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On myCourses, students can see all ongoing and previous courses and access their content (for as long as the instructor leaves them up). Grades for assignments and exams are also posted here. Note however, that the final grade for the course is the one appearing in your transcripts in Minerva (under Student Menu).
MyProgress is a great tool for Ph.D. students as it allows you to track important and upcoming degree milestones and upload relevant documents (such as the LOU, progress tracking forms…).
myThesis is part of the myProgress hub. Through myThesis, students are required to notify supervisors of their intent to submit their thesis, nominate thesis examiners and submit their initial thesis (before the Oral Defence).
The Quantitative Life Sciences PhD Program is a novel inter-department and inter-faculty program designed to produce the next generation of leaders in the rapidly changing world of biology, medicine, and biotechnology. This program has been designed from the ground-up with close consultation with all stakeholders to produce graduates with the quantitative and interdisciplinary skills that Quebec and Canada need to maintain their positions as world-leaders in biology and life-science research.
The general objective of the PhD Program in Quantitative Life Science is to educate students who are at the cutting edge of quantitative approaches (technological, computational, and statistical) for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of complex data from life sciences. Our students will ask questions that will drive biology and medicine tomorrow, and will be equipped to answer them. Research domains can encompass any level of life science, from molecules to ecosystems.
The PhD Program requirements include coursework, research seminars, a lab rotation program, annual advisory committee meetings, a comprehensive exam, a research thesis and an oral defence.
In the first year, students are required to take QLSC 600 Foundations of Quantitative Life Sciences, a two-semester, six-credit course. QLSC 600 provides an overview of important problems in the life sciences and introduces students to the latest computational, mathematical, and statistical approaches involved in their solution. The course includes a survey of modern technologies for biological data acquisition and promotes a common language to communicate across the biological, physical, mathematical, and computational sciences.
Students are also required to take a minimum of 9 credits of complementary courses, including 3-6 credits of life science courses and 3-6 credits of quantitative courses. The choice of the complementary courses will be made by the student in consultation with their supervisor/advisory committee.
Students will spend their first year rotating through three different research groups led by different supervisors. Rotations are mandatory in QLS, and students will be strongly encouraged to do rotations in a variety of domains. During this time, they will either undertake a short-term research project, or assist with a longer-term project, and will be expected to work at their rotation labs full time, with the exception of QLS-related activities such as courses or seminars. When possible, the rotations will be selected to be complementary.
Each week during the academic year, QLS, in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre, holds a research seminar featuring high-profile invited speakers. Attendance at these seminars is mandatory. You will need to register for QLSC 601 D1/D2, QLSC 602 D1/D2, and QLSC 603 D1/D2 during your first three years in the program.
The QLS Annual Research Day is an internal conference-type event, usually held around late January/ early February. All QLS students are expected to attend the Research Day and selected students also give a 15mins oral presentation on their research. Typically, the day begins with an hour-long talk from the keynote speaker. This is followed by the student presentations. Varying student workshops (e.g.: effective presentation skills, career panel for students, Q&A with post-docs and professors…) followed by a social hour generally conclude the QLS Annual Research Day.
After the first year, students will choose their supervisor or co-supervisors. Then together, they will choose a thesis advisory committee ensuring that both quantitative and life science disciplines are represented. The committee will help the student prepare for the comprehensive examination and will meet at least annually.
Students will be required to pass a comprehensive exam before the end of their second year. The comprehensive exam consists of the three components: a written proposal, an oral presentation of the proposal, and an oral examination assessing breadth and depth of knowledge by their examination committee.
The thesis expectations follow the guidelines established by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at McGill. In general, the thesis must demonstrate a mastery of appropriate research as well as contributing original scholarship relating to the area of specialization. A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain (see section: withholding a thesis from circulation temporarily). The nature of academic research requires adherence to McGill’s policies on research ethics and intellectual property, as described below.
An oral examination of the content and implications of the thesis will be held in a public forum to determine the quality of the written thesis document and the student’s oral defence of the thesis.
QLS students are expected to do 3 rotations in different labs in the Fall, Winter and Summer semesters of their first year in the program. Students can use these rotations to explore new fields, learn specific methods and/or visit different lab environments at McGill. At the end of each rotation, first year QLS student present their project in the form of a 3-Minute Thesis competition, judged by all the other upper-class students (3MTs are also held at the university and national level! Visit https://www.mcgill.ca/skillsets/offerings/3mt for more).
All QLS students are required to take the year-long course QLSC 600. QLSC 600 is split between the Fall (QLSC 600 D1) and Winter (QLSC 600 D2) semesters. Each semester is then divided into 3-4 modules covering different topics in bioinformatics and computational genomics, nonlinear dynamics in biological systems, linear and nonlinear models of biological signals, biophysical imaging technology, emergent behaviour in biophysical networks, and ecosystem dynamics and modelling.
Prerequisite courses to the program, such as MATH324: Statistics, should also be taken within the first year of the program.
First year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC601D1/D2 in Minerva for 1st years.
Finally, as students complete their first year in the QLS Ph.D. program, they should think about (and eventually choose!) a doctoral project and principal investigator(s). As such, the Letter Of Understanding should be signed by the student and PI(s) by the end of the 1st year in the program.
Following a year of exploration, the 2nd year QLS student should have a better idea of the direction their doctoral project will take. By the end of December of the Fall semester of the 2nd year, students should have built and submitted to the QLS Director their PhD Advisory Committee and a list of about 20 articles for their Comprehensive Examination. By the end of April of the Winter semester of their 2nd year, QLS students should have had their 1st Supervisory Committee, also serving as an oral project proposal.
Second year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC602D1/D2 in Minerva for 2nd years.
By the end of December of the Fall semester of the 3rd year, students should have taken their Comprehensive Examination. If the Comprehensive Exam is taken in the 3rd year, the student will not need to hold another Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking for the year. If, however, the Comprehensive Examination was taken in the summer of the 2nd year, or earlier, the 3rd year QLS student will need to hold another Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking during the year.
Third year QLS students are also expected to attend and participate in the weekly seminars given by QLS in conjunction with CAMBAM, MiCM and the Ludmer Centre. The seminars appear as QLSC603D1/D2 in Minerva for 3rd years.
For the 4th year, and each year following, QLS students are expected to hold at least one Supervisory Committee Meeting/Progress Tracking each year.
QLS students at this level are not required to attend the seminars, however it is greatly encouraged!!
Once the QLS student has completed all required courses (QLS600D1/D2, 3-6 credits in life Science and 3-6 credits in quantitative courses) and written their thesis, they can send their Initial Thesis Submission on myThesis. Then, along with the Thesis Advisory Committee they will set up a time and location for the Oral Defence. Once the student has passed their Oral Defence, they can proceed to the final thesis submission.
QUALSA is the Quantitative Life Sciences Association. We are a team of six dedicated QLS students aiming to provide you a well-rounded social and academic experience during your time at McGill. We organize regular social events and provide platforms for student to share and discuss various research topics in peer-review sessions. Furthermore, we also represent the QLS student body at the Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS, QUALSA’s parent organization) councils and during meetings with the administration. Together with the QLS administration, QUALSA also helps organize the Annual QLS Research Day. QUALSA’s council positions include:
President
Chair Secretariat
VP Finance
VP Academic
VP Social
VP External
Social events:
Board game nights at Thomson House every 2nd Wednesday of the month.
Personalized QLS Sweatshirts and accessories.
Annual winter formal with other life science departments at McGill.
BBQs, intramural sports, monthly quantitative help desk.
Academic services:
QUALSA workshop series
Organizing practice sessions for comprehensive exams and/or thesis defences.
Grant and thesis writing support groups.