Philip E. Coulter graduated with a diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1952. While at Ryerson, Coulter played as a defensive end for the Ryerson Rams football team. After graduating, Coulter received an offer to play with the Toronto Argonauts, which he declined in order to pursue a career in engineering. To this end, he moved to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, where he built landing strips with the US Army Corps of Engineers, before returning to Canada to earn his Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University (1956). In addition to this degree, he earned a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (1961), a Bachelor's Degree in Education (1966), and a Master's degree in Adult Education (1968) from the University of Toronto. Coulter has spent his career as a professional engineer and educator in private industry and government, including posts with the Governments of Canada and Ontario, the Toronto District School Board, Goodyear Canada, Sun Life Co. of Canada, Scrap Tires Inc. of Ontario, Walters Forensic Engineering, and others. His professional specializations include: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning; system design and analysis; mechanical systems failure analysis; air quality assessment; and expert witnessing.