Research Evaluation | 2022-2023 FGS Academic Calendar /gradstudies/academiccalendar/2022-2023 Mon, 24 Jun 2024 13:39:53 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Earth & Space Science /gradstudies/academiccalendar/2022-2023/earth-space-science/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:06:08 +0000 /gradstudies-academiccalendar-2022-2023dev/earth-space-science/
LocationEmail AddressProgram Website
101 Petrie Science & Engineeringessgpa@yorku.ca

The Graduate Program in Earth & Space Science, and its predecessors, is one of 91ɫ’s founding graduate programs. The program is housed within the Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering and is tightly connected with the Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), founded in 1965. For over half a century, faculty members and graduate researchers have combined talent from areas such as Earth science, atmospheric science, space science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and more recently, planetary science, space engineering, and geomatics engineering, to attain novel scientific and engineering goals. Major impactful outcomes range from planetary exploration missions, atmospheric and climate models, to new understandings of Geodynamics.

Currently, our resources and experience are pooled in comprehensive, fundamental and applied, experimental, observational and theoretical research programs in remote sensing of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, atomic and molecular species that play important roles in the energetics of the Earth’s atmosphere (in meteorology and aeronomy), other planetary atmospheres and surfaces, and a wide range of geospatial data collection, analysis and representation.

Research is done in the following major areas:

  • Atmospheric and Climate Science
  • Geomatics Science and Engineering
  • Space Science and Engineering

Prospective MSc and PhD students and postdoctoral fellows find that the program’s research programs provide an excellent vehicle for training, research, and experiential learning. Most of the program’s faculty members are involved in significant industrial and/or public sector research projects, which afford outstanding learning and career advancement opportunities for our students. Students are involved in many terrestrial, unmanned aerial vehicle, aircraft, balloon, and upper atmosphere satellite studies of the Earth’s surface and its atmosphere and planetary missions; and the design, development and testing of space instrumentation for Earth and planetary missions. Major specialized research equipment includes an attached two-dome astronomical observatory equipped with twenty-four and twelve-inch reflecting telescopes; a remote sensing lidar observatory; an aeronomy observatory; an airborne imaging spectrometer for remote sensing research; mass-spectrometer facilities; a ‘chemical’ heavy ion accelerator for ion-molecule reactions; laser facilities; microdensitometers; space environment test facilities; a microfabrication lab; multiple Earth remote sensing labs, GIS labs, and satellite and inertial navigation labs.

Admission Requirements

MSc

PhD

Graduates with an honours degree, or equivalent, in chemistry, physics, pure or applied mathematics, astronomy, engineering, or engineering physics from a recognized university, with at least B standing (no lower than second class honours in an honours degree from a British University), may be admitted as candidates for the MSc degree, which normally requires at least 12 months to complete.

Graduates with a master’s degree in chemistry, physics, pure or applied mathematics, astronomy, engineering, or engineering physics from a recognized university, with at least B standing, may be admitted as candidates (PhD I) in a program leading to the PhD degree. On the average, candidates with a BSc degree, or equivalent, may expect to spend three to five years to complete the requirements for the PhD degree. Graduates with an honours degree in chemistry, physics, pure or applied mathematics, astronomy, engineering, or engineering physics may be considered for admission to the program leading to the PhD degree. However, such graduates must first register as candidates for the MSc degree. If their progress is satisfactory they may be transferred into the PhD program and advanced in status to candidates (PhD I) for the PhD degree, after one year, and on the recommendation of their research supervisor and the Graduate Program Director.

Degree Requirements

MSc

PhD

MSc

Candidates for the MSc degree by thesis must fulfil the following requirements:

Courses

In addition to successfully completing the required Research Evaluation courses Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0, candidates must successfully complete two full graduate courses (12 credits), or equivalent of which up to three credits may be from the Research Evaluation courses Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0. Students may be required to take a further half-course, if the supervisory committee determines that this is necessary to strengthen a student’s background in the thesis area.

Thesis and Oral Examination

a) All entering candidates plan a research program with their supervisor at the start of their degree studies, and conduct the research under the general direction of their supervisor and supervisory committee and describe it in an appropriate thesis. The research and thesis should demonstrate the candidate’s research ability in the area of investigation. After the formal submission of the thesis, an oral examination, centred on the thesis-research, is held. Prior to the oral examination each candidate delivers a formal lecture on her or his research work.

b) Research progress is monitored by meetings of the supervisory committee with the candidate and by an annual progress report consisting of a written paper and a public oral presentation normally in May or June. Satisfactory progress results in credit for Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0 (Research Evaluation) and a statement of the candidate’s progress in the candidate’s record. In the event of failure to achieve satisfactory progress the student will normally be required to withdraw from the program.

Candidates for the MSc degree may take the three full courses and research exercise option instead of the thesis option on the recommendation of the Graduate Program Director. The requirements are:

Research Exercise Option

Candidates must successfully complete three full courses and must also conduct an exercise in research procedures and report on it in an appropriate manner. The selection of graduate courses and of the topic of the research exercise must be arranged in consultation with the Graduate Program Director.

Four Course Option

Candidates must successfully complete four full graduate courses selected in consultation with the Graduate Program Director.

There is no foreign language requirement for the MSc degree but candidates must give satisfactory evidence to the Graduate Program in Earth & Space Science of an ability to program and use electronic digital computers for the solution of non-trivial scientific problems. English proficiency requirements, where applicable, can be found at .

The MSc program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall, winter or summer term.

The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is normally 6 terms. However, students can complete the requirements sooner. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 3 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 3 terms of full-time study. Beyond 6 terms, a master’s student must be part-time status. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

PhD

Candidates (PhD I & II) for the PhD degree must fulfil the following requirements:

Candidates must successfully complete three full graduate courses, or equivalent, including two required Research Evaluation courses:
Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0 and Earth & Space Science 7030 3.0.

A credit for two full courses, including fulfillment of the Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0: Research Evaluation course requirement, may be granted normally to candidates who hold an MSc degree from 91ɫ or another recognized university. Candidates granted credit for two full courses as outlined above must successfully complete Earth & Space Science 7030 3.0 and one other half course (which may not include Earth & Space Science 6030 3.0).

In addition to the requirements outlined above, candidates may be required to take a further half course, if the supervisory committee determines that this is necessary to strengthen a candidate’s background in the thesis area.

a) All entering candidates (PhD I) plan a research program with their supervisor at the start of their degree studies, and must successfully complete a significant piece of research, under the general direction of a supervisor and a supervisory committee, in one of the six major areas offered by the program, and describe it in an appropriate dissertation. The research must be of such a standard that it will be acceptable for publication in the scientific literature. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination is held, centred on the dissertation-research. As part of the oral examination exercises candidates deliver a formal lecture on their research work after which
they meet with their examiners.

b) Research progress is monitored by meetings of the Supervisory Committee with the candidate and by an annual progress report consisting of a written paper and a public oral presentation normally in May or June. Satisfactory progress results in credit for Earth & Space Science 7030 3.0 (Research Evaluation) and a statement of the candidate’s progress in the candidate’s record. In the event of failure to achieve satisfactory progress the candidate will normally be required to withdraw from the program.

A candidate (PhD I & II) must give satisfactory evidence to the Graduate Program in Earth & Space Science of an ability to program and use electronic digital computers for the solution of non-trivial scientific problems, or, with the permission of the Graduate Program Director, may give satisfactory evidence of an ability to translate scientific literature from a foreign language. English proficiency requirements, where applicable, can be found at .

The PhD program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Entry is fall, winter or summer term.

Normal degree completion time for full-time PhD students is 12 terms (4 years). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 6 terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

]]> Chemistry /gradstudies/academiccalendar/2022-2023/chemistry/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:05:57 +0000 /gradstudies-academiccalendar-2022-2023dev/chemistry/
LocationEmail AddressProgram Website
126 Chemistry Buildingchemgpa@yorku.ca

The Graduate Program in Chemistry offers programs of study leading to the MSc and PhD degrees. Areas of specialization include analytical, atmospheric, biological, environmental, inorganic, materials, organic, physical, and theoretical chemistry, and chemical physics. Special opportunities are available in modern aspects of air pollution, mass spectrometry, protein identification and characterization, combinatorial chemistry, organic synthesis and reaction kinetics.

In both research-based MSc and PhD programs, graduate students work closely with a supervisor. Thus, no student is admitted to either program unless a faculty member agrees to supervise that student.

Admission Requirements

MSc

PhD

Graduates with a four-year degree in chemistry or biochemistry (or its equivalent, with a minimum of 6 credits at the fourth year level), normally with at least a B average, may be admitted as candidates for the MSc degree.

Qualifying Year

Graduates lacking the necessary undergraduate preparation may qualify for admission as undergraduate Special Students in the Faculty of Science. During the qualifying year, graduates are required to raise their qualifications to the minimum level required for admission as candidates. While admissions are dealt with by the Undergraduate Admissions Office, students are advised to consult with the Director of the graduate program regarding course load and selection.

Note: Successful completion of studies as a Special Student at the undergraduate level does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.

Graduates with a four-year degree in chemistry or biochemistry (or its equivalent, with a minimum of 6 credits at the fourth year level), or with an honours degree in chemistry, normally with at least a B average, may be considered for admission as candidates for the PhD degree. Normally, however, such graduates must first register as candidates for the MSc degree.

If their progress is satisfactory they may apply for entry into the PhD program, generally after 24 months, and without necessarily completing the thesis requirements for the MSc degree. A graduate wishing to apply from the MSc program for admission to the PhD program must write a report of their research progress and submit this for approval to the examining committee, usually completed during the annual research evaluation exercise.

Degree Requirements

MSc

PhD

MSc

There are two routes by which a student may achieve an MSc degree in chemistry, either by research thesis or by coursework.

a) All entering students plan a research program with their supervisor at the start of their degree studies. Progress in research is monitored by the Supervisory Committee through annual enrollment in the Research Evaluation Course (Chemistry 7000 3.0). This requires an annual progress report, consisting of a written paper, a public oral presentation, and an oral examination, usually in May each year. An overall rating of “pass” results in credit for Chemistry 7000 3.0 up to a maximum of 6 credits, and a statement of the student’s progress in the student’s record. In the event of receiving an overall rating of “failure,” the student is normally required to withdraw from the program. Failure to enrol in the annual Chemistry 7000 3.0 course and/or to submit the completed research evaluation form within 30 days of the oral examination will result in receiving an “F” in the course, and withdrawal from the program.

b) In addition to the Research Evaluation course, each student must complete a minimum of 6 credits from courses offered by the Graduate Program in Chemistry. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s supervisor.

c) Students may be required to take up to two full undergraduate courses if this is necessary to strengthen the student’s background in relevant areas.

Candidates must conduct a research study and report the results in appropriate thesis form. The research and thesis should demonstrate the candidate’s independence, originality, and understanding of the area of investigation at an advanced level. After the formal submission of the thesis, an oral examination, normally centred on the thesis and matters related to it, is held.

Candidates for the MSc degree by coursework must either:

a) successfully complete 18 credits chosen from courses offered by the Graduate Program in Chemistry, and conduct a full-course (6
credits) literature survey and write a review essay, which is submitted to an examining committee for approval.
or,
b) successfully complete 21 credits chosen from courses offered by the Graduate Program in Chemistry, and conduct a half-course (3 credits) literature survey and write a review essay, which is submitted to an examining committee for approval.
or,
c) successfully complete 24 credits chosen from courses offered by the Graduate Program in Chemistry.

Some courses within the Graduate Program in Chemistry may be offered on a once-per-week basis during weekday evenings. The options of an MSc degree by coursework, or by coursework and review essay are therefore particularly suited to part-time candidates. Because of the special nature of research work, the MSc degree option by research is generally only open to full-time candidates.

A series of lectures on various topics in contemporary chemical research are presented by the faculty, visiting scientists and graduate students. Each graduate student is expected to attend throughout the time they are registered as a full-time student.

Students may submit a petition to the Graduate Program Director to take graduate courses outside the Chemistry program for credit.

The MSc program can be completed on a full-time (research thesis) or part-time (coursework) basis. Entry is normally in the fall term.

Candidates may take up to four years to complete the requirements for the MSc degree by coursework, or coursework and review essay on a part-time basis but a shorter period is desirable. Full-time candidates are normally expected to complete the requirements for the MSc degree in two years (six terms).

For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 3 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 3 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

PhD

Candidates (PhD I & II) for the PhD degree must fulfil the following requirements:

a) All entering students plan a research program with their supervisor at the start of their degree studies. Progress in research is monitored by the Supervisory Committee through annual enrollment in the Research Evaluation courses (Chemistry 7001 3.0). This requires an annual progress report consisting of a written paper, a public oral presentation, and an oral examination, usually in May each year. An overall rating of “pass” results in credit for Chemistry 7001 3.0 and a statement of the student’s progress in the student’s record. In the event of receiving an overall rating of “failure,” the student is normally required to withdraw from the program. Failure to enrol in the annual Chemistry 7001 3.0 course and/or to submit the completed research evaluation form within 30 days of the oral examination will result in receiving an “F” in the course, and withdrawal from the program.

b) In addition to Research Evaluation, each student must take a minimum of 12 credits from courses offered by the Graduate Program in Chemistry. These should be chosen in consultation with the student’s supervisor. The 12 credits need to be completed by the end of the sixth term. Permission of the Graduate Program Director is required for an extension to this time limit for course work completion. For students entering the PhD program with an MSc degree, a maximum of six credits may be allowed for courses taken at 91ɫ or at another recognized university.

Candidates must conduct a research study and report the results in appropriate dissertation form. The research and dissertation should demonstrate the candidate’s independence, originality, and understanding of the area of investigation at an advanced level. After the formal submission of the dissertation, an oral examination, normally centred on the dissertation and matters related to it, is held.

Students may submit a petition to the Graduate Program Director to take graduate courses outside the Chemistry program for credit.

The PhD program can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is normally in the fall term.

Normal degree completion time for full-time PhD students is 18 terms (6 years). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

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