Please be advised that a $125 CAD non-refundable application fee is required in order to submit your application.
The Fall 2025 application is open. The application will close on April 15 for International applicants.
The PhD in Civil Engineering program is designed for highly qualified personnel interested in a rewarding career in fundamental or applied research. The Doctor of Philosophy program involves advanced courses and an intensive research program culminating in a thesis. The development of applied research skills will also prepare PhD graduates for a career either in or outside of academia in new and traditional fields of Civil Engineering including but not limited to structural, fire safety, geotechnical, water resources, construction, environmental and transportation engineering.
The PhD program in Civil Engineering is designed to train independent researchers. Our students are called upon to perform highly specialized and original research that makes a distinct contribution of knowledge to one of the major focus areas of our program: Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Construction Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Rock Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, and Transportation Engineering.
Under the direct supervision of one of our faculty members, our PhD candidates learn to review the state of current technical knowledge in an engineering research area, to identify strengths and weaknesses in this research and to devise a new research initiative to contribute to the area. Students must carry out this research project with objectivity and care, and they are expected to document and publish their results in internationally recognized journals and conferences.
The program consists of 8 full Course Equivalents (FCE) over four years (full-time): 1.5 FCE elective courses, 1 FCE Comprehensive Examination, 0.5 FCE PhD Seminar, and 5 FCE PhD dissertation. Students can follow a full-time or flexible full-time model. Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Conduct independent research and show competence within specific area(s) of Civil Engineering through the formulation and execution of engineering research plan(s) using advanced mathematical, scientific, and engineering concepts.
- Design and execute experiments and/or analytical/numerical analyses, depending on the nature and scope of the research.
- Develop novel solutions and demonstrate originality in the solution to Civil Engineering problems.
- Analyze complex issues based on established principles and techniques within the discipline of Civil Engineering.
Admission Requirements for PhD
Applicants for admission must be graduates of a recognized university and show evidence of scholarly achievement. Except where otherwise stated in the Admission Requirements of a particular program, students must have a Masters degree or its equivalent with an academic average as specified by the academic unit. An applicant holding a degree other than one in the discipline area to which admission is sought will be considered on the basis of Master's courses taken and academic standing. A Qualifying Year may be required at the Masters level to meet the admission standards. Courses taken as part of a Qualifying Year cannot be used as credit towards a doctoral degree.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. No candidate will be admitted unless the academic unit recommends admission. All applicants will be advised in writing by the Office of Graduate Studies of their admission status.
Applicants are accepted under the general University regulations governing the graduate degrees, provided that the requirements of the Faculty of Engineering are also satisfied.
The applicant must hold a MSc degree in Civil Engineering or a closely-related area with at least a 70% average. Admission is dependent on the past academic history of the candidate and the assessment of the referees, the availability of space in the program and the availability and willingness of a suitable faculty member to supervise the applicant. A supervisor must be identified before the student is admitted to the program. For applicants having a non-thesis master’s degree, admission may be granted only if the average is at least 80%.
Applicants shall indicate the name of a potential supervisor in the application.