Concordia University’s graduate programs encompass doctoral and master’s degrees, diploma and certificate programs, as well as micro-programs.
The goal of doctoral studies is an original and significant contribution to knowledge through research and/or research creation. Doctoral programs require a minimum of 90 credits of study, including the successful completion of comprehensive examinations and the public defence of a thesis.
At the master’s level, the University offers a variety of research- and professionally-oriented degree programs of study, all of which require a minimum of 45 credits. This includes the earning of a master’s degree by ‘accumulation’ by combining diploma, certificate, and micro-program courses and credits to meet the 45-credit minimum required for a master’s degree.
The academic goals of the graduate diploma include advanced specialization in a field or discipline already studied at the undergraduate level, or the introduction to a new field of study or discipline leading toward the attainment of specialized knowledge. A graduate diploma consists of a minimum of 30 credits.
Graduate certificate programs are normally oriented towards working professionals seeking to upgrade and advance their skills and training in an abbreviated time-frame. Graduate certificate programs are normally completed in one to three years and consist of 15 credits.
Micro-programs are an organized group of courses and/or experiences between one and 14 credits that allow students to develop and document professional skills and competencies. These short courses of study verify, validate and attest that students have acquired specific skills and/or competencies.
