Program

Applications are accepted year round. Students may begin their program in January, May or September each year.
ProgramExpected LengthProject and/or thesisCourse based
M.Sc.2 years
Ph.D.4 years

The Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics Program provides Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students with opportunities to study cutting-edge advances in the field vaccinology and infectious diseases. It combines interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary academic learning with practical experience under the mentorship of a team of experts focused on two main streams:

  • Scientific Bases – Understanding the basic biology of vaccine/immunologics development
  • Social and Public Health Issues – Researching the complex social, health care, legal and ethical issues related to vaccination and the use of immunotherapeutics. 
Students have access to a diverse group of faculty and world-class research centres. These facilities include the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). In addition, students can learn from the wealth of industry knowledge available at Innovation Place – one of the most successful university-related research parks in North America.

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
Jeffrey ChenMycobacterial virulence factors, TB host-pathogen interactions and aerobiology, Anti-TB vaccines and therapies, Animal models of TB
Marwa FaragHealth policy,Health economics, Health care financing in developing countries, Health program evaluation, Macroeconomics and health
Uladzimir Karniychuk (Vladi)Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
Qiang LiuViral Pathogenesis; Vaccine Development; Vaccine Delivery by Nanotechnology
George MutwiriVaccines, adjuvants and immunotherapeutic agents, Vaccine formulation and delivery systems, Immunobiology of Toll-like receptors, Mucosal immunology
Scott NapperVaccine Development, Prion Diseases, Kinome Analysis, Infectious Disease
Suresh TikooMolecular virology, Viral pathogenesis, Virus-host interactions, Vaccinology, Mucosal immunization, Viral vectors, Dendritic cell vaccines
Sylvia van den HurkMolecular pathogenesis of herpesviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV)
Aaron WhiteSalmonella transmission and virulence, gene expression associated with Salmonella biofilm information, Salmonella vaccine development
Heather WilsonMucosal immunology, neonatal vaccinology, swine immunology, and elucidating mechanism of adjuvant signalling
Jim XiangCellular immunology, therapeutic vaccines for breast cancer treatment
Yan ZhouMolecular biology, pathogenesis and vaccine development of influenza virus

Tuition and funding

Funding

Scholarships are available and are awarded on the basis of academic merit.

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 $1,644.00 CAD $3,699.00 CAD
January 1 - April 30, 2024 $1,644.00 CAD $3,699.00 CAD
May 1 - August 31, 2024 $1,644.00 CAD $3,699.00 CAD
Total per academic year $4,932.00 CAD $11,097.00 CAD

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 80% (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 PhD 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

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. They may ask you for your curriculum vitae or resume, statement/letter of intent and copy of your transcripts.

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.

Uploading documents

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.

Uploading documents

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 (approximately one to three pages in length) which should include:
    • Specific areas of interest that could lead to a thesis topic
    • A statement of education and employment history and how it relates to the study of Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics
    • A description of your educational and career goals
    • An assessment of how the Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics Program will help achieve these goals.

Contact

V & I Program
School of Public Health
104 Clinic Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4

Program Chair
Dr. Suresh Tikoo
Email: thesis.admissions@usask.ca

Graduate Administrator
Darla Mitchell
Email: thesis.admissions@usask.ca