Degree Requirements | Current Students | Mathematics and Statistics | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

MA, MSc and PhD academic requirements for our graduate program can be found at the Faculty of Graduate Studies—Program Requirements.

Master of Arts Program

Master of Arts Degree—Regular Program
Students in the regular program must choose one of three options :

MA by Coursework
Four 6000-level full courses (or equivalent), plus a seminar*:
(Mathematics & Statistics 6004 0.0).

MA by Survey Paper
Three 6000-level full courses (or equivalent), a supervised survey paper (Mathematics & Statistics 6001 0.0; students give one talk in a student Colloquium outlining the results of their papers), plus a seminar† (Mathematics & Statistics 6004 0.0).

MA by Thesis
Two 6000-level full courses (or equivalent), a thesis (students give two talks in a student Colloquium outlining the results of their theses), plus a seminar† (Mathematics & Statistics 6004 0.0). The thesis must be defended before an examining committee in accordance with the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Students may, with permission, use courses from other graduate programs such as Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Economics or Physics & Astronomy to meet the requirements.

The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 3 terms. A part-time student normally takes one or two full courses in a 12-month period. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 3 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 3 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

Master of Science In Applied & Industrial Mathematics

Students must complete Mathematics & Statistics 6651 3.0: Advanced Numerical Methods, Mathematics & Statistics 6931 3.0: Mathematical Modeling, Mathematics & Statistics 6937 3.0: Practicum in Industrial & Applied Mathematics, another three credit non-integrated course appropriate to the student’s program of study approved by the student’s supervisory committee, and a thesis which must be defended before an examining committee in accordance with the regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 6 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 6 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 6 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

Doctor of Philosophy Program

Candidates for the PhD degree must fulfil the following requirements:

Five major components make up the degree requirements for the PhD in Mathematics and Statistics. These are 1) coursework 2) comprehensive exams 3) dissertation subject oral 4) dissertation proposal 5) dissertation oral examination (preceded by the dissertation colloquium). Students can complete these degree requirements in four years and the following is the projected timeline and checklist for completion:

Students must successfully complete 12 credits at the graduate level. The courses must be chosen with the approval of the program director. Up to 12 additional credits may be required, at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director, the PhD committee and the supervisor.

Students must declare a specialization in pure mathematics or applied mathematics or statistics, and must write comprehensive examinations in subjects which are appropriate to the chosen specialization. In addition, statistics students must complete a statistical consulting requirement.

Students in the PhD program must demonstrate the depth of knowledge in their field of specialization. The candidate must pass an oral examination, which is given within one year after the comprehensive examinations have been passed.

All students enrolled in a PhD program are required to complete an annual research progress report detailing the achievements of the previous year and the objectives for the next year. Permission to continue to register in the program depends on a satisfactory report. Progress report forms are distributed by email at the end of the Winter term.

The normal degree completion time for full-time PhD students is 12 terms (4 years). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.

You are expected to complete your PhD studies within four years. Below is an outline of compulsory intermediate steps designed to keep you on track. Each year is divided into three terms.

Annually

advising appointment at the beginning of the year
at the beginning of the year, apply for all internal/external scholarships you are eligible for (OGS, NSERC, and others; see here for a complete list)
attend all department seminars in your field of interest
at the end of the year, complete the progress report

Year One

take required courses
complete comprehensive exams (by the end of 3rd term)

Year Two

confirm thesis supervisor (by the end of 5th term)
complete course requirements (by the end of the 6th term)
complete Statistics Practicum (Stats Stream only, by end of 6th term)
complete DSO (by the end of the 6th term)

Year Three

work on thesis research, writing up results as you go
complete dissertation proposal (no less than 6 months before oral examination)

Year Four

complete thesis research and write up results
dissertation colloquium (at least four weeks prior to the oral exam)
final oral examination

Learn More

The Graduate Program in Mathematics and Statistics at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.

How to Apply