Campus Saint-Jean awards first doctoral degree

On June 16, Komla Essiomle became the first recipient of a doctorate from Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ). Essiomle is also the first to defend a doctoral thesis in French at the faculty, and complete a PhD in French in Alberta.

Campus Saint-Jean launched its PhD program in September 2024, becoming the second University of Alberta campus to offer doctoral degrees, and the first post-secondary campus in Alberta to offer doctoral studies in French. 

Approved in early 2023, it was motivated by the need to focus on societal challenges through transdisciplinary research. Its transdisciplinary PhD program spans across fields of science, health, social sciences, education, and humanities.

The program allows students in Alberta to complete their entire education journey from elementary school to graduate school entirely in French. This is a monumental milestone for the institution and francophone society in Alberta. 

PhD research focuses on challenges affecting francophones in Alberta 

Essiomle’s dissertation found a positive link between induction support and aspirations for upward career progression. Moving up from a teacher to a vice principal or principal falls under this category. Support is especially important for new immigrant teachers during the integration period.

His study also highlighted perceived systemic biases within francophone school board recruitment, where a preference for Canadian-born francophones is exhibited over immigrant francophones. Despite a great number of immigrant teachers, they are largely absent in leadership positions within the educational system. 

Currently, CSJ has several PhD students conducting research across areas such as education, psychology, and music. Many students focus on francophone experiences in English-dominant Alberta, with their research conducted in French.

Michelle Brown, a current PhD student at CSJ, is investigating perceived francophone teacher burnout within Alberta. This means gaining insight into teachers’ perceived levels of burnout within the circumstances of teaching in a minority language context.

She started the program in September 2025, and described her experience so far as positive and enriching. “We have a small cohort that has allowed me to build meaningful relationships with others who share the common goal of strengthening francophone education in Alberta,” said Brown. 

After working as a teacher in a francophone school, she saw her own colleagues face exhaustion and burnout. Her research aims to better support francophone teachers in Alberta while also strengthening the French language and longevity, she explained.

Understanding what leads these teachers to have a perceived level of burnout is key. Brown highlighted that the role as a teacher is overall a demanding job. However, she aims to identify the types of systemic demands and identity burdens francophone teachers carry that their Anglophone counterparts do not. 

CSJ also offers doctorate students the opportunity to complete their PhD entirely online, strengthening the accessibility of the program. 

“I think it’s important that research be produced by and for francophone communities,” said Brown.

CSJ continues to expand and renovate to attract more students, and strengthen itself as a French institution.