University of Calgary

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

PROGRAMS / SPECIALIZATIONS

  

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION / APPLICATION

  

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

  

ACADEMIC STANDING / PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS

  

QUESTIONS ABOUT COURSES

  

MISCELLANEOUS

 

PROGRAMS / SPECIALIZATIONS

  • What graduate degrees does the Department offer?
    The Department offers the following degrees:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Master of Engineering (M.Eng.): Course-based and Thesis-based

 

  • What are the offered specializations?
    Ph.D. / M.Sc / M.Eng Thesis-based degrees in:
    Biomedical Engineering
    Chemical Engineering
    Energy & Environment, Engineering Interdisciplinary Specialization
    Energy & Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary Specialization
    Environmental Engineering
    Petroleum Engineering

    M.Eng course-based degrees in:
    Chemical Engineering
    Energy & Environment, Engineering Interdisciplinary Specialization
    Environmental Engineering
    Petroleum Reservoir Engineering
    Reservoir Characterization (joint degree with Geology/Geophysics)

 

  • Where may I get more information about the Environmental Engineering or energy and environment specializations?
    You should contact Dr. A. Mehrotra the Director of CEERE or visit the web-page of CEERE: http://www.schulich.ucalgary.ca/CEERE/index.html  

 

  • Where may I get more information about the Biomedical Engineering Programme?
    You should contact Dr. M. Kallos and look at the web page: http://www.schulich.ucalgary.ca/biomedical/

  • Where may I get more information about the Reservoir Characterization specialization?
    You should contact Dr. J. Jensen.

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION / APPLICATION

  • What are the minimum entrance requirements for each programme?
    Applicants must hold or obtain the following minimum qualifications before they are given consideration for admission:
  1. A University of Calgary four-year B.Sc. degree or an equivalent degree from a  recognised institution. Degrees and grades from foreign institutions are evaluated for their equivalency to those of the University of Calgary.
  2. Exceptionally and if space permits, applicants with non-engineering degrees or engineering degrees in other fields may be admitted but will be required to complete successfully "make-up" courses for background preparation upon or before the commencement of their graduate programme.
  3. An admission grade point average of 3.00 or higher (on the University of Calgary four-point system) is required for the Master’s programmes. This is based on the last two years of the undergraduate degree consisting of a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents.
  4. A proof of English proficiency if required (see below for more info.)

 

Specific requirements for Doctor of Philosophy

  1. An M.Sc. degree in Chemical, Oil Gas or Petroleum Engineering or transfer from an M.Sc. programme.
  2. Applicants who hold a B.Sc. degree or equivalent with Distinction may be considered for direct admission to the Ph.D. programme.
  3. A minimum GPA of 3.5 on a four point scale or equivalent.
  4. A proof of English proficiency is required (see below for more info.)

  • Would students not holding a degree in Chemical and/or Petroleum Engineering be considered for admission in the M.Eng. course-based program?
    Due to the large number of applications for admission to the MEng course-based program, currently only students holding a degree in Chemical or Petroleum or Environmental Engineering are considered for admission.

 

  • For students holding their degree from outside Canada, what is the GPA requirement for admission into a graduate programme?
    The GPA requirements vary depending on the country where the applicant has completed his/her studies. For more information on the minimum requirement for your country, please consult the web-site of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, section “Prospective Students”: http://www.grad.ucalgary.ca/

 

  • What are the English Language Proficiency requirements (E.L.P.)?
    Students whose primary language is not English are required to fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways to be considered for admission:
  1. A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based), 213 (computer) or 550 (written).
  2. A minimum score of 7.0 on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
  3. EAP (English for Academic Purposes) Tier 3, through the University of Calgary.

Students with scores that are more than two years old must re-write the examination. Full admission will not be granted before the official or verified test scores are received.

  • Do I need to take a GRE exam for admission?
    No, the GRE test is not required.

 

  • I have had my education in English. Do I still have to take any of the English language proficiency requirement exams?
    A student may apply for a waiver of the English language proficiency requirement by including a letter requesting the waiver and explaining the reasons. The letter should be included in the application package. Please note that such a waiver is usually reserved to students who have had at least their post-secondary education in English or those who can prove an extensive use of English and excellent communication skills in reading, writing and speaking.

 

  • I already hold a graduate degree in a specialization and would like to apply for admission to the same degree and specialization. Is this possible?
    Yes.

 

  • Am I guaranteed admission if I meet all the requirements?
    No. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee admission. In particular, students applying for the M.Eng Thesis-based, M.Sc. or Ph.D. programmes are strongly encouraged to contact professors working in a research field that interests them to find out if the professor is planning on taking new students. Please note that as our Department receives applications from many more students than can possibly be admitted; only the most qualified are considered, and in most cases only students with first-class academic standing are admitted.

 

  • Do I need to have a supervisor assigned to me before starting the programme?
    All M.Eng Thesis-based M.Sc. and Ph.D. students should have a faculty member as a supervisor. Please note that in the process of applying for admission to a Ph.D., M.Sc. or M.Eng Thesis-based programme, a student’ file may be complete but no admission is offered till a professor expresses his/her interest in taking that student. Therefore, students applying for admission to the M.Sc. or Ph.D. programme are strongly encouraged to contact professors to inquire about their plans in taking new students before submitting their application. M.Eng. course-based students are automatically supervised by the Associate Head of Graduate Studies once admitted. M.Eng. thesis-based students may be supervised by the Associate Head of Graduate Studies in the first year, but need to find a permanent supervisor before completing their course requirements.

 

  • What are the typical times to complete a degree?
Ph.D  3 years (Typical) 6 years (Maximum) 
M.Sc. 2 years (Typical) 4 years (Maximum)
M.Eng (Thesis based) 2 years (Typical) 4 years (Maximum)
M.Eng (Course based) 2 years (Typical) 6 years (Maximum)

Full-time Master students are expected to complete the degree within half the maximum time allowed. For more details, consult the web-page of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

    • What are the application fees?
      The current application fees are:
      Canadian citizens and permanent residents: $100 (CDN)
      International applicants: $130 (CDN)
      Please note that there is no refund of the application fee. For more up to date fees, consult the Faculty of Graduate Studies web-page: http://www.grad.ucalgary.ca/
       
    • Where can I get application forms and information about other formalities?
      The application should include a completed application form, application fee and proof of English proficiency, if required. Official transcripts and letters of reference on the University of Calgary reference forms should be sent directly to the Graduate Admission Office in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.
      For more details, please consult the web-page of the Faculty of Graduate Studies: http://www.grad.ucalgary.ca/ 
      To apply online, please go to:
      https://www.gradapplication.ucalgary.ca
       
    • I have original documents (transcripts and/or reference letters.) Can I hand them myself to the Department?
      No unless they are sealed and with a stamp/seal of the Institution of origin.
       
    • What are the deadlines for applying?
      Normally, it takes about a month after the application deadline for the graduate programme to evaluate applications and make recommendations to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and two weeks to one month for the Faculty to send official offers of admission. The Department has three intake periods; September, January and May. The deadline for submission of complete applications to the department is as follows:

        September Admission January Admission   May Admission

      Students with International
      transcripts

      		  March 15  July 15  November 15
      Students with
      Canadian or US
      transcripts      		  July 15  November 15  March 15
    • How many reference letters do I need to send and can they be from anyone?

      At least two letters of reference must be submitted. As per FGS regulation,

       “Two appropriate letters of reference dated within twelve months of the date of application. An appropriate letter of recommendation is one written by an independent individual who can provide an assessment of the applicant's background and capabilities with respect to the prospective program. Letters from friends, family members, colleagues, people currently registered in a graduate degree program, or general reference letters that are not written in support of the person's application to the particular graduate program are not acceptable. An applicant currently registered in a graduate degree program, or who has recently completed a graduate degree program, must submit one letter of reference from his/her program supervisor. Unless the applicant has been out of school for more than four years, at least one letter, and preferably both, should be by an academic. A reference from a non-academic source should come from a person who has had direct supervisory experience of the applicant.”

    • Can I use any form for the letters of reference?
      No. The only acceptable forms are the ones approved by the University and can be downloaded from the web-page:  http://schulich.ucalgary.ca/graduate/admissions
      Please make sure that the person writing the letter of reference fill all the required parts.

    • Do I have to include a statement of purpose letter or CV with the application?
      A letter of a statement of purpose is not required when applying for admission into the graduate program in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. However, students are free to include such a letter if they wish to.

    • I have applied for the Ph.D. programme but got admission to the M.Sc. programme, with the possibility of transferring later to the Ph.D. programme. How does this work?
      Students applying for the Ph.D. programme are often offered admission to the M.Sc. programme with the option of applying for transfer to the Ph.D. programme. Such students should apply for transfer once they have successfully completed the course requirements for the M.Sc. degree and have the support of their supervisor. The main advantage of this procedure is that it allows the supervisor to assess closely the capacities of the student and serves as a period of acquaintance between the student and the supervisor. Furthermore, it does not represent a major burden on the student since courses completed while the student is registered in the M.Sc. programme are counted towards the course requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Note that the GPA of the courses completed in the MSc programme must be at least 3.5 on the University of Calgary 4.0 scale. Furthermore, according to the regulation of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the transfer to the Ph.D. programme should be completed no later than two years after the first date of admission of the student.

    • I have applied for admission but still have not received an answer. How do I know whether I am admitted or not?
      Students who do not meet the minimum requirements are automatically sent a letter notifying them that they will not be admitted. Admissible students applying for the M.Eng. course-based program will be sent a letter recommending their admission. Admissible students applying for thesis based programs (PhD, MSc and MEng thesis-based) will not receive a letter of admission until a professor has expressed his/her interest in taking them. In particular, if you have applied for such a program and your file is admissible but still did not receive any answer, then this may indicate that at the current time no professor has expressed an interest in taking you. You may want to contact directly the professors with whom you intend to work.

    • How is Part-time and Full-time status determined?
      For course-based programmes, a student must take at least 6 half-courses in a year to be considered full-time. Thesis-based students must declare themselves as full-time and the Department affirms their status (such students are expected to work ~40hrs/week on their programme degree). Note that some scholarships such as the Alberta Graduate Student Scholarships, require the students to be full-time. Also, when applying to register as a P.Eng., being full-time may be counted as experience (Please check the latest rules of APEGGA).

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

    • Once admitted, do I qualify for financial support?
      MSc and PhD students admitted in the Department are usually provided with financial support and are expected to perform TA duties. The requirements and limitations are outlined in the Department guidelines.
      MEng students are not qualified for financial support from the Department.
    • What are the levels of financial support?
      Full-time graduate students admitted in the Master of Science (MSc) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering are guaranteed at the time of admission offer a minimum annual support of $21,000. This level of financial support is assured for up to 2 years for MSc students and 4 years for PhD students. The funding guidelines apply to students as long as they continue to maintain their registration as full-time graduate students, and the continuation of the financial support is conditional on satisfactory academic progress in both course and research work. Note that all graduate students are encouraged to seek additional funding sources by applying for internal and external scholarships.
    • What about international fee differential?
      Currently, all fully-funded international students are given additional support by the Department to offset the fee differential (both full fees and continuing registration fees) for up to 2 years for MSc students and up to 4 years for PhD students. In this respect, international students are treated at par with Canadians and permanent residents. This support is conditional on maintaining full-time status and satisfactory academic progress in both course and research work.

    • I was admitted with a scholarship or another form of financial support from a source other than the Department. Do I also qualify for the Department support?
      Externally-funded students, who are able to provide acceptable proof of being assured to receive financial support from their employers or in the form of a scholarship/bursary from a government agency or other acceptable sources, are not automatically eligible for Department Financial support.
       
    • As a MEng student, am I eligible to do TA work?
      No, only M.Sc. and Ph.D. students are eligible to receive financial support from the Department and perform TA duties.

  

ACADEMIC STANDING / PROGRAMME REQUIREMENTS

  • What are the programmes' requirements?
    The requirements for the different programmes effective September 2006, are as follows:

    M.Eng. course-based.:
    1. A minimum of 10 half-courses with at least 6 half-courses at the graduate level. Students may take no more than two half-or one full-equivalent project-based courses. The majority of the courses (60% or more) should be related to the student intended field of specialization.
    2. Students intending to have a degree specialization in Environmental Engineering should consult with their supervisors for other requirements.

M.Eng. thesis-based.:

  1. A minimum of 4 half-courses at the graduate level.
  2. The submission and successful defence of a thesis on a research topic.
  3. Students intending to have a degree specialization in Environmental or Biomedical Engineering should consult with their supervisors for other requirements.

M.Sc.:

  1. Registering and participating in the Research Seminar course (ENCH 601 or equivalent).
  2. Completing a minimum of 4 half-courses at the graduate level. At least one of the courses must be either ENCH701 or ENCH703. In addition: 
    • Students intending to have a degree specialization in Chemical Engineering must also complete at least one course from the list of core courses: ENCH 613, 625, 623, 631, 633.
    • Students intending to have a degree specialization in Petroleum Engineering must also complete at least one course from the list of core courses: ENCH 621, 629, 647, 657, 677.
    • Students intending to have a degree specialization in Environmental or Biomedical Engineering should consult with their supervisors for the additional requirements.
  3. Submitting and successfully defending a thesis on an original research topic.

Ph.D. (Students admitted with an acceptable Master degree)

  1. Registering and participating in the Research Seminar course (ENCH 601 or equivalent)
  2. Completing a minimum of 2 half-courses at the graduate level.
  3. Before proceeding to the candidacy examination, all students must have completed both ENCH701 and ENCH703 or equivalents.
  4. In addition, students with a specialization in Chemical Engineering or Petroleum Engineering must also have taken at least two courses from the list of core courses for their specialization as listed in the previous section for the M.Sc., or equivalents. For other specializations, students should consult with their supervisors for the additional requirements.
  5. Passing successfully the candidacy exam.
  6. Submitting and successfully defending a thesis on an original research topic.  

Ph.D. (Students admitted without an acceptable Master degree)

  1. Registering and participating in the Research Seminar course (ENCH 601 or equivalent)
  2. Completing a minimum of 6 half-courses at the graduate level.
  3. Before proceeding to the candidacy examination, all students must have completed both ENCH701 and ENCH703 or equivalents.
  4. In addition, students with a specialization in Chemical Engineering or Petroleum Engineering must also have taken at least two courses from the list of core courses for their specialization as listed in the previous section for the M.Sc., or equivalents. For other specializations, students should consult with their supervisors for the additional requirements.
  5. Passing successfully the candidacy exam.
  6. Submitting and successfully defending a thesis on an original research topic.

  • Once admitted, what are the requirements in terms of grades to maintain a satisfactory status?
    All graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of at least 3.00 in each year of their programme. All grades below "B-" are indicative of failure and cannot be counted towards the programme course requirements. Students receiving a grade of "C+" or lower in two or more courses will normally be required to withdraw from the programme.
  • I already hold an MSc degree, and I am currently registered in the Department in an MSc programme and intend to transfer to the PhD programme. What would be the course requirements in my case?
    Before applying for transfer to the PhD programme, you must complete all course requirements for the MSc programme. After transfer to PhD, you are considered to have already completed the minimum number of courses required for PhD (currently a minimum of 2 graduate courses). However, you should make sure you complete all required/core courses before proceeding to the candidacy examination.
  • What if I have already taken a course equivalent to one of the required/core courses for my specialization. Do I still have to take it again?
    If a student has taken for credit a graduate course equivalent to one of the required/core courses and received a minimum of a B grade, then that student may be exempted from taking the corresponding required/core course in the Department. However, the minimum number of courses required for the degree will remain the same. The equivalence between the course taken by the student and that of the Department must be approved by the current instructor of the required/core course in the Department and by the Head or Associate Head Graduate Studies.
  • A course with a grade below B-will not count towards the degree requirement but would it be included in the calculation of my GPA?
    Yes, unless the course is attempted again in which case the highest grade is counted.
  • What are the administrative formalities that need to be followed before the degree examination and/or graduation?
    Please consult the web-page of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (http://www.grad.ucalgary.ca/). It is important that the student plan the examination and date of graduation ahead of time and consult with his/her supervisor.

  
QUESTIONS ABOUT COURSES

  • I want to register as open studies student (formerly known as unclassified student) in a graduate course (600 level courses). How should I proceed?
    You should fill the required form (open studies) found on the web-page of the Registrar Office: http://www.ucalgary.ca/registrar/The completed form together with any required documents as indicated on the application form should be submitted to the Department for approval by the Associate Head Graduate Studies. Please note that if you do not have the right background, you will need to get the consent of the course instructor prior to submitting your form for approval. Furthermore, a proof or an approved waiver of, English language proficiency may be required. All students who have an acceptable degree from a Canadian/US institution and who are registering for the first time as open-studies student, must submit copies of transcripts showing the degree conferred. All students who have an acceptable degree from an institution outside of North America and who are registering for the first time as open-studies student, must submit copies of their transcripts and degree certificate (original and certified translation).
  • I want to register as open studies student (formerly known as unclassified student) in an undergraduate course (500 level and below). How should I proceed?
    You should fill the required form (open studies) found on the web-page of the Registrar Office: http://www.ucalgary.ca/registrar/ The completed form should be submitted to the Associate Head Undergraduate Studies for approval. Furthermore, a proof or an approved waiver of English language proficiency may be required. Note that all students who have an acceptable degree from a Canadian/US institution and who are registering for the first time as open-studies student, must submit copies of transcripts showing the degree conferred. All students who have an acceptable degree from an institution outside of North America and who are registering for the first time as open-studies student, must submit copies of their transcripts and degree certificate (original and certified translation).
  • What is the English Language Proficiency (ELP) waiver for open studies students and how do they affect my chances of registering?
    Students who do not meet the ELP requirement (check the web-page http://www.ucalgary.ca/admissions/elp) must obtain an ELP waiver. The waiver should be approved by the Associate Head Graduate Studies (for graduate courses) or Associate Head Undergraduate Studies (for undergraduate courses) after meeting with the student. The waiver is cosigned by the Associate Dean Student Affairs in the Schulich School of Engineering. Note that for the first registration, you may get the waiver for only one course. Waivers for subsequent registrations in open studies courses require that the student get a minimum of a B grade average in graduate courses, and C grade average in undergraduate courses.
  • I have taken a course as open studies student (formerly known as unclassified student). Now that I am enrolled in a graduate program, can I take the course again?
    Yes, and the course will appear twice on the student's transcript. Note that a course may not be repeated more than once.
  • I have taken courses before admission. Can I get credit for such courses?
    It is in general possible to get advanced credit for graduate courses with a grade of "B" or higher that were taken at a recognized institution. Interested applicants must make a request at the time of admission. Courses for which credit is sought should not have been used for any degree or Diploma or for the purpose of qualifying for admission and should not have been taken more than five years ago. Furthermore, advanced credit may not exceed either one third of the programme or two full-courses (four half-courses), whichever is less.
  • Can I take courses for credit from outside the Department?
    The majority of the courses should be taken from the Department and in the intended field of specialization. However, if justified, courses relevant to the student degree and offered in other Departments may be approved. It is necessary to get the approval of the supervisor and Associate Head Graduate Studies before registering in such a course.
  • I have taken a course but withdrew from it. Can I take the course again?
    Yes, but you will not be allowed to withdraw from the course a second time.
  • I have taken a course and got a grade below B-. The course will not count towards the degree requirement but would it be included in the calculation of my GPA?
    Yes. Even though such course does not count in the course requirement and an additional course must be taken, it will count in the GPA calculation.
  • I want to take a course as audit. How should I proceed?
    You should first seek the permission of the course instructor. If you are given permission to audit the course, you must fill the appropriate form for auditing the course.
  • As a MEng student, do I have to take ENCH601 (Research Seminar)?
    No. Only M.Sc. and Ph.D. students are required to attend and participate in the Research Seminar course (ENCH601 or equivalent).
  • As a MEng student, do I have to take core/required courses?
    No. Only M.Sc. and Ph.D. students are required to take some core courses as well as the required courses ENCH701 and ENCH703.
  • As a MEng student, am I allowed to take non-technical courses?
    Students are strongly encouraged to take most of their courses as technical courses. In all cases, at least 70% of the total number of courses must consist of technical courses.
  • I am a MEng course-based student, how do I choose my courses?
    Students may choose their courses from the list available at the Department with a minimum of six-graduate courses. They should consult with their supervisor to make sure that the courses meet the Department requirements.
  • As a MEng course-based student, how many project-based courses am I allowed to take?
    MEng course-based students may take up to two graduate half-courses or 1 full-course as project based courses.
  • Where can I get the list of courses that are offered and their descriptions?
    An updated list of courses is available in the calendar. You may check the following link: http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/

  • How do I know if a course is available, open for registration, full, etc?
    You should consult the master time-table on infonet
  • Are there courses offered in the Spring/Summer terms?
    Most of our regular courses are offered in either the Fall or Winter term. Only few courses may be offered in the Spring or Summer terms. Please consult the course calendar to find out what courses, if any, are offered in the Spring or Summer terms. Students registered in an MEng course-based programme, may pursue a project based course after consultation with their supervisor.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Where may I get information regarding the Diploma degree?

    Inquiries regarding the Diploma degree should be directed to the Undergraduate Studies Office (USO). Applications for admission are approved by the Associate Head Undergraduate Studies. All inquiries should be addressed directly to the USO or the Associate Head Undergraduate Studies of the Department. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

  • I have received a letter of admission but I would like to defer the day of admission. What should I do?
    Students who are offered admission are expected to start the programme in the term stated in the letter of admission. Under special conditions, the admission date may be deferred up to one year after the student has officially requested a deferral.

  • Can I pursue a degree in another institution while being registered in a graduate programme at the University of Calgary?
    No.

  • Are there orientation sessions for newly admitted graduate students?
    Yes. Two orientation sessions are scheduled in the fall and winter sessions. They are usually held before the start of classes. Please check your e-mail regularly for information about the date and location of these sessions.

  • Is there a Graduate Student Association within the Department?
    Yes. You can contact them at CPEG@ucalgary.ca.