Master of Arts (Coursework and Research Paper Option)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of History's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university with at least a B+ standing.

• Successful completion of at least 6.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) in history. Applicants without adequate history training may be required to complete an appropriate number of undergraduate history courses before being considered for admission. In rare cases, an applicant may be admitted to the MA program but will be required to do one or two courses in addition to the MA program requirements.

• In addition to the School of Graduate Studies online application form, applicants must submit:

  • an Application Information Form

  • three letters of recommendation

  • a 500-word specific research proposal outlining a precise field and area of historical investigation

  • a writing sample of no more than 3,000 words.

• Applicants who were educated outside Canada, whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with scores of at least:

  • paper-based TOEFL exam: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE)

  • Internet-based TOEFL exam: 100/120 with 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• Students must achieve at least an overall B average in their courses to maintain standing.

• Students must also demonstrate competency in a language other than English, to be assessed in a manner approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate) or designate.

• Students must successfully complete a total of 3.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • HIS1997H The Practice of History

  • HIS2000Y MA essay

  • 2.0 FCE: HIS courses. Normally, up to 1.0 FCE may be taken outside the Department of History with the approval of the Associate Chair, Graduate.

• Full-time MA students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 12 months of entering the program.

Master of Arts (Thesis Option)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of History's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university with at least a B+ standing.

• Successful completion of at least 6.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) in history. Applicants without adequate history training may be required to complete an appropriate number of undergraduate history courses before being considered for admission. In rare cases, an applicant may be admitted to the MA program but will be required to do one or two courses in addition to the MA program requirements.

• In addition to the School of Graduate Studies online application form, applicants must submit:

  • an Application Information Form

  • three letters of recommendation

  • a 500-word specific research proposal outlining a precise field and area of historical investigation

  • a writing sample of no more than 3,000 words.

• Applicants who were educated outside Canada, whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with scores of at least:

  • paper-based TOEFL exam: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE)

  • Internet-based TOEFL exam: 100/120 with 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• Students must achieve at least an overall B average in their courses to maintain standing.

• Students must also demonstrate competency in a language other than English, to be assessed in a manner approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate) or designate.

• Students must successfully complete a total of 2.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • HIS1997H The Practice of History

  • 1.5 FCEs: present an MA thesis.

• The thesis MA might take longer than the coursework MA. The thesis must be presented by full-time students within three years of entering the program; part-time students must present within six years of entering the program.

Master of Arts; Field: Contemporary International History

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of History's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university with at least a B+ standing.

• A B+ average (grade point average of 3.3), or equivalent, in the final 5.0 FCEs of the BA.

• In addition to the School of Graduate Studies online application form, applicants must submit:

  • an Application Information Form

  • three letters of recommendation

  • a 500-word specific research proposal outlining a precise field and area of historical investigation

  • a writing sample of no more than 3,000 words.

• Applicants who were educated outside Canada, whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with scores of at least:

  • paper-based TOEFL exam: 600 with 5 on the Test of Written English (TWE)

  • Internet-based TOEFL exam: 100/120 with 22/30 on the writing and speaking sections.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must successfully complete a total of 2.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • HIS1997H The Practice of History

  • HIS1900H History in International Affairs or HIS1901H Approaches and Methodologies in Contemporary International History

  • the remaining 1.5 FCEs can be taken within or outside the History department.

• HIS2000Y, a research project defined in consultation with a supervisor and approved by the CIH Coordinator.

• Students must achieve at least an overall B average in their courses to maintain standing.

• Students must also demonstrate competency in a language other than English, to be assessed in a manner approved by the Associate Chair (Graduate) or designate.

PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of History's additional admission requirements stated below.

• Normally, applicants may enter the PhD program with an MA degree in history or its equivalent with an A– average or better.

• Applicants must satisfy the department of their ability to do independent research at an advanced level.

• In addition to the School of Graduate Studies online application form, applicants must submit:

  • an Application Information Form

  • three letters of recommendation

  • a 500-word specific research proposal outlining a precise field and area of historical investigation

  • a writing sample of no more than 6,000 words.

• Applicants who were educated outside Canada, whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the successful completion of a recognized English-language proficiency examination as outlined in the School of Graduate Studies General Regulations.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. With MA degree in history: students must successfully complete a total of 2.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) with a B+ average throughout the coursework.

• Residence requirement. Residence means students must be in such geographical proximity as to be able to visit the campus regularly and participate fully in the University's activities associated with the program. PhD students must maintain geographical proximity to the campus until they have passed their field examinations but no longer than a period of two years.

• Comprehensive examinations. At the beginning of their programs, students consult with their supervisor and the Associate Chair, Graduate to determine their fields. Two options are available: two majors or one major and two minors. Major fields should coincide with the subject area(s) that the student has chosen for the thesis. Minors should be in different areas. The comprehensive field examinations consist of a written examination in each field and a common oral examination covering all fields. Students are required to take their field examinations by the spring of Year 2, but they are strongly advised to take them as soon as possible after the completion of their coursework. Examinations are held in January and April. Examinations cannot be postponed beyond the spring of Year 2 without permission of the Associate Chair, Graduate. The department's website lists the fields offered.

• Language requirements vary with the student’s major area of study. If not already so qualified, a student must qualify in one language other than English normally by the beginning of Year 2 and no later than 12 months after the successful completion of the comprehensive examinations and may be asked to qualify in other program-related languages. All language requirements are subject to the approval of the Associate Chair, Graduate.

• Thesis: When all of the above requirements are completed, the candidate will proceed to write the PhD thesis and defend it at a Doctoral Final Oral Examination. The thesis must be a piece of original scholarship, approximately 350 pages (90,000 words) in length, exclusive of notes and bibliography. Thesis preparation is guided by a committee consisting of the major supervisor and two other faculty members. The thesis must be presented within six years of first enrolment in the full-time PhD program.

PhD Program (Direct-Entry)

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Department of History's additional admission requirements stated below.

• Exceptional applicants may enter the PhD program by direct entry from the BA with an A– average or better.

• Applicants must satisfy the department of their ability to do independent research at an advanced level.

• In addition to the School of Graduate Studies online application form, applicants must submit:

  • an Application Information Form

  • three letters of recommendation

  • a 500-word specific research proposal outlining a precise field and area of historical investigation

  • a writing sample of no more than 6,000 words.

• Applicants who were educated outside Canada, whose primary language is not English, and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction was not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language through the successful completion of a recognized English-language proficiency examination as outlined in the School of Graduate Studies General Regulations.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. By direct entry: students must successfully complete a total of 4.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs), 0.5 of which must be HIS1997H The Practice of History. Students must maintain an A– average in their first 2.0 FCEs in order to continue in the program.

• Residence requirement. Residence means students must be in such geographical proximity as to be able to visit the campus regularly and participate fully in the University's activities associated with the program. PhD students must maintain geographical proximity to the campus until they have passed their field examinations but no longer than a period of two years.

• Comprehensive examinations. At the beginning of their programs, students consult with the Associate Chair, Graduate to determine their fields, and students will be assigned advisors. Two options are available: two majors or one major and two minors. Major fields should coincide with the subject area(s) that the student has chosen for the thesis. Minors should be in different areas. The comprehensive field examinations consist of a written examination in each field and a common oral examination covering all fields. Students are required to take their field examinations by the spring of Year 3, but they are strongly advised to take them as soon as possible after the completion of their coursework. Examinations are held in January and April. Examinations cannot be postponed beyond the spring of Year 3 without permission of the Associate Chair, Graduate. The department's website lists the fields offered.

• Language requirements vary with the student's major area of study. If not already so qualified, a student must qualify in one language other than English normally by the beginning of Year 3 and no later than 12 months after the successful completion of the comprehensive examinations and may be asked to qualify in other program-related languages. All language requirements are subject to the approval of the Associate Chair, Graduate.

• Thesis: When all of the above requirements are completed, the candidate will proceed to write the PhD thesis and defend it at a Doctoral Final Oral Examination. The thesis must be a piece of original scholarship, approximately 350 pages (90,000 words) in length, exclusive of notes and bibliography. Thesis preparation is guided by a committee consisting of the major supervisor and two other faculty members. The thesis must be presented within seven years of first enrolment in the direct-entry PhD.