The University Senate reserves the right to modify the academic programs and regulations at its discretion after the posting date of the Calendar. In addition, the University reserves the right to modify the published scale of tuition and other student fees at any time before the beginning of an academic term. The most current information is available from the School of Graduate Studies. Moreover, the information contained in the Calendar or any other University document related to academic programs and regulations is subject to verification and correction by the School of Graduate Studies.

By the act of registration, each student becomes bound by the policies and regulations of Concordia University, including the Faculty in which the student is registered. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the general information, rules and regulations contained in the Calendar, and with the specific information, rules and regulations of the Faculty or Faculties in which they are registered or enrolled or seek registration or enrolment, as well as the specific requirements of each degree, diploma, certificate or micro-credential sought.

Concordia University disclaims all responsibility and liability for loss or damage suffered or incurred by any student or other party as a result of delays in or termination of its services, courses, or classes by reason of force majeure, including fire, flood, riots, war, strikes, lock-outs, damage to University property, financial exigency and/or other events beyond the reasonable control of the University. Concordia University disclaims any and all liability for damages arising as a result of errors, interruptions or disruptions to operations or connected with its operations or its campuses, arising out of computer failure or non-compliance of its computing system.

The Calendar is an official University document defining academic programs and the regulations which pertain to them. It is accurate as of August1, 2026. The University Senate reserves the right to modify the academic programs and regulations at its discretion after the posting date of the Calendar. In addition, the University reserves the right to modify the published scale of tuition and other student fees at any time before the beginning of an academic term. Moreover, the information contained in the Calendar or any other University document related to academic programs and regulations is subject to verification and correction by the School of Graduate Studies.

Web address: concordia.ca/gradstudies

Communication of Information to Quebec Ministry of Education:
Under the terms of an agreement between Concordia University and the Quebec Ministry of Education, approved by the Quebec Access to Information Commission, Concordia University is required to transmit to the Ministry some or all of the following information concerning its students: the students' permanent code, complete name, date of birth, gender, father’s complete name, mother’s complete name and place of birth. This information is being transmitted, at the Ministry’s request, in order to provide the Ministry with the tools to properly calculate funding for Concordia University, for planning purposes and to ensure the proper management of public funds.

Produced by the School of Graduate Studies

Copyright Concordia University

Posted: August 1, 2026

Mission Statement

The School of Graduate Studies provides academic leadership and administrative support in fulfillment of Concordia University's commitment to deliver high-quality education and training to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Working closely with departments in and across all Faculties, the School fosters the continued success of existing programs and promotes the development of new programs that will attract top students both nationally and internationally. By valuing the integrity of different forms of knowledge acquisition and production from research and artistic creation to professional training and accreditation, the School serves as a hub for innovative thinking about how best to enrich the quality of graduate students' and postdoctoral fellows' experiences at all levels. Through its dedication to program excellence, as well as in its responsibility for ensuring the highest standards of teaching, supervision, and research training, the School affirms the vital contribution that graduate studies and postdoctoral training make to the advancement of knowledge and betterment of society

Academic year

The academic year begins with a Summer Session (May to August) followed by a Regular Session (September to April).

Summer Session:
The Summer Session covers all courses offered from the beginning of May to the end of August.

Regular Session:
The Regular Session is divided into a Fall Term (September to December) and a Winter Term (January to April), each of 15 weeks’ duration, including a reading week and the examination period. The Academic Calendar at the beginning of this publication contains precise dates for the beginning and end of classes.

Residence

Minimum Residence for Doctoral Degrees. The minimum residence requirement for a doctoral degree is 6 terms (two years) of full-time graduate study beyond the master’s degree, or the equivalent in part-time study, or 9 terms (3 years) of full-time graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree for those students who are permitted to enroll for doctoral studies without completing a master’s degree. It should be understood that this is a minimum requirement, and that a longer period may be necessary in order to complete all the work that is required for the degree. In special circumstances, departments may permit or require candidates to spend a period of time in residence at another institution, subject to the approval from the School of Graduate Studies. When such arrangements are made, it is understood that the candidate will be engaged in full-time study, and that the institution will be able to provide appropriate supervision and research facilities. In all cases, candidates for a doctoral degree from Concordia University must complete at least two years of graduate study at this university, including the final year of the required residence period.

Minimum Residence for Master’s Degrees. The minimum residence requirement for the master’s degree is 3 terms (one year) of full-time study, or the equivalent in part-time study. This requirement must be met regardless of the amount of graduate work previously completed in any other program or at any other university. Certain master’s programs require longer periods of minimum residence.

Time Limits

Students who exceed the time limit as outlined below will be withdrawn from their program. Under exceptional circumstances a time limit may be extended upon the recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee and the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Time Limits for Doctoral Degrees. All work for a doctoral degree must be completed within 18 terms (6 years) of full-time study or 24 terms (8 years) of part-time study from the time of original registration in the program.

Time Limits for Master’s Degrees. All work for a thesis-based master’s degree for full-time students must be completed within 9 terms (3 years) from the time of initial registration in the program; for part-time students the time limit is 15 terms (5 years). In the case of the EMBA, the time limit for full-time students is 6 terms (2 years). The time limit for all other course-based master’s programs is 15 terms (5 years).

Time Limits for Diploma Programs. All work for a diploma program must be completed within 12 terms (4 years) from the time of initial registration. In the case of the Diploma in Clinical Psychology, the time limit is 15 terms (5 years).

Time Limits for Graduate Certificate Programs. All work for a graduate certificate program must be completed within 9 terms (3 years).

Academic standing

The academic progress of graduate students is assessed at the end of every term. To be considered in good standing, students in doctoral programs must maintain the F Rule, C Rule and an Assessment Grade Point Average (AGPA) of at least 3.00 based on a minimum of 12 credits.

Students in master's, graduate diploma and graduate certificate programs must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.70.

For program specific requirements, please refer to the Program section of the Calendar.

Independent and Visiting students are only subject to the F Rule.

F Rule

Graduate students who receive a failing grade in the course of their studies will be withdrawn from the program unless continuation in the program is requested by the student’s program or Faculty and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. If withdrawn from program, students may apply for re-admission (see Withdrawal for Academic Reasons.) Students who receive another failing grade after re-admission will be withdrawn from the program and will not be considered for re-admission.

C Rule

Graduate students who receive more than one C grade during the course of their studies will be withdrawn from the program unless continuation in the program is requested by the student’s program or Faculty and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Course-based programs in the John Molson School of Business do not have a C Rule. Individual programs may have more stringent regulations; students should check their program’s entry or with the Graduate Program Director.

Students who have been withdrawn may apply for re-admission (see Withdrawal for Academic Reasons in Graduate Admission section). Students who receive another C after re-admission will be withdrawn from the program and will not be considered for re-admission. Students should refer to the section on Academic Standing in their program’s calendar entry.

Qualifying Program B- Rule

Graduate students who receive a grade lower than B in a course in a Qualifying Program will be withdrawn from the program unless continuation in the program is requested by the student’s program or Faculty and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Assessment Grade Point Average (AGPA)

The academic progress of graduate students is monitored at the end of every term. To be considered in good standing, students in doctoral programs must maintain an Assessment Grade Point Average (AGPA) of at least 3.00 based on a minimum of 12 credits.

Students whose AGPA falls below 3.00 are considered to be in poor standing. Students whose AGPA falls below 3.00 for any two assessment periods are considered to be in failed standing. Individual programs may have more stringent AGPA regulations; students should check their program’s calendar entry or with the Graduate Program Director.

Students in master’s, graduate diploma and graduate certificate programs must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.70 during their program of study in order to be considered in good academic standing. Students whose AGPA falls below 2.70 are considered to be in poor standing. Students whose AGPA falls below 2.70 for any two assessment periods are considered to be in failed standing. Individual programs may have more stringent AGPA regulations; students should check their program’s calendar entry or with the Graduate Program Director.

Students in qualifying programs or concurrent qualifying programs in undergraduate courses will be assigned a grade in accordance with the undergraduate grading system for undergraduate courses. For all courses a B grade is required in order to ensure that the minimum standards of the graduate grading system are maintained. In addition, students must meet specific program requirements for good academic standing.

GPA graduation requirement

In order to graduate, students in doctoral programs must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. Students in master's, diploma and graduate certificate programs must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70 in order to graduate. Individual programs may have more stringent regulations; students should check their programs' regulations or with the Graduate Program Director.

Thesis supervision

Students who do not have a supervisor when required by their program will be withdrawn from that program. Students may request to be allowed to remain registered in the program after this point for a maximum of four months in order to secure a new supervisor.

Graduation application

Degree, diploma, and certificate candidates who expect to complete their program requirements in a particular term must apply for graduation to the Office of the Registrar. Students must complete the graduation application online via the Student Hub: concordia.ca/students > My CU Account > My Student Centre > Academics (drop down menu) > Apply for Graduation. The graduation fee is payable whether or not a student attends convocation. Application deadlines and other pertinent information can be found at concordia.ca/graduation. Students enrolled in microprograms are not required to submit an application for graduation, but will receive a letter following completion of their program requirements.

Note: In programs requiring a master’s or doctoral thesis, there are deadlines for thesis submission which must be met if a student is to graduate at a particular graduation. These deadlines are outlined in the Academic Calendar.

Credit system

Concordia University has adopted a system of assigning credits to the components of its graduate programs. This system was recommended by the Conseil des Universités du Québec for implementation in all the universities of the Province of Québec. The fundamental concepts in this system are defined in the Rapport du Conseil des Universités sur les Diplômes Universitaires. The credit base takes into account the total activity of the student in terms of lectures, seminars, conferences, laboratories, studio or practice periods, practica, and research, including, where appropriate, the number of hours of personal work required, as estimated by the university. A credit is considered to represent a minimum of 45 hours devoted by the student to an educational activity as described above.

Language of instruction

While the language of instruction in Concordia University is normally English, students have the right to write their assignments and examinations in French. It must be understood, however, that in a case where a professor cannot read French, the assignments and examinations must be read by another professor with sufficient French language proficiency. Students are advised to enquire of the instructor at the beginning of the course whether assignments and examinations written in French will be read personally by the professor. Notwithstanding the above, language and literature departments may require assignments and examinations to be written in the language being studied.

Grading system

The grades and other notations described and defined in this section are those used for the evaluation of graduate courses and certain other graduate degree and diploma components. Some programs have academic regulations supplementing these definitions and descriptions. Such additional regulations define what is required in terms of grades for a student to be considered in good standing in a program. Refer to the relevant program section of this calendar and, where the academic regulations for a program have not been stated, consult the Graduate Program Director. Grades used for graduate courses or courses taken as part of a graduate program are A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, Pass, F, Fail, Fail/Absent (F/ABS), Audit , In Progress (IP) and In Progress Extension (IPE).

The weight accorded to the various elements of the performance of each student is at the discretion of the instructor or instructors responsible for the course. At the beginning of a course the instructor will provide students with the evaluation scheme in writing. The scheme cannot be altered without appropriate notice.

1. Each doctoral and master’s program has a rule which limits the number of C grades a student may obtain, and still meet the degree requirements. Diploma and Certificate programs also limit the number of C grades a student may obtain. (See C Rule above).
   
   
2. Fail or F describes work below the acceptable standard in a course. When a student receives a Fail, F or a Fail/Absent (F/ABS) grade in any course taken as part of a graduate program, it is the responsibility of the department or Faculty to recommend to the School of Graduate Studies whether or not the student should be permitted to continue in the program.
   
   
3. Fail/Absent (F/ABS) is used when the instructor at the end of the course has not received the required work and has not granted an extension of the deadline. It is a permanent grade.
   
   
4. Using the grade point equivalents listed below, grade point averages are calculated and used to measure academic achievement: A+ = 4.30, A = 4.00, A- = 3.70, B+ = 3.30, B = 3.00, B- = 2.70, C = 2.00, Fail = 0, F = 0 and Fail/Absent (F/ABS) = 0.
   
   
5. Audit is the grade assigned to courses that are not taken for credit and which do not count towards the completion of a program. A course taken for this grade must be so designated at the beginning of the term. Students may audit a graduate course with permission of the Graduate Program Director of the program in which the course is offered, once the director is satisfied that the student is qualified to take the course. Auditing students are expected to attend class, but are not required to complete assignments or write examinations.
   
   

6. The In Progress (IP) notation is used when a student, who has completed a substantial portion of the course, cannot complete the course in time for reporting grades due to circumstances beyond their control. This notation may be assigned only to individual students, not to entire classes. The IP notation is only used in combination with a valid course grade (e.g. “B/IP”, “F/IP”). The grade is assigned on the basis that the missing work is graded as zero and included in calculating the overall grade. Students must complete courses with IP notations by the DNE deadline of the following term or the Fall DNE deadline for Summer term courses (see Academic Calendar for precise dates). If the course is not completed, the IP notation will be removed at the DISC deadline and an INC notation will be recorded along with the grade and the grade will become the permanent grade. If the course is completed after the DNE deadline the grade will not be changed (e.g. “B/INC”, “F/INC”). The Incomplete (INC) notation is used to indicate that the student did not complete the required work for the course.

   Under exceptional circumstances an additional period of In Progress Extension (IPE) may be granted. Requests for an IPE notation should be submitted as a student request, supported by relevant documentation including confirmation of the instructor’s support for a further extension prior to the DNE deadline.
   
   In-Progress Leave (IPL) is an administrative extension to indicate the student is on a Leave of Absence and the IP or IPE grade reporting deadline is extended until the end of the leave.
   
   In-Progress (IPM) is an administrative notation to indicate the student has been granted an exceptional extension until a specific date to complete the work.
   
   Either graduate programs or the School of Graduate Studies may prevent/remove course registrations on the basis of outstanding IP/IPE notations on the student record.

   Grades with IP, IPE, IPL or IPM notations are not included in GPA calculations.

   Grades with an INC notation are included in the GPA calculations.

   Students will be required to complete the course(s) with IP/IPE notations by the DNE deadline following their return from Leave.
   
   

7. Accepted (ACC) or Rejected (REJ) is the final grade given to a thesis or thesis-equivalent. Under exceptional circumstances, the School of Graduate Studies can apply a grade of F.

8. Pass or Fail is the final grade normally given to comprehensive examinations, internships and language proficiency examinations. Students who fail a comprehensive examination may be permitted to sit for a second examination. Students who fail a language proficiency examination may be permitted to make no more than two further attempts to satisfy the requirement.

In addition, the following are notations which are not grades:

1. Discontinued (DISC) is used to indicate that the student withdrew from the course in question before the withdrawal deadline. The notation appears permanently on the student record and official transcript. It carries no grade point value and does not count in assessments of academic standing, but does count towards a student’s status (i.e. full- and part-time).
2. Medical (MED) is used on students’ records to indicate that long-term illness has rendered it not possible for the student in question to complete the academic requirements of a given course or activity. It is a permanent notation; it has no grade point equivalent.
   
3. No Credit (No-Cr) indicates that a student has not fulfilled the requirements of the course. This notation is limited to the Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy program, which is recognized as a qualification to write the Common Final Examination (CFE). A student receiving a No-Cr notation must take the tutorial section of this course in the next term in which the course is offered.
4. Pending (PEND) is used when a grade has not been reported at the time of production of a transcript.
5. Replace (REPL) indicates that the credit earned for this course cannot be retained because it will be replaced with another course as specified by the program. The grade will contribute to the CGPA.
6. Must Repeat (MREP) indicates that the credit earned for this course cannot be retained because it is a repetition of a course, or of similar course material, already completed. The grade will contribute to the CGPA.
7. Valid (VALD) identifies a new course with the same course name and number as other courses previously enrolled in. It is not considered as a repetition. The grade and credit will contribute to the CGPA.
8. Under Revision (REV) Indicates that the grade obtained is currently under formal re-evaluation.
9. Under Appeal (APEL) Indicates that the grade obtained is currently under appeal.
   

In cases where the original grade is not calculated correctly, the final grade can be altered.

Grade submission deadlines

All final grades for all courses are required to be submitted no later than seven calendar days after the University’s last scheduled final examination.

Supplemental examinations

Graduate students are not permitted to write supplemental examinations.

Comprehensive examinations

Comprehensive examinations are under the auspices of individual programs and students are advised to consult with their Graduate Program Director concerning program regulations. While the School of Graduate Studies’ general regulations permit a student to write comprehensive examinations a second time, individual programs may have a more stringent regulation in this regard (i.e., not permitting a second writing) and students should verify this with the program. Comprehensive examinations are graded as Pass or Fail. In cases where two attempts are permitted, an initial grade of fail is not reported on the student’s academic record or academic transcript.

Note: Unless expressly permitted by the instructor, the possession of electronic communication devices is prohibited during examinations.

All graduate programs offered by Concordia University, except for the Individualized Program (INDI), are attached to one of the three Faculties or to the John Molson School of Business. The Individual Program (INDI) is attached to the School of Graduate Studies. All graduate programs are under the general supervision of the Council of the School of Graduate Studies and its chair, the Dean of Graduate Studies.

A listing of all current degree programs and fields of advanced study is provided in the Programs section. The degree programs are described fully in the Calendar’s Faculty sections: Faculty of Arts and Science, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Fine Arts, John Molson School of Business, and the School of Graduate Studies. Existing degree programs are a reflection of research interests, of the professors and researchers on staff, and of the needs of the community served by the University. Inquiries concerning these degree programs should therefore be sent to the relevant program.

In conjunction with the degree program, the Dean of Graduate Studies is responsible for ensuring the quality of the admission of students to the doctoral, master’s, diploma and certificate programs of the University. Admission is based on an assessment of the student’s qualifications for the proposed program of study and entails specific credit, residence, course, thesis, and examination requirements, which vary from program to program.

The application process

Applicants to graduate programs should apply online; more information is available on the Graduate Studies website.

Applicants may apply as full-time or part-time students; refer to Student Classification for more information.

Admission application deadlines

Admission Application Deadlines vary depending on the degree program. Applicants should contact the degree program to which they are applying for specific admission deadlines. Applicants should arrange for all required documentation to be in the appropriate office by the deadline. Please note that many programs only admit new students for the term which begins in September.

New students (applying for admission to a Master’s or Doctoral program) are now automatically considered for all Entrance Awards; there is no separate application process. Refer to Awards page for further information.

Graduate application fee

There is an application fee required with every application, payable to Concordia University by certified cheque, money order, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or debit card (Interac). Applicants from outside Canada may pay this fee by international money order or draft drawn on a Canadian bank in Canadian funds.

This application fee is not refundable under any circumstances, nor can it be used towards tuition. It is not transferable to a session other than that for which the student is applying.

Admission requirements

Applicants to Concordia University must meet the minimum university requirements to be considered for admission. Some degree programs may have additional or stricter requirements. These requirements are detailed in the degree program’s calendar section and applicants should review this information. The minimum requirements to be considered for admission to graduate studies at Concordia are listed below.

Concordia University evaluates international degree equivalencies and Canadian equivalencies upon receipt of an application.

Academic requirements

Normally, to be considered for admission to Doctoral-level studies, the applicant must have completed a master’s/magisteriate degree (or equivalent) with high standing.

To be considered for admission to Master-level studies, the applicant must have a bachelor’s/baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) with high standing (e.g., with honours, or the Concordia equivalent of a GPA of at least 3.00 on a scale of 4.30).

To be considered for admission to most graduate diploma or graduate certificate-level studies, the applicant must have completed a bachelor’s/baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) with the Concordia equivalent of at GPA of at least 2.70 on a scale of 4.30.

Some degree programs may have additional, or higher, academic requirements. Applicants should review the Calendar program section of the degree program in which they are interested.

Language proficiency requirements

English is the main language of instruction at Concordia University however French is also recognized. Applicants who meet one of the following conditions will be exempted from the English language proficiency test requirement:

• Completion of a minimum of three full- years of study at the undergraduate or graduate level at an accredited university in one of the following countries, where English is the primary language of instruction.
• Completion of a minimum of four years of study in a secondary institution in one of the following countries, where the main language of instruction is English.
• Completion of a minimum of three full- years of study at the undergraduate or graduate level at an accredited university in one of the following countries, where French is the primary language of instruction.

Applicants, regardless of citizenship, who do not meet one of the above conditions outlined above, will be required to provide proof of English proficiency (language test or attestation of instruction in English) prior to their admission to Concordia University.

For information on the minimum scores required for English language proficiency testing please consult the Concordia website. In all cases, the University reserves the right to require a proficiency test if it is deemed necessary.

Test results that are more than two years old at the time of application will not be accepted.

Please refer to the Graduate Admission page for further information on the Language Proficiency requirements, including additional acceptable tests and related scores.

Permanent Code

The Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur (MES) requires all registered students to have a “permanent code” (a unique identifying number) which is assigned by MES.

Applicants who do not provide a valid code with their application must apply for one upon receiving admission to Concordia University. Information on how to apply for a permanent code and a link to the on-line “Permanent Code Data Form” can be found at the Permanent Code website.

Students who do not submit or apply for a permanent code will be charged a permanent code surcharge.

Academic Success & Integrity Module (ASIM)

To be permitted to register for future courses, all graduate students must complete the Academic Success & Integrity Module before the DNE deadline of the first term of admission. Students who fail to submit the ASIM online module will be blocked from registering for the following academic term(s) and from making changes to their current registration until the module is completed.

Prerequisite courses

Applicants who are deficient in certain courses may be required to take prerequisite courses either as an Independent student or as a student in a Qualifying Program. Refer to Independent Students and Qualifying Programs.

Students taking prerequisite courses are charged tuition and other fees on a per credit basis for these courses. See Tuition & Fees.

Transfer credits and exemptions

Student may be entitled to transfer credit from previous studies to their new program and/or be exempted from certain courses. Refer to Transfer Credits and Exemptions for additional information.

Qualifying program

Prerequisite courses

Depending on the degree program and on the number of courses required, prerequisite courses taken in a Qualifying Program may be taken prior to admission into a graduate program or concurrently with the graduate program.

Qualifying Program (prior to admission to a graduate program): Applicants who have completed an undergraduate program leading to a bachelor’s degree, but whose preparation is inadequate for direct admission to a graduate program, may, upon recommendation by a department, be permitted to register for a Qualifying Program of advanced undergraduate or graduate studies. Students admitted to a Qualifying Program take undergraduate or graduate courses as preparation for application to a graduate program.

• The minimum qualifications for entry into the Qualifying Program are as follows: at least 24 course credits in the proposed field of study as determined by the program; at least a B average in these courses (B- for Diploma and Graduate Certificate courses), with no grade lower than C; and at least a C average in their final two undergraduate years.
• Qualifying Programs consist normally of four or five senior undergraduate courses. In certain exceptional cases, students may be required to take more than this number, and spend more than one full year as qualifying students.
• Qualifying students must have their program of study approved by the relevant Graduate Program Director prior to each registration period.
• Satisfactory completion of the courses taken in a Qualifying Program does not guarantee automatic admission to a graduate program. Students must apply, or reapply, for admission to graduate studies during or after the Qualifying Program. Their applications are considered along with all other applications received at that time, and do not take priority over those of other applicants who may be better qualified.
• Students taking prerequisite courses are charged tuition and other fees on a per credit basis. See Tuition & Fees.

Qualifying Program (concurrent): Students admitted to a graduate program and a concurrent Qualifying Program are required to complete prerequisite courses at the same time as they complete their Graduate Program requirements. The Qualifying Program normally does not exceed 12 credits but may consist of graduate and/or undergraduate courses.

• A student who does not successfully complete a concurrent Qualifying Program within the first three terms will be blocked from future registration. Standard ‘May Continue’ or ‘May Not Continue’ Student Requests will apply.
• The prerequisite courses are completed in addition to the regular graduate program and form part of the student’s degree requirements for graduation.
• The prerequisite course(s) must be completed during the first year of study in the graduate program.
• Any grade lower than a B in a course from a Qualifying Program is considered a failure.
• Qualifying students must have their program of study approved by the relevant Graduate Program Director prior to each registration period.
• Students are charged tuition and other fees for the prerequisite courses in addition to fees charged for the student’s graduate program of study. See Tuition & Fees.

A student who does not successfully complete a concurrent Qualifying Program within the first three terms will be automatically placed on academic probation. Standard ‘May Continue’ or ‘May Not Continue’ student requests will apply.

Deferment of admission

Applicants who are admitted into the program but wish to defer their admission due to extenuating circumstances, such as non-processed visa (supporting documents may be required), may, at the discretion of the Department, be granted this request once within one year. Applicants should consult their Department, as deferrals are not accepted by all programs. The request to change (defer) admission can be found in the Forms for Students section.

Fast track to PhD programs

Fast Tracking describes a process whereby exceptional students are admitted to PhD programs without a master's/magisteriate degree in the same discipline.

Students who follow this process must show high academic performance or potential, evidenced by an outstanding GPA, appropriate research publications in the field of study, a research topic at the master's/magisteriate level which is advanced enough for a doctoral thesis proposal, or other similar demonstrations of achievement.

Students who are accepted for accelerated admission and who are currently registered in a master's/magisteriate degree program, can enter directly into the PhD program without completing all of the master program requirements.

In some cases, an outstanding student who holds a bachelor's degree can progress directly into a PhD program.

External Program Transfer

Transfers from one program to another outside of the originating program’s discipline and to a program in another Department requires the submission of a new application (e.g., PhD (Biology) to PhD (Chemistry)). External program transfers include transfers from another institution to Concordia University.

External-to-Concordia transferred credits cannot account for more than one third of the total course credit load of the destination program.

Financial credit

Internal program transfers between thesis-based programs where research continuity is maintained (i.e., thesis-based master’s to PhD, or PhD to thesis-based master’s) will result in financial credit being applied on a per-term basis.

External program transfers between thesis-based programs (i.e. PhD in Biology to PhD in Chemistry), will typically result in financial credit applied on the course credits transferred.
For internal or external program transfers from thesis-based to course-based programs (i.e., PhD to course-based master’s), students will be financially responsible for the remaining credits of the new program following approved academic credit transfers.

For internal or external program transfers from course-based to thesis-based programs (i.e., course-based master’s to PhD), financial credit will be applied on the course credits transferred.

Financial credit following transfers from other institutions to Concordia University will be determined on a per course credit basis relative to the Concordia equivalent.

Withdrawal for academic reasons

Students who are withdrawn for academic reasons, will not be eligible to reapply for at least three terms. To qualify for admission, students are required to submit an application and meet competitive admission criteria.

Re-instatement of withdrawn students

Students who withdrew or have been withdrawn from a graduate program for non-academic reasons (e.g. non-continuous registration) may wish to submit a Student Request form requesting re-instatement to the program. Refer to the Classification and Registration for more information.

Graduate Awards Adjudication Committees

Graduate Awards Committees at the School of Graduate Studies have the overall responsibility for selecting candidates for the externally-funded awards from the provincial and federal granting agencies, external associations and foundations, and designated internal awards managed at the School of Graduate Studies. Each committee consists of faculty members from the respective faculties who can assess applications against the selection criteria and objectives of the funding opportunity in the areas of research covered by the committee.

Committee members must be tenured or tenure-track full-time faculty members. Under highly exceptional circumstances, a committee member not meeting the above criteria may be considered by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Classification of students

Independent students

Applicants who do not have the minimum qualifications for direct admission into a degree program may request to take courses as an independent graduate student. Likewise, graduate students who are enrolled in degree programs but who wish to take courses outside their degree requirements may request to take undergraduate courses as independent undergraduate students or graduate-level courses as independent graduate students

Independent graduate students enrol in a particular graduate course, without being admitted to the degree program which offers the course.

Normally, independent graduate students take no more than the equivalent of two graduate courses per term, and no more than the equivalent of four graduate courses from the courses of any graduate degree program up to 12 credits.

Only applicants who have the qualifications for admission to the course in question will be given permission to take the course. In every case, permission of the Graduate Program Director and/or Faculty Student Affairs Office must be obtained. Meeting the minimum requirements of an individual course does not guarantee entry to that course, as preference will be given to degree program students.

Independent Graduate Students are subject to the fees and regulations applicable to such categories of students.

Credits earned by independent graduate students may be considered for transfer credit in the event that the students are subsequently admitted to a graduate degree program.

An independent graduate student who receives an F grade is no longer allowed to continue studies.

Graduate independent students are eligible to audit courses. Refer to the section on Auditing Students.

Visiting students

Graduate visiting students are graduate students from other universities who have been authorized by their home universities to take graduate courses at Concordia University. They are subject to the regulations of Concordia University.

Graduate students from other Québec universities must submit requests for courses through the Inter-University Agreement (AEHE/BCI) process.

Graduate students from Canadian universities outside of Québec must complete the Graduate Transfer Agreement between Canadian Universities (CAGS) form or obtain a letter (or form) of authorization from their home university. This document must be submitted to the degree program offering the course in which they are interested.

Graduate students from universities outside of Canada must contact Concordia International if their home university has an exchange agreement with Concordia. They will be considered as Visiting Exchange students. If no exchange agreement exists, the student must obtain a letter of permission from their home university stating which courses they are permitted to take. The students must also provide information on their home university, official transcripts and immigration documents.

Auditing students

Auditing students are graduate students who, with the permission of the Graduate Program Director and/or Faculty Student Affairs Office of the program in which the course is offered, may attend a class that is not a requirement of the student’s program. There is no credit value assigned when courses are audited and students are not required to complete assignments or write examinations. Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications.

Student classification: full/part-time status

Graduate Certificate and Diploma Programs
Students in a graduate certificate or diploma program are considered to be full-time students if they register for 9 or more credits in a term.

Students who do not fall in the situations described above are considered to be part-time students.

Master’s and Doctoral Programs
Students in thesis-based master’s or doctoral degree programs are accepted as full or part-time students at the time of admission. These students are considered to be full or part-time according to their status at admission, regardless of the actual amount of credits for which they register. Their classification will change only if they submit a request to change their status.

A student’s status in course-based master’s program is determined on a term-by-term basis by the number of credits for which they are registered by the DNE deadline. In particular, students are considered full-time if they are enrolled in at least 9 credits per term. Students registered in at least 1 credit but less than 9 credits per term will automatically be classified as part-time for that term. Exceptionally, if a student's first term of study falls in the summer term, they are considered full-time.

MBA students enrolled in the Executive MBA program and the Investment Management MBA program are considered full-time students as they have to follow an established schedule of courses per term.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) program students are considered full-time if they register for a minimum of 9 credits in each of the Fall and Winter terms. The normal course load for a part-time student is 6 credits of course work per term (Fall and Winter). Part-time students will normally complete the program within three to four years. Students can accelerate their progress by taking courses in the Summer term.

Independent Graduate and Visiting students are considered to be part-time students.

Visiting Exchange students are considered to be full-time students.

Service requests

Applications from full-time or part-time students for exceptions to academic regulations or related matters should be submitted by the student through the Service Request system.

To submit a Service Request, the student must access their Student Centre, next click on “Graduate Service Request”.

A statement from the student confirming support for the request submitted with relevant supporting documentation should be included with the request. A request is not deemed to be approved until authorized by the School of Graduate Studies.

Changes to student classification: full/part-time status

Students in thesis-based programs must submit a Service Request for a change in status. Requests for changes to student classification (from full-time to part-time or vice-versa) must be submitted prior to the DNE deadline of a given term. A change of student classification may have implications for students receiving loans, bursaries, or awards; students should check the regulations associated with their loans, bursaries, or awards. International students must retain the status as indicated on their Study Permit/CAQ.

Changes to a student’s classification may also affect the student’s time limit and/or their payment schedule.

Registration

Most programs currently offer web registration. In these programs, it is the student’s responsibility to add, change or drop their courses on-line, by the deadlines indicated in the Academic Calendar.

Students in programs not offering web registration must contact the Graduate Program Director in order to add, drop or change their course(s).

All students are responsible to verify that their registration has been processed and that the course registration appears on their student record. Any errors or omissions must be addressed prior to the registration deadlines of the term in question.

Registration for a course(s)

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that course registrations have been processed and/or requested from their program by the deadline dates listed in the Academic Calendar.

If not officially registered in a course, students are not entitled to attend the course or to receive grades for any completed work. Refer to the Academic Calendar for a detailed list of deadline dates.

Late registration for a course(s)

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student could not register by the registration deadline dates, they must submit a Service Request for late registration. In such cases, a student may attend classes until they receive a decision. Late registration is allowed only in special circumstances, with the approval of the Graduate Program Director and the School of Graduate Studies. Service requests for late registrations must be supported by appropriate documentation.

Students will incur a late registration fee when they register on, or after, the date that classes officially begin across the University.

Withdrawing from Course(s)

Withdrawing from a course leads to either a Did Not Enter (DNE) or a Discontinued (DISC) notation.

It is the student’s responsibility to meet all deadlines and follow all necessary steps to withdraw from a course(s), or from the University. Not attending classes or informing an instructor of the intent to withdraw does not constitute official withdrawal. It is not mandatory for an instructor to provide students with any evaluation or feedback of their progress in a course before the withdrawal deadline. Students who do not properly withdraw before the published deadlines will receive failing grades.

Did Not Enter (DNE)

A DNE means that the student has officially withdrawn from the course. The DNE’d course(s) will be removed from the student’s academic record, and will not appear on the record. Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications and the Academic Calendar for deadline dates. Non-standard DNE dates are available through the Graduate program office.

Discontinued (DISC)

A DISC is an academic withdrawal from a course. This means that the student is still registered in the course, but no longer has to attend classes or complete the course work. The student will not be academically penalized (i.e. receive a failed grade). A DISC notation is permanent and appears on the student transcript next to the relevant course. Failure to comply with the DISC withdrawal deadline results in the course(s) in question being graded Fail, F, or Fail/Absent (F-ABS). Refer to F rule for academic standing. Non-standard DNE dates are available through the Graduate program office.

Withdrawal from program or from the University

Students who wish to withdraw from their program or from the University must do so by the DNE deadline and include the reason(s) for withdrawing. A Service Request for withdrawal from program must be completed and submitted. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have DNE’ed their courses by the deadline for the withdrawal to be effective for the beginning of term. If the withdrawal from program request is submitted after the DNE deadline, it will be effective the beginning of the following term. If the student does not wish to complete their course(s), it is their responsibility to ensure they have withdrawn from their courses by the DISC date. Failure to comply with the DISC withdrawal deadline results in the course(s) in question being graded Fail/F/Fail/Absent (F-ABS). The student’s record will reflect “withdrew from program”.

Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications.

Continuing In Program (CIP) registrations

(for students in thesis-based master’s or doctoral programs)

After a student’s first registration has been processed, the registration system will consider thesis-based master's and doctoral students to be continuing in their program when they are not otherwise registered in academic courses. Students who are still within their program time limit but are not registered in course credits, will be identified as “Continuing in Program” on their student record. This notation is an academic notation and not a registration for academic credit. Students with a CIP notation will be charged either tuition or a Continuation fee. Refer to the Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications.

Students in thesis-based programs who are not registered for courses in the first term of admission must get approval from the School of Graduate Studies for a CIP notation, through the submission of a Service Request.

The CIP notation cannot be applied to students in course-based master’s programs.

The notation on the student record will show Continuing in Program (CIP) or Time Limit Extension (TLE), respectively, unless replaced by a course registration. The CIP is an automatic process. Should a student subsequently register for courses, the automatic CIP will be removed.

Automatic CIPs will occur for returning students only if there are no restrictions on record (e.g. academic, financial, expired time limits). Students will be withdrawn from their program if the automatic CIPs cannot be processed each term.

Time Limit Extension registrations

Students who have exceeded their time limit and have been granted a time limit extension will automatically be registered in “Time Limit Extension” (TLE) by the system. If a course is registered, the TLE notation is replaced with the course. Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications.

Withdrawal from program due to lack of registration

Graduate students in thesis-based master’s and doctoral programs will be withdrawn from their program if course registration or academic course notation (CIP/TLE) cannot be processed each term due to any outstanding immigration documents, unpaid accounts, missing progress report, outstanding Academic Success Integrity Module, expired time limit or poor academic standing.

Graduate students in microprogram, graduate certificate, diploma, or course-based master's programs will be withdrawn due to inactivity for three consecutive terms (see Lapsed Student Status), or once their time limit has expired.

Refer to the sections on Continuing in Program (CIP) Registrations as well as Re-Instatement of Withdrawn Students.

Lapsed student status

Students in microprogram, graduate certificate, diploma, and course-based master’s programs who have not registered for courses for three consecutive terms will be withdrawn from the program and must submit a Service Request for reinstatement to the program.

Independent graduate students and graduate visiting students who have not registered for courses for three consecutive terms or more will have their student status lapsed and must submit an authorization to register as a non-degree student.

Financial implications

Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information on the financial implications related to late registration, DNEs, DISCs Continuation fees or TLEs.

Student portal

Students can access information concerning their personal class schedule, current course grades, account balance, tuition and enrolment receipts for educational tax credit, loans and bursaries, personal book list, permanent code status and registration dates in the Student Hub. Students can also update their mailing address(es) and e-mail address(es) on the student portal; students are responsible for ensuring that the contact details listed are current.

Tuition and other fees are automatically assessed and charged to the student’s account once a student has registered in a course(s) or has a Continuing in Program (CIP) or a Time Limit Extension (TLE) academic notation on their student record. The student’s account balance is available in the Student Centre. Refer to Tuition and Fees for detailed information.

Within minimum residence

All master’s and doctoral programs have a minimum residence requirement of at least three terms for master’s degrees and six terms for doctoral degrees. This is the minimum period of time which must elapse between a student’s initial registration in the program and the student’s graduation. There is no minimum residence requirement for diploma and certificate programs.

Leaves of absence from program

Graduate students who wish to temporarily discontinue their studies for a few terms may request a leave of absence from their program through a Service Request. Before requesting a leave, students should confirm with their Graduate Program Director and supervisor that all required components of their degree programs will be available when they return. The beginning and end of a leave should coincide with the beginning and end of an academic term.

Students cannot be on Leave in terms where a course with a DISC notation appears since a discontinued course is still considered as a registration. Refer to the Withdrawal from a course or courses section.

No changes to the student’s academic status will be made during a leave.

Students may not graduate with a Leave of Absence in their graduating term.

Time Limit & Other Deadlines

While on Leave without access, Leave with access or Parental Leave, the student’s program time limit will be extended by the period of the leave. All deadlines for work in progress will be extended by the period of the leave.

Access to University Services

During a leave of absence (of any type), students are not entitled to take courses, write exams, submit outstanding work and/or request guidance on thesis and research work. However, they may have access to some university services depending on the type of leave they request. There are three types of leaves available to students and one administrative leave:

Types of Leaves & Fees

Leave without access: During a leave without access, a student will not have access to library, university or student services. No fees will be charged.

Leave with access: During a leave with access, a student will have access to library, university and student services. Leaves with access are granted only under exceptional circumstances. A flat service fee of $150 per term will be charged.

Parental leave: All graduate students are entitled to parental leave of up to three consecutive terms during their program of study on the occasion of the birth or adoption of a child. The student will have access to library, university and student services. Students holding a Concordia Fellowship will receive a deferral of their fellowship for the period of leave. In the case of other fellowships, the regulations of the granting agencies will apply. No fees will be charged.

Required Administrative Leave: Students who are removed from studies resulting from expired Study Permits/CAQs, a delay in requesting reinstatement into the university or other administrative issues will be assigned a required administrative leave of absence from their program. A student will not have access to library, university or student services. No fees are charged. A Required Administrative Leave will not extend a student’s program Time Limit.

Except for Parental leave, students are normally permitted only a maximum of three terms of leave (with or without access) during their program of study. Leaves beyond three terms are only approved on an exceptional basis and with supporting documentation. Parental leave can be requested on the occasion of each birth or adoption of a child.

Awards, Loans, Bursaries

A leave from a program of study may have implications for students receiving awards, loans or bursaries; students should check the regulations associated with their awards, loans or bursaries.

Medical Coverage

• While on an approved leave of absence Canadian students do not pay fees for the Student Health and Dental Plan. Therefore, they are not covered by (insured under) this insurance plan.
• International student’s medical coverage is dependent on their registration status and therefore medical coverage may be cancelled. Please visit the International Students Office for information regarding Health Insurance eligibility. In addition, since the visa status of international students may possibly be affected by a leave of absence, it is very important that these students visit the International Students Office for additional information.

Applying For a Leave

With the exception of the Required Administrative Leave, students apply in advance through the Student Request process, prior to the DNE deadline. Students must see the Graduate Program Director in their program in order to initiate a Student Request. Students must specify the reason for the Leave and provide supporting documentation; for example, a request for leave for medical reasons must be supported by an original medical certificate.

End of a Leave

Once a student’s leave is over, the student will be considered as continuing in their program. Students in thesis-based master’s and doctoral programs will receive a Continuation in Program notation on their record if they do not take any courses in the term in which they return from leave. A student returning from leave will be charged tuition and fees accordingly.

Graduate Certificate, Diploma, and course-based master’s students will only be charged once they register for courses.

Exemptions

Depending on the policy of the degree program, students may be granted an exemption from a required course in their program curriculum. Students who are granted an exemption must replace the exempted course with another course in order to fulfill the credit requirements of the program. This replacement course must be selected in conjunction with their Graduate Program Director.

Students who have been granted an exemption for a course cannot subsequently take that course for credit toward the graduate certificate, diploma or degree.

Recognition of Acquired Competencies: Academic and Non-Academic Learning

Recognition of acquired competencies encompasses the processes by which a student may gain Concordia credit for knowledge acquired through credited academic learning or through recognition of prior learning. Recognition is based on eligibility and formal evaluation within established criteria.

Transfer credits

Students may transfer credits from previous studies completed within the past five years to their current program. The credits must have been earned for graduate-level courses.

Credits earned from a completed graduate Microprogram, Certificate or Diploma may be eligible for transfer. Students should contact their department for eligibility prior to submitting a Service Request.

Credits earned from a bachelor/baccalaureate which are part of a Concordia integrated path will be eligible for transfer subject to fulfilling the conditions of the integrated path.

Requests to transfer credits must be approved by the students’ degree program and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Transfer credits must normally be requested in the student’s first term of admission. Students are encouraged to read their program’s calendar section for further information.

As part of a service request to transfer credit, students must provide official transcripts showing that they have completed the course. The grade and number of credits they received for the course must appear on the transcript. The transcripts must be accompanied by official course descriptions for the relevant courses. In addition, the transcripts must show that the students have withdrawn from the Master or Doctoral program from which the requested credits are being transferred.

Transfer credits to programs requiring a graduation GPA of 3.00 will be permitted only if the final grade for the course is B or better. Transfer credits to programs requiring a graduation GPA of 2.70 will be permitted only if the final grade for the course is B- or better.

The grades associated with transfer credits do not appear on the students’ transcript and therefore will not affect their Grade Point Average. The two exceptions to this rule are credits transferred from previous graduate studies at Concordia University and credits for courses taken under the Inter-University Agreement (AEHE/BCI). These courses will appear on Concordia records and transcripts, under the new program, along with the grades associated with the courses. The transferred grades and credits will be included in the calculation of students’ graduate grade point averages.

The grades for INTU courses will be recorded using a conversion table that can be accessed at the Registrar’s website.

Grades earned through the integrated path will appear on the undergraduate transcript and will affect the undergraduate Grade Point Average. The grades associated with the integrated path courses will appear as transfer credits on the graduate transcript and will not affect their Grade Point Average.

Integrated Path

Inter-university agreement (AEHE/BCI)

Québec universities have agreed to permit the transfer of academic credits between them using the AEHE/BCI Registration system. Using this system, Concordia students may take courses at another Québec University (the host university) and the credits will be transferred back to Concordia to be used to meet the requirements of their degree.

Up to a maximum of 6 credits may be transferred in any one year. In exceptional cases, a student may be authorized to take up to 12 credits at another university.

The host university has the right to accept or refuse a request for registration from a student in another university, in any of the courses or programs which it offers. Students are subject to the rules and regulations of the host university.

Eligible students

Only students enrolled in a degree program are eligible to register under the Inter-University Agreement. Authorization for a Concordia graduate student to register at another university must be given by the student’s Graduate Program Director, the Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Office of the Registrar. Only students in good academic standing will be approved to register under the Inter-University Agreement. In addition, in order for students to be approved, their admission file must be complete and finalized. Concordia students wishing to take a course at another university cannot have an outstanding account balance.

Eligible Courses

The agreement normally covers only graduate degree students and graduate-level courses, and is intended to include only those courses not given at the home university which fit a student’s program requirements. In exceptional cases, graduate students may be authorized to take undergraduate courses to meet the requirements of a concurrent qualifying program.

Transfer of Grades

The grades achieved at other institutions for courses taken under the Inter-University Agreement will be recorded on Concordia records and transcripts using a conversion table. These grades will be included in the calculation of grade point averages in the same manner as any grade achieved in a course taken at Concordia and subsequently transferred into the student’s program.

Payment of Courses

Payment for the courses is due at the student’s home university. Refer to Tuition and Fees. Any additional costs (i.e. lab materials) are payable to the host university.

Registration/Cancellation of Courses

All requests for registration and/or cancellation of courses are done through the BCI website. Students are responsible for accessing the BCI website to check the status of their request on a regular basis. Requests go through several stages of processing and e-mails will not necessarily be sent to update the student on the status at each stage.

Deadlines

Requests for registration or cancellation of courses at other universities must be submitted by the deadline of the host university. Students are advised to inform themselves of the host university’s deadlines, since they may be different from Concordia’s.

Students should refer to the BCI website for detailed information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning is a process by which credit is awarded for knowledge, skills and competencies acquired outside of traditional academic learning pathways. Competencies may be attained through informal pathways such as professional experience and self-directed learning; non-formal pathways such as training and certifications; and other forms of relevant learning.

Eligibility Criteria

Students must be admitted and matriculated in a graduate program to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Requests for Recognition of Prior Learning are limited to students in programs that offer evaluation of Recognition of Prior Learning. See concordia.ca/RPL for a list of programs.

Normally, students must have at least three to five years of relevant experience acquired through informal, non-formal, or other relevant forms of learning. Experience must be acquired prior to starting a graduate program.

Awarding of Recognition of Prior Learning credits is limited to courses that count towards satisfying the program requirements for the student's chosen program. If students request program transfer, any credit awarded as Recognition of Prior Learning may no longer apply to satisfying the new program requirements. The Graduate Program Director of the new program will determine if the credits are transferable.

The Departments or academic units offering Recognition of Prior Learning may determine additional eligibility criteria.

Exclusions

Concordia graduate microprograms are not eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning. Independent students, visiting students and exchange students may not apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Application

Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet the Eligibility Criteria. The request is subject to approval by the School of Graduate Studies.

Refer to concordia.ca/RPL for details on how to submit a request.

Evaluation

The respective Department or academic unit evaluates all requests for Recognition of Prior Learning to determine course equivalency. Credit is awarded when evaluation of a student's application deems that the competencies acquired are equivalent to the learning outcomes of an eligible course. The Department or academic unit may require a challenge exam or other supplemental evaluation method to verify the student’s knowledge and skills before granting credit.

Fees

Each Recognition of Prior Learning request must be accompanied by an application processing fee. Students awarded Recognition of Prior Learning credit(s) will be billed a per-credit fee. Information about the application and per-credit fees can be found at concordia.ca/RPL.

Deadlines

Students can submit an application for Recognition of Prior Learning after matriculating in a graduate program. Students should familiarize themselves with their program sequence and prepare their complete Recognition of Prior Learning application as early as possible in their program to avoid potential delays in course registration.

Applications deemed complete by the Office of the Registrar will be forwarded to the Department for evaluation.

Students may be asked at any time during the application and evaluation process for additional information by the Office of the Registrar or by the Department or academic unit under which Recognition of Prior Learning is offered. Recognition of Prior Learning assessments normally take eight to ten weeks, but response time may vary depending on the dossier.

Maximum Credits and Grades

A maximum of one third of a program’s total credit requirements may be fulfilled through Recognition of Prior Learning. Recognition of Prior Learning credit(s) awarded count toward the total credits required to complete the eligible program. Credit awarded for Recognition of Prior Learning will not include a corresponding grade.

Recognition of Prior Learning is awarded in accordance with residence requirements. In thesis-based master’s and doctoral programs, all research components including comprehensive examinations, the thesis proposal, the thesis itself must be completed at Concordia. In course-based master’s programs, the capstone project must also be completed at Concordia. In addition, for all programs at least one course must be assigned a letter grade.

Re-instatement of withdrawn students

Students who have been withdrawn from a graduate program by the University for non-academic reasons (e.g. non-continuous registration) may wish to submit a Student Request for reinstatement to the program. Students must see the Graduate Program Director in their program in order to initiate a Student Request. This request is to be submitted for consideration during the same term in which the student was withdrawn.

Students who withdrew from their program for non-academic reasons, and who are still in good academic standing according to the regulations of the university may request to be reinstated into their program. The request for reinstatement must be for an academic term no later than one year (3 academic terms) after the term of withdrawal.

Graduate Co-op Program

The Graduate Co-op Program is a structured internship program offered through the Institute for Co-operative Education. The program supports work-integrated learning through relevant work experiences that allow students to combine theory and practice, and to transfer knowledge and skills between work and classroom settings. It is an opportunity for students to broaden their perspective, strengthen their skills and better prepare for the job market.

When enrolled in a Graduate Co-op Program, the student must complete an internship successfully to receive a degree with a Co-op designation. Graduate students registered in the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science and the John Molson School of Business are eligible to apply to their department’s Co-op Program.

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Internship Courses

When participating in an internship offered through the Institute for Co-operative Education, the Institute will enroll students in an internship course to indicate that the student is on an internship. These internship courses carry no credit value, but do indicate that the student maintains full-time status while enrolled in the course. Internships are typically 420 hours in length, over the course of one term. The courses are graded as Pass/Fail.

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Reflective Learning Courses

A core feature of work-integrated learning is integration between the work experience and academic experience. The Institute enrolls students in a Reflective Learning course while they are on their internship. The course carries 3 complementary credits, and as such is above and beyond the credit requirements for the student’s program. These courses are graded as Pass/Fail.

Please seeInstitute for Co-operative Education Coursesfor more information.

Thesis

A thesis is the final report on a comprehensive research program that meets accepted scholarly criteria and is of a cohesive, unitary character. All written components of a thesis must meet the scholarly requirements of the research discipline and be formatted in accordance with the Thesis Preparation Guide.

If it is necessary to include non-text materials in a thesis, the content must conform to standard usage in the student’s field of research, and be in a format that allows for submission via Spectrum: Concordia University’s Research Repository.

The student’s supervisor shall fully inform the student of any and all contractual obligation(s), as they may pertain to the student, which may affect the public defence and/or publication of his/her thesis.

Thesis not written in English

At Concordia, theses are normally written in English. However, a student who intends to submit their thesis in French must inform their supervisor when submitting the thesis topic for the supervisor’s approval. In the event that a student wishes to submit his/her thesis in a language other than English or French, where the program does not have prior approval, the thesis supervisor must make such a recommendation, with an appropriate justification, to the Graduate Studies Committee when the student’s thesis topic is submitted for approval. The decision of the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee on such a recommendation shall be communicated to the Thesis Office. Students in the Hispanic Studies MA program may write their thesis in Spanish.

A thesis written in a language other than English or French must include a comprehensive summary of its contents. This comprehensive summary/description must be written in English or French and appear after the abstract. The summary must be between 3-6 pages for master's and 10-20 pages for doctoral as appropriate. Students in the Hispanic Studies MA program may write their thesis in Spanish and must also include a summary in English or French.

Joint programs

Joint programs must adhere to the thesis requirements and guidelines at Concordia unless a formal agreement specifying alternate thesis requirement/guidelines has been signed by all institutional participants.

Master's Thesis

The Graduate Studies Committee of the student’s program, in consultation with his/her supervisor, appoints an Examining Committee. The Examining Committee consists of a minimum of two (2) members, including the supervisor(s). The student’s supervisor(s) must be a member of the Examining Committee. The Examining Committee must also include a member who is not in a supervisory relationship with the student. Co-author(s) of work included in the thesis cannot serve as an examiner for that thesis except for the supervisor(s). Following evaluation of the thesis, the Examining Committee will arrive at a decision to either Accept or Reject. When an Examining Committee composed of two faculty members renders a split decision, the Graduate Program Director (or Departmental Chair when appropriate) will adjudicate. Once the Examining Committee has arrived at a final decision, it is the responsibility of the Graduate Program to forward to the Thesis Office, generally within 3 weeks from the initial submission of the thesis, a completed Master’s Thesis Evaluation Report that reflects the final decision of the Examining Committee.

An oral defence of a Master’s thesis is not required by the School of Graduate Studies. Programs may elect to have an oral defence as a degree requirement (please see individual program entries in the Calendar).

Doctoral Thesis Submission and Examination

Doctoral Thesis Submission

In order to meet a particular graduation date, a candidate must submit their thesis to the Thesis Office at any time before the deadline specified on the Important Academic Dates webpage. It should be noted that some programs have established deadlines earlier than the Thesis Office deadline. The initial formal submission by the candidate of the thesis along with the completed and signed Doctoral Thesis Examining Committee Form to the Thesis Office begins the official examination process.

A thesis submitted to the Thesis Office must be ready for formal evaluation according to the requirements set out in the Thesis Preparation Guide. Written approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate must be obtained should the candidate wish to deviate from the stated requirements.

The candidate’s supervisor must review the thesis before the initial formal submission to the Thesis Office. It is recommended that feedback also be obtained from the candidate’s Supervisory Committee (where applicable) prior to initial submission. If the candidate and the supervisor cannot reach an agreement on whether the thesis is ready for submission, the Graduate Program Director and the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate may be required to intervene. Although inadvisable, the candidate retains the right to defend their thesis without the supervisor’s approval.

The thesis supervisor is responsible for completion of the Doctoral Thesis Examining Committee Form in consultation with the student. The student then submits the completed form to the Graduate Program Director, accompanied by the External Examiner’s curriculum vitae. The Doctoral Thesis Examining Committee Form must list: (i) the Examining Committee Chair, (ii) all voting members of the Examining Committee (see “Examining Committee Composition”), (iii) the name and address (including e-mail address) of the External Examiner, and (iv) the proposed defence date as agreed upon by the Examining Committee. The Examining Committee composition should consider diversity and inclusivity among its members whenever possible. The defence date must be scheduled at least six weeks after the initial formal thesis submission to the Thesis Office. The Graduate Program Director approves the Examining Committee composition as recommended by the thesis supervisor by signing the Doctoral Thesis Examination Committee Form.

The School of Graduate Studies retains an electronic copy of the thesis, which is available (unless otherwise restricted) to any University member up to one week prior to the defence date.

Examining Committee Composition

The Examining Committee consists of five voting members and the Examining Committee Chair (non-voting). All Examining Committee members must hold a PhD or terminal degree recognized by the School of Graduate Studies. Under exceptional circumstances, a potential Examining Committee member who does not hold a PhD or terminal degree may be permitted, subject to approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate. At least two voting members (i.e., the voting supervisor and one other examiner) must be Concordia faculty members or eligible faculty members from Joint Programs. Furthermore, no Examining Committee member should: (i) receive professional or personal benefit, financial or otherwise, from the candidate or the supervisor(s), (ii) be a relative of or have a close personal relationship with the candidate or the supervisor(s).

The Examining Committee consists of:

(1) Supervisor(s)

In situations involving co-supervisors, the co-supervisors will designate a voting member among themselves prior to the defence. In cases of an external co-supervisor (including cotutelles), the Concordia co-supervisor will be the voting member. This designation should be indicated on the Doctoral Thesis Examining Committee Form.

(2-3) Examiners

Examiners must be tenured or tenure-track faculty members from Concordia or from a University with a shared Joint Program. An examiner may be from another academic institution if the examiner is deemed to have appropriate expertise. These members may (but are not required to) be drawn from the candidate’s Supervisory Committee. Note that such examiners from other institutions do not replace the Arms-Length Examiners (4 & 5) (see below).

(4)Arms-length Examiner

Examiners must be tenured or tenure-track faculty members. To be considered at arms-length, an examiner must not: (i) have been a supervisor or a trainee of the supervisor or candidate, (ii) have collaborated, published or shared funding with the supervisor or candidate in the past six years, (iii) feel for any reason unable to provide an impartial evaluation of the thesis, (iv) be a member of the candidate’s Supervisory Committee (when applicable).

(5) External Examiner

An External Examiner for a doctoral defence must: (i) be a scholar with no affiliation with Concordia, and (ii) have demonstrated expertise in the thesis material and an international reputation. Furthermore, the External Examiner must have experience mentoring PhD or other terminal degree students and will have preferably graduated their own PhD or other terminal degree students. The External Examiner must be at arms-length (see above) from the candidate and the supervisor. In addition, the External Examiner must not have been employed at Concordia in the past six years. Under highly exceptional circumstances, and following approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate, potential External Examiners who do not meet the above criteria will be permitted to serve in the role; in such cases, the Graduate Program Director must make a written request to the Dean of Graduate Studies with an accompanying justification.

Once an External Examiner has been approved, no communication about the thesis content is permitted between the External Examiner and the candidate or supervisor until the defence is over.

Examining Committee Chair

The thesis defence is chaired by the delegate of the Dean of Graduate Studies. This role is known as the Examining Committee Chair.

• The Examining Committee Chair must be a Concordia tenured faculty member, or Emeritus, who satisfies arms-length criteria (see above).
• The Examining Committee Chair is not an examiner, does not vote, and must remain impartial throughout the process.
• Normally, the Examining Committee Chair should be from an academic unit other than that of the defending candidate.

Examining Committee Reports

Examining committee members must transmit their completed Evaluation Forms to the Thesis Office at least one week prior to the defence. If the School of Graduate Studies has not received all Examiner Reports at least one week before the defence, the School may reschedule the defence at their discretion. The External Examiner must submit a written report to the Thesis Office along with their Evaluation Form. A completed Evaluation Form that contains at least one Unsatisfactory assessment of the evaluation criteria is considered a negative Examiner Report. The Thesis Office forwards Examining Committee evaluations to the supervisor in advance of the defence. These evaluations are not to be shared with the candidate prior to the defence unless they are negative, or as described in the two cases below:

(1) If the External Examiner indicates on their Evaluation Form that the defence should not proceed, then all examiner evaluations will be shared with the candidate and the defence will be rescheduled. A revised thesis is typically submitted to the Thesis Office no later than six months after the initial defence date. A new defence with the same Examining Committee composition will then be scheduled per guidelines above. If the External Examiner’s evaluation of the resubmission once again indicates that the defence should not proceed, then the Dean of Graduate Studies will initiate an investigation to determine if bias has occurred (see section on Examining Committee Restructuring). If the process is found to be unbiased, a ‘REJECT’ notation will be assigned to the candidate’s record and they will be withdrawn from their program.

Administrative Supervisor for Defence

When a supervisory relationship cannot continue, candidates may request an administrative supervisor for the sole purpose of the defence. The Graduate Program Director (GPD) is responsible for identifying an appropriate person to serve as Administrative Supervisor or assuming the role themselves. Every effort should be made to avoid delaying the defence due to this supervisory change.

Doctoral Examination

The Thesis Office publicly announces the upcoming defence. The thesis defence is an oral examination conducted by the Examining Committee Chair that is open to the public. In exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Graduate Studies may mandate that a defence be closed to the public. Contractual or legal obligations may necessitate that all attendees at a thesis defence sign a Non-Disclosure Undertaking. The candidate delivers an oral presentation of the thesis with any aids necessary to an effective presentation. Normally, this presentation lasts 30-40 minutes. The candidate is then questioned on the thesis and oral presentation by the Examiners; the Examining Committee Chair moderates the question period. The External Examiner is the first to question the candidate, followed by the Arms-Length Examiner, the rest of the Examiners, and finally the supervisor. Questions on a thesis by members of the University, other than those on the Examining Committee, must be submitted in writing to the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate no later than seven days prior to the thesis defence date; the Examining Committee Chair will read these questions during the defence. The Examining Committee Chair adjourns the examination when the Examining Committee decides that further questioning is no longer needed.

Defence Presence/Participation

The School of Graduate Studies requires in-person participation for all Examiners. Under extenuating circumstances any member of the Examining Committee or candidate may attend the defence remotely pending approval from the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate. Out-of-town Examiners can typically attend remotely in any circumstance without such approval. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to make appropriate videoconferencing arrangements if any participant of a doctoral defence has been approved to attend remotely. Only videoconferencing platforms licensed and supported by Concordia University may be used for a doctoral defence.

Any member of the Examining Committee (other than the External Examiner or the supervisor) who is unable to attend the doctoral defence in person or remotely must submit their evaluation, vote, and a list of questions to be asked on their behalf by the Examining Committee Chair to the Dean of Graduate Studies or their delegate at least one week before the defence. If the Examining Committee Chair is unexpectedly unable to attend on the day of the defence, either a replacement must be found or the defence must be rescheduled. The supervisor and External Examiner must be present at the defence; in their absence, the defence must be rescheduled. Should any member of the Examining Committee be unexpectedly unable to attend on the day of the defence without advance notice (as described above), the Examining Committee Chair must notify the Thesis Office, and the defence will be rescheduled. Exceptionally, and under extenuating circumstances, the defence may proceed if an Examiner (other than the External Examiner or the supervisor) who is absent on the day of defence without warning successfully provides their questions and vote to the Examining Committee Chair at any time prior to the defence.

Decision (PhD defences)

The Examining Committee Chair presides over the Examining Committee during its deliberations in camera but takes no part in its decision. The Examining Committee’s decision is based on both the thesis and the candidate’s ability to defend it.

Members of the Examining Committee may not abstain from voting. The Examining Committee can render one of two decisions, subject to a majority vote:

1. Accepted: A thesis may be accepted as submitted or accepted pending minor corrections.
   
   
2. Not Accepted: A thesis may be re-submitted only once no more than 6 months after the initial defence date, to the same Examining Committee. A new defence is scheduled and follows the same procedure as an initial submission. The first decision to Not Accept will not appear on the candidate’s record. Following re-submission and re-defence, a second decision to Not Accept will result in a REJECT notation on record, and the candidate will be withdrawn from the program.

External Examiner Veto: If the majority vote results in ‘Accepted’, the External Examiner may veto the overall committee decision to impose ‘Not Accepted’; in this case, the External Examiner’s decision will take precedence. In the event of an External Examiner veto, the External Examiner must write a reasoned report that details the revisions required for the thesis to be resubmitted for re-examination. This report should be sent to the Examining Committee Chair and the Thesis Office within seven days of the defence. The Examining Committee Chair will forward a copy of the report to the Dean of Graduate Studies upon receipt. An External Examiner’s veto on a re-defence will immediately initiate an investigation by the Dean of Graduate Studies to determine if bias has occurred (see section on Examining Committee Restructuring).

Upon conclusion of a defence (regardless of outcome), the Chair will forward all relevant documents to the Thesis Office. All Examiner evaluations will be provided to the candidate by the Thesis Office after the defence.

Under extraordinary circumstances, and following extensive consultation, the Dean of Graduate Studies reserves the right to nullify a defence. Nullification would typically occur prior to final submission of the thesis on Spectrum.

Restructuring of the Doctoral Examining Committee

Should the candidate have reasoned grounds for changing membership of the Examining Committee, they must submit a written request outlining these reasons directly to the Graduate Program Director, who will forward their request along with a reasoned recommendation, to the Dean of Graduate Studies for their approval.

Restructuring of the Examining Committee may occur at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies under the following highly exceptional circumstances if and only if biases have been detected in the following decisions: (1) The External Examiner indicates to the Thesis Office in advance that the defence should not proceed; (2) A candidate receives negative report(s) from the Thesis Office prior to the defence; (3) An External Examiner vetoes a post-examination decision of the Examining Committee; (4) A second ‘Not Accepted’ decision by the Examining Committee. In such cases, the Dean of Graduate Studies will consult with the Faculty Dean and other Faculty representatives, and subject matter experts as appropriate. Should the Dean of Graduate Studies determine that bias had occurred, the defence will be nullified and the process will start again with a new Examining Committee per usual.

Under extraordinary circumstances, the Dean of Graduate Studies reserves the right to demand restructuring of an Examining Committee without explicit request from the candidate.

Final submission of thesis

The primary goal of Concordia University is the dissemination of knowledge. To achieve this goal, the university makes all theses available to the general public via Spectrum, the Library Repository. Spectrum is a widely indexed, searchable database and its contents are readily available to the public via the internet.

A student must submit the final version of the thesis electronically, using Spectrum. The final version of the thesis must include any required modifications requested by the Examining Committee and any revisions requested by the Thesis Office. The student is responsible for the final electronic submission of his/her thesis.

Upon final submission of his/her thesis, a student shall be deemed to have granted the University a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, archive, preserve, conserve, communicate to the public by telecommunication or on the internet, loan, and distribute the thesis worldwide for non-commercial purposes, in any format. Please refer to the University’s Policy on Intellectual Property.

Deferment

If there is a good reason for delaying public access to a thesis, an approved embargo may be placed on the publication of the thesis. The deferment is for up to two (2) years but under exceptional circumstances may be renewed. The abstract and bibliographic information is not embargoed and is therefore still available to the public. In the event of a deferment, it is understood that the University’s license to communicate, loan and/or distribute shall only take effect as of the expiry of the deferment period. Please refer to the University’s Policy on Intellectual Property.

Copyright regulations

Members of the Concordia community are users of copyrighted materials and, as such, are subject to copyright legislation. Compliance with the Copyright Act and the University’s Policy on Copyright Compliance is a student’s responsibility. Failure to comply with the Copyright Act is a violation of federal legislation and may result in legal repercussions and/or disciplinary or other action by the University. Beyond any legal responsibility, a student must consider his/her ethical obligations to respect intellectual property rights.

Graduate Programs