Ph.D. in Conflict Studies

Admission requirements

To be considered for admission, applicants must:

• Hold a master’s degree or equivalent in Conflict Studies or in a related discipline (Administration, Canadian Studies, Communication, Criminology, Economy, Ethics, History, Human Geography, Industrial Relations, Intercultural Communication, International Development, International Studies, Labor Relations, Law, Philosophy, Political Science, Public Ethics, Religious Studies, Social Psychology, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Mission Studies and Interreligious Dialogue, Women’s Studies).
• Have achieved a minimum average of 75% (B+);
• Provide two confidential letters of recommendation;
• Provide a CV and a statement of purpose outlining their career goals;
• Identify at least one professor in the program whose research interests correspond to theirs;
• Provide a detailed draft of their proposed research project.

Fast-track from the Masters to the PhD program

Students enrolled in the MA program may be allowed to fast-track to the PhD program without having completed the MA thesis, provided that they meet the following conditions:

• have completed the last two years of their undergraduate studies with a minimum of an A- average;
• have completed six of the seven compulsory courses in the MA program, 18 units, with a grade equal to or greater than A- for each of these courses;
• have demonstrated satisfactory progress in their research program;
• have a written recommendation from the proposed PhD thesis supervisor;
• have approval from the Graduate Studies Committee of the Faculty of Human Sciences.

Students must make a written request to fast-track at the beginning of their fourth session of registration or earlier, and, if approved, must register for the PhD in their fifth session at the latest. Once in the PhD program all program requirements must be met.

Language Requirements

It is required to demonstrate an active knowledge of either English or French, and the capacity to comprehend and read the other language (English or French). Language proficiency may be demonstrated by providing any of the following:

1. proof of having studied for at least three years (full time) in a high school, college or university in Canada or elsewhere where the language of instruction was exclusively English or French;
2. a minimum TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test (or 250 on the computer-based test) with a minimum writing score of 4.5; IBT 100 (writing: 24);
3. an IELTS score of 7 (writing: 6.5).

The Faculty of Human Sciences (FHS) reserves the right to conduct an interview to determine an applicant`s language level. If a student’s doctoral research requires knowledge of a language other than French or English, the FHS may require proof of such knowledge.

Some additional documents, and in some cases specific forms, are required. For more information, please see the page Step 4: Gather the documents needed for the assessment of your application.