Double degree in multilingual communication (uOttawa - UCLouvain)

Selection procedure

Given the limited number of places available (maximum 5 per master programme), please submit an application if you wish to participate in the dual degree program in Multilingual Communication/ Communication organized in collaboration with the University of Ottawa.

Conditions for admission

You may submit an application if:

1. You have followed (or are about to complete) an undergraduate university course (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent foreign degree) which gives you access to the Master’s programme in Multilingual Communication (see also general admission conditions for this programme)  and
2. You wish to choose English and French as major languages and
3. During your programme, you have acquired a minimum level of B2 in English and French (receptive and productive communicative skills) and
4. In your previous academic programme, you have obtained an average of 14/20 or equivalent for international students,

The dossier, written in English or French, must include :

• . a cover letter ;
• . an up-to-date curriculum vitae (maximum of 2 pages) with a recent photo in passport format ;
• . a copy of the previous university degree(s) or in its absence, a certificate proving your enrolment at the end of the programme (with the current year’s programme);
• . the transcripts of each year of study (including the current exam session(s)) ;
• . proof of knowledge of English and French (level B2) :
  • . Accepted as proof of English: international test certificate
  • . Accepted as evidence for French: international test certificate

Note

If you are (or have been) studying at a French-speaking university or studying French as part of an undergraduate program that includes French as a major language (for example, French language and literature, communication, etc.), you may be exempt from proof of knowledge of French.

If you are (or have been) studying at an English-speaking university or studying English as part of an undergraduate program that includes English as a major language (for example, English language and literature), you may be exempt from proof of knowledge of English.

Deadlines and conditions for submission (2025-2026 academic year)

Vous devez envoyer votre dossier de candidature au format électronique (un seul document PDF) à l’attention du coordinateur académique du programme, la professeure Sylvie De Cock. La date limite pour l'envoi des dossiers de candidature est le 31 mars 2025.  Les dossiers seront examinés par un jury de sélection conjoint.You must send your application in electronic format (one PDF document) to the attention of the academic coordinator of the program, professor Sylvie De Cock.  The deadline for submission of applications is March 31, 2025.  Applications will be reviewed by a joint selection panel.

Note : All international applicants must apply for admission to UCLouvain via the online form, in parallel with the selection procedure for the double degree.
Please note the deadlines for submitting applications to the registration service: refer to the UCLouvain registration calendar. 

Students admitted to the dual degree program at UCLouvain complete the first year program at UCLouvain (including a distance learning course provided by the University of Ottawa) and the second year program at the University of Ottawa.

First year program at UCLouvain

Second year program at uOttawa

Work placement

An internship of  minimum 3-months (468h or 12 weeks full time) is an integral part of the training. This internship allows you to gain significant work experience in a wide range of companies and organizations in an international context.

Thanks to this professional immersion, you will discover first hand the business world and develop knowledge and skills related to the functioning of communication within an organization.

Students enrolled at UCLouvain complete their internship in Canada during the second year of the master’s degree (winter session) at uOttawa.

You will receive help from the relevant office at the uOttawa to find an internship in Canada, particularly in the capital, where many political, economic, media, national and international cultural and diplomatic bodies are based.

As a general rule, the internship is not paid in Belgium, but other options are available for internships in Canada.

The work placement is credited in the UCLouvain program in accordance with the UCLouvain procedures and course description (internship report and oral defence).

Dissertation

The master’s dissertation is a joint UCLouvain-uOttowa assignment and is written under the supervision of a promoter and co-promoter, mainly during the second year of the programme. Reflection on the subject of the dissertation must begin in the first year in consultation with the program managers. There are guidelines involving several steps :

1. . In the first semester (fall session) of the first year of the Master, all students of the dual-degree take a course on Research Methodology given by a professor at the uOttawa. Students at UCLouvain will follow the course remotely.
2. . All students are enrolled in the dissertation seminar (LMULT2997) at UCLouvain and the “Research proposal” course (CMN6990) at uOttawa.

3. . During the first year, students will choose their supervisors and the subject of their dissertation.  

   The dissertation is written in either English or French.

Registration and registration fees at UClouvain

During the master’s degree, students from UCLouvain selected for the DD-MULT programme are enrolled at UCLouvain where they pay full registration and tuition fees until graduation.

Registration and registration fees at uOttawa

From the first year of the masters programme, UCLouvain students must pay a registration fee at uOttawa. The fee for submitting the admission file is $100 CAD.

During the mobility period at uOttawa (second year), UCLouvain students pay all incidental and administrative expenses related to their student status. For reference, the administrative fees for 2023-2024 were $657.41 for fall 2023, $657.41 for winter 2023 and $651.55 for spring-summer 2024 (see here).

UCLouvain students are required to pay for Ontario health insurance (hospitalization, medical appointments) or UHIP.  For reference, the costs for 2023 were $252 per quarter.   The "U-Pass" (city bus) is also mandatory at about $600 for 8 months (see here).

Upon completion of the double degree programme, the student is awarded a degree from each of the partner institutions:

• . the Master’s degree [120] in multilingual communication of the UCLouvain
• . the Master of Arts in Communication degree from uOttawa

UCLouvain students admitted to the DD-MULT programme are eligible for an exchange grant. For more information on scholarships, contact the International Relations Department of the Faculty.

In order to obtain the permit required to study in Canada (visa), applicants will also be required to prove that they will be able to meet the eligibility requirements (including proof of financial resources) described here:

• Eligibility
• Study permit