The Department of Chemistry offers a Graduate Program leading to the degrees of PhD and MSc. Admission to the program normally requires completion of at least an Honours B.Sc. degree from a recognized university (with upper second class standing).
Students holding a pass B.Sc. degree, or those lacking sufficient concentration or grades, may be admitted to a qualifying year program. Applicants whose primary language is not English may be required to take upgrading courses through the Applied Language Studies at Brock .
The department also supports the master’s and doctoral degrees in Biotechnology.
Application is made at any time; formal admission normally occurs on January 1, May 1 or September 1. Please complete the online application by following the instructions that appear on the Graduate Faculty Website. “Program Specific Materials” includes a Statement of Research Interest and three reference reports, preferably at least one from an individual who has supervised your research elsewhere. In addition, students are encouraged to submit results of a Chemistry Subject GRE.
Financial support
Each graduate student accepted into the program is awarded a graduate assistantship and offered the opportunity of teaching in the undergraduate laboratory program. The assistantship is supplemented by funds from the research grants of the supervisor. Correspondence between prospective students and potential supervisors is encouraged prior to formal application.
Minimum stipends are subject to change, currently (2015) they are $28,376 per year for PhD students and $23,376 per year for MSc students ($8,700 research supervisor; $12,000 (PhD) or $7,000 (MSc) University fellowship; $7,676 teaching assistantship per two terms). On top of that, international graduate students receive an International Tuition Fellowship of $6,250/year. Qualified domestic MSc students with an admission average of 80% may be eligible for an additional $2,000.
Graduate courses, fees and ancillary information
Ancillary information on Academic Regulations, Registration Fees and Graduate Courses in Chemistry is found in the Brock University Graduate Calendar.
Research areas
Research is being conducted in the following broad areas: Inorganic and Materials Science, Organic, Physical and Theoretical, and Analytical Chemistry. Details of specific faculty research interests can be viewed on this web site.
Facilities and research equipment
Research laboratories were designed for the current research interest of faculty, with flexible space to accommodate new interests. Extensive computer facilities (including numerous microcomputers), library services, and a fully equipped instrumentation facility are available for use by all graduate students.
The science departments jointly maintain a central technical services unit that includes a broad range of capabilities for the development and construction of specialized pieces of equipment; the staff includes professional machinist, a glassblower and electronics personnel including a microcomputer specialist.
Departmental research support
Research in the Department of Chemistry is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, and other governmental, industrial and private agencies.
Support institutions
Brock University, located in St. Catharines, Ontario, was opened in 1964. It is characterized by modern buildings and a fully equipped athletic facility with an Olympic-sized pool. Brock is within easy driving distance of a number of other institutions of higher learning in both southern Ontario and northern New York. In addition, major government research facilities including provincial and federal agricultural laboratories and the Canada Centre for Inland Waters, are within the immediate area.
