Graduate Program - Application Process

 Important Notices

  • ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE MADE ONLINE. Please see the School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies application website
  • Before applying, please review the advice to applicants page and our finding a supervisor page.
  • INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:  Due to the high number of applications received, and the competitiveness of our program, spaces are limited. Selection and acceptance of these students will be based on academic potential, availability of summer funding, a well-defined and funded project, and language skills.  Therefore, before you apply, you should identify a thesis supervisor and discuss with them potential projects and funding.
  • If English is not your first language, or you have not conducted studies in English (verification needed), then a valid TOEFL or IELTS is mandatory.  Our TOEFL standard is 88 and our IELTS standard is 7 - click any of the degree links for further details about sub-scores requirements.

Application Submission

We will be accepting applications for the 2013-14 academic year, commencing November 2012.

Deadline

While we technically receive applications year round, the Graduate Affairs Committee begins review of applicant files for Fall admission in February.  You are advised to begin preparing your application and contacting potential Advisors/Supervisors and referees in the Fall prior to submitting your application. To be considered for the first-round of graduate offers, your application, and all supporting documents, should be submitted by February 1.  Applications received after the end of February may have a lower chance of success for admission and funding.

Online application process
The online application process will provide the program with the following information:

  • Biographical information
  • Contact information
  • Brief statement of academic interests
  • Academic background
  • Electronic transcripts from Ontario universities/colleges (see below for information on transcripts)
  • Referee information - two references are required
  • Application fee

Applications are not forwarded to the Department of Geography for review until the application form has been completed and submitted by the applicant, and the application fee of $95.00 Cdn has been paid.

Additional Information

Additional information to support your application should be mailed to the Graduate Administrator (see details below), and your online application ID number should be clearly set out in these materials.

  • Covering letter (offering additional information or clarification of application items).
  • A brief outline of the proposed research (Masters - 300 words; Doctoral - 600 words). The proposal is not binding, but should be used to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and to develop, justify and project a realistic plan.
  • Doctoral applicants - sample of graduate level writing.
  • Official transcripts for any post-secondary education not completed at Western or an Ontario university or college.  Western considers a transcript official only if it is received in a university envelope that is sealed and signed on the flap by an official in the office issuing the transcript.  If the transcript and degree certificate are not in English, a certified translation must also be included  (non-English transcripts from institutions within Canada do not require a translation).
  • Résumé (a brief summary of experience, achievements and skills).
  • Copies of relevant publications, if available.

Mail to:

Lori Johnson, Graduate Administrator,
Department of Geography,
Social Science Centre, Room 2322
The University of Western Ontario,
1151 Richmond Street, North,
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C2

How do I calculate my GPA?

Below is a basic outline of how we calculate the GPA for an applicant file.  For Masters, the general rule is the most recent 20 course.

Incoming Master's students
Current undergrad students:

  • most recent 20 (1/2 credit) courses
  • in the term furthest from the present, the best course grades are selected to reach the 20 credit total, rather than exceed the 20 credits by including all courses in that term

  Completed undergrad students:

  • full-time only: last two full-time years (on average this is 20 courses)
  • part-time: see method above for current undergrad students

Incoming Doctoral students

  • all graduate level courses from all institutions

An example of grade conversions:

78% = B+ = 9.4 on a 12pt scale
80% = A- = 10 on a 12pt scale
85% = A = 11 on a 12pt scale
90% = A+ = 12 on a 12pt scale

Review Process

Applications are reviewed by the faculty member(s) you have identified as a potential Supervisor(s) and by the Graduate Affairs Committee. The admission focuses on three points:

  • The quality of the applicant,
  • The extent of shared interest and support from a potential Advisor/Supervisor,
  • Our ability to admit, and adequately fund and supervise in the stated research area.

The review process usually begins in mid -January and continues as long as applications are received. Applications received prior to the beginning of the review period will have the greatest chance of success. Following departmental review, applications are sent to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for final approval. The process often takes one to two months. We send a response to each applicant as soon as an application has been assessed. It is imperative that applicants inform us of any changes that may affect their application. For example, a final graduation transcript may permit us to make a firm, rather than conditional, offer. If you receive an offer from another institution, you may request a rapid response from us prior to responding to their offer.

Questions?

Please contact the Graduate Administrator with any questions regarding the graduate program.

Phone: 519-661-2111, Ext. 85033;

Email: GeoGradAdmin@uwo.ca