An aerial view of crops.
  • icon house

    Faculty

    • Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
    • Faculty of Graduate Studies

  • icon award

    Degree

    • Doctor of Philosophy

  • icon graduate

    Expected duration

    • 3 years

Program details

The Soil Science PhD is a three-year thesis-based program consisting of coursework and a substantial research component.

Doctor of Philosophy (Soil Science)

Expected duration: 3 years

Tuition and fees: Tuition fees are charged for terms one and two and terms four and five. A continuing fee is paid for term three, term six and each subsequent term. (Refer to Graduate tuition and fees.)

Coursework

Each student’s program is individually tailored, though it must satisfy the requirements of the Department of Soil Science.

Students admitted directly from an MSc program

Must complete a minimum of six credit hours at the 7000 level or higher with at least three credit hours from the Department of Soil Science.

Students admitted directly from an honours bachelor degree or equivalent

Must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours with at least 12 credit hours at the 7000 level (of which six must be from the Department of Soil Science).

Thesis

Students must demonstrate competence in completing thesis research and pass an oral examination on their subject.

Graduation requirements

To meet graduation requirements, all students must demonstrate strong communications skills and hold (from their current program or in previous studies):

12 credit hours in fundamental and applied soil sciences at the senior undergraduate or graduate level

Three credit hours in experimental design and statistical analysis at the senior undergraduate or graduate level.

Sample course offerings

  • SOIL 7170: Agricultural Micrometeorology
  • SOIL 7180: Environmental Chemistry of Pesticides and Related Compounds
  • SOIL 7210: Topics in Soil Fertility
  • SOIL 7220: Principles of Scientific Research and Communication
  • SOIL 7230: Topics in Landscape Processes I
  • SOIL 7240: Topics in Landscape Processes II
  • SOIL 7250: Topics in Soil Science
  • SOIL 7270: Advanced Soil Ecology

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Admission requirements

The following are minimum requirements to be considered for entry into the Soil Science (PhD) program. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Normally the completion of a Master’s degree or equivalent from a recognized university and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or equivalent in the last two years of full-time university study is the minimum requirement for admission to the PhD program.

For a complete list of admission requirements, please visit the Graduate Studies Regulations section of the Academic Calendar.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

How to apply

The Soil Science PhD program has three application deadlines per year. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

  • $100 application fee (non-refundable)
  • Unofficial copies of transcripts
  • Curriculum vitae/resume
  • Two letters of recommendation (must be requested from within the application)
  • Proof of English Language Proficiency, if required

Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.

Please contact the Department of Soil Science before submitting an application for admission. Applications without the support of a research supervisor are likely to be rejected.

Please note: Students must enter the name of their preferred advisor at time of application. 

Application deadlines

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Applications open up to 18 months prior to start term.

Canadian and US applicants

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) June 1
Winter (January) October 1
Summer (May) February 1

International applicants

Term Annual application deadlines
Fall (September) March 1
Winter (January) July 1
Summer (May) November 1

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated.

Start or continue your application

Learn more

Contact us

Admission and application inquiries

Faculty of Graduate Studies
Room 500 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

graduate.admissions@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-9377

Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program inquiries

Department of Soil Science

Room 362 Ellis Building
13 Freedman Crescent
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2

soilsci@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-8153
Fax: 204-474-7642