Book History and Print Culture

Book History and Print Culture: Introduction

Lead Faculty of the Collaborative Specialization

Arts and Science

Participating Degree Programs

Art History — MA, PhD
Classics — MA, PhD
Comparative Literature — MA, PhD
East Asian Studies — MA, PhD
English — MA, PhD
French Language and Literature — MA, PhD
Germanic Languages and Literatures — MA
Germanic Literature, Culture and Theory — PhD
History — MA, PhD
History and Philosophy of Science and Technology — MA, PhD
Information — MI, PhD
Italian Studies — MA, PhD
Medieval Studies — MA, PhD
Museum Studies — MMSt
Music — MA, PhD
Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations — MA, PhD
Religion — MA, PhD
Slavic Languages and Literatures — MA, PhD
Spanish — MA, PhD

Overview

Histoire du livre, History of the Book, Textual Studies, Print Culture, Sociology of the Text: all these names have been used to describe a growing international academic movement. The graduate programs listed above, in conjunction with Massey College, sponsor an interdisciplinary study in Book History and Print Culture (BHPC) in which the rich physical and human resources of the University of Toronto are brought to bear on multiple aspects of the creation, transmission, and reception of the written word. BHPC brings together graduate students from a variety of disciplines based on their common research interest in the physical, cultural, and theoretical aspects of the book. As a collaborative specialization, it is designed to augment the learning and research potential of existing master's and doctoral programs by pooling the expertise of University of Toronto faculty members in this field from several disciplines.

Students register first for a master's or doctoral degree in their home graduate unit and then apply to the collaborative specialization. Upon successful completion of the degree requirements of the participating home graduate unit and the collaborative specialization, students will receive the notation “Completed Collaborative Specialization in Book History and Print Culture” on their transcript.

Contact and Address

Web: bhpctoronto.com
Email: bookhistory@masseycollege.ca
Telephone: (416) 978-2893

Yulia Ryzhik, Director
Collaborative Specialization in Book History and Print Culture
University of Toronto
Massey College, 4 Devonshire Place
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2E1 Canada

Book History and Print Culture: Master's Level

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants who wish to enrol in the collaborative specialization must apply to and be admitted to both the collaborative specialization and one of the participating degree programs (home unit). Applicants to the collaborative specialization write to the director giving information about their background and relevant interests, identifying the degree and home unit for which they are applying, and outlining a proposed plan of study by April 10 for September admission. Applicants need not wait for a final decision from the home unit before applying to the collaborative specialization. Academic transcript(s) should be included in the application; unofficial transcripts are acceptable and may be sent either as scans attached to your email or as printouts from a student web service mailed to the BHPC office. Advice is available from the director and the collaborative specialization committee.

  • Applications from the participating units have priority in admissions. If there is space in the collaborative specialization, students from other units may apply; they should consult the graduate coordinator in their home unit and the director of the BHPC specialization. Since course requirements vary from unit to unit, it is essential that there be close consultation between the collaborative specialization and the home unit at the time of the application.

Completion Requirements

Master of Arts in Art History;
Master of Arts in Classics;
Master of Arts in East Asian Studies (Thesis Option);
Master of Arts in English (Creative Writing Field);
Master of Arts in French Language and Literature;
Master of Arts in Germanic Languages and Literatures;
Master of Arts in History;
Master of Arts in History and Philosophy of Science and Technology;
Master of Arts in Medieval Studies (Thesis Option);
Master of Arts in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations (One-Year and Two-Year Thesis Options); 
Master of Arts in Religion;
Master of Information (Thesis Option);
Master of Museum Studies

  • Students must fulfil the degree requirements of the unit in which they are enrolled.

  • BKS1001H Introduction to Book History and BKS1002H Book History in Practice, both of which should be taken in Year 1.

  • The thesis or capstone project (MSL4000Y, for example) in the participating degree program will be on a topic related to book history and print culture, approved by the collaborative specialization committee.

  • Collaborative specialization courses may be taken as electives for the purpose of satisfying home program requirements.


Master of Arts in Comparative Literature;
Master of Arts in East Asian Studies (Coursework-Only Option);
Master of Arts in English;
Master of Arts in Italian Studies;
Master of Arts in Medieval Studies (Coursework-Only Option);
Master of Arts in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations (One-Year Coursework-Only Option);
Master of Arts in Slavic Languages and Literatures (One-Year Coursework-Only Option);
Master of Arts in Spanish

  • Students must fulfil the degree requirements of the unit in which they are enrolled.

  • BKS1001H Introduction to Book History and BKS1002H Book History in Practice, both of which should be taken in Year 1.

  • At least 0.5 FCE in additional elective courses related to book history and print culture.

  • Collaborative specialization courses may be taken as electives for the purpose of satisfying home program requirements.


Master of Information (Coursework-Only Option)

  • Students must fulfil the degree requirements of the unit in which they are enrolled.

  • BKS1001H Introduction to Book History and BKS1002H Book History in Practice, both of which should be taken in Year 1.

  • At least 1.5 FCEs in additional elective courses related to book history and print culture.

  • Collaborative specialization courses may be taken as electives for the purpose of satisfying home program requirements.


Master of Arts in Music;
Master of Arts in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations (Two-Year Coursework Option) 

  • Students must fulfil the degree requirements of the unit in which they are enrolled.

  • BKS1001H Introduction to Book History and BKS1002H Book History in Practice, both of which should be taken in Year 1.

  • At least 1.0 FCE in additional elective courses related to book history and print culture.

  • Collaborative specialization courses may be taken as electives for the purpose of satisfying home program requirements.


Elective courses will come from the BHPC roster of cross-listed courses, though students may substitute other courses with the director's approval. Students are encouraged to take courses outside their home graduate unit, if possible.

Mode of Delivery: In person

 

Book History and Print Culture: Doctoral Level

Minimum Admission Requirements

  • Applicants who wish to enrol in the collaborative specialization must apply to and be admitted to both the collaborative specialization and one of the participating degree programs (home unit). Applicants to the collaborative specialization write to the director giving information about their background and relevant interests, identifying the degree and home unit for which they are applying, and outlining a proposed plan of study by April 10 for September admission. Applicants need not wait for a final decision from the home unit before applying to the collaborative specialization. Academic transcript(s) should be included in the application; unofficial transcripts are acceptable and may be sent either as scans attached to your email or as printouts from a student web service mailed to the BHPC office. Advice is available from the director and the collaborative specialization committee.

  • Applications from the participating units have priority in admissions. If there is space in the collaborative specialization, students from other units may apply; they should consult the graduate coordinator in their home unit and the director of the BHPC specialization. Since course requirements vary from unit to unit, it is essential that there be close consultation between the collaborative specialization and the home unit at the time of the application.

Completion Requirements

  • Students must fulfil the degree requirements of the unit in which they are enrolled.

  • The plan of study must also be approved by the BHPC specialization committee. The plan of study includes BKS1001H Introduction to Book History (if that course has not been taken previously at the master's level), BKS2000H Advanced Seminar in Book History and Print Culture, and BKS2001H Individual Practicum in Book History and Print Culture. BKS1001H must be taken as a prerequisite or corequisite to BKS2000H and BKS2001H.

  • The dissertation topic will be in the area of book history and print culture. The advisory committee will include at least one faculty member affiliated with BHPC, and students are encouraged, but not required, to seek representation on the committee from outside the home unit.

  • The collaborative specialization may be completed on a flexible-time basis only by Faculty of Information students registered for the Information flexible-time PhD.

Mode of Delivery: In person

 

Book History and Print Culture: Courses

Course CodeCourse Title
Introduction to Book History
Book History in Practice
Advanced Seminar in Book History and Print Culture
Individual Practicum in Book History and Print Culture

Get further details and listings of appropriate courses in various graduate units.