Degree Requirements

The Department of Chemistry offers programs of study that lead to Master of Science (M.Sc.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. All programs are research-based.

Master of Science Program

The requirements for the degree of Master of Science are:

  • One Graduate Full-Course Equivalent *
  • Chemistry 9657, which is a course based on the presentation of a seminar
  • Submission of a thesis
  • The duration of the program is two years

The course requirements are stated in terms of graduate full-course equivalents. A full-course equivalent is equal to a course weight of 1.0 (approximately 24 weeks of class). A half-course is equal to a course weight of 0.5 (approximately 12 weeks or 1 term) and a quarter-course is equal to a course weight of 0.25 (approximately 6 weeks of class). A Graduate Course is defined below. * Students must maintain at least a B standing averaged over all courses of the degree program.

Doctor of Philosophy

The requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy are:

  • 2.0 Graduate Full-Course Equivalents *
  • Chemistry 9658, which is a course based on the presentation of a seminar
  • Submission of a thesis
  • The duration of the program is four years

The course requirements are stated in terms of graduate full-course equivalents. A full-course equivalent is equal to a course weight of 1.0 (approximately 24 weeks of class). A half-course is equal to a course weight of 0.5 (approximately 12 weeks or 1 term)and a quarter-course is equal to a course weight of 0.25 (approximately 6 weeks of class). A Graduate Course is defined below. * Students must maintain at least a B standing averaged over all courses of the degree program.

Graduate Course Information

* A Graduate Course is:

  1. Any Chemistry course at the 9000 levels.
  2. With the approval of the Supervisor, a fourth-year undergraduate course.
  3. With the approval of the Supervisor, a third-year or higher-level course offered outside the Chemistry Department.

For M.Sc. candidates, at least one half-course equivalent must be from category (1) above, not including Chemistry 9658. For Ph.D. candidates, at least three half-course equivalents must be from category (1) above, not including Chemistry 9658y.

For students proceeding directly from the UWO Chemistry M.Sc. program to the Ph.D. program without completing the requirements for the Master's degree, course credits obtained during M.Sc. registration will normally count towards this total.

A note on previously completed work;

Students may be directly admitted to the Chemistry Ph.D. program after completing the requirements for the M.Sc. degree at an accredited university.  In most cases, the previous work that served as the basis for admission will not be considered for credit at Western.  However, in exceptional cases, and in consultation with their supervisor, students may apply in writing to the Chair, Graduate Education Committee (GEC), for waiving of some portion (no greater than 0.5) of their course requirements.  This applies if the GEC is satisfied that the student has completed graduate-level equivalent work that has not counted toward a previous degree.  Contact the GEC for information on full application procedures.