phd in education university of calgary

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This Calendar provides important information regarding the regulations of the University and graduate programs.

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Learning Sciences

Thesis-based, on campus degree

Learning Sciences is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship that works to further scientific, humanistic, and critical theoretical understandings of learning as well as to engage in the design and implementation of pedagogical innovations to support learning. The primary mission of the Learning Sciences PhD program is the advancement of knowledge and the preparation of future researchers and scholars of the discipline. In this research-intensive program, students will engage with and advance the field’s understanding of the cultural, social, cognitive, affective, political, technological, and economic dimensions of learning, teaching, design, and assessment, both within and across diverse settings. Applicants from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply, and doctoral students in the program are encouraged and supported to work in interdisciplinary areas and projects. 

This is a research intensive program where students work closely with their supervisors. Applicants are encouraged to go through the list of faculty members associated with the program in the link below, including the “full profile” information link for each faculty member. You are also encouraged to contact faculty members that might be a good fit for your research interests to explore potential connections. If you choose to apply, we expect that you will have discussed your research interests with potential supervisors, and you should explain the potential matches in your statement of purpose. Students’ experience in this research intensive program is dramatically enhanced by a strong complementarity of research interests and strengths of students and supervisors.

Program Details

Important deadlines & information.

Application Dates

Application opens:   September 1 Application deadline:  December 1 Official supporting document deadline: December 1-No Exceptions

Students must use the online application found at the  How to Apply  page.

Program Delivery

The PhD in Educational Research is a full-time program that is normally delivered on campus for the first two years of the program for either a Summer term start or a Fall term start.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are also outlined in the University Calendar .

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies admission requirements, Graduate Programs in Education requires:

• A thesis-based master’s degree in an appropriate field. Outstanding applicants holding master’s degrees without thesis may be considered.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.50 on a four-point scale in a master’s degree program.
• A written statement of approximately 500 words indicating the applicant's reasons for wishing to pursue a graduate program. In this statement, briefly outline how your research interests and goals align with the specialization you have applied to; identify relevant prior research, teaching and leadership   experiences, publications, awards and recognitions, that you bring to doctoral research. To help us to consider potential supervisors, please identify Werklund School of Education  academic faculty members  whose research expertise aligns with your own.
• Where appropriate, candidates will be expected to have, or to obtain, relevant practical experience in their area of specialization.
• Two references. Referees will be asked to complete an online reference form.
• Current CV.
• Meeting the English language proficiency requirement. Proficiency in the English language is essential for the pursuit and successful completion of graduate programs in the Werklund School of Education. Prior to admission to Graduate Programs in Education, an applicant whose primary language is not English must fulfill the English language proficiency requirement.  For additional information, please visit our  How to Apply  page.

Admission Portfolio

Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy program are encouraged to submit an Admission Portfolio containing examples of their work. The purpose of the Admission Portfolio is to give applicants the opportunity to provide additional documentation that demonstrates their suitability and qualification for doctoral studies. The Admission Portfolio is particularly relevant for program applicants who do not hold a thesis-based master’s degree.

The Doctoral Admission Portfolio may contain the following:

a) Thesis (if applicable).

b) Reports.

c) Research grants or scholarships.

d) Articles.

e) Curriculum documents.

f) Non-print materials, (e.g. multimedia).

g) Evidence of relevant prior learning (see below).

h) Personal statement documenting research skills and interests.

The Doctoral Admission Portfolio must include a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary that outlines the contents of the Portfolio.

Relevant Prior Learning Considerations

In exceptional circumstances, individuals who do not meet formal academic requirements but who have significant life achievements may be considered for admission to the program. The candidates must provide Graduate Programs in Education with evidence demonstrating a potential to undertake successfully the proposed program of studies. Such candidates are advised to make early contact with Graduate Programs in Education, and supply additional supporting documents as part of their application package, such as:

a) Evidence of personal continuing education/training.

b) Results in these continuing education efforts.

c) Experience in a field related to the aspired degree.

d) Evidence of successful management of people, resources, finances, situations.

e) Increasing or varying responsible positions in organizations related to the aspired degree.

f) Work-related products, e.g. reports, programs of learning or training, handbooks, videos, manuals, workshops, seminars.

g) Evidence of personal growth in knowledge, understanding, management skills, and intellectual resources.

h) Evidence of innovation.

i) Evidence of leadership or co-ordination responsibilities.

Advanced Credit

The applicant must make advanced credit request as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma, or for courses taken to bring grade point average to a required level for admission.

Graduate Programs in Education does not normally accept undergraduate courses for credit toward graduate degrees.

Admission Note

In all these cases, the decision whether or not to admit the applicant rests with the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Admission to all graduate programs is highly competitive due to limited enrollment capacities. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

All graduate programs are governed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. In the case of any conflict, regulations of the  Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar  take precedence over material on this website. Please consult the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar for University of Calgary graduate admission requirements.

Please check  Application Process  for details.

Offers of admission are valid only for the term to which applications are made.  

Transcripts & Supporting Documents- Due December 1

Applications, transcripts and all supporting documents must be submitted 11:59 pm MT on the application deadline date for each program. Please visit the  FGS applicant transcript page  to answer frequently asked questions on transcripts. 

For additional information on transcripts and where to send them, please visit our  How to Apply  page.

References Two (2) academic references are required. References will be asked to complete an online reference form. No hard copy letters of reference or documents will be accepted.

Please see the Faculty of Graduate Studies'  advice on finding references  for your application.

References are due by the application deadline, so you should complete the online application earlier in order to give your referees sufficient time to submit their reference. Referees will receive notification on how to submit their reference  after  you submit your application and are due on the application deadline regardless of when they receive the notification.  Please ensure that your references are aware of the supporting document submission deadline.  Applications without completed reference forms will be considered incomplete after the application deadline has passed.

Statement of Intent and Admission Portfolio Applicants must submit a written statement of intent and are encouraged to submit an  admission portfolio  as part of the application to the PhD in Educational Research program. 

Hard copy statements of intent and admission portfolio components will not be accepted. Please ensure that you are using the online application system to submit these documents.

Tuition and Fees

Information on tuition and fees can be found in the University Calendar .

Please visit the  candidacy and dissertation section of our website  for information.

PhD Funding

The Werklund School of Education provides funding opportunities for full-time doctoral students admitted to the on-campus program, for the first 4 years in program.

Awards and Scholarships

Applicants to the program  are encouraged to apply for internal and external scholarships.

Supervision

As a Graduate Student, you are expected to devote the time, effort, and energy necessary to engage in scholarship. You will determine the specific milestones and requirements of your program of study in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies Calendar and with your graduate supervisor. 

An integral part of the student experience is working closely with a supervisor on the development and completion of a research project. A graduate supervisor mentors graduate students through regular meetings and research training aimed at research, scholarship, teaching and professional development. Graduate supervisors support students in the timely completion of their programs.

As a Graduate Student, you are expected to meet with your graduate supervisor on a regular basis. While each student-supervisor relationship is unique, graduate supervisors can assist graduate students in a number of ways: advising on course selection, applying for awards and scholarships, obtaining research funds, applying for teaching assistant and sessional teaching opportunities, developing track records in refereed publications and conference presentations, getting involved in leadership and service, and encouraging and supporting apprenticeship in a research community of practice (collaborative review of papers, grants, academic writing, and data analysis). 

A supervisor is normally appointed at the time of admission to the PhD program.

Have Questions?

Sylvia Parks Graduate Program Administrator (GPA) 403.220.4105, [email protected]

Academic Coordinator

Dr. Kim Koh, [email protected]

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PhD Application Process

Dates and deadlines.

Deadlines are firm. You are unable to upload or edit application materials after the deadline.

Oct. 2, 2023

Applications open

For Fall 2024 admission

Dec. 1, 2023

Application and document deadline - 11:59 pm MST

Deadline to submit your application, fee, CV, proposal and writing sample

Transcript deadline

Deadline to submit unofficial transcripts and degree certificates required for admission

Dec. 8, 2023

Reference deadline - 11:59 pm MST

Deadline for your referees to submit the online form

Dec. 15, 2023

ELP Test Scores

Deadline to submit your English Language Proficiency (ELP) test score for admission

In Fall 2024, the PhD program will be delivered from Calgary.

Getting started

Gather references.

We will invite your referees to complete an online reference form after you submit your application.

Make sure you enter their email address correctly or your referee will not receive the invite.

Learn more about this requirement below >>

Begin Your Application

Create an eID to log in. If you already have an eID, you can begin your online application. 

Once you begin, remember to click 'Save & Continue' often to ensure your application is saved.

Access the UCalgary Online Application

Submit your application

Pay your non-refundable application fee:

$125 for Canadian or Permanent residents

$145 for International Students

Your application has to contain information for two referees:

• one from a person who can speak to your academic performance and ability (e.g., graduate program supervisor, professor, practicum instructor), and
• one needs to be a professional/work reference (must have directly supervised you).

We do not accept letters from friends, family members, colleagues, people who are currently registered in a graduate degree program, or general letters that are not written in support of your application.

Selecting a Referee

Choose a referee who can describe your strengths and weaknesses in these general areas:

• academic background and training;
• research ability and record;
• communication and language ability; and
• reliability and personal aptitude; and
• provide their overall recommendation.

Ask your referees to read your research proposal and comment on it in their reference submission.

Currently registered in a graduate degree program or recently graduated? Your program supervisor must submit a reference.

Can only submit one academic reference?

If you have been out of school for a long time (5+ years) or you are an international student and cannot contact previous instructors, you can submit two professional references. Make sure to provide an explanation in the Program Specific Questions.

You will upload your required documents after you submit your application. How to Upload

Required Documents

Program specific supporting documents.

After you submit your online application, you will receive an email with your UCID and instructions on how to access your UCalgary Student Centre, where you will find a 'To Do List' for providing program-specific supporting documents.

Learn more about the these documents below >>

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Test Scores

You need to submit ELP test scores if your primary language is not English. 

Find the mailing address below >>

We follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies policy for English Language Proficiency .

For ELP waiver requests see below >>

Transcripts

You need to upload unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you've attended (except for the University of Calgary). If those institutions don't indicate the awarded degree on their transcripts, you will need degree certificates as well.

IMPORTANT : Transcript file(s), including English translations and/or degree certificates (if applicable), must be amalgamated into one PDF file per institution, and clearly outline the following: terms, institution grading scale, course weight (units/credits), and grade.

If your application is successful, final official transcripts will be requested with your offer of admission. These must be sent in a sealed envelope directly from your previous post-secondary institution(s). If you have official transcripts in your possession, they need to remain in the original sealed envelope. Do not submit official transcripts in advance of an offer of admission.

Document translation

If your original documents are not in English, you must request a second set of documents to be given to a translator for a notarized word-for-word English translation. Submit the translated copy in addition to your official documents.

ELP Waiver Requests

In certain circumstances, such as when you have a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a recognized institution that teaches in English, the graduate program may waive the English Language Proficiency requirement. Eligible institutions must be listed as providing English language instruction in the World Higher Education Database (WHED). To waive the English Language Proficiency requirement, you need to submit your request in writing (Word or PDF) by December 15 . In your statement provide the reasons why you should be exempt from taking an ELP test. Make the subject line "ELP Waiver Request" and include your name and UCID. You'll also need to provide a letter from your institution indicating the medium of instruction is English.

Program Specific Documents

Curriculum vitae (cv).

Your CV is an important part of your application. Make sure you fully capture your experience (paid and/or volunteer) relevant to social work.

Don’t forget to detail:

• your educational history
• professional experience (including teaching)
• professional and educational awards/distinctions
• peer and non-peer reviewed publications and
• presentations

What is relevant social work and human service experience

Program Proposal

Your program proposal is a vital part of your application. Make sure you allow enough time to prepare a well written proposal. The proposal is approximately 10 pages, double-spaced (not including title page and references), and must be written in an academic format (APA or other).

In your program proposal, include a discussion of:

• your reasons for pursuing doctoral education in social work
• your educational goals and career expectations
• your prior research course work and experience
• a research proposal outlining the research problem you hope to investigate, your guiding theoretical framework and your preliminary ideas regarding methodology, and the potential contributions to social work research, practice, policy, and education (approximately 5 pages, double-spaced)

Your program proposal is evaluated for clarity, content and writing ability.

Writing sample

A sample of written work such as a published or unpublished scholarly paper or a professional report.  

Mailing address

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Faculty of Social Work - Graduate Admissions MacKimmie Tower, Room 301 University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4 Canada

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Haskayne PhD

Generous Funding Package

Our funding package is one the most generous among the Canadian business schools. We pay full tuition to all students admitted. We provide in excess of $120,000 over four years plus partial funding in year 5 to all incoming PhD students. We also support each student’s participation and attendance at academic conferences (subject to approval) to encourage presenting research and building networks.

The main mission of the PhD program in Accounting at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, is to prepare prospective faculty members for positions at reputable business schools in Canada and around the world. Our graduates teach and research in schools such as American University of Cairo, Concordia University, Mount Royal University, University of Ottawa, Royal Roads University. University of Texas-Pan American and York University.

Some of the factors that make our graduates successful include a rigorous admission process, training in core business, accounting, and statistics. In addition to five core seminars in business and research methodology, our students are required to complete four seminars in accounting research, one seminar in a minor area (Corporate Sustainability and Finance are popular choices) and two statistics courses. For their seminar courses students are required to take Managerial Accounting Seminar, Financial Accounting Seminar, and Paradigms, Issues, and Methods.  They may choose from other optional courses including Evaluating Environmental Performance, Tax, Advanced Financial, and Advanced Managerial or other Special Topics (as a directed study). Additionally, the Accounting Area holds a regular series of research presentations by our faculty members and well-known researchers from other universities, as part of or independently of these courses. With help from their professors, PhD students undertake their own research project through a summer research program at the end of their first year, which may be further developed for conference presentation and/or expanded into dissertation research. PhD students are frequently provided with opportunities to work with professors on accounting research projects.  

Financial aid is available to some of our students through the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation, and the Certified Management Accountants.  Please view their websites for specific requirements for applying.  PhD students, along with professors, can apply for small amounts of funding to support research projects through the Certified Management Accountants and Certified General Accountants internal research competitions.  Other competitive awards that may be of interest to support research are the Peter Valentine Corporate Governance Award and the Enbridge Corporate Sustainability Award Doctoral Scholarship, if doing research on these topics.

When ready, students are encouraged to attend and present papers at the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA), the American Accounting Association (AAA), the European Accounting Association (EAA), and the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC).  Students can also attend the Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR) conference as a PhD participant.  Other conferences of regional or special interest, depending on the student’s area of research, may also be encouraged.  There are also a number of PhD doctoral consortiums that can be attended.

PhD students are free to select their own topic of interest for their dissertation research; however, most students choose a topic of interest they may share with one of the accounting professors. Some topics that have been investigated in the past include international accounting, capital markets, intellectual capital, public sector accounting, managerial performance systems, and corporate sustainability.  Methods include experimental, events studies using archival data, case studies, empirical analysis, and others.  Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used as well. Our graduates publish in such quality journals as Journal of Accounting Research (JAR), Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR), Accounting, Organization and Society (AOS), and Journal of Business Ethics. Many of our graduates serve as associate editors or in the editorial boards of reputable journals.

Area chair: Dr. Mark Anderson , Associate Professor

The Ph.D. Program in Management Information Systems (MIS), which also goes under the name Business Technology Management (BTM), at the Haskayne School of Business (HSB) is a research-based program designed to prepare candidates to become strong scholars at universities and other research-based institutions.

The focus of the Ph.D. program in MIS/BTM at HSB is on the economics of information systems, otherwise known as the “econ of IS”, and related areas. The course work, which covers about two years, is designed to prepare the candidates in economics, econometrics, research methods, quantitative methods, and state-of-the-art research in the econ of IS.

Active participation in research with one or more faculty members begins no later than the first summer. All research faculty in MIS/BTM have one or more publications in the field’s top journals, and this provides a strong basis for guidance and future prospects.

Recent research areas include:

• Productivity impacts of Information technology (IT)
• E-commerce and channels of distribution
• Electronic retailing
• Platform-mediated networks
• Online data and reputations
• Economics of user-generated content
• Business process reengineering
• IT outsourcing
• Adaptive control in scheduling
• Price quotation in supply chains
• IT and organizational design
• IT applications in healthcare

Area chair: Dr. Raymond A. Patterson , Professor

Researchers:

• Dr. Barrie R. Nault
• Dr. Ray Patterson
• Dr. Hooman Hidaji
• Dr. Duy Dao
• Dr. Jian (Ray) Zhang

The Haskayne PhD in Entrepreneurship and Innovation offers students an opportunity to work with faculty who are committed to excellence in theoretical foundations and a variety of research methodologies, preparing them for academic careers.

Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTI) is an interdisciplinary domain that focuses on the activities, people and context involved in initiating, developing, and maintaining an enterprise or innovation. Among topics of interest are new venture opportunities, strategies, and resources; entrepreneurship ecosystems; the owner-manager; the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic development; family business; crowdfunding; start-up governance; social entrepreneurship; intrapreneurship; and international entrepreneurship and policy.

In addition, because entrepreneurship often involves technological innovations, the specialization includes scholarship and dialogue on the management of innovation and technological change, technology strategy, technology-based entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of scientific research.

We encourage students to examine the questions of the field from multiple perspectives and draw upon a wide range of foundational disciplines, including economics, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and sociology.

Area chair: Dr. Olga Petricevic , Associate Professor

The PhD program in Finance at the Haskayne School of Business is a technical, rigorous, academic program designed to prepare you for a career as a researcher and scholar. You will get a solid education in the mainstreams of finance research and be trained in the professional skills that are necessary to pursue a successful career in academia. The program is intense and requires a lot of dedication and a positive work attitude. Our faculty will work with students in all major areas of finance research including: corporate finance, asset pricing, banking, corporate governance, mathematical finance, and entrepreneurship.   You will work with your advisor to select finance courses that will optimally prepare you for your chosen field of study. To augment the finance courses, students are often encouraged to take classes from mathematics and/or economics. Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Area chair: Dr. Kyoung Jin Choi , Associate Professor

Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources | Strategy & Global Management

The doctoral programs in SGMA and OBHR are closely aligned, and encourage students to adopt multi-disciplinary and multi-methodology approaches in their research.

The key question to be answered in any SGMA or OBHR thesis is always: how to increase the effectiveness and/or efficiency of a managerial practice with a view to contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage?  

There is considerable flexibility in choosing the thesis subject, i.e., the selected managerial practice’s nature and scope. Such practice may be observable at the level of the individual decision-maker, a team, a sub-unit within the firm, the firm, a strategic alliance or even an industry. 

Answering the key question in a SGMA or OBHR dissertation must build on solid conceptual foundations and take advantage of state-of-the-art empirical methodologies, both in the quantitative and qualitative sphere.

Students are encouraged to adopt an integrative approach, drawing conceptual insight from foundational disciplines such as applied psychology, micro-economics (especially the law, economics and organization branch of micro-economics) and other complementary disciplines with proven potential to answer in a rigorous fashion the key question considered.

The focus should be on gaining an in-depth understanding of the practice at hand in terms of its strengths (or benefits) and weaknesses (or costs), and on developing or evaluating a set of actionable paths towards improving the practice.

For example, work on non-market strategies of firms may require delving into political science, the institutional-theory strand of sociology, and law. As another example, work on designing effective human resources management practices in multinational enterprises may require a serious grounding in conceptual frameworks related to societal culture and organizational behaviour, and deep knowledge of the modern economics-based theory of the multinational enterprise.

All SGMA and OBHR students will be expected to master advanced statistics as used in the leading management journals (such as the Academy of Management Journal), and have an equivalent command of qualitative research methods .

The SGMA and OBHR doctoral programs will provide the PhD students with the multi-disciplinary and multi-methodology training required to examine issues of managerial effectiveness and efficiency in a large variety of organizational settings. 

Students will be supervised by a select group of Haskayne faculty members, who have published in leading academic journals and whose expectation is that each thesis will consist of a set of high quality essays publishable in refereed journals. These faculty members have a history of co-publishing with their students on a wide variety of topics, ranging from the determinants of job satisfaction, to meta-analyses on a wide variety of organizational phenomena, and the strategy and structure of the world’s largest companies.  Take a look at the SGMA and  OBHR faculty members’ research records to see if there is an overlap in interests.

OBHR Area chair:  Dr. Nick Turner , Professor, Distinguished Research Chair, ABL

SGMA Area chair: Dr. Pengfei Li , Associate Professor

The Haskayne School of Business (HSB) doctoral degree in Marketing is a rigorous, research-based academic program designed to prepare you for a career as a marketing scholar.  This program is intensive and the expectations are high.  At graduation, you will have developed a solid theoretical foundation and strong analytical skills to prepare you for a career in university teaching and research. 

All HSB doctoral students are paired with a supervisor from the first day, and you will have opportunities very early in your program to develop close working relationships with faculty members as you become involved in faculty-led research projects (generally toward the end of your first year). These research projects reflect our faculty’s research interests, which are varied and include:

• Consumer Behaviour
• Decision Making
• Product Management/New Product Development
• Relationship Marketing
• Ethics/Social Responsibility
• Sustainability
• International & Global Marketing
• Services Marketing
• Cross-Cultural Marketing Research
• Methodological Issues

Marketing is an interdisciplinary field that draws theories and methodologies from a number of founding disciplines, including economics, psychology, sociology, strategy, and statistics. Depending on your research interests, you will be encouraged to take courses in the foundational disciplines to complement your marketing training. You will also be encouraged to take several courses in statistics and quantitative methods.  Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Area chair: Dr. Scott Radford , Associate Professor

As a doctoral student in the Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) area, you will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members who are dedicated to excellence in both research and teaching.  Two particular research strengths of our faculty are:

• Health care operations management, specifically health care delivery optimization through addressing problems of access to care and quality/safety, employing quantitative tools as well as qualitative and empirical studies of health services, and
• Supply chain management, encompassing all aspects, from operations strategy – maximizing responsiveness through flexibility, collaboration and logistics – through supply chain network design, including facility layout and location.

Coursework will be tailored to individual interests but will include a series of seminars to provide in-depth knowledge of research in operations management and exposure to a variety of management science techniques.

Area chair:  Dr. Osman Alp , Professor

The Haskayne School of Business (HSB) doctoral degree in Risk Management and Insurance is a rigorous, research-based academic program.  This program is intensive and the expectations are high.  At graduation, you will have developed a solid theoretical foundation and strong analytical skills to prepare you for a career in university teaching and research. 

• Enterprise risk management
• Corporate governance
• Disaster resilience
• Distribution systems in insurance
• Merger and acquisition activity in the insurance industry
• Competitiveness and efficiency of the insurance industry
• Tort versus no-fault liability systems
• Public policy issues surrounding social insurance systems and pensions
• Risk communication

Risk management and insurance are interdisciplinary fields that draw theory and methodologies from a number of founding disciplines, including economics, law, psychology, and statistics. Depending on your research interests, you will be encouraged to take courses in the foundational disciplines to complement your marketing training. You will also be encouraged to take courses in both qualitative and quantitative methods.  Please visit our University of Calgary Calendar for a description of available courses and prerequisites.

Please note:  Applicants interested in financial risk management should visit the page for FINANCE.

Area chair: Dr. Anne Kleffner , Professor

Cross-Disciplinary Programs

The business school supports the efforts of students wishing to combine a doctoral program in management with doctoral studies in another discipline. These joint programs are individually tailored to meet student interests and needs. Students in cross-disciplinary programs must be highly qualified because it is difficult to meet the standards of two specializations.

Interested in learning more?

If you are interested in learning more about the Haskayne PhD program, application requirements and deadlines, please contact us.

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Mathematics

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Academic background

Admission details can be found here . For details on preliminary examinations, please see the University Calendar .

Research supervisors

• Alexandru Badescu : Mathematical finance, actuarial science.
• Kristine Bauer : Algebraic topology and homotopic theory, calculus of factors, homological algebra.
• Mark Bauer : Number theory and cryptography.
• Karoly Bezdek : Combinatorics, geometry and logic, geometric analysis and rigidity, computational discrete geometry.
• Thomas Bitoun : Algebraic geometry and D-modules.
• Elena Braverman : Delay differential equations, delay equations of population dynamics, logistic equations, impulsive equations, equations with distributed delay.
• Alex Brudnyi : Fundamental groups of compact Kahler manifolds, limit cycles and the distribution of zeros of families of analytic functions.
• Clifton Cunningham : Number theory, topology and algebraic geometry.
• Gilad Gour : Quantum information science, foundations of quantum mechanics.
• Matthew Greenberg : Algebraic Geometry, Cryptography, and Number Theory, Algebra and Topology.
• Claude Laflamme : Set theory, theory of homogeneous structures, e-learning systems, graph theory.
• Wenyuan Liao : Seismic inversion and applications, mathematical modelling and the application of mathematics, especially perturbation and numerical methods, to industrial problems, numerical methods and applications to geophysics.
• Dang Khoa Nguyen :  algebraic dynamics, diophantine geometry, and related problems
• Jinniao Qiu : Analysis, mathematical finance, quasilinear and fully nonlinear partial differential equations, stochastic calculus, operations research.
• Cristian Rios : Analysis and partial differential equations, quasilinear and fully nonlinear partial differential equations, degenerate elliptic equations.
• Carlo Maria Scandolo : Quantum Information, Quantum resource theories, Quantum Information Science, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics.
• Renate Scheidler : Number theory, mathematical cryptography.
• Deniz Sezer : Credit risk and finance, super-processes, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.
• Anatoliy Swishchuk : Financial mathematics, biomathematics, stochastic delay differential equations, insurance mathematics, stochastic models in economics, applications of random evolution.
• Antony Ware : Numerical analysis, biomedical applications of mathematics, wavelets, numerical solution of unsteady convection-diffusion problems, computational finance.
• Qingrun Zhang  : Genomics Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Sstatistical Genetics, Machine Learning algorithms applied to Genomics.
• Yuriy Zinchenko : Applications to medicine and healthcare, optimal radiation therapy design; operations research, optimization algorithms and software; scientific parallel computing and high-performance linear algebra; mathematical programming with applications to computational geometry.

Course load

The course requirements for a doctorate are determined on an individual basis and must include eight half courses in the student’s combined master's and PhD program in addition to MATH 600A and MATH 600B seminar course which must be taken in the first or second year of the program.

Performance level: Should maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 calculated on a four-point scale at the end of each registration year and attain at least a B- on each course taken for credit.

Course selections

• MATH 600 Research Seminar (this course is not one of the eight required courses).
• Two courses from List A courses
• At least three courses at List A or List B

List A courses

MATH 601 Measure and Integration   MATH 603 Analysis III   MATH 605 Differential Equations III   MATH 607 Algebra III

List B courses

MATH 617 Functional Analysis   MATH 621 Complex Analysis   MATH 625 Introduction to Algebraic Topology   MATH 627 Algebraic Geometry   MATH 631 Discrete Mathematics   MATH 641 Number Theory   MATH 661 Scientific Modelling and Computation I   MATH 681 Stochastic Calculus for Finance   MATH 685 Stochastic Processes   STAT 701 Probability Theory

Completion time

The PhD is a full-time degree with an expected completion time of four years. The maximum time allowed is six years.

Supervisor and supervisory committee

• Supervisors will decide with their students on what courses the students have to take, and what preliminary exams the students have to write.
• A supervisory committee must be established within three months after the program starts.  The supervisory committee includes a supervisor (and a co-supervisor if there is one), and two supervisory committee members.
• The supervisory committee should meet with the student regularly to provide guidance through the program.

Exam and other components

Written preliminary exams

Students must pass three written preliminary examinations on material from List A and List B courses (including at least two from List A), no later than 18 months into the program.

Presentations

All mathematics PhD students are required to give three invited or contributed presentations during their doctoral degree, not including presentations that are required as part of a graduate course or the 600 seminar course.

Written candidacy proposal and oral candidacy exam

• Program course work and examination requirements completed (prior to candidacy oral examination)
• Written proposal submitted to supervisory committee (recommended six months, minimum four months in advance of expected oral examination date)
• Reading list approved by the graduate program director (at least three months prior to scheduling oral examination)
• Written research proposal approved (at least two months prior to scheduling oral examination)
• The oral candidacy examination must be taken no later than 28 months from the start of the doctoral program. Prior to the oral examination, the student must have completed all the course work and the written preliminary examinations
• The oral candidacy exam must be scheduled at least four weeks before the intended date.
• The exam committee contains a supervisor, a co-supervisor (if it is applicable), supervisory committee members (usually two), and two examiners (outside of student’s program, within the department or within the university)

More information can be found under the following links:

Faculty of Graduate Studies candidacy regulations

Departmental guidelines for candidacy examinations

Thesis and thesis oral examination

The student must complete a thesis on a topic to be agreed to by the student and their supervisor.

• After completion of the thesis, the student must pass a thesis oral examination
• A thesis oral exam committee contains a supervisor, a co-supervisor (if applicable), supervisory committee members (usually two), an examiner (outside of student’s program, within the department or within the university) and an external examiner (from outside of the university)
• The external examiner must be applied for approval from Faculty of Graduate Studies six weeks prior the intended examination date
• The exam must be scheduled at least four weeks prior to date of oral exam
• Examiners must have a copy of the thesis at least three weeks prior to the date of oral exam
• Final thesis oral examinations are open

More information can be found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website under examinations .

University calendar

For more information, please see the university calendar.

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Dr. Philip Egberts

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Full Professor

Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Affiliations

Associate Dean - Engineering Physics

Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary

Contact information

Web presence

Lab Website

Phone number

Office: 403-220-7678

Office: MEB517

For media enquiries, contact

Joe McFarland Media Relations and Communications Specialist

Cell: +1.403.671.2710 Email: [email protected]

Educational Background

BASc Nanoengineering Option, Division of Engineering Science, University of Toronto, 2004

MASc Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 2006

PhD Department of Physics, McGill University, 2011

Philip Egberts obtained his Ph.D. in 2011 from the McGill University in Montreal, Canada specializing in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics. During this time, he spent most of his research at the INM-Leibniz Institute for New Materials in Saarbrücken, Germany. Following his PhD studies, he joined the Carpick Research Group in the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics department at the University of Pennsylvania as a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF).

Currently, he is a faculty member at the University of Calgary in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. More recently, Dr. Egberts was Associate Head Graduate Studies in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Associate Professor in from 2015-2018. He was also a visiting professor and Humboldt Fellow at the University of Hamburg in the Department of Physics from 2019-2020.

His current research interests range atomic and nanoscale investigation of adhesion, friction, and wear, as well as nanoenhanced lubricant development and tribocorrosion. The overarching goal of his work is to link experimental findings of friction and wear with theory, eventually to make physical and predictive models of friction and wear.

Areas of Research

Our research focuses on the study friction, plasticity and wear at the nanoscale using atomic force microscopy (AFM). We investigate these problems using simple materials and determine the fundamental physical mechanisms by which they occur. By approaching these complex engineering problems at the atomic-length scale, we can reduce the complexity of the problems.

We are also able to take advantage of other modes of AFM to obtain true atomic resolution of surfaces. For example, the true atomic resolution of the (100) surface of potassium bromide (KBr). We can identify the high resolution capability of the AFM by observing single atomic vacancies at the surface. With these experiments, we hope to be able to predictively determine material parameters such as friction coefficients, plasticity/hardness and wear rates, which will be critical in the development of next generation materials and lubricants. for, example, when we image atomic stick-slip friction on an alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer grown on a Au(111) substrate, atomic lattice resolution is achieved. However, single atomic defects cannot be observed due to the "large" multi-atom contact between the AFM tip and the surface. Using AFM, we are able to resolve forces much less than 1 nN, which approaches the strength of single atomic bonds.

Materials Science

Tribochemistry

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Energy innovations for today and tomorrow

Engineering solutions for health

New earth-space technologies

Publications

Google Scholar

In the News

• Living with Pride in the STEM Community . APEGA. (2021)

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May 8, 2024

UCalgary doctoral students research interventions for older refugees and pregnant women

Asma Bernier, Faculty of Graduate Studies

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Focusing on new practices and technologies to better the outcomes of certain groups is an integral part to the 2023 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (Vanier CGS) winners’ research. The Vanier CGS program recognizes highly qualified doctoral students who are leading researchers in their fields. This prestigious scholarship aims to attract excellent doctoral students by providing academic recognition and financial support, valued at $50,000 per year for three years, for their research pursuits.  “The research that these graduate students undertake is inspirational and opening up important conversations that will impact our communities on both a local and global scale,” says Dr. Tara Beattie, dean and vice-provost, Faculty of Graduate Studies.  “Becoming a Vanier Scholar gives our graduate students important recognition and funding to help propel these conversations and research forward in transforming the future. I’m delighted to see this generation of scholars follow in the steps of those previous to continue this important work.” Philippa Ngaju and Prince Chiagozie Ekoh — two winners of the 2023 Vanier CGS Program at the University of Calgary — are contributing to transformative research through the development of new interventions for older adult refugees and extending technologies for preeclampsia patients.  Philippa Ngaju, a second-year PhD student in biomedical engineering at the Schulich School of Engineering, is dedicated to her research on point-of-care paper-based biosensors for biomarker detection of early-stage preeclampsia. Paper-based biosensors can be likened to a pregnancy test and are affordable platforms for simple, accurate and rapid detection of diseases. 

Before her doctoral studies at the University of Calgary, Ngaju spent considerable time working in health innovation by designing medical devices for resource-constrained settings in Uganda, her home country. Her doctoral research extends this work as she aims to solve problems that impact vulnerable populations, specifically expecting mothers with preeclampsia. “Preeclampsia, sometimes referred to as gestational hypertension, is a serious life-threatening condition characterized by persistent blood pressure during pregnancy,” Ngaju explains. “Screening early enables clinicians to better monitor at-risk patients and ensures improved health outcomes for expectant mothers and their unborn babies.” 

She hopes to advance preeclampsia paper-based biosensor technology globally, protecting at-risk patients and providing clinicians with medical devices and innovations needed to improve health outcomes. Through her research, Ngaju aims to improve access to sensitive and specific testing for early-stage preeclampsia in rural communities and limited resource settings. By doing this, her goal is to empower clinicians to make timely care decisions. Becoming a Vanier Scholar has validated Ngaju’s efforts and commitment to her research, and she felt elated and humbled after learning she won this prestigious scholarship. 

“This scholarship has had a significant impact on my life, pursuing a PhD was at some point almost unattainable, but I have been fortunate to have mentors who believed in me, guided and encouraged me over the years. This scholarship and the opportunity to pursue my PhD at UCalgary has been a culmination of several years of sacrifice and perseverance — I’m truly appreciative.” Ngaju continues to be passionate about her research and remains committed to looking at solving problems that impact vulnerable populations, such as mothers and their children, and is grateful for the support of the scholarship as it has allowed her to focus on her research.

Prince Chiagozie Ekoh

Prince Chiagozie Ekoh, a third-year PhD student in the Faculty of Social Work, chose UCalgary beyond its academic ranking, but because the Faculty of Social Work focuses on critical perspectives within research and education. “I appreciate the invaluable mentorship provided by my award-winning supervisor, Dr. Christine Walsh. Together, she and the university create an environment that empowers me to excel,” explains Ekoh.  Through his research of utilizing visuals methods, Ekoh investigates the social network and support experiences of older African refugees living in Calgary. “By focusing on their stories, we gain insight into the unique challenges faced by older adults who have lost their support systems and must navigate the complexities of aging and refugeeism in a foreign environment with unfamiliar systems, cultures and languages,” says Ekoh. By focusing on the unique lived experiences of older adult refugees, Ekoh aims to develop effective interventions and initiatives to enhance the assistance available to older refugees in Canada.  When Ekoh learned he had won the Vanier Scholarship, he felt humbled and grateful for the recognition. “Receiving this scholarship has provided me with renewed vigour to continue my work as a diligent researcher, instructor and community leader,” says Ekoh. 

Navigating through his PhD continues to be both a challenging and rewarding experience. While Ekoh learned to cope with overwhelming emotions being away from his support system in Nigeria, he remains highly motivated to continue impactful research and plans to continue his work with marginalized groups by mentoring new social workers to build efforts in improving the world through practice, research and advocacy.

Related content

Forward-thinking solutions and prevention strategies for diverse medical conditions inspire 3 UCalgary PhD students

There’s a reason Prince Chiagozie Ekoh sees human relationships above all

Finding alternatives to century-old industrial chemical process brings joy to PhD candidate

PhD student maps Milky Way’s magnetic field for first time

8 UCalgary grad students receive prestigious Vanier scholarships for 2023

Driven by desire to help others, UCalgary scholar pursues spinal cord injury research

• graduate student excellence
• Vanier Awards
• graduate student research
• social work
• biomedical engineering

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Banff Inflammation Workshop (BIW2025)

January 23 - 26, 2025 Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Banff, Alberta, Canada

The Organizing Committee and the  Inflammation Research Network  are pleased to invite you to the 13th biennial Banff Inflammation Workshop (BIW2025). The workshop will focus on recent developments in basic and translational inflammation research.

The Banff Inflammation Workshop uses a highly interactive format, where leading-edge scientists from Canada and around the world present their latest data and unpublished information, making BIW one of the top-ranked meetings on inflammation research and therapeutics.

One of the goals of the Banff Inflammation Workshop is to provide opportunities for trainees to present their work at the poster sessions and through short talks. The workshop's informal nature allows trainees ample opportunity to interact with invited participants.

We look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful Canadian Rockies and your participation in BIW2025.

The Organizing Committee

• Microbiome and Inflammatory Disease
• New Concepts in Understanding Inflammatory Disease
• Neuroinflammation and Pain
• Mucosal Immunity and Barrier Function  

Important Dates

Abstract submission opens August 1, 2024

Registration opens August 15, 2024

Abstract submission closes November 3, 2024

Early bird registration deadline November 15, 2024

Registration deadline December 31, 2024