Université du Québec à Rimouski offers PhD in Oceanography, a doctorate in Marine Science programme in Rimouski, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 22,459 per year (CAD 4,408 per year for local students).
Also offered as: Postgraduate Diploma, Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Marine Science
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 4,408 / year
International tuition: CAD 22,459 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography trains independent researchers to advance knowledge of coastal, estuarine and oceanic environments, with specialization available in chemical, biological, geological, or physical oceanography. Of the 90 total credits, 15 cover coursework - a doctoral comprehensive examination, two seminars, and a course on current developments in oceanography - while the remaining 75 credits are dedicated to thesis research examining interactions among biological, chemical, geological and physical marine systems. The program is delivered full-time at the Rimouski campus and admits students in the fall, winter, and summer terms without an enrolment cap, including international applicants. Candidates must hold a master's degree or equivalent in the natural sciences or engineering and must secure agreement from a supervising professor before being admitted, reflecting the program's expectation that entering students already have an identified research direction and mentor. The doctorate suits students aiming for research careers in academia, government science agencies, or industry roles built around advanced marine-science expertise, extending the specializations available at UQAR's master's level into an independent, thesis-driven research program rather than additional coursework.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.20 / 4.3
Admission Requirements: Applicants need a master's degree (M.Sc.) or DEA, with a cumulative average above 3.2/4.3 or 3.0/4.0 for Quebec credentials, or a minimum of 11/20 for credentials from outside Quebec; particular attention is given to candidates whose average is slightly below 3.2. Confidential evaluation reports or reference letters must unreservedly establish the candidate's research capacity, and applicants must have the provisional favourable agreement of a supervising professor before admission. UQAR's institution-wide policy exceptionally allows doctoral applicants in oceanography, along with biology, engineering and environmental sciences, to be admitted on functional English (an anglophone university degree or CEFR level B2) instead of French; the program page itself states no further language detail and otherwise the standard French Language Mastery Policy applies, requiring an accepted French test (TEF 460, TCF 460 or Bright Language 3.5 across all three skills) where the diploma does not exempt the candidate, or the institutional French exam on arrival with a mandatory French course required on failure.
Application Details
Start Date:September, January and May
Application Deadline:UQAR divides its academic year into fall, winter and summer trimesters; most programmes admit for fall and several also for winter or summer, and for non-contingented programmes an application can be filed at any time up to the start of term, making admission effectively rolling, while contingented (quota) programmes each carry their own fixed deadline published on that programme's own page rather than centrally. UQAR applies this same timeline to Canadian and international applicants and does not publish a separate blanket international closing date; international candidates must still secure a Certificat d'acceptation du Quebec and a study permit before arriving, and must upload supporting documents within six weeks of starting an application or the file is closed, so early application is strongly recommended. Admission is therefore rolling except where a specific programme is contingented. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
