Admission Requirements
- Typically a Master of Science degree in a relevant field (e.g.: Science, Life/Health Sciences, Psychology, Biostatistics, or related discipline).
- Minimum B+ (77%) average overall, but generally an A- (80%) average overall is required to be competitive
Important Note: Prior to applying, prospective students must seek out a thesis supervisor from the Department of Health Sciences who will commit to supervising the student. The application process requires that the prospective student and supervisor draft a proposal of the research thesis project, to be included in the application package.
Students should contact prospective supervisors by email and attach to the email: 1) an up-to-date CV, 2) an unofficial transcript, 3) a statement of skills/experience relevant to the prospective supervisor’s research, and 4) a brief statement about why the student is interested in working with the supervisor.
Required Documents
After you have submitted your online application and your application fee has been processed, you will be instructed on how to upload your required documents in Carleton Central. For complete information regarding required documents, please visit the Graduate Admissions website.
| Document/Forms | Details |
| Transcript(s) | All post-secondary transcripts are required |
| Letters of Reference | Three (3) are required and should be submitted by former professors (preferably your project/thesis supervisors).
An academic referee is a faculty member with whom you have studied and is able to assess your potential for graduate level study and research. References from non-academic supervisors may be accepted in certain cases i.e. professional references or for professional programs. NOTE: References from family members, friends, students, former or current classmates, employees, colleagues and/or Teaching Assistants are not accepted. Contact your referees before you apply online to confirm their availability. When filling in your online application, you are asked to include email addresses for your referees. NOTE: Valid institutional or organizational email addresses are required. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. are not accepted and will be verified. |
| Statement of Intent | One (1) is required. The statement of intent is to be written in consultation with the proposed faculty supervisor from the Department of Health Sciences. Please see the Forms page for the Thesis Research Proposal (Statement of Intent) and Supervisor Agreement Template for HS MSc and PhD. This 1-page document must include: 1) an abstract of the proposed PhD research thesis project (background/rationale, research question(s), aims) and 2) supervisor information (name, contact information, and statement from the proposed supervisor acknowledging commitment to supervise and fund the student for the proposed thesis project). Both proposed supervisor and student must sign this form. |
| CV/Resumé | One (1) is required. This must include an up-to-date CV of the applicant, with a Statement of Experience highlighting the student’s specific skills in research design, analysis, and writing; their willingness or ability to work collaboratively or in interdisciplinary teams; and their expertise, previous research, and/or work experience that positions the student to be successful in the interdisciplinary program. |
| Language Proficiency (ESL Test Scores) | Required, if applicable. For Carleton’s ESL requirements and policies, please visit the ESL Requirements website. |
Application Deadlines
The PhD in Health Sciences program has three possible intakes per year. As a result, the Department of Health Sciences application deadlines may be earlier than FGPA deadlines. Students are encouraged to submit applications prior to the departmental deadline to increase their chances of securing financial support for their graduate studies.
Fall Term (September):
- February 1: For international and domestic applicants
- August 1: To be considered for admission and funding, if space and funds remain
Winter Term (January):
- August 1: For international applicants
- October 1: For domestic applicants
- December 1: To be considered for admission and funding, if space and funds remain
Summer Term (May):
- December 1: For international applicants
- March 1: For domestic applicants
- April 1: To be considered for admission and funding, if space and funds remain
How to Apply
The application process to graduate studies at Carleton for all prospective students is the same and must be completed online. For complete information regarding the application process please visit the Graduate Admissions website.
Applications will normally not be reviewed until all elements (including transcripts, references, and Statement of Intent) have been received.
Financial Support
Consideration for funding and financial support including teaching and research assistantships is made at the time of admission. A separate application is not required. In order to be considered for funding, you must submit a completed application (including all required documents).
Current and prospective graduate students are encouraged to apply for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and/or Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) scholarships and Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS), which are awarded annually to outstanding students by the federal and provincial governments.
Please note that funding from Carleton (including teaching and research assistantships) for international students is limited and is only available to a few outstanding international applicants.
For more information on awards and funding, visit the Graduate Admissions website.
More Information
For complete and detailed information about the graduate programs in Health Sciences, please consult the official Graduate Calendar.