Dean's Welcome

Welcome to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and to one of the most dynamic small universities in Canada.

Over the last forty years we have seen enormous evolution at Concordia. Teaching has remained central to our mission; but after the institution became fully accredited in 1987, joined the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada in 1990, and went on to develop a wider range of degree programs, the need to encourage research became a pressing priority. By the turn of the century, the research culture had grown significantly on campus, culminating in 2005 with the creation of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the development of our first graduate program. In concert with these changes, Concordia became a full member in the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies and in the Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies.

It has been my privilege to act as the first Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and to oversee the development of two unique and timely graduate programs:

• The Master of Information Systems Security Management (MISSM), a course-based professional program launched in January 2006.
• The Master of Arts in Biblical and Christian Studies, a thesis-based MA program to be launched in September 2009.

The Master of Information Systems Security Management program began with a class of nineteen students and has more than doubled in size since. As this is one of only three such programs in all of Canada, it has attracted students from various regions of the Americas as well as from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The strong international mix of the MISSM students highlights the importance of this area of study to all cultures. Information security is vital to government, to business, to education—indeed to all aspects of modern society that depend on computing and the safe exchange of information. And our graduates have been successful in finding exciting jobs in several of these work environments as information-security specialists.

The Master of Arts in Biblical and Christian Studies program is a natural outgrowth of Concordia’s strong and long-standing tradition in religious studies. This unique new MA will give students the opportunity to specialize in one of three research areas:

• Old Testament
• New Testament
• Christian Theology/History

The program also provides a great deal of flexibility, as it is designed both for students wishing to continue on to doctoral work and for professionals who may use this course of study to complement and enrich their expertise in areas such as education or church work.

Both of our new graduate programs highlight the importance of research at Concordia and our dedication to excellence in teaching. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you, our first graduate students, as we pursue this new phase of Concordia's development. It is my goal, and the goal of all of my colleagues, to help you develop a sense of vocation and to prepare you for leadership in the world. We are dedicated to serving you by providing a rich and rewarding educational experience.

I wish you all the best in your academic endeavors. May you find your time at Concordia both stimulating and enjoyable.

Marco LoVerso, PhD
Dean of Research and Graduate Studies