Additional admission requirements

Students are officially accepted to the program only when they have a complete three-member advisory committee, subject to the availability of necessary resources at Concordia, and the approval of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants are required to submit research proposals indicating the interdisciplinary scope of their projects. Students in the program declare one Major field, normally within the discipline of the student's Master's degree, and two Minor fields/disciplines.  The Major field must be from a Humanities, Social Science or Fine Arts discipline.  Minor fields are normally from the Humanities, Social Sciences or Fine Arts, but may also invovle disciplines such as mathematics or the life sciences. The Ph.D. in Humanities program is designed for full-time study.

Evaluation criteria

The Humanities Program Committee (HPC) will scrutinize the applicant’s academic background and proposed program of study in order to determine whether the applicant’s interests are truly interdisciplinary, and fall within the scope of the available faculty and facilities at Concordia. In its deliberations, the HPC will look for evidence that the student’s record indicates that he/she is likely to be able to cope with a demanding program involving rigorous practice in more than one discipline and that the academic background is strong enough to enable the student to proceed to doctoral-level study in their Major field, as well as overall exceptional ability, promising likely successful completion of a demanding program. Where feasible and warranted, the HPC may conduct a personal interview with the applicant after reviewing the dossier. Advisory committee members submitted by applicants are confirmed by the Director of the Humanities program in consultation with the HPC.

Language requirements

Applicants should check their prospective program’s requirements, as individual programs may require a higher minimum score. In all cases, the University reserves the right to require a proficiency test if it is deemed necessary.

The language of instruction at Concordia is English. If your primary language is not English, you must write a pre-admission proficiency test, unless you are exempted (see below). Proof of proficiency in English must be provided by achieving the appropriate score on one of the following:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): The minimum acceptable score for the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) is 90 and no part under 20 (for the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science 85 and no part under 20)
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The minimum part score for IELTS is 6.5 and no part under 6.5 (for the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science minimum overall score of 6.5)
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): The minimum acceptable score for the PTE is 61 or higher and no part under 53 (Faculty of Engineering & Computer Science: 57 or higher and no part under 53)
• Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): The minimum acceptable score for the CAEL is 70
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) & Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE):
  • The minimum acceptable score for the CAE is: A or 190
  • The minimum acceptable score for the CPE is: C

Results are valid for a period of two years from the date of the language test.

Exemptions

Personal

If your primary language is not English, regardless of citizenship, you may be exempted from the proficiency test if you meet one or more of the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of three full years of study at the undergraduate or graduate level in an institution where English is recognized as the official language of instruction (candidates from the following countries are exempted from providing a proficiency test);
• Quebec applicants, the completion of a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC) and a university degree in Quebec;
• For JMSB applicants applying to the professional programs, a minimum of three years’ full-time work experience in an English milieu, and a successful personal interview.

Program

If you apply to the following programs, you may be exempted from the English proficiency testing:

• Certain graduate programs within Études françaises
• Graduate Diploma in Community Economic Development (French admission year)
• Master’s in Hispanic Studies

Minimum English Proficiency Score for Graduate Admission

The following chart provides a list of the English proficiency tests and the acceptable scores that are recognized by Concordia University for admission consideration:

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language

To ensure your TOEFL results are forwarded directly to Concordia University, you must indicate 0956.00 as the "Institution Code" when you write the test. For more information on the test or to register, visit toefl.org

IELTS – International English Language Testing System

PTE (Pearson Test of English)

Candidates please take note:

• All required English courses are in addition to the graduate degree requirements.
• The test centre must report test results directly to the Admissions Application Centre.
• Candidates who do not meet the minimum language requirements are advised to look into language support services that may help improve their English language skills prior to re-taking the proficiency test.