Do graduate students get paid?

Yes! MSc and PhD students are paid a stipend during their studies. This is typically on the order of about $25,000/year for MSc students and more for PhD students.

Are there other sources of income available?

Yes! Graduate students are eligible to work as teaching assistants (TAs). These are paid positions and money earned for TA work is added on top of their regular stipend amount.

Are there scholarship opportunities?

Yes! There are many scholarships available to graduate students at the U of A. More information on scholarships can be found on the Faculty of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies (GPS) website, here.

Do graduate students take courses?

Yes, all graduate students in our department take graduate courses. The specific number of courses varies by degree type (i.e., MEng, MSc, or PhD). Detailed degree requirements can be found in the most recent version of the Department Graduate Studies Handbook.

Which courses do graduate students have to take?

Water resources engineering graduate students can choose (together with their supervisor) from a selection of core and elective courses. The core courses include:

• CIV E 631 - Engineering Fluid Mechanics

• CIV E 635 - Environmental Fluid Mechanics

• CIV E 636 - River Ice Engineering

• CIV E 641 - Advanced Surface Water Hydrology

• CIV E 645 - Water Resources Planning and Management

• CIV E 739 - Open Channel Hydraulics (listed as "Advanced Topics in Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics" in the course catalogue)

There is not predefined list of elective courses, but a wide variety are available and can be selected by the student together with their supervisor.

Do graduate students write a thesis?

MSc and PhD students must write and defend a thesis as part of their degree. MEng students do not write a thesis, but do complete a Capstone research project. Detailed degree requirements can be found in the most recent version of the Department Graduate Studies Handbook.

Are graduate students eligible for a health and dental plan?

Yes! Graduate students at the U of A are provided with a health and dental plan by the Graduate Students' Association, and the cost of this plan is already included in their non-instructional fees. More information can be found on the GSA website, here.

Do graduate students get vacation time?

Yes! Graduate students are allocated 1 week of vacation time per 4-month term (3 weeks per year). They will also have several other days off throughout the year during statutory holidays and other U of A closures (e.g., the week between December 25 and January 1).

What other benefits are there?

More information on benefits and supports can be found on the GSA website, here. These benefits include a subsidised transit pass (the U-Pass), mental health support and counselling services through the Graduate Student Assistance Program, supports for graduate students who parent, and more!

Do graduate students work independently or as part of a team?

Probably a bit of both! Some research projects only require one student, while other require multiple students focussed on different aspects. However, even if you are working independently on your research project, I hold regular group meetings with all of my students. This is a good way to keep everyone aware of each other's research and encourage collaboration.

What is the work-life balance like for graduate students?

I encourage my students to work a regular work week (~35 hours per week) and to allow themselves time to relax and get away from their studies on evenings, weekends, and holidays. That being said, the workload of a graduate student tends to ebb and flow throughout their degree. Sometimes extra hours will be required, whether that's to finish a crucial set of experiments or to get a paper written before a deadline. However, this is not the norm, and if my students find that they are becoming overwhelmed by their work I want to help find ways to alleviate their workload and restore some balance.

Do graduate students need to provide their own computers?

No! I provide my graduate students with laptops and/or desktop computers which are suitable for the research work that the student is conducting.

Where do graduate students work?

Graduate students are provided with assigned office space throughout their studies. This gives them a place to work when they are on campus and to leave some important materials (e.g., textbooks, computers, etc.) so that they don't have to carry everything to/from home every day. There are also a lot of communal spaces for students to work when they are on campus.

Are graduate students eligible for child bearing or parental leave?

Yes! Under the current collective agreement which was negotiated between the Graduate Students' Association (GSA) and the U of A Board of Governors, graduate students are eligible for up to 16 weeks of paid child bearing or parental leave. More details can be found in the collective agreement.

Additionally, students who are paid out of a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), or those who are paid directly by NSERC (e.g., NSERC Master's, PhD, or PDF award holders), may be eligible for up to 12 months of paid parental leave. More information is available on the NSERC website, here.

What other supports are available for parents?

The GSA offers other supports for graduate students who parent including the GSA Child Care Grant. More information can be found here.

If you have additional questions about the application process, please see the excellent FAQ pages provided by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

What is the minimum admission average?

The minimum admission average for graduate studies is set by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The current minimum admission averages for MSc, MEng, and PhD programs can be found here.

Do I need to demonstrate English Language Proficiency (ELP) to apply?

Yes, all applicants must be proficient in English since English is the primary language of instruction at the U of A. More information on the ELP requirements can be found here.

Do I need to have an undergraduate degree in civil engineering to apply?

No! Applicants will be considered with undergraduate degrees in fields other than civil or environmental engineering as long as they have the relevant background to succeed in the Water Resources Engineering graduate program. Your undergraduate degree does not even need to be from a different field of engineering; applicants with relevant degrees in other science fields will also be considered.

Does graduate school count as engineering work experience towards my P.Eng. application?

Yes! The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) does count graduate studies as engineering work experience. A total of 12 months can be claimed by P.Eng. applicants with MSc degrees, or 24 months for P.Eng. applicants with PhD degrees. More information can be found on the APEGA website.