Concordia University
AC-4: Graduate Program

The Individualized Program (INDI) is designed to promote innovative approaches to issues outside the normal boundaries of research and creation of existing graduate programs. INDI students engage in individualized research initiatives supported by integrated programs of study drawing on the various resources available both within and across Faculties at Concordia University.

Environmental Humanities:
From global climate change and mass extinctions to the pesticides and microplastics in our bodies, the changing environment has become the vital concern of our times. While environmental issues are often viewed as problems for environmental scientists and policy experts, these fields are entangled with the historically and culturally varied ways in which humans have represented, interacted with, and produced the “natural” world. The Environmental Humanities draws on a range of disciplines—including environmental history, ecocriticism, ecomedia, science and technology studies, cultural geography, gender studies, race studies, and Indigenous studies—in the effort to understand how contested histories and representations of the environment shape our perceptions of energy extraction, climate change, food systems, environmental injustice, and the web of life.

At Concordia, Environmental Humanities research comprises a range of interdisciplinary topics, including postcolonial ecologies to Early American perspectives on climate change, African conceptions of animality, the philosophical problems posed by nuclear waste, the role of smell in environmental justice narratives, late nineteenth-century constructions of "nature" in the tropics, and sustainable urban landscape design. For potential PhD students, Concordia’s interdisciplinary doctoral programs offer the possibility of devising a research program that spans the humanities and other modes of knowledge production, such as biology, climate science, anthropology, Indigenous studies, and research creation.

Sustainability and Environmental studies:
At Concordia University, sustainability is more than just “the capacity to endure.” Sustainability is the study of dynamic social and ecological systems, focused on the intersection of social, economic, and environmental needs, and striving for the integration of science, policy and values. It is a solutions-oriented response to the most pressing global issues of the 21st century, including: climate change, biodiversity, environmental degradation, and community development. This field crosses many areas of study, requiring broad knowledge of biology, environmental management, business, organizational change, green technology, ecological design, public policy, community development, sociology and ethics among others.

The Sustainability and Environmental Studies Research Current cultivates a holistic, integrated perspective while allowing students to focus on the specialized disciplinary knowledge of their choosing. Concordia is home to experts across the faculties engaged in research that advances the field of sustainability, and the university has established a reputation on the ground as an active leader of campus sustainability management.

The MEnv in Environmental Assessment gives you a comprehensive background in scoping, data collection and analysis, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). You will explore all aspects and methodologies of the environmental assessment process as you effectively analyze technical reports and oversee complex projects. Objective assessments must identify all environmental risks associated with a proposal and offer solutions to mitigate those concerns. You will benefit from a four-month internship where you will work under professional supervision in a field related to environmental assessment. Potential placement after graduation includes all levels of government, international agencies, non-governmental organizations and private corporations. Now more than ever, we need specialists in federal environmental laws and policies to effectively develop impact studies before plans or programs are carried out.

The MSc in Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies looks at how today's environment is physically, politically and economically constructed. Human activity has caused unprecedented levels of environmental change in the past few decades. Our research-active faculty members have backgrounds in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities and have published in numerous prestigious journals. You will join a dynamic cohort of students that includes young scholars and professionals with practical work experience. The research interests of our students include human geography, GIS, urban planning, environmental science, government policy and social justice advocacy. Montreal and its surrounding areas provide rich sites for fieldwork and analysis, as well as connections to a large francophone network with its own socio-cultural and policy histories. Now more than ever, we need to collectively engage with policy-makers in order to bring about large-scale systemic reforms.

Some (not all) more sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree programs:

Master of Environmental Engineering (MEng)
The MEng in Environmental Engineering focuses on the design and implementation of waste management technologies, including water, wastewater and air treatment processes. Many communities now recognize the importance of sustainable engineering and are seeking to upgrade treatment facilities, capture greenhouse gases and improve environmental impact assessment tools. Students will gain a deeper understanding of environmental problems and regulations from both a national and global perspective. As Concordia houses the local secretariat of the United Nation’s program for global sustainability, students are trained to be at the forefront of sustainable development practices. Beyond the classroom, MEng students have the opportunity to conduct research in various domains of Environmental Engineering. They can also benefit from the Concordia Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems (CIWESS), which promotes research on new systems, technologies and solutions for water, energy and resource conservation.
https://www.concordia.ca/academics/graduate/environmental-engineering.html

Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies (PhD)
The PhD in Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies deepens your understanding of how humans interact with the world around them, examining the socio-cultural and environmental dimensions of human settlements as they evolve. The degree examines the complex nature of interactions between humans and the environment and looks at how to develop more sustainable livelihoods and settlements. Course materials draw on a variety of social science perspectives and GIS mapping to address issues that arise while developing the natural environment. Students gain invaluable experience in their field of research through a 200-hour work placement in the private sector, research labs, non-profit organizations or the government. Students are required to give lectures after completing a teaching seminar with the Centre for Teaching and Learning. Our faculty have received the highest honours from the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars and the Canada Research Chairs Program, and have expertise in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
https://www.concordia.ca/academics/graduate/geography-urban-environmental-phd.html

The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Assessment looks at today’s most pressing environmental problems and provides training in data analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and policy development. These skills will help you address the environmental problems facing future generations as rapid development and accelerated resource extraction have contributed to escalating ecological crises in our society. You will examine fields such as political ecology, science and technology, and critical geographies while maintaining a particular focus on Canadian and Indigenous affairs. Course materials are designed for students who want to pursue their studies at more advanced academic levels and for working professionals interested in the environmental field. Montreal is home to various international institutions such as the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Future Earth. Now more than ever, we need critical minds to apply rigorous environmental standards and to reflect on how to improve the environmental assessment process.

The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Engineering is designed for practicing engineers who wish to specialize in one or more of the following subdisciplines in Environmental Engineering: Industrial Waste Management, Environmental Auditing or Modelling in Environmental Systems.