IX. Graduate Programs
Human Health and Nutritional Sciences
PhD Program
The focus of the graduate programs in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences is on physical activity and diet as powerful lifestyle determinants of human health. The interaction between genetics and environmental factors determines human health and lifestyle is a major component of our environment.
Our graduate programs offer advanced experiential learning experiences in the broad areas of nutritional and nutraceutical sciences, general and exercise physiology and biomechanics within the focus of lifestyle, genetics and human health. Within these broad fields, the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences addresses the issues at the level of the individual, not community or populations. The research efforts are focused on understanding the basic underlying biological aspects of health, which are further applied to understanding aging, neurological/sensory disorders and osteoarthritis, and chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type II diabetes.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have a recognized Master’s degree in a related field obtained with a minimum academic standing of 80% in their postgraduate studies, and the endorsement of a potential thesis advisor. Applicants should have completed a course in statistics. Under exceptional circumstances admission directly to a PhD program with an appropriate honours degree alone, or transfer from MSc to PhD program without completing the MSc thesis requirements, is also possible.
Admission may be granted in September, January or May. Completed applications should arrive at least one full semester (four months) before the expected date of admission. Applications from international students should arrive at least eight months prior to the expected date of admission.
Each applicant must obtain the support of a faculty member willing to serve as his/her advisor.
The Graduate Admissions Secretary must receive all components of the application, including transcript(s), graduate certificate(s), grading scale(s), language test results, assessment forms, a statement of interest and the name of the faculty advisor no later than two months after an application is submitted through the OUAC portal. Applications that are incomplete after this time period will be closed.
Admission Process
Graduate student applications to programs in the College of Biological Science are handled by the Office of the Associate Dean, Research (ADR). Before submitting an application, applicants are strongly encouraged to view the "Before you Apply" and "Admission Process" webpages on the ADR Future Student's site.
On-line applications, required documents and instructions may also be found on the Office of Graduate Studies webpage or in the Graduate Calendar.
Completed applications should be submitted to the CBS Graduate Admissions Secretary.
Degree Requirements
The major part of a student's time will be devoted to research in fulfilment of the dissertation requirement. Course work would be established through discussion with the student's Advisory Committee.
PhD students will become candidates for the PhD degree upon completion of a qualifying examination, which must be conducted not later than the fifth semester of the PhD program. The examination will be primarily research focused.
Thesis Requirements
Submission and defence of an acceptable dissertation complete the requirements for a PhD. An acceptable dissertation comprises a report of the candidate's research on a particular and well-defined research problem or hypothesis. It should represent a significant contribution to knowledge in that field. Emphasis is placed on the quality of the work judged by the expression of mature scholarship and critical judgment in the dissertation. Dissertation approval implies that it could be published in reputable, refereed journals in its field.