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Theses & Dissertations

Highlights from mcgill theses & dissertations.

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This guide will assist you in preparing and finding theses and dissertations at McGill, as well as Canadian, American and International institutes. For more information, please refer to the subject guides  or contact a  subject librarian  to schedule an appointment.

Please note, the generic term  thesis is often used to describe both master's theses and doctoral dissertations in databases and repositories.

McGill showcases the scholarships and stories in the thesis and dissertation collection. Learn about notable graduates and read their theses, explore profiles, work with data sets and read about the ongoing thesis digitization project.

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• Last Updated: Nov 16, 2022 11:53 AM
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Undergraduate Research and Projects

The School of Computer Science at McGill University offers undergraduate students the opportunity to take courses where you can work one-on-one with a professor. This can be a research project, or a technical project which involves software development, or learning about a theoretical topic for which no course is available.

Undergraduate research in particular is often the highlight of a student's learning experience. It gives you a chance to work alongside the professors and their graduate students. Students are generally paid to stretch their imagination, and test their ingenuity and creativity. At the same time, they learn valuable problem formulation and presentation skills which will be useful in any career.

COMP 396 Undergraduate Research Project

An elective course, available to qualified students starting in their 2nd term at McGill.

Computer Science professors post available projects in the central Faculty of Science web site . However, make sure to check out all the other 396 courses from other departments too, since one objective of these courses is to allow interdisciplinary research. You may find a professor in another department looking for a student with a computer science background.

Note that many 396 offerings are based on a student expressing interest in a research area, and the student and professor write the proposal together. So don't be shy to talk with the Computer Science professors about new projects that could be proposed.

COMP 400 Project in Computer Science

This course is required in several of the Honours programs but it can also be used as a complementary course in most other programs as long as the student can find a supervisor and the course get approved by the Undergraduate Chair. If you have found an area that excites you, talk to the professors for courses in those areas and see if you can work out a project proposal with them.

COMP 480  Independence Studies in Computer Science

This is an independent studies course where a student learns about a topic for which no other course is available, rather than carrying out research or writing software.  

Summer Research Projects

Summer research projects may be paid research assistantships which are typically funded through an  NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) , or a McGill Science Undergraduate Research Award (SURA) . Students can apply for these awards starting in their U1 year at McGill (your 2nd year if you started in the Freshman Program, and in your 1st year if you came from a CEGEP).  If you are doing well in your studies, remember to apply for these early in the Winter term.

Ask your professors for some help and for potential projects. Professors love to have NSERC USRA or SURA students working with them in their labs and they will help you out with your applications.

More detailed information about the program and application procedures is available at here .

Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium

At the end of each summer we hold the annual Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium where undergraduate students present their research, and have the opportunity to meet the other students and faculty members involved in the program. During the Symposium, a panel of judges selects the winner of the Undergraduate Research Excellence Prize.

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Doctoral Dissertation Research Proposal

Downloadable content.

• Videtic, Andrea
• Butler-Kisber, Lynn (Supervisor)
• Sample Research Question: The following is the overarching question driving the research: What is the structure of a meaningful relationship between at-promise emerging adult student and teacher in the CEGEP context? Key sub questions are generated from this broader question. How does the teacher interact with the student? (Who is the teacher and what approach does he/she employ?) How does the student experience the relationship? (What are the meaningful outcomes of the interaction?) What meaning is derived from the relationship for both teacher and student?
• Sample questions
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• Department of Integrated Studies in Education
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Projects for Course-Based Graduate Degrees

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

World-class labs to strengthen our bench-to-bedside approach

The Research Institute of the MUHC (RI-MUHC) is an international research powerhouse with a worldwide reputation in the field of biomedical sciences and health care.

The 2023 RI-MUHC Annual Report is now available online!

It is our pleasure to present the online version of the  2023 Annual Report of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)   with the theme “ Connected for discovery .”

For our latest research stories and events, we also invite you to bookmark RI-MUHC News  on our website and follow the RI-MUHC on  Facebook ,  Instagram ,  Twitter  or  LinkedIn .

Your feedback is welcome! Contact  [email protected]

Learn more about our  Research Institute here .

The Research Institute of the MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec−santé (FRQS).

Our Address: ( Administration Address ) The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre 2155, rue Guy, 5e étage Montreal, QC, Canada  H3H 2R9 Information: Tel: 514 934-1934 ext. 48354 Email

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Warning message

Dom world class teams: applications closed for 2024.

Click Here to download Application for the McGill DOM World Class Teams Process

This World Class Team process relates to a key objective from the DOM’s strategic plan-to become the most research-intensive DOM in Canada. The McGill DOM strives for excellence and we recognize that promoting growth in areas where we lead the world, or can lead the world, is/will be a key driver of reaching our strategic aspirations.

DOM World Class Teams are multi-disciplinary teams of scientists working in a specific “area” of focus, led by McGill DOM members. We are embarking on a process to identify our top 3 established world class teams and our top 3 emerging world class teams across the McGill DOM ecosystem. Established world class teams include multiple scientists collaborating and generating world leading outputs in an area. Emerging world class include multiple scientists collaborating in an area with clear and attainable plans to become world leaders.

Once we identify our world class teams, they will be given priority in areas under the DOM’s direct control such as fellowship support (salary and operating)​, recruitment (including future tenure slots, CAS Research start-up packages), etc. Successful teams will also benefit from DOMs advocacy for support from McGill, our affiliated institutions, and their affiliated Foundations.

To identify our teams, we will hold an open and transparent competition with written submissions and oral presentations by self-identified groups working in an “area” led by McGill DOM members. The submissions will articulate the structure (who), function (how), funding (with what), recent and upcoming outputs and the world comparable of their “world class team” in “area X” (i.e. identify/describe top 3 competitors in “area X”.). A 15-min presentation or “elevator pitch” to our DOM World Class Teams panel will be required as part of the process. The DOM World Class Teams panel will include the McGill FMHS Dean (or delegate), our affiliated Research Institute (RI) CSOs/CEOs (or delegates) and 3 external reviewers (senior, mid and early career).

The Department will open a call for applications every 4 years.

Application Deadline : January 15, 2024

Criteria for Application

• Team must be led by a primary McGill DOM Faculty member and include a core of at least 2 other McGill DOM Faculty members. Important cross-McGill collaborations and external collaborations are a strength but the team must be led by a primary McGill DOM member.
• Priority will be given to teams whose projects align with the McGill DOM strategic plan, McGill, affiliated hospital and affiliated RI priorities.
• A team’s research can be in any area and in any form including bench to bedside to policy work and can include medical education and quality initiatives. However, it must be focused, “centres of excellence” in a medical specialty will not be considered (e.g. World-Class team in Hematology would not be considered but a World Class Team in Multiple Myeloma would be considered).

Submission/Presentation

Successful applications will be selected based on a written submission to our panel and a 15min “elevator pitch” presentation to panel at an open forum.

Written submission formatting

A 3- page application (with appended CCVs of core team members), following the format below:

Name area (i.e. World Class Teams in “X”)

Choose “Emerging” or “Established” category .

Who ? Team Composition (1/2 page with attached CCVs)​:

• Identify “team” scientists (name, career path, percentage funded protected time, percentage time commitment to team “area”, 5-year external peer reviewed funding in “area”, career publications in “area”, reputational index ranking of members in “area” (Expertscape and Research.com).​ Note that teams of <3 scientists are unlikely to be selected.
• Appended the CCVs of the core scientists in the team (i.e. scientists that devote at least 25% of their total activity to research in the “area”)
• Identify key collaborators (internal/external scientists) and identify their roles

How? ​ (3/4 page)​

• Team structure- describe how the team currently interacts/collaborates​
• Current common team resources (common managerial support, common administrative support, common research staff support, shared lab/office space used for “area X”)​.
• Current team activities (seminars/rounds, grant pre-review, research in progress meetings, other activities that advance team’s agenda)​

Team Track Record (1/2 page)​:

• Publications in top “area” journals (describe why journal is top journal in “Area X” and top 60 medical journals in last 10 years​ (see DOM website for top 60 medical Journals list )
• Top 5 cited first/senior author papers for each team member​

Expected future output (3/4 page)​

• Description of team’s research program, planned activities and expected outputs from these activities​.

World Comparable Programs (1/2 page)​

• List and describe the top 3 research programs in “area” in the world (e.g. why are they top 3?, what is the structure, function, composition of team and top outputs of the top 3). Tell us ​why you are (established team) or will be (emerging team) in top 5 over the next 5-10 years?​

Application Review

Applications will be reviewed by the DOM World Class Teams Panel for both the written application and the 15-minute presentation.

Applicants should complete the attached form . Use single spacing, 12-point font and 1-inch margins. The proposal must then be submitted electronically to the office of the Chair of Medicine, by filling up the form below or emailing it to  dom.adminassistant [at] mcgill.ca .  

Application Form for the DOM World Class Teams Process Closed

Department and university information, department of medicine.

• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Postdoctoral research at McGill
• Fonds de recherche Santé Québec (FRQS)
• Canada Research Chairs
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)
• Collège des médecins du Québec
• Canadian Medical Association
• Canadian Association for Medical Education
• Canadian Residency Matching Service

• Applying for Graduate School
• Understanding Expectations
• Developing Genre Awareness
• Establishing a Project’s Value
• Writing Scholarship and Research Proposals
• Writing Literature Reviews
• Writing Theses and Dissertations
• Understanding the Publication Cycle
• Understanding Authorship
• Writing About Data
• Explaining Research to Diverse Audiences
• Writing with Integrity
• Revising with Intent
• Staying Motivated and Productive
• Creating a Writing Toolkit
• Building Grammatical Confidence

Graduate Writing: Writing Scholarship and Research Proposals

Scholarship and grant proposals.

While some graduate students may enter their programs as partially or fully funded students, many still rely on scholarships or other forms of funding (including but not limited to loans and full- or part-time work) to pay for graduate school.

Scholarship and grant proposals are argumentative texts that aim to persuade the reader(s) to give the writer money. Requirements vary depending on the funding body–whether a special interest group or a federal funding agency–so it is important to carefully review all guidelines.

When reviewing requirements, students should also assess what is valued by the funder. For instance, one group may prioritize students who have overcome personal challenges while other groups prioritize the research potential of one’s project. Such priorities will be expressed through essay prompts and other means.

Many graduate scholarships, especially those that are high value, prioritize a candidate’s current or proposed research. Consequently, these proposals may require you to clearly position your project in relation to the work of other scholars and argue the importance of your research (CARS moves can help! See the section on Literature Reviews in this guide for more detail), provide an overview of your methodology, explain the implications of potential findings, and/or share a communications plan. You may also need to provide a detailed budget for the project.

In Canada, the most recognizable graduate scholarships are awarded through a Tri-Agency scholarship, a federal funding body. To learn more, visit the CGPS page on Tri-Council funding .  Other scholarships can be located through the USask Scholarships and bursaries site and/or EduCanada .

Pursuing graduate school and/or a second graduate degree after your USask studies? If you have a strong academic record and notable research excellence and/or community involvement, consider opportunities like the Rhodes Scholarship (for study at Oxford University), Cambridge International Scholarships and Gates-Cambridge Scholarship (for study at Cambridge University), and the McCall MacBain Scholarship (for study at McGill University).

If you pursue a career in academia or in a non-profit organization, you will continue to compete for grants and fellowships throughout your career. In some instances, these organizations will have in-house support for preparing grants and/or will invite external speakers to conduct workshops on how to write a successful application. Some graduates may themselves pursue a career dedicated to grant writing!

Interested in seeing examples of successful and unsuccessful grant applications? Explore resources like Open Grants , which feature applications from around the world.

Note : Sometimes the words scholarships, grants, and fellowships are used synonymously but can have different meanings depending on context. 

Looking for more information on writing a successful scholarship proposal?

• Dai, Q. (Host). (2021, September 8). How to write a successful CGS-D or PGS-D application [Audio podcast transcript]. In Discover BME – University of Toronto . University of Toronto. https://discover.bme.utoronto.ca/how-to-write-a-successful-cgs-pgs-application/
• Bourguignon, C. & Simoneau-Gilbert, V. (2021, August 5). Becoming Rhodes Scholars: Preparing the application. University Affairs . https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/graduate-matters/becoming-rhodes-scholars-preparing-the-application/
• Hahn-Baker, M. & Leggett, S. (2023, June 7). Telling the story of who you are through a scholarship application [McCall Macbain]. University Affairs .  https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/graduate-matters/telling-the-story-of-who-you-are-through-a-scholarship-application/
• Shen, A. (2017, August 22). 10 tips for a successful CIHR application. University Affairs. https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/10-tips-successful-cihr-application/  
• Siebarth, T. (2017, July 25). Tips and myths to consider when preparing your SSHRC application. University Affairs . https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/tips-myths-consider-preparing-sshrc-application/
• Surprenant, A. (2018, September 12). Optimize your chance of success with NSERC PGS-CGS Doctoral [Presentation slides]. Memorial University. https://www.mun.ca/sgs/current/funding/NSERC_PGS_CGS_D_Sept_16_2018.pdf

Looking for more information on writing a successful grant proposal?

• Butler, K. (2022, June 27). A guide to writing grant proposals. Times Higher Education .  https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/guide-writing-grant-proposals
• Husain, M. (2015). How to write a successful grant or fellowship application. Practical Neurology, 15 (6), 474–478. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2015-001206
• Nelson, A. (2015, March 6). Writing grant applications [Presentation slides]. GradWRITE: Graduate Writing Conference, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada . http://writing.uwo.ca/img/pdfs/Nelson,%20Writing%20a%20Grant%20Application.pdf
• Sohn, E. (2020). Secrets to writing a winning grant. Nature, 577 , 133–135. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03914-5

Research Proposals

While most students in a PhD program or research-based MA/MSc will have already written a research statement as part of their initial application, it is also common for graduate students to write a more comprehensive research proposal in advance of carrying out their research once enrolled. These texts may also be referred to as academic proposals or thesis proposals, depending on one’s school or department.

This document allows one’s supervisor and/or committee to provide constructive feedback before a student carries out the project, to help ensure the quality of the final project. For PhD students, this document is usually prepared after comprehensive exams.

Some departments may provide general or very detailed instructions as to the content and/or length (e.g., pages or word counts) of a research proposal. For instance, the USask Department of English has a PhD Dissertation Proposal form , whereas the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources has a template for writing a research proposal . Always consult with your supervisor to determine what is expected.

Looking for more information on writing a research proposal?

• Might, M. (n.d.) A thesis proposal is a contract. Matt Might. https://matt.might.net/articles/advice-for-phd-thesis-proposals/
• Procter, M. (n.d.). Academic proposals in graduate school. University of Toronto. https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/academic-proposals-in-graduate-school/
• Research & Learning Online. (2021). Writing a research proposal. Monash University . https://www.monash.edu/rlo/graduate-research-writing/write-the-thesis/writing-a-research-proposal
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