Program
| Program | Expected Length | Project and/or thesis | Course based |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Sc. | 2 years | ||
| Ph.D. | 4 years |
The Soil Science department is an international leader in field-based, landscape-scale research and faculty are actively involved in research that focuses on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem health—linking basic micro-scale science (involving synchrotron-based, molecular-scale studies to elucidate fundamental processes at work) to real world issues at the landscape (studying the interaction of soil, topographic, and environmental factors to better understand ecosystem functioning) and global (investigating climate change impacts on prairie and arctic ecosystems) scales. The Soil Science graduate program provides core expertise in soil and environmental sciences and offers opportunities for advanced study and research leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees.
Areas of research strength include:
- Applied pedology
- Nutrient cycling and management
- Environmental soil science
- Soil remediation and reclamation
- Soil biology
- Soil chemistry
- Soil fertility
- Soil physics and hydrology
- Soil-plant interactions
Research supervisors
We recommend that you contact the faculty that are doing research in an area that interests you before beginning a formal application.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Sina Adl | Soil biology, protist diversity and systematics, soil micro-invertebrates, nutrient cycling, food webs, community structure, microbial ecology |
| Melissa Arcand | Soil biogeochemistry, root-soil relationships, stable isotopes, rhizosphere processes |
| Angela Bedard-Haughn | Applied pedology, Soils and global change, Wetland soils |
| Maryse Bourgault | Cropping systems research, crop rotations, agronomy, crop physiology, sustainable agriculture, interdisciplinary studies |
| Richard Farrell | Nutrient supply, agroecosystem capacity and integrity, soil resources, environmental agronomy, green house gas emissions |
| Bobbi Helgason | Soil microbiology, Microbial ecology, Plant root-microbe interactions, Soil organic matter, Soil nutrient cycling, ... |
| Leon Kochian | Plant mineral nutrition, Ion transport, Tolerance and adaptation to soil-based abiotic stresses, Root architecture, Root microbiome |
| Colin Laroque | Past and future climates in Canada in relation to dynamic ecosystem and geomorpholgical processes; Dendrochronology and dendrochronological techniques |
| Bryan Mood | |
| Derek Peak | Using synchrotron radiation to perform phosphate speciation in soils, oxyanion bonding mechanisms, spectroscopy of metal-ligand complexes |
| Jeffrey Schoenau | Nutrient cycling and management, soil fertility and fertilizers, soil conservation and land use, cropping systems, herbicide fate in soil |
| Bing C. Si | Soil water dynamics, thermal regimes in non-level landscapes, hydrophobicity of soil materials, soil water storage capacity |
| Steven Siciliano | Soil ecotoxicology, investigation of trace contaminant effects in northern terrestrial ecosystems using molecular tools |
| Katherine Stewart | Herbicide persistence and toxicity in northern soils and vegetation; Soil amendment technology and practices for remediation and restoration... |
| Thomas Yates |
Tuition and funding
Funding
All students accepted into the graduate program receive financial support from their supervisor’s research funds and/or scholarships. To be eligible for scholarship funding, students must have obtained at least 80% in the last two years of study. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and are not guaranteed.
Students cannot undertake graduate work without financial support; thus, the supervisor must write a letter stating that he/she will provide the financial support and other resources necessary for you to complete your program. This letter is required before a recommendation can be made by the Department to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS) for student acceptance.
All students registered in thesis-based graduate programs within departments in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources receive a minimum level of funding at the beginning of their programs. Students are also eligible to receive other funding (e.g. scholarships and employment) in addition to these levels.
The minimum funding levels are as follows:
* This is a college-level minimum duration and annual funding level. The department-specific minimum levels may be greater than these. Consult the department websites available here.
Any questions about the minimum levels of funding and durations can be directed to danielle.baron@usask.ca.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition
Thesis or project-based master's program
Graduate students in a thesis or project-based program pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2023 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2024 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2024 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Doctoral program
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic PhD students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| January 1 - April 30, 2024 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2024 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| September 1 - December 31, 2023 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $4,932.00 CAD |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2023 | Winter 2024 | Spring 2024 | Summer 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $497.88 CAD | $659.51 CAD | $35.00 CAD | $35.00 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English
- Master’s degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. coursework required in master’s program)
Application process
Find a supervisor
Using the list above, find a potential supervisor, read about the work they are currently doing and their past publications. If you think you'd like to work with them, contact them and describe your research interests and past academic experience. If they are accepting students, they will instruct you to begin a formal application.
Submit an online application
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable $120 application fee. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application, and upload the documents outlined below.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college, and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
Post-secondary Transcripts
If you receive an offer of admission, you will then be required to have your official post-secondary transcripts sent (by mail in a sealed envelope directly from the institution) to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
- Transcripts usually indicate the institution’s name, grading scheme (typically on back of transcript), your name, course names, numbers, credits, and the grades you have received. Depending on the country or institution, some features may not be available.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
- If you are a current University of Saskatchewan student completing your undergraduate program then a letter of completion of degree requirements will be required from your college.
Proof of English language proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- It is your responsibility to have completed an official and approved test with the appropriate score before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
If you receive an Offer of Admission you may be required to have your official language test scores sent to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building - 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
In addition to the above official documents, please upload the following documents:
- A curriculum vitae or resume
- A statement/letter of intent
Contact
Department of Soil Science
51 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8
Graduate Chair
Katherine Stewart
Email: katherine.stewart@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Ann Harley
Email: soilsc.gradstudies@usask.ca
- Department of Soil Science
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements