Civil Engineering - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Engineering 7

Engineering 7 (E7) Building on À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's East Campus.

If you’re driven by curiosity and a desire to solve challenging, complex problems, then join the thriving research community at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Engineering — a top destination for future research leaders.

With the PhD in Civil Engineering program, you’ll undertake independent and unique research. You'll generate knowledge and find real-world ways to apply it.

In the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, we pride ourselves on nurturing a collaborative research environment. We conduct multidisciplinary research with students, staff and faculty from the Schools of Architecture and Planning, and the Departments of Earth & Environmental Sciences and Biology.

Upon completion of your degree, you’ll be prepared to critically analyze and present new information in your field of research and will be ready for a career in academia, the public sector, or private industry.  

Research fields

  • Environmental and Water Resource Engineering
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Structures, Mechanics and Construction Engineering
  • Transportation Engineering

Program overview

Department/School: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December), Winter (January - April), Spring (May - August)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis

Application deadlines

  • February 1 (for admission in September)*
  • June 1 (for admission in January of the following year)*
  • October 1 (for admission in May of the following year)*

*NOTE: If the posted application deadline has passed, domestic applicants and international applicants with minimal visa processing times are encouraged to contact civegrad@uwaterloo.ca for alternate deadline information.

Key contacts

Request more information about an Engineering program

Supervisors

Admission requirements

  • A master's degree, an 80% average in coursework and evidence of ability to pursue independent research.

Degree requirements

  • Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree.
  • Check out to see recent submissions from the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate students.

Application materials

  • Resume

  • Transcript(s)

  • References
    • °Õ³ó°ù±ð±ðÌýreferences are required; at least two from academic sources.
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 80 (writing 22, speaking 20, reading 20, listening 18), IELTS 6.5 (writing 6.0, speaking 6.0)

Tuition and fees