Program Requirements

The spectrum of research in the School is broad and will be attractive to students from many areas of the basic and applied sciences; cross-disciplinary research involving faculty and facilities in other departments is encouraged. As an integral part of their program, students are normally required to undertake teaching or research assistantships or equivalent duties within the School.

All graduate students in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences are required to take EOS 525 (1.5 units). All students are also required to present at the Annual Graduate Student Workshop at least once during their degree program.

The supervisory committee, in consultation with the student, determines the content of the program and the exact division of units between coursework and thesis for each student. For example, the supervisory committee may decide that additional coursework is required depending on the student's background. Coursework may include graduate courses in SEOS or other departments, including directed studies courses (EOS 580) and 300- or 400-level undergraduate courses.

Master’s Program

Course Requirements

The Master’s program consists of a minimum of 15 units with no fewer than 12 graduate-level credits (i.e. excluding 300- and 400-level undergraduate courses). Normally, students must complete a minimum of 4.5 units of graduate or upper-level undergraduate coursework, with a Master’s thesis (EOS 599) making up the remaining units.

Oral Examination

MSc students will be required to defend their completed thesis in a final oral examination open to the public.

Program Length

A student proceeding towards a Master’s degree will be required to complete all the requirements for the degree within five years (60 consecutive months) from the date of the first registration in the Master’s program.

PhD Program

Course Requirements

The PhD program consists of 45 units beyond the Bachelor’s level, or 30 units beyond the Master’s level. During their PhD studies, PhD students who enter the program with a Master’s are normally expected to complete a minimum of 6 graduate or upper-level undergraduate course units. Students who enter with a Bachelor, including students who transfer from a Master’s to a PhD at UVic, are normally expected to complete a minimum of 12 units of coursework. The PhD dissertation (EOS 699) makes up the remaining program units. That is, the thesis is typically worth 33 units for students entering the program with a Bachelor, or 24 units for students entering with a Master’s.

Candidacy

Within two years of registration and at least six months before the final oral examination, a PhD student must submit a written dissertation research proposal, defining the research topic, the goals of the research and the methodology to be used. This thesis proposal will be defended in an oral candidacy exam. The Examining Committee will question the candidate to determine that the candidate has the appropriate background knowledge and skills to undertake the proposed project, and that the project is likely to lead to results suitable for a PhD dissertation.

Oral Examination

PhD students will be required to defend their completed dissertation in a final oral examination open to the public.

Program Length

A student proceeding toward a doctoral degree will be required to complete all the requirements within seven years (84 consecutive months) from the date of first registration in the program. If the student transfers to the doctoral program after an initial period in a master’s program, completion is required within seven years of the date of the first registration in the Master’s program. A doctoral degree will not be awarded in less than twenty-four consecutive months from the time of first registration.