Prospective students
Program overview
The PhD in Humanities, based in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture (CISSC), can be undertaken in any of the many areas of interdisciplinary expertise at Concordia. Our students enter the program with an MA or MFA and come from a variety of disciplines across the humanities, social sciences and fine arts. They benefit from a vibrant academic milieu that encourages innovative thinking and cross-disciplinary approaches to today's vital issues. Some examples of topics being looked at by students in the program include digital culture, First People's studies, globalization and women's studies. Concordia’s outstanding research centres and labs include Milieux, the Media History Research Centre, the Centre for Sensory Studies and the Centre for Expanded Poetics, among many others. Students entering with an MFA or another graduate degree can pursue research-creation projects that combine scholarly investigation with creative practice in a variety of media and platforms.
We will be holding an online workshop in the Fall term for students who are interested in applying for the Humanities PhD. The workshop will introduce you to features of the program and best practices for applying. The most important best practice is beginning your application well ahead of our application deadlines, since it requires obtaining support for your application from a three person committee. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please fill in our online sign up, which will add you to our email list for this event.
Program details
For information about the application process to the Humanities program, please consult the list of required documents and specific details.
We invite applications from highly qualified candidates with an MA or MFA wishing to embark on original interdisciplinary projects. We also welcome research-creation projects that combine creative practice with scholarly investigation.
| DEGREE |
FALL (September) |
WINTER (January) |
SUMMER (May/June) |
| Humanities | PhD | Jan. 15 | n/a | n/a |
Humanities PhD students are able to draw on the expertise of outstanding scholars and artists in Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science and Faculty of Fine Arts. Students create their own path and pursue unique projects while supported by an advisory committee of three faculty members: a Major field supervisor (usually in the same discipline as the student’s MA or MFA) and two Minor field advisors. Any full-time Concordia faculty member in departments in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or Fine Arts holding a doctorate is entitled to supervise students in the program. Arrangements can also be made to enable full-time faculty members with an MFA degree to serve on students’ advisory committees.
At admission time, applicants to the Humanities PhD program are considered for Concordia Fellowships, and international students are also considered for partial tuition remission.
In addition, a variety of funding opportunities are available to both new and current students pursuing graduate studies at Concordia. Students are urged to consult the School of Graduate Studies to keep up-to-date with all funding initiatives from internal (Concordia University and its donors) and external (government and industry) sources.
Teaching and research assistantships
Humanities PhD students find opportunities to teach at Concordia through the home departments of their supervisors, and may also be eligible to teach writing and language courses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the free Graduate Seminar in University Teaching, offered by Concordia’s Centre for Teaching and Learning several times per term, since some departments demand it as a prerequisite for teaching.
Students are also advised to discuss opportunities for Research Assistantship with their advisors.
Consult Humanities funding for further information.
See a sampling of current Humanities students’ profiles and find out about the provocative and inspiring projects they are working on.
See examples of Humanities students’ daring and innovative research-creation projects that combine scholarly exploration with creative practice in a wide variety of media. Research Creation.
Browse the Humanities PhD theses database for stellar dissertations that exemplify the Humanities program’s great interdisciplinary breadth and depth.
Read about recent award-winning Humanities doctoral dissertations
- Iona Radu, “Miyupimaatisiiun in Eeyou Istchee: Healing and Decolonization in Chisasibi” (2015)
- Mona Tajali, “Demanding a Seat at the Table: Iranian and Turkish Women’s Organizing for Political Representation” (2014)
- Myriam Suchet, “Textes hétérolingues et textes traduits : de ‘la langue’ aux figures de l’énonciation. Pour une littérature comparée différentielle” (2010)
Our graduates have gone on to pursue fulfilling and successful careers in education, the arts, various levels of government, community organizations, and research in the private and public sectors. Browse a sampling of Humanities Alumni Profiles, with more profiles to come!