The awards, prizes and distinctions covered in this section are for doctoral students only. Details on internal deadlines, application guidelines and forms, and links to agency sites are provided.
Competitions include CAGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Awards, Prix d’excellence de l’Association des doyens des études supérieures au Quebec (ADESAQ), the CGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Award, and the Concordia University Doctoral Dissertation Prizes.
Concordia University Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Prizes
Deadline for Nominations: February 8, 2021.
In consideration of the increased number of graduate students and programs at Concordia University, the Council of the School of Graduate Studies has established two new doctoral thesis prizes, one for Ph.D. theses in any discipline in Engineering and Natural Sciences; and another for PhD theses in any discipline in Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
The winners will be selected by the University Doctoral Dissertation Selection Committee responsible for the selection of Concordia’s nominations for the ADESAQ and CAGS/UMI Distinguished Dissertation Awards every year. Please note that the nomination and selection criteria are identical to those established for the CAGS/UMI awards. Therefore, the Committee nominees for the CAGS/UMI awards will be the winners for the Concordia University Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation prize.
The Concordia University Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation prize will include a $2,000 award and a Certificate; it will be presented each year during Spring Convocation.
Deadline for Nominations: February 8, 2021 to the School of Graduate Studies.
Eligible Dissertations (two categories):
A dissertation in any discipline in engineering and natural sciences completed and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020;
A dissertation in any discipline in the fine arts, humanities and social sciences completed and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Application Procedure
Complete application packages of the call for nomination and a copy of a student record must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Thesis Office (c/o Dolly Grewal) by February 8, 2021. A university committee will select the nominees in the two categories. Please keep in mind that the entire selection process is based on the written submission.
Prix d’excellence de l’Association des doyens des études supérieures au Québec (ADESAQ)
Deadline for Nominations: February 8, 2021.
Eligible Dissertations (three categories):
A dissertation in any discipline in social sciences and humanities completed and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020;
A dissertation in any discipline in the natural sciences and engineering completed and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020;
A dissertation in any discipline in the health sciences completed and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Application Procedure
Complete application packages of the call for nominations must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Thesis Office (c/o Dolly Grewal) by February 8, 2021. A university committee will select the nominees in the three categories. Please keep in mind that the entire selection process is based on the written submission.
Deadline for Nominations: April 5, 2021 (June 2021 Competition)
Eligible Dissertations:
Under each broad field, we provide a non-inclusive list of fine fields that are considered to belong to the broader fields under consideration.
Note: The CGS/ProQuest Award operates on a two-year cycle in regard to fields of competition. The fields of competition for 2021 will be Biological Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts.
Application Procedure
Complete application packages comprised of items of the call for nomination and a copy of a student record must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Thesis Office (c/o Dolly Grewal) by April 5, 2021 (for the summer 2021 competition). A university committee will select the nominee. Please keep in mind that the entire selection process is based on the written submission.
"The Governor General’s Academic Medal was first awarded in 1873 by the Earl of Dufferin, and has since become one of the most prestigious awards that a student in a Canadian educational institution can receive. The governor general of Canada continues this tradition of encouraging scholarship across the nation and recognizing outstanding students" (Source: The Governor General of Canada website).
At Concordia University, Governor General Gold Medal Awards are aligned with the six key research themes of the Strategic Research Plan. This structure affirms the link between graduate students and the research mission of the university. The School of Graduate Studies awards one Gold Medal to an outstanding graduate student in at the Spring Convocation, and one Gold Medal at the Fall Convocation.
Eligible Dissertations:
To be eligible for the Spring 2021 Governor General Gold Medal competition, applicants must have had their dissertation under the following categories “Health, Development and Well‐being of the Person across the Lifespan and in Society; Arts, Culture, History and Identity; and People, Organizations and Society;” and completed with either an excellent or outstanding thesis ranking and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between April 1, 2020 to April 1, 2021.
To be eligible for the Fall 2021 Governor General Gold Medal competition, applicants must have had their dissertation under the following categories “Enabling and Disruptive Technologies and their Foundations; Advanced Materials and their Applications; and Natural Systems, Sustainable Technologies and Sustainable Communities;” and completed with either an excellent or outstanding thesis ranking and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies between September 1, 2020 and September 1, 2021.
Nomination deadline dates are determined by the Dean’s Office of each Faculty.
Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools
Each year NAGS recognizes an outstanding Master’s thesis and an outstanding dissertation that has been produced by a student at one of its member institutions. Nominees must have received their degree within three years preceding the year of competition.
Deadline for Nominations: Faculties are to submit their nominations to the School of Graduate Studies by November 2 for this year.