About PhD Program,
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
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- 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)
PhD Funding Coverage,
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.
Application Requirement,
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 allprevious post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
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.
Transcripts
Proof of English language proficiency (if required)
Submit additional documents
Application Deadline,
Rolling Deadline
Application Fee,
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.
