How to Apply

The PhD in Public Health Sciences program is administered under the rules and regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and applications are accepted under these regulations. If, at any point, you would like to confirm completion of your application, please contact the Graduate Assistant.

Step 1: Review the Admissions Requirements

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

The online application will walk you through each step in the process, including how to submit transcripts, letters of recommendation and other documentation. You will first be invited to create an account using your email address. We will email you a User ID so that you can create a password to complete the online application.

Complete all the screens as they are presented to you, remembering to click save and continue before you move on to the next set of questions.

Applicants must note in Question 2 (at the end of the application) to which field within the PhD program they wish to apply:

PhD Public Health Sciences, OR
PhD Public Health Sciences, Specialization in Epidemiology OR
PhD Public Health Sciences, Specialization in Biostatistics.

Paying the Application Fee

When you have completed all the sections, you can submit your application. At this point, you are asked to pay the non-refundable application fee on-line (currently $120 CDN). Remember, you must be able to pay the fee on-line with a Visa or MasterCard number, in order to complete your application on-line

Applicants must also submit the following documents to complete their application:

Two academic letters of recommendation. Normally one of these would be from your MSc thesis supervisor. If you have been out of university for more than five years, one or more professional recommendations may be included. Referees will receive an email from the School of Graduate Studies requesting their letter.
Prior to submitting your online application, you will be given the opportunity to upload your transcripts and any other documentation. If you are accepted into the program, you will need to arrange for two official hard-copy transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended to be sent to the School of Graduate Studies, Queen’s University, Gordon Hall Room 425, 74 Union Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6. Transcripts must be sent by the issuing institutions directly to the School of Graduate Studies.
A Curriculum Vitae (emailed to the Graduate Assistant).
A one-page outline of an initial, potential plan for doctoral research (emailed to the Graduate Assistant).
A Graduate Records Examination (GRE) is a mandatory requirement for applicants with degrees from non-Canadian universities and a minimum score of 149 is required on the quantitative section. There are no exceptions to this rule. The Admissions Committee also considers the applicant’s ranking on the analytic writing and verbal reasoning sections. The GRE institution code and department code is 0949 and 0606, respectively.
Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for admission. Applicants whose native languages do not include English or who have not previously completed a university degree where the language of instruction was English will need to earn satisfactory standing in an English Language Proficiency Test as part of the application process and before final acceptance is granted. A full description of English proficiency requirements and a list of acceptable tests and minimum scores is on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs How to Apply webpage (step 4)

Step 3: Supervision and Funding

Although the program will provide assistance to viable applicants in their search for a supervisor, it is ultimately the applicant’s responsibility to find a faculty member (or members) who agrees to supervise their graduate research work. This process takes place prior to an offer of admission being made. The selection of a supervisor is a critical decision that impacts the quality of the student’s graduate experience and influences the student’s career path. At the time of making an application to the PhD program, students should have a fairly clear idea about what their research interests are and approach potential supervisors with similar interests.

To this end, applicants are advised to obtain information about potential supervisors and the environment in which they will be working. As a start, the Departmental website: https://phs.queensu.ca provides profiles of all of our faculty members, including descriptions of their ongoing research. It is important that, whenever possible, the applicant meet with the potential supervisor to determine compatibility and have an opportunity to discuss issues such as expectations, research project support, identifying a thesis topic and scope, student funding, and strategies to ensure timely completion and quality work. The potential supervisor is required to provide a statement of support as part of the student’s application package to the program.

One of the conditions under which a supervisor can accept a doctoral student is that appropriate funding has been prearranged with the supervisor, who is expected to underwrite a minimum of $15,000 to the student funding package. Supervisors are often able to offer PhD students funding from their research grants. But students also have a responsibility to attempt to find funding by applying for internal awards and to external agencies. Therefore, students entering the doctoral program require high academic standing so that they are competitive for such awards. Potential faculty supervisors may work collaboratively with prospective students to identify internal and external sources of funding prior to acceptance and/or these applications can be made starting in the student’s first year in the program.

Step 1: Review the Admissions Requirements

Step 2: Complete the Online Application

Step 3: Supervision and Funding

Program Contacts

Affiliated Research Groups