MSc Thesis-Based Program

Coursework: 

• PCL3000H: Foundational Pharmacology Principles
• PCL3001H: Pharmacology Research & Communication Skills
• 0.25 FCE elective course
• Any additional coursework required by the academic program

Present a departmental seminar after one year in the program.

Participate in a research program and present the results of the investigation as a written thesis. The thesis will be evaluated and defended to the satisfaction of a thesis examination committee.

Spend a minimum of one full year of residence, during which time the student is required to be on campus full-time and in such geographic proximity as to be able to participate fully in the department's activities associated with the program.

The MSc program can be completed in 6 sessions (2 years) full-time.

In addition to the immediate supervisor, MSc students in the thesis-based program select an advisor. While your supervisor oversees your primary research, your advisor--another member of the Graduate Faculty--helps monitor your progress and provide additional guidance.

You'll choose your advisor in consultation with your supervisor, and the selection must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. This selection should be completed within the first 3 months of your program by submitting an Advisor Selection Form to the Graduate Office.   

Each year, both your supervisor and advisor are required to submit formal reports on your progress before re-registration. Please refer to the MSc Advisor Report and MSc Supervisor Report for details. 

If any issues arise, you, your advisor, or your supervisor may report problems to the Graduate Coordinator or the Department Chair directly.

All MSc students are required to give a seminar after one year in the program. These seminars, typically held in the Fall, provide a valuable opportunity for you to practice presenting your research and to get a sense of what to expect during your thesis defense.

You should aim to share the results or progress made so far, highlight key findings, and discuss any challenges you are encountering. If you are still awaiting results from your thesis research, you can still give a seminar focusing on scientific thought and rationale. Your presentation should be 15 minutes long, followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the Program Completion procedures to understand the final steps toward earning your degree.

Once your active research is complete, you'll have three months to write and defend your thesis. After your supervisor approves the final draft, coordinate with your committee to schedule a defense date. You must submit the MSc Oral Examination Committee form along with a copy of your thesis to the Graduate Office at least FOUR WEEKS prior to your scheduled defense.  

Important Guidlines

• Formatting: Your thesis must following the formatting requirements set out by the School of Graduate Studies
• Distribution: You and your supervisor are responsible for ensuring all members of your Examination Committee (including the Chair), receive a copy of your thesis at least four weeks in advance. This allows time for review and for the appraiser to prepare their written assessment.
• Exam Scope: The Examination Committee may ask questions beyond your specific subject area. You're expected to have gained a broad knowledge base in pharmacology during the course of your studies.

Exam Committee Composition

• Supervisor(s) 
• Thesis Appraiser: An arm's-length subject matter expert, typically a U of T professor. The Appraiser provides a 1-2 page report with constructively critical and analytical comments, and an explicit recommendation that the thesis be or not be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree.
• Two Voting Members: One of the two voting members should have a graduate faculty appointment in Pharmacology. Your advisor can act as a voting member. 
• Chair: Assigned by the Graduate Office

Potential Exam Outcomes

• Successful Defense: Once your thesis is approved (with any required corrections), submit the final thesis to the School of Graduate Studies following their electronic thesis submission procedures. Your supervisor must also email us to confirm that all corrections have been completed and approved by the final date to complete degree requirements for your respective convocation period.
• Postponement: If more than one committee member deems your written thesis unsuitable before the exam, the defense may be postponed. Only one postponement is allowed.
• Adjournment: During the exam, more than one negative vote (or abstention) results in adjournment. If this happens, the exam must be reconvened within one year. If the candidate is not successful at the reconvened exam, the student will no longer be eligible for further MSc or PhD candidacy at the university.

• B+ or higher in all graduate courses taken
• The current MSc research project must be expandable in scope to meet PhD thesis research requirements and must have resulted in sufficient progress to support the likelihood of a successful outcome at the PhD level
• The full support of the current MSc Supervisor (and Co-Supervisor where applicable)
• The proposed PhD supervisor MUST be the same as the current MSc supervisor

1. Notify the Graduate Office you wish to be considered for PhD transfer
2. Submit to the Graduate Office:
   • PhD Proposal. The proposal should be 5-10 pages of single-spaced text (excluding references and figures) and should include:
     • a review of background literature;
     • a statement of hypotheses and/or goals;
     • a progress report on work accomplished to date;
     • a research plan for experiments to be completed in the PhD program;
     • a statement of the overall significance of the research project.
   • A one-page summary of the Research Proposal
   • Curriculum Vitae (be sure to include any publications and presentations)
3. Have a minimum of THREE letters of reference sent on your behalf to the Graduate Office:
   • One letter from the proposed PhD supervisor (current MSc supervisor)
   • Two letters from Graduate Faculty members (Assessors) who are well acquainted with your work, are subject matter experts on the research field of the proposed project, and might possibly serve on your PhD supervisory committee
   • If you have a co-supervisor, an additional letter from the co-supervisor is also required.

Assessors should indicate:

• The proposed project is suitable for a PhD project (comment on the scientific quality of the proposal and potential impact of anticipated results)
• The student has the qualities and potential for the PhD program

The letter from the proposed PhD supervisor should comment on the above and also confirm that adequate financial and infrastructure resources are in place to support both the student and the project.

Upon receipt of the above, the Graduate Education Committee will recommend whether the student should be allowed to proceed with the transfer.

The following are some statements to guide your thinking about the feasibility of your proposed PhD research:

• The scope of my current MSc project is expandable to a PhD project.
• My project has generated sufficient preliminary data to support the feasibility of the research goals.
• The progress of my project is being monitored at reasonable time intervals.
• Clinical Projects: I have made sufficient progress in patient recruitment to demonstrate the feasibility of my proposed study
• There are no experimental/methodological issues that could hamper the progress of the project being addressed.
• My study scope and timeline for achieving my research objectives align with the program completion time guidelines.

To be eligible, the student must have achieved an average grade of at least B+ or higher in their Master's degree courses.

Continuing from the MSc to PhD program in Pharmacology may be carried out in one of two ways:

1. For those Pharmacology MSc students in the thesis-based program who have already obtained a PhD supervisor and proposed PhD project, there is the opportunity to screen at their Master's defense. This option is usually for students who are continuing on in the same laboratory with the same supervisor. An online application must still be completed but the process is expedited.
2. MSc Pharmacology graduates who do not screen at their outgoing MSc defense must apply via the online application system. As with all other applicants to the PhD program, students will be admitted based on their academic qualifications, references and a detailed examination of the full application package. An admission interview may or may not be required.

Application to screen at the MSc defense must be made to the Graduate Education Committee at least SIX WEEKS ahead of the proposed date of the defense (i.e., in time for the committee to evaluate the application and PhD proposal prior to the proposed Defense and Screening).

Continuing students may enter the PhD program either in September or January.

Application is made via the online application system and applicants must pay the processing fee and comply with the posted deadlines and required documentation rules.

The application must include:

1. Three references. One from the current MSc supervisor, which states that the current project is suitable for a PhD project and that the student has the qualities and potential for the PhD program; the second should be from a faculty member (e.g., the MSc Advisor) who is well acquainted with the student's work. For students proposing to change supervisors for the PhD program, an additional letter from the proposed PhD supervisor discussing the suitability of the proposed project should be included.
    
2. Brief PhD Proposal (upload this document instead of the List of Proposed Supervisors and Proposed Research Areas of Study)
   The proposal should be 5-10 pages of single-spaced text, excluding references and figures and should include the following components:
   • A one-page summary of the research proposal
   • A statement of hypotheses and/or goals;
   • A progress report on work accomplished to date (if applicable);
   • A research plan for experiments to be completed in the PhD program;
   • A statement of the overall significance of the research project.
3. Curriculum Vitae (be sure to include publications if any). 

Once the application to screen has been approved, a standard MSc examination committee must be assembled. Two additional Graduate Education Committee members will be added to the examination committee to evaluate the PhD screening. These two additional Screening Committee Members are not required to have a copy of the thesis unless specifically requested.

The student undergoing simultaneous MSc Defense/PhD Screening should be prepared to give an oral presentation (20 mins) that outlines the MSc thesis research and a very brief description of the proposed PhD project. Questions at the MSc Defense/PhD Screening can involve the MSc thesis research, the proposed PhD work, and general principles of pharmacology.