Program
Applications are accepted throughout the year.
| Program | Expected Length | Project and/or thesis | Course based |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Sc. | 2 years | ||
| Ph.D. | 4 years |
The Department of Physics and Engineering Physics offers graduate programs leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics or in Engineering Physics. Our department has a strong commitment to its research programs and facilities. Graduate students work closely with their supervisors, participate in all aspects of research, and are recognized for their important contributions to our research programs. This results in an environment where students can obtain excellent training in their discipline. Combined enrolment in our M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs ranges between 60 and 70 students.
The research activities of our faculty members and research scientists include strong international collaborations. The research specialties of our department include experimental, observational or theoretical aspects of the following fields:
- Atmospheric physics
- Advanced materials/Devices research
- Synchrotron radiation research
- Subatomic physics
- Plasma physics
- Solar-terrestrial physics
- Nuclear materials and transmutations
Major physics research facilities at the University of Saskatchewan include:
- Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPL)
- Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies (ISAS)
- Subatomic Physics Institute (SPIN)
- Canadian Light Source (CLS) Synchrotron Facility, Canada's only synchrotron
Research supervisors
It is not necessary to find a potential supervisor before you begin an application. The list below though may be helpful to learn about the research interests of our faculty.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Accelerator physics; particle accelerators; synchrotron radiation | |
| Atmospheric & Space Physics; OSIRIS; aerosols; atmosphere; optical instruments; radiative; space-based remote sensing; stratosphere | |
| Plasma Physics; Precision measurements; fundamental physics; metrology; nano-devices; silicon | |
| Advanced Materials/Devices Research; Graphene electronics; Magnetic semiconductors; Organic electronics; Photovoltaics; Spintronics | |
| Physics of contrast mechanisms such as diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI); Diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI); Soft tissue contrast characterization; X-ray optics research; Synchrotron and conventional imaging systems | |
| Plasma physics; nanoparticles; plasma crystals; waves | |
| Atmospheric & Space Physics; OSIRIS; aerosols; light; optical; stratosphere; troposphere | |
| Astroparticle Physics; Dark Matter; Gravitation and Cosmology; Materials Physics; Particle Physics; Quantum Optics; Subatomic Physics | |
| Gauge-gravity holography; Higher-dimensional gravity; Kerr-CFT correspondence; M-theory; Physics of black holes; Quantum gravity; Supergravity; Supersymmetry | |
| Condensed Matter Physics; Materials Science; Quantum Materials; Strongly Correlated Electron Systems; Synchrotron Spectroscopy and Scattering | |
| Atmospheric & Space Physics; flow; ionosphere; plasma; radar; waves | |
| Atmospheric & Space Physics; Ionosphere; Magnetospheric Physics; convection; plasma; radar | |
| Atmospheric & Space Physics; Space-based education; SuperDARN; aurora; ionosphere; radars; space weather | |
| Condensed Matter Physics; Electronic Structure; Materials Science; Materials Science with Synchrotron Radiation; Synchrotron-based spectroscopy; band gap engineering | |
| Conceptual Foundations of Physics; Food and Agricultural Materials Treatment with X-rays; Medical Imaging; Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics; Physics Education; Subatomic Physics; radiation; sub-atomic world | |
| Astrophysics; fMRI; imaging and modelling of ovarian physiology; medical imaging; neuroimaging; physiological math modeling; portable/space MRI | |
| Plasma Physics; astrophysical; fusion; ionosphere; magnetics; plasma; space; waves | |
| Exotic hadrons; QCD exotics; Quantum Chromodynamics; Subatomic Physics; hadronic physics; particle physics; phenomenology; symmettry breaking; theoretical particle physics | |
| Computer Simulations, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Transmutations, Nuclear Materials, Advanced Materials | |
| Condensed Matter Theory | |
| Chemistry-Climate interactions, Atmospheric dynamics, Oceanic trace gases in the atmosphere, Satellite observations of atmospheric composition | |
| Aerosols; Atmospheric & Space Physics; Atmospheric Radiative Transfer; Climate; Climate Modelling; Volcanic Eruptions | |
| CLS; High performance computing; Sycnhrotron and Neutron; computational physics; energy materials; neutron; radiation; superconductivity | |
| Materials, Surfaces and Nanostructures; NEXAFS; Physical Chemistry; Surface Science; X-ray absorption spectriscopy; X-ray microcopy; synchrotron | |
| Diagnostics; Injector; Operation; Plasma Physics; Transport; fusion; plasma | |
| Condensed matter physics; crystallography; quantum chemistry; synchrotron spectroscopies |
Tution and funding
Funding
Full financial support is available for well-qualified applicants. Financial support for graduate students in our department is provided by the combination of various scholarships and research grants from students' thesis supervisors.
Ph.D. students enrolled in the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics are guaranteed a minimum stipend of $20,000/year for 4 years. This guaranteed funding is contingent upon the student maintaining standard academic requirements for the P.hD. program.
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, 2024 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2025 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2025 | ||
| 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 Ph.D. students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| January 1 - April 30, 2025 | $1,726.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2025 | $1,726.00 CAD |
| September 1 - December 31, 2024 | $1,726.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $5,178.00 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 2024 | Winter 2025 | Spring 2025 | Summer 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $504.45 CAD | $666.08 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)
With the recommendation of the unit, direct entry Ph.D. admission is available to exceptionally strong students, who show great promise in terms of academic accomplishments and potential for research.
- 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 80% (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
Application process
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:
- Relevant supplementary information in support of your application
After we have received your completed application package, it will be circulated to our faculty. If a faculty member is interested in supervising you, they will contact you. If none of the faculty are interested in supervising you then you will be contacted by the Department secretary advising you that your application has been declined.
Contact
Department of Physics and Engineering Physics
116 Science Place
Room 163
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2
Graduate Chair
Dr. Sasha Koustov
Email: phys-engphys-gradchair@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Debbie Gjertsen
Email: debbie.gjertsen@usask.ca
- Department of Physics & Engineering Physics
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements