Frequently asked questions

• Prospective students typically begin contacting their potential supervisors in the Spring or Fall of the year before they would start their programme. As soon as possible is the best approach to take when beginning the application process.

• The admission deadline is January 15th. While each prospective supervisor has their own preferences, many recommend the initial contact to be made a year in advance of your intended start date. Make sure you have connected with your prospective supervisor(s) in advance of the admission deadline and follow-up with them to ensure they will have the capacity to supervise you (three to six months prior to deadline). Please visit the 'How do I find a prospective supervisor?' question for more information on what details to include in your inquiries. If you cannot find a prospective supervisor who is willing to encourage your application, admission is very unlikely. We endeavor to provide admissions offers not later than mid-April, although admission offers can roll out through May and June as well. Under some circumstances, especially for PhD applicants, we can entertain alternate entry dates (January, May). 

• We strongly encourage both domestic and international students to apply for major scholarships and fellowships. Please see 'What financial support is available?' tab. These applications are typically due a year in advance of your programme start date. 

All of our graduate programs are research thesis-based, requiring an independent advanced research project. We offer graduate courses, some of which are required, but we do not offer a course-based graduate program. You must come prepared to pursue an independent research program. Presently, we offer:

• MA and MSc degrees, which are distinguished in practice only by the research subject area and your academic background;
• A PhD degree;
• We are an affiliate of the Cultural, Social and Political Thought Program. In order to learn more about the admission process and requirements to this programme, please visit their website here.

Admission to the School of Environmental Studies’ graduate programs is highly competitive, and depends on three primary criteria:

1. Academic record (A- or 7 on the 9-point scale or 3.7 on the 4.0 scale during the last two years of full-time academic study);
2. Mutually agreeable research project confirmed with a prospective supervisor;
3. Established funding strategy (see What financial support is available? below)

All students apply directly to the University of Victoria. Detailed information can be found at http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/admissions/admissions/apply/index.php.

There are specific requirements for the School of Environmental Studies, which can be found at http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/environmental/graduate/admission-requirements/index.php.

Assuming your application is complete, it will undergo the following adjudication steps:

• UVic’s Graduate Awards and Records Office (GARO) will review applications to determine if they meet minimum requirements. All applications are forwarded to the School of Environmental Studies.
• The Graduate Program Committee (GPC) in the School of Environmental Studies (Graduate Adviser, Graduate Secretary, two faculty members) reviews applications to ascertain which applicants are a strong potential fit with members of the Environmental Studies faculty.
• Faculty members will review applications that fit more-or-less their areas of interest and specialty. Each faculty member provides a ranked list of applicants they are willing to support (as supervisor, co-supervisor or committee member).
• The GPC meets to create a list of students who have made it past the screening process to this point (i.e., meet minimum requirements, and have a faculty sponsor). A variety of factors, including academic, personal and professional achievements, and the ranked preferences of faculty.
• All offers go out with a financial offer based on UVic fellowships, awards and teaching assistantships as well as faculty research contributions. Internal funding is very limited. Student applications for external fellowships, scholarships and awards (e.g., SSHRC, NSERC) are strongly encouraged.

The first step in finding a prospective supervisor is to scan our current research page to determine which professors are doing work that aligns with your interests. You should contact prospective supervisors well in advance to determine whether there is a mutually satisfying research project – see When should I start the application process?. There are many factors that go into making a good supervisory relationship, and this starts with realizing that a successful research project is one that is interesting to both student and supervisor. This means that your specific interests may need to bend to accommodate specific projects.  

Once you have identified one or more prospective professors who seem to share your interests, be sure to visit and study their research website (where available).

Once you have a good understanding of your prospective supervisor’s interests, write them a brief email (2-3 paragraphs) explaining your background and academic interests, including a statement describing the topics you are interested and willing to work on. Things to include: 

• A targeted inquiry to reflect your familiarity with your potential supervisor’s research (e.g., You’ve read one or more of their publications, or you know that someone is working on a major research project and you’d like to be a part of it). 

• A copy of relevant academic transcripts (unofficial are okay for initial contact), a résumé or CV, a statement describing your research interests. 

• Some prospective supervisors have guidance for prospective students on their websites, so make sure to check to see if what the prospective supervisor would like to see as part of the initial inquiry.

You’ve identified one or more prospective professors who seem to share your interests. What to do next? Be sure to visit their research website and read their letter to prospective students (where available). Write them a brief e-mail (2-3 paragraphs) explaining briefly your background (e.g., interests, academic training), and a brief statement of the kinds of things you are interested in working on. Try to make your interest statement something in between very specific (e.g., community-based mangrove restoration in Thailand) and very broad (e.g., ecological restoration). Target your inquiry to reflect your familiarity with a potential supervisor’s research (e.g., you’ve read one or more of their publications, or you know that someone is working on a major research project and you’d like to be part of this). Please attach a copy of relevant transcripts (informal versions are fine at this stage), a resumé and any additional statements of your interest. If you can combine these in a single PDF document, this is appreciated. If you are uncertain who to contact, feel free to write the Graduate Programme Advisor for advice esgrad@uvic.ca.

• MA/MSc: 2-3 years full-time.  One year of coursework and thesis proposal preparation, and one to two years of thesis research and writing.
• PhD: 4-5 years full-time. Studies conducted with one year of coursework and candidacy requirements completed in the first two years of study.

The Restoration of Natural Systems programme offers a number of credentials that can be combined with our graduate research programs. These diploma and certificate programs can be taken at the same time as graduate studies (some conditions apply). More information can be found here. Co-op terms may also be taken in conjunction with our graduate studies programs. Please note that all of these options will extend the time required to complete your program. Please visit the Co-op for Graduate Students page here to learn more.

Very limited financial support is available directly from the University of Victoria. A significant proportion of our students are funded from external fellowships, scholarships, and awards that they apply for. Such funding provides essential financial support and confers prestige on students, but also allows UVic funding to stretch farther. Thus, we encourage Canadian applicants to seek out external funding such as SSHRC, NSERC, and Trudeau Foundation fellowships. International students may be eligible for awards from their home countries, international programmes, or limited Canadian programmes that support international students (e.g., Vanier PhD Fellowship). Extensive lead times are required for these applications, and applications are typically due September-November in the year prior to commencing studies. 

We aim is to offer reasonable and competitive funding offers by combining student funding success with UVic fellowships and awards, supervisor research stipends, and bursaries. Teaching assistantships are also an opportunity available to graduate students, but these are not integrated with offers of admission. Students are discouraged from self-funding due to the rigorous nature of embarking upon postgraduate studies.  Applicants should apply for and secure funding before the intended start date.