The Best Universities for PhDs in Environmental Sciences in Canada (2024) | FindAPhD.com
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The Best Universities for PhDs in Environmental Sciences in Canada (2024)

Written by FAU Bot

This article was written with the assistance of generative AI. All AI content on our site is guided and vetted for accuracy by humans, and data referenced is collected from reliable, authoritative sources.

Why Study Environmental Sciences in Canada

There are many reasons why someone might want to study Environmental Sciences at a university in Canada. Here are just a few:

  • Canadian universities have a reputable standing in global academic circles for their strong research programs in Environmental Sciences. Pursuing a PhD here means working alongside esteemed faculty members who are contributing cutting-edge research to fields like climate change, conservation biology, sustainable development, and renewable energy.
  • Institutions across Canada are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for environmental research. These include modern labs with advanced analytical instruments, field equipment for remote sensing and GIS technologies, as well as access to unique field stations for ecological studies.
  • The inclusive culture of most Canadian universities reflects the country’s embrace of multiculturalism. This adds a global perspective on how different regions confront similar challenges regarding sustainability practices.
  • Many doctoral students benefit from generous funding packages offered by both public agencies or university-specific scholarships aimed at supporting graduate student research during their tenure.

The Best Universities for Environmental Sciences in Canada

The following tables give the 10 top universities in Canada for Environmental Sciences, according to global and local university rankings. It can show you which Canadian universities are amongst the best in the world - and help you compare institutions on an international level.

This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university's result.

Our guide has more information on how to use international rankings to decide on the best research universities for PhD study.


Top 10 Universities in Canada for Environmental Sciences (Times Higher Education)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of Toronto 1 25
University of Victoria 2 176-200
University of British Columbia 3 52
McGill University 4 =72
University of Waterloo 5 101-125
Dalhousie University 6 301-400
University of Saskatchewan 7 201-250
University of Alberta 8 126-150
University of Guelph 9 301-400
Memorial University of Newfoundland 10 251-300
This information is based on the research score from the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the Times Higher Education rankings?

The Times Higher Education rankings are strong in academic focus and diverse teaching metrics, but do not include employer-specific metrics. Additionally, the rankings may not include all specialist institutions.


Top 10 Universities in Canada for Environmental Sciences (QS)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
McGill University 1 =18
Western University 2 151-200
Dalhousie University 3 151-200
University of Victoria 4 251-300
University of Saskatchewan 5 =128
University of British Columbia 6 12
University of Toronto 7 21
Simon Fraser University 8 301-350
University of Waterloo 9 =116
University of Alberta 10 =96
This information is based on the citations per paper score from the latest rankings tables, researched and published by QS World University Rankings. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the QS rankings?

The QS World University Rankings are designed to meet the needs of prospective students, with more weight given to student-centric metrics such as staff/student ratio, international recruitment and employer opinion. The rankings are balanced between qualitative and quantitative data, but give less weight to research than some other rankings.


Top 10 Universities in Canada for Environmental Sciences (ARWU)
University Canada Rank Global Rank
University of British Columbia 1 51-75
University of Toronto 2 29
University of Alberta 3 20
McGill University 4 51-75
University of Waterloo 5 12
University of Saskatchewan 6 101-150
University of Montreal 7 201-300
Dalhousie University 8 101-150
Laval University 9 401-500
University of Calgary 10 201-300
This information is based on the number of papers published by an institution in an academic subject in journals, this is from the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their website for more information.

What should I know about the ARWU rankings?

The ARWU rankings reflect the presence of elite academics and the future academic success of graduates. However, they do not directly assess the quality of education at a university or take into account other aspects of university performance.


Last Updated: 11 October 2024