The research training programs require that students write a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation which, once completed, will be subjected to a rigorous evaluation by a committee. These programs involve a limited number of courses and allow ample room for personal work, carried out under the guidance of a research supervisor.

Master’s Thesis

The master’s thesis is the written exposé of the results of a research project carried out as part of a master’s program. The master’s thesis must show that candidates have the aptitude to conduct research and is skilled at presenting the results of their work.

Ph.D. Dissertation

The Ph.D. dissertation presents the results of a research project of a greater scope. It must take into account the research work that makes an original and significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge.

Master’s Thesis or Ph.D. Dissertation Topic

It is in the best interest of students and their research supervisor to agree on the research project on which the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation will be based. The project must be clearly set out, must be innovative, and correspond with the methods available to accomplish it within the established timelines. It is important that students establish the outline very early so that they may perform sufficient research prior to confirming their final choice of topic.

Registration of the Research Topic

At the master’s level

The master’s thesis topic must be submitted before the end of the second session of course work.

At the doctoral level

A draft of the research project is required upon admission and students have the first three sessions of course work to submit their dissertation topic.

Registration form of the research topic

Writing and Presentation of the Master’s Thesis and the Ph.D. Dissertation

When students are actually writing the master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation, they must realize that the intended audience is members of the scientific community of the field in which they are pursuing their studies.

All master’s thesis and Ph.D. dissertation manuscripts must comply with highly rigorous guidelines, as outlined in the "Guide de présentation des mémoires et des thèses” (Presentation guide to master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations)".

Submission of the Master’s Thesis or the Ph.D. Dissertation

In order to avoid delays at the evaluation stage of the master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation, students must send a notice of submission to their academic unit (Faculty,School, Department, Program)  at least two months prior to the scheduled submission date. This information enables the academic unit to initiate the process of forming a thesis committee, which can act immediately once the manuscript has been officially submitted.

At the time of the initial deposit, students must complete and sign the appropriate authorization forms.

Electronic submission applies only to final submission of the manuscript; i.e. the final version which has been approved by the president of the jury. The master thesis or the Ph.D. dissertation is submitted to Papyrus, the Institutional Repository, after approval by the academic unit.

For any question regarding the electronic submission, please consult th eLibrary Web site : Thèses et mémoires électroniques

Thesis Committee

Members of the thesis committee evaluate the quality of the manuscript and determine whether the scope of the work completed justifies granting the sought-after degree. The thesis committee is responsible for carrying out a rigorous, impartial and formal evaluation of the master’s thesis or Ph.D. dissertation.

When the manuscript is deemed excellent, the thesis committee ranks it among the best work in the field. The author’s name is then recorded on the GPS’s Rector’s Honours List and may submit their work in the competitions held for the best master’s thesis or the best Ph.D. dissertations.

Withdrawal or Modification of a Master’s Thesis or a Ph.D. Dissertation Submitted to Papyrus - Exceptional Procedures

A student willing to withdraw or to modify his master’s thesis or his Ph.D. dissertation submitted to Papyrus has to:

• Write a request including the submission date, the reasons for the withdrawal or the modification;
• Send his request to the Rector of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS);
• Send a copy to his research supervisor.

GPS will accept and assess the student’s request only if the master’s thesis or the Ph.D. dissertation integrity is involved and only if the request is endorsed by the research supervisor.

Important note:

• Language, sentence or spelling mistakes will not be recognized as valid reasons for withdrawal or modification.
• A request to withdraw or to modify a master’s thesis or a Ph.D. dissertation submitted to Papyrus will not withdraw or modify the copies already harvested by Thesis Canada.