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Graduate Study in Canada

As demand increases for master’s and PhD graduates in the professional world and academia, Canada is emerging as a centre for graduate study, research, and innovation. In fact, Canada is home to some of the world’s finest research universities, medical schools, law faculties, and graduate business programs.

Over 22,000 international students are currently pursuing graduate degrees in Canada in programs ranging from health sciences to business administration. To determine if graduate study in Canada is right for you, please visit our section on faculty and research to learn more about the world-class academics and cutting-edge research at Canadian universities. You can also search the Association of Universities and Colleges database of programs at Canadian graduate schools.

Overview of Canadian Graduate Programs

There are three general types of graduate degrees in Canada:
  • Course-based master’s degree: This requires the successful completion of a specific program of graduate-level courses and is typically one or two years in duration.
  • Research-based master’s degree: This requires the successful completion of both graduate- level courses and a thesis and is normally two years in duration. You will typically choose your thesis topic in consultation with a graduate supervisor, although many universities require that you state your research interests as part of the application.
  • Doctoral degree: This requires the successful completion of original research and the defence of a thesis that makes a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the student’s chosen field of study. The doctoral degree usually requires either two or three years of full-time residency, although it is common that more time of directed research and writing are required to complete the doctoral thesis.
  • Professional degrees: There are a number of medical, legal, and business administration graduate programs in Canada.
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    Some graduate programs offer the option of full-time or part-time studies. In addition, a number of Canadian universities offer master’s programs via distance education.