PhD students work closely with a faculty supervisor(s), who is selected by the student at the time of admission, and with a Supervisory Committee. The Supervisory Committee consists of the supervisor(s) and at least two graduate faculty members (at least one of which must be appointed to geography).
Program Requirements
The department expectation is that PhD degrees will be completed on a full-time basis within four years of initial registration. The School of Graduate Studies requires that the thesis be submitted within six years of initial registration in the program.
Students enrolled in a PhD program are required to complete the requirements: coursework, annual progress reports, comprehensive exam, proposal exam, candidacy, internal thesis defense exam, and external final oral exam.
Completion of 3 half-credit courses including:
- the core course GGR1200H
- one (1) half-credit course in geography
- one (1) half-credit course in any subject
Students enrolled in a collaborative specialization should view the Collaborative Specializations page for any additional requirements.
Completion of 6 half-credit courses including:
- the core course GGR1110H
- two (2) half-credit courses in geography
- one (1) half-credit course which must be taken outside the department
- two (2) half-credit courses in any subject
Students enrolled in a collaborative specialization should view the Collaborative Specializations page for any additional requirements.
The supervisory committee must meet at least once per academic year to review the student’s progress and plans for the following year.
Students will take a written and oral comprehensive exam between June of year one and no later than December of year two. See the Examinations page for further details.
Students will defend a research proposal before their supervisory committee between June of year two and no later than September of year three. See the Examinations page for further details.
The department requires students to achieve candidacy by the end of year two. A student can achieve PhD Candidacy and receive a notation on their transcript once they have completed three requirements: coursework, comprehensive exam, and proposal exam. School of Graduate Studies policy requires that candidacy is achieved by the end of year three.
The thesis shall constitute a significant contribution to the knowledge of the field and must be based on original research conducted while registered for the PhD program. The topic for the thesis will have been approved at the proposal defense. The completed PhD thesis will be examined in a Departmental Thesis Examination. The examination committee consists of the supervisory committee. One or more additional members can be from outside the Department of Geography & Planning if required.
See the Examinations page for further details.
The Final Oral Examination is the capstone experience of the PhD program. Students will defend their dissertation before an Examination Committee. In addition to the supervisor and other members of the supervisory committee, the Examination Committee will include an appraiser (external to the University), at least one graduate faculty member who has not been closely involved in the supervision of the thesis, and a chair designated by the School of Graduate Studies.
For further details on the PhD program requirements above, please see the Geography Graduate Handbook.