Engineering Physics, Ph.D.

Ph.D. Degree

Course Requirements

The general regulations for the degree Doctor of Philosophy appear earlier in the Calendar. Students with a Master’s degree (from McMaster or elsewhere) are required to take two half courses, both at the 700 level. As a minimum, at least 50% of courses taken for fulfillment of degree requirements must be listed or cross-listed in the calendar under the degree program. Students transferring from the M.A.Sc. program at McMaster to the Ph.D. program without completing the Master’s degree, or students entering the Ph.D. program directly from a Bachelor’s degree without beginning an M.A.Sc. must complete a minimum of one additional half course at the 700 level beyond the M.A.Sc. requirement. In addition to the aforementioned courses, all Ph.D. candidates are required to complete the mandatory seminar half course ENG PHYS 702 once in either the M.A.Sc. or Ph.D. program. A minimum grade of B− must be obtained for all courses.

Comprehensive Examination

Doctoral candidates are required to pass a Departmental Comprehensive Examinatio whose purpose is to ensure that the candidate possesses sufficient knowledge and maturity of approach. The examination format is oral and will test the student’s knowledge and understanding of mathematics, physics, and the engineering sciences. The candidate will normally take the examination within eight months and no later than 20 months following admission to the doctoral program. The Comprehensive Examination includes a provision for second opportunity for assessment should the student fail the first attempt. This second assessment is given in place of any “re-read” of a comprehensive evaluation, which is explicitly excluded from the Student Appeal Procedures. Reporting of examination results will be done in accordance with the Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.

Thesis Proposal

Ph.D. students must present a thesis proposal to their Supervisory Committee, normally at the first Supervisory meeting after completion of one term in their program.

Industrial Ph.D. Option

The general Regulations for the degree Doctor of Philosophy appear earlier in the Calendar. This program option offers the candidate the potential to conduct all or a portion of their research at their company or research institute of employment. To be enrolled under the option, the candidate must be a full-time student in the degree program, have previously completed a Masters of Applied Science or its equivalence, and be employed by a company or research institute outside of McMaster continuously till degree completion. A candidate is required to complete the normal course requirements of their enrolled department as well as any milestones, but is exempt from seminar requirements. As a doctoral candidate they must take the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination that is designed to test the breadth of knowledge and the ability to synthesize and integrate ideas from within and peripheral to the candidate’s research area. The Comprehensive Examination will normally take place between 6 and 18 months after the candidate initially registers in the Ph.D. program. A supervisory committee monitors the progress of a Ph.D. candidate and determines when the candidate is ready to write the thesis. The student is required to defend the thesis at a Final Oral Examination.