Earth and Ocean Sciences (PhD)
In your PhD, you will work within a community of diverse and innovative research, preparing a final dissertation that will show your hard work and research focus.
You’ll have the opportunity to study integrated multidisciplinary programs in geology, geophysics, oceanography and atmosphere and climate sciences.
This research will be supplemented by coursework and a candidacy exam. Your dissertation will highlight your achievements and advance our knowledge the world around us.
| Expected length | Project or thesis | Course-based |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4 years | Yes | No |
Quick facts
- Program options:
- Doctorate
- Study options:
- Full-time study
- Program delivery:
- On-campus
- Dynamic learning:
- Co-op optional
Find a supervisor
PhD students must have a faculty member who serves as their academic supervisor. When you apply:
- you must list a potential supervisor on your application
- this faculty member must agree to be your supervisor and recommend your admission
To find a supervisor, review the faculty contacts. When you’ve found a faculty member whose research complements your own, contact them by email.
Adam Monahan
Professor Theoretical climate dynamics; boundary-layer meteorology; stochastic processes in ocean/atmosphere science; modelling biogeochemical dynamics; climate statistics
Andrew Weaver
Professor Climate change policy, research, solutions, and communications; formerly focused on the role of the oceans in climate change/variability; ocean/climate modelling; palaeoclimate; physical oceanography; geophysical fluid dynamics
Andy Fraass
Assistant Professor Micropalaeontology; palaeoceanography; palaeobiology; Earth history; macroevolution; sedimentation; stratigraphy
Anne-Sofie Ahm
Assistant Professor Isotope geochemistry; seawater chemistry; carbonate diagenesis; long-term carbon cycle; geobiology
Blake Dyer
Assistant Professor Earth history; sedimentology and stratigraphy; isotope geochemistry of carbonates; sea level change
Colin Goldblatt
Associate Professor & Climate Science Advisor An Earth System view on atmospheres: evolution of Earth’s atmospheric composition; climate physics (deep palaeoclimate, dynamical climatology, radiative transfer, climate modelling); terrestrial planet evolution (solar system and exoplanets)
Dante Canil
Professor Experimental and igneous petrology; mantle and crustal evolution; geothermobarometry; deep earth geochemical cycles
Diana Varela
Professor & Associate Dean, Academic Advising Biological oceanography; biogeochemical cycles; phytoplankton physiology and ecology; variations in marine primary productivity and export production; phytoplankton utilization of nitrogen, silicon, and carbon; silicon isotopic fractionation by diatoms
Edwin Nissen
Professor Earthquakes; active tectonics; imaging geodesy; earthquake seismology; tectonic geomorphology
Jay Cullen
Director & Professor Chemical oceanography; marine biogeochemistry of trace metals; bio-inorganic chemistry; palaeoceanography and global change; stable isotope geochemistry; development of novel techniques for trace metals
Jody Klymak
Professor & Ocean Science Mentor Physical oceanography: waves, turbulence, fronts, eddies; processes that dissipate energy from the mean ocean circulation and mediate the mixing of momentum, heat, salt, and passive tracers
John Dower
Professor & Associate Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies Biological and fisheries oceanography; zooplankton ecology; effects of biophysical coupling on the structure and productivity of pelagic marine ecosystems
Jon Husson
Associate Professor & Undergraduate Advisor Earth history; stratigraphy; sedimentary carbonates; stable isotope geochemistry; U-Pb geochronology
Laurence Coogan
Professor The role of the oceanic lithosphere in the Earth system; controls on ocean chemistry; the long-term carbon cycle; hydrothermal fluxes; petrology/geochemistry
Lucinda Leonard
Associate Teaching Professor & Honours Advisor Current tectonics, especially of western North America; seismic and tsunami hazard assessment
Roberta Hamme
Professor & Graduate Advisor Chemical oceanography; dissolved gases; ocean carbon cycle and sequestration; air-sea interaction and water mass formation; marine productivity rates; denitrification; BGC-Argo floats; mass spectrometric gas measurements
Ruohong Jiao
Assistant Professor Fission-track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology; orogenic processes; landscape evolution modelling
Stan Dosso
Professor Ocean acoustics and geoacoustics; marine-mammal acoustics; earthquake seismology; geophysical inverse theory
Program details
Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:
Program details
Application deadlines
Applications may be submitted at any time.
You can choose to enter the program in September, January or May.
Applications may be submitted at any time.
You can choose to enter the program in September, January or May.
You should get your paperwork in order as soon as possible. Processing times are often lengthy and can delay your program entry.
Admission requirements
Program specific requirements
You must have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Earth and Ocean Sciences or a closely-related science.
As part of your application, you must submit:
- A one-page statement of intended study
- A current résumé
- Two reference names and their email addresses
- Post-secondary transcripts
Program specific requirements
You must have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Earth and Ocean Sciences or a closely-related science.
As part of your application, you must submit:
- A one-page statement of intended study
- A current résumé
- Two reference names and their email addresses
- Post-secondary transcripts
Completion requirements
View the minimum course requirements for this program.
View the minimum course requirements for this program.
Funding & aid
Tuition & fees
Estimated minimum program cost*
* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator.
Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.
Ready to apply?
You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.
Faculties & departments
Related programs
Need help?
Contact Catherine Duncan at seosgsec@uvic.ca or 250-472-5133.