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[tedbear09]

I guess it depends on the field, but what are your thoughts of doing doctoral studies at a Canadian universities? Toronto, McGill, Alberta, and UBC are top Canuck schools. Who, if any, here are studying at Canadian universities? Your experiences?

And, would it be easy to get a job in the States as an academic with a Canadian Ph.D.?

[foxy_oxie]

Yes, it does depend on what program you wish to do. Can you elaborate?

[anon99]

Being Canadian, I know many people who got their PhDs at Canadian schools and went on to get jobs at universities in the US.  I know of several faculty at institutions such as UBC who are among the top researchers in their field who were recruited out of the US.  These were not Canadians returning to Canada, but Americans who wanted to work at these universities.

[roarheels]

I think it depends on the school. In my field, history, Toronto and McGill offer a curriculum similar to that of American Universities. In point of fact, a Toronto PhD in my subfield of history, is as good as any American school, and in some areas better than any American school can offer. Thus scholars with PhDs from these schools regularly move back and forth all over the world in my field. I applied and was in fact admitted to both for the program that I am doing instead in the US. Toronto offered a competitive funding package which was structured very similarly to a US offer. McGill on the other hand, had far less money, and its package changed every year. I also applied to York U, which had far more money than McGill but far less reach in the American market. My US advisor told me a York U PhD would mean a life in Canada barring some major book publication. In sum, therefore, I think it depends on the field and how the particular Canadian University funds and structures that field.

[insertwittyname]

I agree with everyone else that it really does depend on the field and school (much as I imagine the field and school would matter in the US). But I've spent much time at Canadian universities, both as a student (BA, MA, and PhD in English) and a lecturer, and they generally have high, competitive standards across the board. I also find it hard to believe that you hurt your chances of a US job by having a Canadian degree. I know plenty of Canadian colleagues who had no trouble finding positions in the States. Most doctoral programs will offer a funding package that includes a scholarship and a teaching assistantship. If you are an international student (from the US or anywhere else, as I was for many years) your tuition will be more than what a Canadian pays but you can usually get more funding in order to compensate for this (such as a tuition bursary).