Medical Sciences, M.Sc.

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M.Sc. Degree

Requirements

The requirements for the M.Sc. degree appear under the Regulations for the Master’s degree near the beginning of this Calendar. A candidate for the M.Sc. degree is required to spend at least one calendar year in full-time study at McMaster University.

McMaster’s Postgraduate Medical Education Program allows Clinician Investigator Program trainees the opportunity to undertake a Master’s or Ph.D. degree as a full-time student (please refer to the Handbook for CIP trainees and the HSGP Policy re CIP Applicants; separate applications are required for both).

The candidate must complete, with at least B- standing, not fewer than one full graduate course, which must include at least one 700-level half course in Medical Sciences but may include one 700-level half course normally in the Faculty of Science or Faculty of Engineering. When appropriate, a maximum of one Health Research Methodology or Nursing half course may be taken by M.Sc. students. The candidate is also required to present a thesis, which embodies the results of original research. In a final oral examination the candidate will be required to defend the thesis.

Transfer to Ph.D.

Students wishing to be transferred to the Ph.D. program prior to the completion of a master’s degree (see Section 2.1.2 of the General Regulations of the Graduate School and the statement entitled “Policy and Procedure for Transfer from M.Sc. to Ph.D. - Medical Sciences”) must have an overall course average of B+ or better in the M.Sc. curriculum and must submit a Transfer Committee Report, embodying a statement of progress and achievement in the research work to date and a proposal for Ph.D. research. The Transfer Report must be submitted to the student’s Transfer Committee within 21 months from entry at the M.Sc. level as a full-time student. Approval to transfer will be determined at a meeting of the Transfer Committee at which the student will present his/her work and ideas for Ph.D. study orally.