Chemistry (PhD)
Doctorate (PhD)
Offered by:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science
Program overview
The PhD in Chemistry allows you to build on your work as an independent researcher in an environment that combines chemistry, biochemistry, and physics. You will work alongside world-renowned faculty members whose expertise in areas such as environmental chemistry, bionanoscience and protein science will propel your research to the next level. The Centre for Research in Molecular Modeling (CERMM), The Centre for NanoScience Research (CeNSR) and The Centre for Biological Applications of Mass Spectrometry (CBAMS) are recognized for their research excellence and highly qualified personnel training. Our faculty and researchers have published in numerous journals, including Nature and Journal of the American Chemical Society, and have received honours from the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Canada Research Chairs Program.
Program details
Admission Requirements
- MSc degree in Chemistry with high standing from a recognized university.
- Comparable qualifications in biology or biochemistry are also acceptable for applicants wishing to do graduate studies in biochemistry.
- Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.
Degree Requirements
Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.
Please see the Chemistry Courses page for course descriptions.
Chemistry PhD (90 credits)
| 6 | credits of courses listed under Chemistry PhD Topic Courses, in the general field of the student’s research project |
| 9 | credits: |
| 72 | credits: |
| 3 | credits: |
Chemistry PhD Topic Courses
Topics in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry | |
Topics in Bioorganic and Organic Chemistry | |
Topics in Physical Chemistry | |
Topics in Bioinorganic and Inorganic Chemistry | |
Topics in Multidisciplinary Chemistry | |
Topics in Biochemistry | |
Topics in Instrumentation | |
| With permission from their supervisory committee students are allowed to substitute graduate level courses from other departments relevant to their research problems, or professional development (e.g., selected MBA courses) as partial fulfillment towards their degree requirements. |
Your completed application will include:
- Application form and Fee
- An up-to-date, complete copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Three Letters of Reference and assessment form
- An original Statement of purpose that reflects your academic objectives (1 page maximum). It should outline your areas of research interest(s) or specific research groups with which you want to work and why you want to study at Concordia
- Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended
- Proof of Canadian citizenship (if applicable)
- Applicants whose primary language is not English, are required to submit official language test scores, unless exempted.
For IELTS, a minimum score of 6.5 or more is required in each component; for TOEFL, a minimum score of 20 or more is required in each component. This Department does not give conditional acceptances to improve English.
Please apply online. Read the how-to guide for application procedures.
Courses typically offered include:
- Topics in Biochemistry
- Topics in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
- Topics in Bioorganic and Organic Chemistry
- Topics in Physical Chemistry
- Topics in Bioinorganic and Inorganic Chemistry
Consult the Graduate Calendar for a complete list of current courses.
Research assistant (RA) funding at a minimum level of $10,000 per annum is guaranteed for graduate students with satisfactory performance during the PhD residency period. All graduate students are additionally eligible to receive an annual teaching assistantship valued at $7,500 per annum. Beyond this base annual stipend of $17,500 per annum, income may be supplemented through various awards (see below) and/or supervisor RA top-ups.
Our graduate students continue to receive prestigious federal and provincial scholarships, including those from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Fonds Nature et technologies (FRQNT), the Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications (PROTEO), and the Center for Self-Assembled Chemical Structures (CSACS).
The departments of Biology, Chemistry and Physics in the Faculty of Arts and Science are seeking graduate students for specific research areas. Please visit this page for new opportunities regularly.
Other awards available through the Faculty of Arts and Science and the School of Graduate Studies include:
- Concordia Merit Scholarship
- Concordia University Graduate Fellowship
- Faculty of Arts & Science Graduate Fellowship
- Triskelion Fellowship
- Garnet-Strong Endowment
- Kanfi-Holzbaur Travel Award
- Concordia International Tuition Award of Excellence
- Hydro-Quebec Graduate Award
- John W. O'Brien Graduate Fellowship
- Clara Strozyk Scholarship
- Out-of-Province Fee Remission Awards
- Faculty of Arts & Science Conference Travel Award
Consideration for Entrance Awards is automatically part of the admissions process for all new students. Other awards may be allotted on a competitive basis pending eligibility.
Please also consult Concordia’s graduate funding page and Financial Aid and Awards.
Faculty members have international reputations whose research is well represented in top academic journals. Their engagement in the scientific community is demonstrated by their representation on evaluation committees as well as their involvement in the organization of conferences from the local to international levels.
Areas of faculty research expertise include:
- organic chemistry
- inorganic chemistry
- materials and nanoscience
- physical and biophysical chemistry
- computational chemistry and molecular modeling
- analytical chemistry
- metabolomics
- biochemistry and natural products
- enzymology
- protein structure and function
Graduate students organize and host an established, annual graduate student conference in the fall. The Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Research Conference invites graduate students throughout Canada and the northern United States to showcase their work and learn about the latest developments in academia and industry.
See what our students are working on. Review an inspiring list of thesis topics.
Our graduates are well positioned to pursue research careers in academia, industry and government sectors.
A number of our alumni have secured lecturer or professor positions in institutions around the world, including Singapore and Egypt, as well as those found in Greater Montreal, such as John Abbot College and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS).
Many graduates work in research and development departments of industries, including:
- Agilent Technologies
- Perkin-Elmer
- Algorithme Pharma
- Picarro Instruments
- Elementar
- GlaxoSmithKline
- CN Creative
- SCP science
Other alumni work for institutions like the Montreal Antidoping Lab, or hold government positions at the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques.