CHEMISTRY GRADUATE PROGRAM
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Dr. Zuo-Guang Ye
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| M.Sc. Program | ||
| Tuition Fees and Financial Support | ||
| Student Services | ||
| Need more information? |
Introduction
Since it's inception in 1965, the Department has justly earned a national and international reputation as one of the most multidisciplinary Chemistry departments in Canada. This in large measure arises from our location: situated along with the Departments of Biological Sciences and Physics in the G.M. Shrum Science Center and the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB). Numerous research projects are collaborative ventures with other faculty members from those two Departments.
The aim of the graduate program in Chemistry at SFU is to attract the very best students and encourage their development into independent, high quality scholars while pursuing research in a personal, supportive and interdisciplinary environment. The Department offers programs leading to either the M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree in analytical, biochemistry, organic, inorganic, nuclear, physical and theoretical chemistry, but also encourages studies at the inteface of two or more subdisiplines. Entry requirements for these programs differ, as do their coursework and examination requirements.
The Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program is expected to be completed in about 4 - 6 years. During this period, the student must complete a body of original research, write and defend a thesis, and satisfy the coursework requirements.
Research Work - New students are appointed with a research supervisor during the admission process. Subsequently their program will be directed by a supervisory committee of three faculty including the research supervisor. The Ph.D. thesis must contain original publishable work of significance in advancing knowledge in the area of research undertaken, and must be successfully defended in an oral presentation to the examining committee.
The M.Sc. Program
The M.Sc. program is expected to be completed in about 2 years. It is thus a program that offers a graduate-level education in Chemistry that is a somewhat shorter and less comprehensive alternative to the Ph.D. program. It is an excellent choice for those seeking a thorough preparation prior to embarking on a Ph.D. degree at SFU.
Research Work - The student must carry out research, write a thesis, and defend it in an oral examination. The originality, length, and comprehensiveness of the thesis work is less than that demanded for the Ph.D. degree. Otherwise, the details of supervision and examination are similar.
Application Process
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Simon Fraser University, graduate students wishing to enter the Chemistry department must meet the following criteria:
- Students wishing to enter the M.Sc. program must have completed a B.Sc. degree at a recognized university with at least B average (grade point average 3.0) and provide evidence of ability to carry out advanced studies.
- Students wishing to enter the Ph.D. program should have completed an M.Sc. degree or its equivalent from a recognized university. In special circumstances, exceptionally able students with first-class B.Sc. degrees may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program. Evidence will be required that the applicant is capable of undertaking substantial original research.
It is recommended that students contact faculty members directly to discuss their research interests, programs and to confirm the availability of a position within their group as well as ability to provide you with financial support.
There is no application deadline. We accept applications all year round. Admission is based on being accepted by a faculty member into their research group.
The following documentation is required by us in our evaluation of your application:
- APPLICATION FORM. If you use this application form, you do not need to pay the $75 application fee when you submit your application documentation. Our department will review your documentation and if you are accepted by a Faculty member into our graduate program, we will cover your on-line application fee. Please submit this form directly to our Chemistry office.
OR
- Apply On-line. There is an application fee of $75 Cdn which you must pay by credit card (Mastercard or Visa) in order to use this service. This fee will be reimbursed if you are accepted into our graduate program.
- Transcripts of university or college coursework or equivalent record of academic progress such as official examination results.
- TOEFL score (for international students from countries where English is not the primary language, a minimum score of 600 for paper based TOEFL, 250 for computer based TOEFL and 100 for internet based TOEFL is required) OR IELTS (minimum overall score 7.0). We do not require GRE scores.
- Confidential reports (Available PDF Format or Word Format)-- three persons whom you have asked to send references, with at least 2 of whom should be able to comment on your recent academic performance. These must be sent in sealed envelopes.
- Evidence showing completion of B.Sc./M.Sc. degree(s). (if your work towards a degree is not yet completed, you will be required to present your degree certificate at the time of registration)
- For those interested in direct entry into the Ph.D. program, evidence of your ability to undertake substantial original research is required (i.e. a copy of your B.Sc/M.Sc. thesis, particulars about research work over the past 18 months, who you have been affiliated with, copies of research reports or papers authored or co-authored).
All above documentation to be mailed to:
Chemistry Department (Admissions)
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
CANADA
Coursework
Ph.D. students who already hold an M.Sc. degree are required to complete 6 credit hours of graduate-level coursework, not including CHEM 801. Ph.D. students without an M.Sc. degree must complete 15 credit hours of graduate-level coursework. All students must maintain at least a B average to continue in the program.
M.Sc. students are required to complete 12 credit hours of graduate-level coursework. An average grade of B or higher is necessary to continue in the program.
Please refer to the current SFU Calendar for complete details of degree requirements and graduate course descriptions.
Tuition Fees and Financial Support
Tuition Fees can be viewed on the SFU website http://students.sfu.ca/fees/gradfees.html
Graduate students are supported through stipends either from scholarships, teaching assistantships, professors' research grants, or some combination of these. The support for students in the Ph.D. program is $18,000 per year (these rates are a combination of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and graduate fellowships) and in the M.Sc. program $16,500 per year. NOTE: effective May 2009, the stipend for PhD Students will be increased to $23,500 per year and $20,000 for MSc students.
Admission will not be granted until a position and financial support have been defined. It is therefore imperative that all graduate students have a firm commitment from a faculty research supervisor to provide you with financial support.
Teaching Assistantships - Laboratory and/or tutorial class TA'ships are awarded to selected graduate students, these consist of eight contact hours per week with an additional four hours per week for course preparation and for grading laboratory notebooks or tutorial papers.
Scholarships - The main scholarships students can compete for an NSERC or MRC Scholarship for postgraduate study or a SFU Entrance Scholarship. Please refer to the Graduate Award Guide for more information on various awards, bursaries and scholarships administered either by the University or external sources.
Student Services
Students interested in living on campus should refer to SFU Residence and Housing Office for information on accommodations available as well as application dates. The Off-Campus Housing office provides a 'hot-list' for current listings in the local, as well as surrounding areas.
In addition to these references, numerous other services from the Graduate Health and Dental plan and how to request for a transcript are available from Student Services. SFU also has a Health, Counselling and Career Center available for students. International students should check out information from the SFU International office. We also have a Chemistry Graduate Caucus.
Need more information?
To receive a complete graduate studies application package, or you have questions regarding the application process, please contact the Graduate Secretary at (778)782-3345 or you can email at chem_gradinfo@sfu.ca.
Questions regarding research areas/interest should be directed to the individual faculty members or the Graduate Secretary at chem_gradinfo@sfu.ca
As well the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies website which provides comprehensive information about Graduate Studies opportunities, policies, procedures and regulations at Simon Fraser University.