Program Description
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Earth and Planetary Sciences offered by the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences in the Faculty of Science is a research-intensive program that emphasizes interdisciplinary learning opportunities that combine field, laboratory, and computational research to study the Earth and other planets. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in critical thinking, data analysis, information synthesis, and scientific communication to pursue professional opportunities in a wide range of fields including academia, natural resource exploration, and environmental consulting.
Keywords:Â Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Environmental Change, Geobiology, Natural Resources, Natural Hazards, Planetary Dynamics
Unique Program Features
- Students receive funding from a combination of tuition subsidies, research stipend, expected salary from employment (e.g., Teaching Assistantship), and external or internal scholarships/awards (if applicable).
- Students benefit from access to analytical facilities which include an Electron Microprobe Microanalytical Facility, an Atomic Absorption Lab, an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Lab, and a Stable Isotope Laboratory.
- Faculty members conduct research in: the geochemistry of the mantle; the nature of processes concentrating metals in hydrothermal mineral deposits; the controls of viscosity in magmas and the mechanisms of volcanic eruption; the fate of carbon in marine and freshwater sediments; greenhouse gas emissions in natural and anthropogenic environments; the nature of changes in atmospheric and oceanic chemistry during Earth’s history; earthquakes and fault mechanisms; geomicrobiology; the movement of water and nutrients within complex ecohydrological systems; wetland hydrogeology; interactions between the cryosphere, solid Earth, and climate systems; global human processes and their relationship to planetary boundaries.Â
- Graduates pursue careers in the public sector (e.g., universities and government-funded research institutes) and in the private sector (e.g., mineral and petroleum exploration, environmental consulting, climate change mitigation).
University-Level Admission Requirements
- An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
- English-language proficiency
Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.
Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.
Program Website
Department Contact
Graduate Program grad.eps [at] mcgill.ca (subject: PhD%20in%20Earth%20%26%20Planetary%20Sciences) (email)
Available Intakes
Fall
Winter
Application Deadlines
| Intake | Applications Open | Application Deadline - International | Application Deadline - Domestic (Canadian, Permanent Resident of Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FALL | September 15 | January 15 | January 15 |
| WINTER | February 15 | August 1 | August 1 |
| SUMMER | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Note: Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.