It’s probably the most important question our students asks themselves once they’ve established themselves in their research laboratory.

Almost all of our students enter the program in the Master’s stream, then at about the 12-14 month timeframe, they make this important decision, and either finish up their research projects and write their M.Sc. thesis, or request to transfer into the Ph.D. program.

Historically, a majority of students decide to transfer directly into the Ph.D. program and in the past three years ~65% of students successfully transferred into the Ph.D. program.

Like most decisions in life, many factors must be balanced when deciding.

The breadth and scope of the scientific question must be carefully considered when proposing to pursue a Ph.D. In addition, you must consider what the next step in your career path will be, and which degree serves you best.

Wondering what career options are available for PhD graduates? The School of Graduate Studies has tracked the career outcomes of 10,000 PhD students who graduated between 2000 and 2015. You can see the results here on their website or the full 10,000 PhDs article in PLOS One.

We are continually updating our curriculum and courses to respond to the changing world of both academic and industrial scientific careers (check out our new Professional Development Program and course).

Hear from some of our recent graduates how they made this important decision and what they are doing now (Alumni Videos).