*BSc/MSc Program is temporarily on hold for 2021/2022
Overview
The Department of Physiology is pleased to introduce the new BSc/MSc track program. The program is intended for strong undergraduate students who are interested in research and have intentions of pursuing a Master’s degree after completion of their Bachelor’s degree. For more details on requirements for admission, please see the "Who Can Apply" tab at the bottom of this page.
Students in the BSc-MSc track will obtain a Bachelor's degree and a then a Master's degree separately. The purpose of the program is to provide guidance and mentoring during final undergraduate years in order to help prepare students for graduate studies. Students enrolled in this program will obtain significant research experience, which will allow them to complete the Master’s degree within four (4) semester terms, in contrast with the usual six or more terms for students not enrolled in the BSc-MSc track.
How it Works
Interested and qualified students are invited to apply in March of their U2 (second-to-last) year of undergraduate studies. Selection into the program means early acceptance into the MSc program, and students will begin their MSc in the summer immediately following their final term of undergraduate study. Continuation directly into the MSc remains conditional upon the maintenance of a CGPA of 3.5 or higher during the applicant’s final undergraduate year.
Students accepted into the program will first conduct a summer research project prior to commencing their final undergraduate year (remunerated at a rate of $350/week by either the Faculty of Medicine or by a summer NSERC award). This summer research project will be conducted in the laboratory where the student plans to pursue future MSc studies.
Finally, during the final academic year, students will complete an Honours research project with their future Master's supervisors. Bi-semester meetings with their supervisors, as well as short presentations to be given before the Program Director and other faculty members to discuss their research experiences, will be required.
BSc-MSc Timeline (printable document)
Who Can Apply
Requirements for admission
• Minimum CGPA of 3.5 or higher
• Must be an undergraduate student in year U2 in an Honours Physiology Program or a Joint Physiology and Mathematics Program or a joint Physiology and Physics program
• Must have the commitment of a faculty member to supervise the Honours Research Project (course PHGY 461D1/D2) in the Fall/Winter term of U3, and conditionally to supervise the MSc degree
• Must secure a summer research position for 10 to 12 consecutive weeks
• Preference is given to students with previous research experience
If you are interested in submitting your application and have questions regarding the program, please contact your undergraduate academic advisor, Mrs. Sonia Viselli (sonia.viselli [at] mcgill.ca).
How to Apply
Application documents required
Students must submit all of the following documents through a single PDF file saved as bsc-msc_Last Name.First Name.pdf to physiology.med [at] mcgill.ca
• CV
• Unofficial transcript
• Letter of intent, showing a strong potential for research and interest in graduate studies
• Letter of reference, written by a faculty member of Physiology, indicating the member's commitment to supervise the summer research project, as well as a conditional acceptance to supervise during the MSc
• One additional letter of reference (optional)
What is the application deadline to be considered for the BSc- MSc Track?
January 25, 2019
When will I found out if I am accepted?
Students and supervisors will be notified by mid-February 2019
Funding
Successful applicants will be funded by the Faculty of Medicine for their mandatory summer research ($350/wk for 10-12 weeks). However, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for external funding, such from NSERC or CIHR. Students who secure outside funding are not eligible to receive the $350/week funded by the Faculty of Medicine in addition to their external funding, however, should the third-party funding not equal $350/week, the Faculty of Medicine will supplement their funding to equal $350/week for a maximum of 12 weeks.”
Transitioning into the Master's
What are the conditions of acceptance for the MSc Program?
• Must show strong research performance during the summer following the U2 year
• Must show strong research and academic performance (minimum CGPA of 3.5) during the U3 academic year
• Must successfully complete the 9-credit Honours Research Project (PHGY 461D1/D2) with the future MSc supervisor
If I meet the conditions for MSc acceptance, do I need to apply to graduate studies?
Yes. Students who have met the MSc conditions must still apply for graduate studies through U-Apply by the application deadline for the summer term in which they intend to begin. Please see application details on the Physiology Graduate webpage under “Application & Admission”.
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