Program Admission

Students must have the following:

• Master’s degree in one of the Social Sciences, or related field, normally required;
• Evidence of experience related to the degree program. Normally a minimum of 10 years with senior level decision-making authority. 
• A competitive, interdisciplinary, applied research proposal that reflects current research foci in the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences at Royal Roads University; 
• English language skills and competency:

For applicants whose first language is not English, competency can be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

• TOEFL (paper-based) 600; TOEFL IBT (Internet-based) minimum score of 20 in each section for an overall minimum score of 100 or better. (Institution Code: 9054)
• International English Language Testing Services: 7.0 overall with no individual item score less than 6.5.
• Pearson Test of English: Minimum score of 68.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE): International English Language requirement with Verbal 560, Quantitative 740, and Analytical 4.0.
• Evidence of competence in English through other standardized tests or education experience will be considered on an individual basis.

Flexible Admission

No Flexible Admission policy for this program. All applicants must have a recognized master's degree.

Important Deadlines

Due to the competitive admission process of this program, the deadline for applying is handled differently than our other programs.

2014 Intake (Victoria residencies):

• The application/supporting documents deadline is September 1, 2013.
• The program starts February 10, 2014.

Application Process

Applications to the DSocSci program will be submitted to the RRU Admissions Office where files will be prepared or review by the DSocSci Selection Committee. The DSocSci Selection Committee is a sub-committee of the DSocSci Program Management Committee and consists of the Associate Vice President of Research and Faculty Affairs, the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences (FSAS), the Program Head of the DSocSci program, and three FSAS faculty members appointed by the Vice President Academic.

Admission selection will reflect a number of factors including the applicant's academic skills and ability, the alignment of the proposed dissertation topic with the applied and academic goals of the degree, available faculty expertise to supervise the proposed dissertation, and the desire to balance topic areas within the cohort across areas of research expertise within FSAS. A phone interview may be required. As mentioned in the Program Proposal instructions, the applicant is welcome to indicate a preferred primary supervisor who may be from inside or outside the university.

Admission is generally limited to 15 students; the top 15 applicants of a year's application pool will be offered admission. Up to 5 ranked applicants may receive a back-up offer in the case that not all selected applicants accept their offer of admission. All applicants not admitted to the intake for which they applied must reapply for consideration in subsequent intakes (including fees and new documents).

Application Requirements

Please follow the standard university requirements with the exception of the following program-specific requirements:

Three written letters of reference

• The three letters of reference should consist of two letters from individuals qualified to speak specifically to the applicant's academic qualifications and ability to conduct research at the doctoral level and one letter from a professional in the applicant's career field qualified to assess the applicant's professional expertise.

Program Proposal

The applicant’s three to five-page program proposal which includes:

• Statement of proposed dissertation topic, its relevance to the workplace, community, or society, and a rationale of the need for doctoral level study of the proposed problem or topic;
• A description of the social science fields of inquiry that contextualize the dissertation topic;
• Statement of career goals and how the program links to those goals as well as the impact the program may have; and
• An indication of preferred primary faculty supervisor who may be from inside or outside the university.

Structured Resume

The applicant’s structured resume, which includes:

• Education (all post-secondary education, degrees, diplomas, and certificates);
• Professional Experience (demonstration of progressively senior-level appointments with increasing levels of decision-making authority);
• Voluntary/Unpaid Work Experience (including organization title, length of service, and a brief description of duties)

Writing Sample

Thesis chapter, academic or professional report/publication.

Additional Admission Information

Doctoral level courses from other institutions may be transferable. All transfer credit must be approved by the Dean and Registrar consistent with Royal Roads University policy. Such credit must demonstrate a high level of competency. No more than six credit hours (two courses) may be granted in total, and the courses must be assessed as direct equivalents of the courses contained in the DSocSci program of study. Royal Roads University is a member of the Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies and participates in the Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies Agreement.