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Faculty of Health Sciences

Biochemistry &
Biomedical Sciences

Faculty of Health Sciences

Biochemistry lab

GRADUATE

FAQ's What You Want to Know

Why should I go to Graduate School?
What are the requirements for admission to the BIOCHEMISTRY program?
How do I apply to your program at McMaster University?
Where do I send my application materials?
What is the application deadline for admission to the Biochemistry Graduate Program?
Do I have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Test?
How will I know when my application is complete?
When will I know if I´ve been accepted?
Do I need to commit to a specific faculty member or lab in advance in order to receive financial aid?
Can I call individual faculty on the phone and discuss mutual interests?
How difficult is it to get accepted into the Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program?
What are the typical times of completion of a degree in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences?
Is there a rotation system?
What kind of financial support can I expect as a graduate student?
What kind of jobs do students get after graduating?
How do I find suitable housing?
Helpful Websites

1. Why should I go to Graduate School?

The understanding of life at the molecular level is the most important scientific endeavour of the 21st century. If you are interested in a career in this area you will almost certainly need an advanced degree. Similarly, if you want to switch careers, an advanced degree can help.

2. What are the requirements for admission to the Biochemistry Graduate Program?

The minimum requirements for admission to our graduate program is an Honours bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum B+ average (8.5 on the McMaster University scale or 77% -79%). In most years, we restrict admission to students with higher averages than this. Students with a degree in Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Medicine, Biology, Microbiology, Computer Science or Physics are eligible for admission. If your degree is in another discipline within the biological or applied sciences please contact the program administrators to determine eligibility. We also look closely at the research experience of students usually in the form of a senior undergraduate research thesis or summer employment in a research laboratory. Degrees and grades from foreign universities are evaluated for their equivalency to McMaster´s. Students applying to our program who already hold a M.Sc. degree from another institution can be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program subject to approval from our admissions panel.

3. How do I apply to your program at McMaster University?

Prior to submitting an application, students considering graduate school should review the research interests of the faculty in which they are particularly interested. You will need to submit the application online and pay the $100 application fee. This fee is non-refundable and must be paid in Canadian dollars by credit card, cheque, or world money order drawn on a Canadian bank and payable to McMaster University.

CHEQUES OR WORLD MONEY ORDERS DRAWN ON CANADIAN BANKS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A $15.00 PROCESSING FEE FOR A TOTAL OF $115. If you pay the application fee by cheque or world money order, please send directly to the following address: Required supplemental application materials consist of two letters of recommendation, official transcripts from all colleges or universities that you have attended, one-page statement of interest, and original TOEFL scores for international students.

* Please refer to Graduate Program Application & Admission for more information about our application process and all necessary forms.
* To apply go to:Instructions
* SGS Application Procedure

4. Where do I send my application materials?

Applications will not be considered until ALL application materials, including the application fee, have been received. Please send all application material directly to the following mailing address:

Lisa Kush
McMaster University
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
Health Sciences Centre, Room 4N59
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4K1, Canada

5. What is the application deadline for admission to the Biochemistry Graduate Program?

ALL students should submit applications by March 1 for admission in September.

6. Do I have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Test?

All students who do NOT speak English as their native language (language first learned and spoken at home) must take the TOEFL Test. An official copy of your TOEFL score, or other evidence of competency in English is required. A minimum TOEFL (iBT) score of 92 (580 on the paper-based TOEFL test or 237 on the computer-based TOEFL test) is required.

7. How will I know when my application is complete?

Once your application has been processed, you should receive an email from the Graduate Assistant telling you what material we have not yet received or that your application is complete.

8. When will I know if I´ve been accepted?

The Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Admissions Committee will meet around mid-March to review all applications. The department will then recommend to the School of Graduate Studies Office their favourable decisions. Official letters of admission are sent only by the School of Graduate Studies. Successful applicants will receive this notification by mail and email usually around the beginning of April.

9. Do I need to commit to a specific faculty member or lab in advance in order to receive financial aid?

Acceptance into our Graduate Program is conditional on reaching a mutually agreeable student supervisor agreement. We strongly encourage students to contact faculty members and to visit our department to discuss possible research projects.

10. Can I call individual faculty on the phone and discuss mutual interests?

Yes. We welcome your call or email. You should speak with one or more of our faculty about their research and your specific research interest.

Faculty Directory

11. How difficult is it to get accepted into the Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program?

The requirements listed for the department are the minimum. Typically 1 out of 10 applications we receive are ranked high enough for admission. Note however that we do not accept students according to application numbers, academic excellence is the primary criterion for admission. A good undergraduate transcript is important, but will be carefully weighed with research experience, letters of reference, scholarship support, and publications (if any). Every application is read by all members of the graduate admissions committee and every application is discussed fully at admissions committee meetings.

12. What are the typical times of completion of a degree in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences?

According to recent figures submitted to the 2002 Ontario Council on Graduate Studies review, McMaster´s Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program has among the shortest times to completion at both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels of comparable departments in Canada. Reducing these numbers further is a stated departmental goal.

13. Is there a rotation system?

Yes. Students ranked highly enough are eligible for 3 one-month rotations in different laboratories during their first semester in the program and, while this is optional, we strongly encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity.

14. What kind of financial support can I expect as a graduate student?

Research Assistantships:

All M.Sc. and Ph.D. students who are accepted into our program are awarded a graduate stipend. The stipend is designed to cover the costs of tuition and living expenses. M.Sc. students normally receive support for up to two years from the time of initial registration in the program, and Ph.D. students up to four years. There is no guarantee of financial support after these respective periods.

2009-2010 Graduate Stipends

$20,300per year for M.Sc. and $23,500 per year for Ph.D.
International students receive an additional $6,500 visa student bursary to offset the cost of tuition which is significantly higher than for domestic students.

Teaching Assistantships:

Qualified full-time graduate students may be offered a teaching assistantship at the time of their admission to their first year of study (if available). The maximum duration of guaranteed teaching assistantships is two years for M.Sc. students and four years for Ph.D. students.

15. What kind of jobs do students get after graduating?

M.Sc. graduates can pursue careers in industrial, government or academic research laboratories, or continue in a Ph.D. program. Graduates of the PhD program are well-prepared for careers in academia, government, and industry. Our Ph.D. students typically pursue post-doctoral studies in academics or industry within Canada or worldwide. Many of our past graduates are now faculty members at universities in Canada and the U.S. Examples of life after Grad School

16. How do I find suitable housing?

If you are interested in applying to any of the University's residences, applications must be submitted several months in advance (before the residence application deadline).

Contact:
Housing and Conference Services, Residence Admissions
McMaster University, Commons Building, Room 101
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
Telephone: (905) 525-9140, Ext. 24223
Fax: (905) 529-3319
E-mail: housing@mcmaster.ca
http://www.mcmaster.ca/services/houshosp.html

The Off-Campus Housing Office is located at the University Student Centre (MUSC) Basement - B112 lower level of the centre. They will be pleased to help you locate accommodation when you arrive in Hamilton. Note: Most apartments in Canada are unfurnished and it is not normally economically feasible to rent furnished apartments. Prices do not often include heating, light and telephone. Please allow extra for these expenses.

17. Helpful Websites