Doctor of Philosophy in Cybersecurity
The PhD in Cybersecurity, which is the first of its kind in Canada, is a multidisciplinary research-intensive program that covers a broad range of themes related to cybersecurity; including technology, policy and governance, AI and human behaviour. This program aims to prepare specialized sociotechnical academics who can perform leading-edge research and teaching in the academia or industry, and help governments in policymaking in the area of cybersecurity.
The objectives of the program are achieved through a combination of coursework, seminars and a research thesis. The PhD in Cybersecurity program includes graduate-level courses, a seminar course, a thesis proposal and candidacy exam, a dissertation and final defence. The Program welcomes students from a broad range of backgrounds including computer science, information technology, business and management, social and political science.
How to apply
Tours and Events
Admission Requirements
Grad Guidebook
- Program Schedule and Format
- Admission Requirements
- Tuition
- Program Faculty
- Curriculum and Courses
- Research Facilities
What are the study requirements of the program? |
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What are the start dates for the program? |
September, January or May Start |
What is the delivery method? |
In person |
When can I apply for the program? |
Applications open in September for the following year. |
Is this a STEM program? |
YES |
In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate studies, PhD in Cybersecurity applicants must meet the following program-specific requirements:
- Students are expected to have completed a four-year undergraduate degree and a thesis-based Masters degree in a relevant field from a Canadian university, or its equivalent from a recognized institution, with an overall academic standing of at least 3.5 on a 4.0/4.3 scale or its equivalent in their last two years of study.
- MITS Pathway: Graduates of Ontario Tech University Master of IT Security (MITS) program can apply to the Ph.D. program If they have completed the MITS program with an overall academic standing of at least 3.5/4.3.
- A minimum of two letters of reference from persons having direct knowledge of the applicant's academic competence. Academic references are preferred; however professional references will be accepted. Letters of reference should come from individuals under whom the applicant has worked closely or studied. The quality of the letters will be assessed by the Graduate Committee to make sure relevant requirements have been met.
- Proof of English proficiency is needed from those applicants whose first language is not English, as per university regulations.
- Applicants must find a prospective faculty supervisor from among the list of graduate faculty members of the PhD in Cybersecurity program and receive formal acceptance of the faculty member to supervise their research. No applicant will be accepted to the program without having an approved prospective supervisor in advance.
- As part of the application form, students are required to provide a minimum 3000-word long personal research statement, outlining their area of interest in cybersecurity, their proposed academic research plan, and identify the faculty supervisor who has agreed to supervise their research.
Please refer to tuition estimates from the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
905.721.8668 ext. 6209
Fees, funding, and general grad finance questions: gradfinance@ontariotechu.ca
Inquiries about scholarships and awards: gradscholarships@ontariotechu.ca
Patrick Hung
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Privacy and Security
Miguel Vargas Martin
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Cryptography and Network Security
Khalil El-Khatib
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Privacy and Security
Salma Karray
Supervising
Expertise: Operational Research, Game Theory
Stephen Marsh
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Information Trust and Privacy
Julie Thorpe
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Privacy and Security
Shahram S. Heydari
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Communication networks & security
Richard Pazzi
Supervising
Expertise: Multimedia communication, Cloud networks
Amirali S. Abari
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Artificial Intelligence; IT Forensics
Peter Lewis
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
Rajen Akalu
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Privacy and Artificial Intelligence
Fletcher Lu
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Cybercrime and online Fraud
Hui Zhu
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Securities; Corporate Social responsibility;
Pooria Madani
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: Adversarial Machine Learning; Cybersecurity
Li Yang
Teaching and Supervising
Expertise: AI and data analytics; Cybersecurity
Andrea Slane
Supervising
Expertise: Law & Technology, Privacy, Cybercrime
Isabel Pedersen
Supervising
Expertise: Computing, Algorithmic Culture, Augmented Reality, and AI Ethics
Sample Courses:
INFR 6010G – Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity
INFR 6020G – Usable Security
INFR 6030G – Information Trust
INFR 6040G – Infrastructure and Cyberphysical Security
INFR 6050G – Advanced Topics in Cybersecurity
INFR 6110G – Global Cybersecurity Threats
INFR 6120G – Cybersecurity Leadership
INFR 6130G – CyberCrime
MITS 5600G – Security Policies and Risk Management
MITS 6900G – Blockchain Fundamentals and Technologies
*For program details, including required number of credits for completion, program maps and course descriptions, please see the academic calendar and course catalogue of Cybersecurity, PhD. Courses are subject to change without notice.
The PhD in Cybersecurity program is affiliated with the Ontario tech Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilient Systems
