For Current Students

The Department of Biology has a strong graduate study program that focuses on our areas of expertise in Structure and Function, Biodiversity and Evolution, and Ecology and Environment. We typically have about 50-60 graduate students enrolled in both M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs. All faculty in the department are active in research, and so if you are interested in applying to the Department of Biology you should contact a professor in the field of study that interests you. Please explore our website to discover Research areas in the Department of Biology that may suit your interests.

The University of Saskatchewan is located in Saskatoon, an attractive city of ~230,000 people situated astride the South Saskatchewan River. Saskatoon is situated in the transition zone between the northern Great Plains and the aspen parkland that forms the southern edge of the boreal forest. The landscape is flat to undulating and is dotted with sloughs and aspen groves. The primary land use around Saskatoon is agriculture. The boreal forest is a few hours drive to the north and it is a short distance to the open short-grass prairies to the south. Founded in 1910, the University of Saskatchewan now has an enrolment of over 15,000 students. Graduate students play an important role in the life of the university and there is a wide range of opportunities for graduate study and research at the USask.

The department of Biology has graduate programs leading to Postgraduate Diploma, M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. The faculty, which includes associate members and adjunct professors from other departments and institutes on campus, has particular strength in ecology and behaviour, plant biotechnology and developmental biology. Joint graduate research programs can be arranged with other colleges of the University (Western College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medicine, College of Agriculture and Bioresources) and several government institutions on the campus [ Canadian Wildlife Service, Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre; National Research Council, Plant Biotechnology Institute; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre, National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada; Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management].

2023 - 2024

This handbook represents information from the Department and CGPS policies in place at the time of
writing and subject to change.

• Biology Graduate Student Handbook

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(GSC)

Graduate work in the Department of Biology is administered by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The GSC reports to the Department on matters of policy and to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies on matters affecting individual students. Each student in the Department is represented individually by an advisory committee, which is responsible for the direction and progress of the student and reports to the College via the GSC. College regulations and other useful information are available on the College website.

The GSC normally consists of: the Head of the Department, five other faculty members appointed by the Head, and two graduate student members appointed by graduate students in the Department. The students are voting members of the GSC whenever policy decisions are made, but are excluded from discussion relating to individual students, their records and performance. The role of the GSC is to ensure uniform admission, course, thesis and examination standards for students in the Department.

Not all courses described in the Course and Program Catalogue are offered each year. For a list of course offerings in 2024-2025, please consult the class search website.

• Course Catalogue