Concordia University consists of the School of Graduate Studies, Centre for Continuing Education, and four faculties:

• Arts & Science
• Fine Arts
• Gina Cody School of Engineering & Computer Science
• John Molson School of Business

The largest sector of courses is the Arts & Science programmes at the Loyola Campus, making up a huge 42.1% of all enrolments at the university. The professors here are knowledgeable and close with their students to better help them through courses, challenges and student welfare. 

The Engineering department based in the Gina Cody School of Engineering is also widely renowned and celebrated in their field, with citations from this university being acknowledged around the world, aided by the school’s state-of-the-art equipment and investment in new labs and research centres. 

Co-op learning is encouraged so that students can receive paid internships to earn money while they study, but also to gain practical knowledge as well as class-based theory.

The university is split into two modern campuses that have recently seen C$80million of investment, and are interconnected to the wider city of Montreal. Shuttle buses offer students free transport between the two campuses and provide a service that is frequent and accessible for all.

The Sir George Williams (SGW) campus is located amongst the towering downtown Montreal and is an excellent place for eating, shopping and nightlife and is even connected by tunnels to the metro network. It contains the Molson Building, the home of business and also holds performing arts facilities for theatre, dance, and music.

The Loyola Campus is situated west of SGW in the borough of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and is the hub of sciences, including biology, physics and chemistry with research facilities that are modern and comprehensive.

Students at Concordia can visit the Concordia Small Business Consulting Bureau (CSBCB) at the John Molson School of Business for expertise and advice. They are dedicated to helping young entrepreneurs apply themselves in the Montreal area and alumni who have utilised this resource have all come out of the process more fulfilled, be it professionally, monetarily, or mentally.

The industries the CSBCB have unparalleled insight in include Educational Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Technology, Tourism, and more. They hold over 35 years’ worth of combined experience around their team and they are happy to help full-time and part-time MBA students registered at John Molson.

The startup incubator D3 also have a presence at Concordia and young entrepreneurs with big dreams and determination are incentivised to communicate with them, especially since they have already overseen 619 startups, with 85% of the startups with graduate-level founders and 82% being with immigrant founders, showing that there is no hurdle for international students to get over involving these startups. 

Concordia prides themselves on their research-led approach to education. They have funding available for students to partake in 16 weeks of full-time research under the supervision of a faculty member.

The university has seen C$53.1million in sponsored research revenues, proving its stature as a hub of knowledge among many subjects, shown with their 118 research chairs, 32 of which are federally-funded. Once a student has found an area for research, they can get into contact with the Research Development Team to make sure the application of funds and proposals are all correctly filled in, and also how to find sponsors for research.

Co-op courses are heavily incentivised at Concordia so as to foster a practical attitude towards learning. This allows students to understand what kind of environments they’d be well-suited to in a professional context and companies look favourably upon this approach. Companies that have employed from Concordia University include:

• Tesla Motors
• Ubisoft
• Parks Canada
• Pfizer 
• L’Oréal

Montreal is a technological base of operations, and that is reflected in the fact that 38% of the employed graduates in 2020 went into the Technology sector. 

86% of all MBA students found employment in just 3 months after graduating, and 92% of Masters students found employment in the same time frame.  

Concordia also ranks between #301-500 on the QS Graduate Employability Ranking, showing that being in a city like Montreal can really aid a student’s networking and chances of being hired by a prestigious firm or company.

From the green surroundings of the Loyola Campus, to the metropolitan bustle of the SGW campus, Concordia has a range of experiences tailored to any student’s lifestyle. 

There is a gym on site and terrific sports and athletics at the university, with the varsity team “The Stingers” competing in competitions such as ice hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, and more. There are also 200+ societies to pick from with a wide scope of interests meaning there is something for absolutely everyone. 

Students also run a non-profit health food store called le Frigo Vert, offer free daily vegan student lunches at the People’s Potato, and on Crescent Street is where people will go to sample Montreal’s nightlife. Culturally, students can visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and also live exhibits of plants, animals, and insects at Montreal’s Botanical Garden, the Biodôme, and the Insectarium.

To summarise, Concordia University is a haven for academics who really hope to grasp the opportunities that a research university can offer them. The sheer amount of cutting edge study, and the funding available for it, must be enticing for anyone who seeks a more hands-on approach to their education and the chance to make a difference in their field. 

Its split campuses offer the best of both worlds of learning in a city and the facilities are impressive and well-invested in, making for a modern and competent atmosphere for study. The co-op schemes help students transition from education to professionalism and often employment within a short timeframe. 

Its high proportion of international students also foster an excellent community amongst students who wish to challenge themselves by moving abroad to study, broadening not just their educational horizons, but their social ones too.