Program: Materials Science, PhD - Ontario Tech University

General information

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Materials Science is offered jointly by Ontario Tech and Trent University. Materials Science is a broad multidisciplinary area of science that lies at the intersection of physics and chemistry. It comprises many sub-fields including nanotechnology, electronic materials, surface science, biomaterials and materials characterization.

An important goal of the Materials Science program is to advance the understanding and prediction of the properties of matter. Such understanding facilitates the design of new materials with particular properties. The development of experimental and theoretical predictive tools applicable to size scales, ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic levels, is an integral component of the PhD program. The program provides both a broad and integrated overview of materials science and the opportunity for in-depth study of a particular problem emphasizing either theory or experimentation under the guidance of a research supervisor and a multi-disciplinary team of faculty from Ontario Tech and Trent University.

The PhD program is comprised of four fields:

Biomaterials
Materials Chemistry
Materials Physics
Theoretical and Computational Materials Science

Admission requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate studies , PhD in Materials Science applicants must meet the following program-specific requirements:

The minimum admission requirement for the PhD program is completion of an MSc-level degree in Materials Science, or related area, at a Canadian university or its equivalent.
Prior to being accepted into the program, PhD applicants must be accepted by a professor who is willing to act as a supervisor.

Under exceptional circumstances, MSc in Materials Science students may transfer directly to the PhD program after completing one academic year and their first progress report in the MSc program if the following conditions are met:

Completion of at least three courses in the master’s program with at least an A-minus average.
Strong evidence of research ability as identified by the supervisory committee.
Approval of the direct transfer by the thesis supervisor(s) and the supervisory committee. The transfer must also be approved by the graduate program director and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

See the university’s policy on transferring from a thesis-based master’s to a PhD program for additional information.

Part-time studies

Part-time studies are permitted on a case-by-case basis.

Degree requirements

Students in the PhD program must successfully complete MTSC 6010G - Physics and Chemistry of Materials , and MTSC 6020G - Advanced Topics in Materials Science or MTSC 6140G - Experimental Techniques in Materials Characterization . In addition to these two core courses, students must attend and complete the two non-credit seminar courses MTSC 6000G - Graduate Seminar in Science Communication I (non-credit) and MTSC 6100G - Graduate Seminar in Science Communication II (non-credit) . Students must also pass the PhD candidacy examination (MTSC 7000G - PhD Thesis Proposal and Candidacy Exam ) and prepare and orally defend their doctoral dissertation (MTSC 7002G - PhD Dissertation ).

Depending on their previous academic work at the master’s level, students may also be required to take courses in addition to those indicated above.

Each student’s previous work will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. An individualized program of study will be designed and outlined in the student’s letter of offer.

Course listing

Program learning outcomes

The following outcomes outline the knowledge and skills students will have achieved upon completion of the program.

Program Learning Outcomes - Materials Science, PhD