be held at least eight weeks prior to the FOE. The committee will notify the Graduate Chair that the thesis is ready to be forwarded to SGS for the FOE. If the PhD candidate does not pass the Departmental Thesis Defence, the committee may recommend that the PhD candidate postpone their FOE.

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 Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' additional admission requirements stated below.

• In the case of exceptional students, applicants may be accepted into the PhD program by direct entry; that is, after completing an honours BSc degree in a related discipline with a minimum University of Toronto average of A– or equivalent.

• Applicants must make clear in their written statement the agreement of a proposed supervising professor with which they plan to conduct their thesis research and their interest in conducting research in their chosen area.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 2.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • A mandatory 0.5 FCE (EES2200H Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science) plus 2.0 FCEs to provide background for the student's research. Courses selected must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair. In some cases, additional courses may be required if a student's preparedness is assessed as being insufficient.

  • Students may apply to take a number of PhD-level courses taught by the core faculty within the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences. Courses taught by faculty outside the Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences can be considered as part (up to 1.0 FCE) of their 2.0 FCEs for the degree. However, all courses for the PhD degree must be approved by the student's supervisor and the Graduate Chair.

• Thesis. The execution of an original piece of research in environmental science carried out under faculty supervision and presented in thesis form. The program requires the development and submission of a thesis proposal, and its examination in an oral thesis proposal appraisal (before the end of Year 2), a departmental oral examination of the completed thesis, and a Doctoral Final Oral Examination (FOE) carried out under the auspices of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) involving examination by an appropriate at-arms-length external examiner.

  • The PhD proposal appraisal consists of a 20-minute presentation given by the student on the proposed thesis work followed by a question period where the student is examined on their proposal and their mastery of concepts in environmental science. The emphasis will be on the theory and proposed approach, rather than on progress to date. A negative outcome requires that the student retake the exam within four months after incorporating recommendations from the committee for improving the thesis research proposal. The outcome of the second exam will be either a pass or withdrawal from the program.

  • The Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences' PhD program requires that all PhD candidates complete two thesis defences: a Departmental Thesis Defence and an FOE with SGS. Normally, the Departmental Thesis Defence will be held at least eight weeks prior to the FOE. The committee will notify the Graduate Chair that the thesis is ready to be forwarded to SGS for the FOE. If the PhD candidate does not pass the Departmental Thesis Defence, the committee may recommend that the PhD candidate postpone their FOE.