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Location: Health Sciences Centre, Room 341A
Program number: 403.220.68.52
Fax: 403.210.8109
Email address: cvrgrad@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Science (MSc), thesis-based

All MSc and PhD students are considered full-time. In exceptional circumstances part-time status may be considered and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Cumming School of Medicine regulations, the program requires:

a) Qualifications

Master of Science

• Four year BSc degree or equivalent 
• A minimum admission grade point average of 3.30 (on the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà four-point system; equivalent to a "B+") based on the last two years of the undergraduate degree consisting of a minimum of 60 units.

Doctor of Philosophy

• MSc degree, or relevant master’s degree, recognized by the Faculty of Graduate Studies, or transfer from MSc program, or, in exceptional cases, four year BSc degree or equivalent.
• A minimum admission grade point average of 3.30 (on the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà four-point system; equivalent to a "B+") based on the last two years of the undergraduate degree consisting of a minimum of 60 units and any master’s course work if applicable.

b) English language Proficiency

See Medicine Programs.

c) Immunizations

See Medicine Programs.

d) Additional Requirements

• Applicants to the MSc program are required to arrange for the submission of two reference letters and doctoral applicants are required to arrange for the submission of three reference letters. References must follow the guidelines posted on the program’s website for prospective students.
• Students must have confirmed a faculty member willing to supervise their studies.
• Endorsement by the Graduate Program Director that the applicant is acceptable and that adequate supervision in the proposed program is available.

Meeting the minimum admission criteria above does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Applications will be ranked according to academic excellence, prior research experience and commitment to the study of cardiovascular and respiratory sciences.

Deadlines for submission of required documents are available on the Future Students website:

Master of Science:

Doctor of Philosophy:

Applicants must make requests for advanced academic credit as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for academic course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the applicant's grade point average to a required level for admission. Any credit to be given for courses completed will be included in the letter of offer for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The amount of course work to be undertaken is determined by the student’s supervisory committee; however, it also must meet the minimum requirements of the program.

Master of Science

The minimum academic course requirement is normally 6 units. At least one course (3 units) should be from the list of .

Doctor of Philosophy

Students holding a completed BSc degree entering the PhD program are required to successfully complete a minimum of 9 units.

Students holding a completed MSc degree in the same area of study entering the PhD program are required to complete a minimum of 3 units, provided that a minimum of 6 units were completed during their prior MSc program. This topic should be discussed by the student’s supervisory committee, which should then provide a recommendation to the graduate program director regarding the student’s graduate course work.

Students transferring from the MSc program to the PhD program are required to complete a minimum of 3 additional units.

Students holding a completed MSc degree in an unrelated field of studies entering the PhD program are required to complete a minimum of 9 units unless otherwise agreed by the student's supervisory committee and approved by the graduate program director.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

Students admitted to the graduate programs in the Cumming School of Medicine will not be allowed to request the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course that is applicable to their degree; or apply any course awarded a grade of CG towards their graduation requirements.

Students may not choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students’ eligibility for internal awards.

Each student is required to participate regularly in journal club and work-in-progress seminar programs organized by the Department, Institute or Research Group to which the student and supervisor belong. The student will present at least one journal club seminar and one work-in-progress presentation per year.

Research Integrity Day and Sex and Gender Training Module

See Medicine Programs.

Credit may be given for courses taken below the 600 level. At least one half of a graduate student’s course work must be at the 600 level or higher. Students may receive credit for completing a course numbered 500-599, providing that the course is recommended by the supervisory committee and a written approval is received by the program director.

Completion times follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations (see Time Limits):Ìý

• Maximum completion time for a thesis-based master’s program is four years. Expected completion time is two and a half years. 
• Maximum completion time for a doctoral program is six years. Expected completion time is five years.

The selection of a graduate supervisor must be by mutual agreement between the student and the faculty member concerned at the time of application to the program and approved by the Graduate Program Director. The supervisor will be a member of one of the recognized research institutes within the Cumming School of Medicine (e.g. Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Snyder Chronic Disease Institute, etc.).

Supervisory committees, required for both master’s and doctoral students, are established based upon the needs of the student and the expertise of the committee members, following discussions between the student and the supervisor and approved by the Graduate Program Director. A supervisory committee, consisting of supervisor and co-supervisor (if applicable), plus two additional members, must be in place no later than 3 months after the student's first registration in the program.

All MSc and PhD students must defend a written research proposal to their supervisory committee. For MSc students, this document must be submitted within 12 months after initial registration in the program. For additional information about the PhD research proposal, refer to: .

Doctoral Candidacy

To enter into candidacy, students must: (1) successfully complete all required courses, (2) attend Research Integrity Day (3) have their thesis proposal approved at a proposal evaluation meeting, and (4) successfully complete a Field of Study oral examination. Specific details of the examination format and other candidacy requirements can be found at: .

Thesis Examination

All students in thesis-based programs (MSc and PhD) must successfully pass the Final Thesis Oral Examination (see Thesis Examinations). The examination will consist of a public seminar followed by an open oral examination.

Scheduling of the Examination
All members of the supervisory committee must have reviewed the student’s research, including a relevant written sample of the materials related to the thesis, before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Examination Committee
For MSc thesis examinations, the examination committee will consist of the student’s supervisory committee (which includes the supervisor) plus an Internal/External Examiner, who may be internal to the student’s home program. For a doctoral thesis examination, the examination committee will consist of the supervisory committee, an internal/external examiner (who may be internal to the student’s home program), PLUS an external examiner who is external to the Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ. The external examiner must be approved by the MDCV program director and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

See Medicine Programs.