PhD Program

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Centre for Medieval Studies (CMS)'s additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants enter with a master's degree in medieval studies or a related field from a recognized university with an average grade of at least A– in the applicant's overall program. Students in the CMS MA program must apply formally for admission to the PhD program on the same basis as all other applicants.

• All applicants must:

  • Follow the application instructions on the department's website.

  • Complete the forms in which they state the reasons for undertaking graduate studies in the medieval area and their qualifications for applying to do so.

  • Pass the Level One Latin examination before they register in the PhD program.

Completion Requirements

• During Years 1 and 2, students must take a minimum of 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs), i.e., 2.0 FCEs in a major field and 1.0 FCE in a minor field. In view of the CMS's interdepartmental nature, some of these courses on the Middle Ages can be taken in other departments, with the approval of the PhD coordinator. MST1001Y may not be counted towards the 1.0 FCE minor field requirements or included in the 3.0 FCEs minimum for the degree; but it must be taken in addition to the 3.0 FCEs minimum by all those who do not pass the Level Two Latin examination right before or upon arrival in the program. In addition to the 3.0 FCEs minimum, MST1003H Professional Development for Medieval Studies PhDs must be taken by all students over the course of the first three years of registration.

• In the PhD program, course training in Latin is given at two levels. MST1001Y Medieval Latin II is the PhD-level course. While this course is preparatory to the departmental Level Two Latin examination, a pass in the course does not guarantee a pass of the departmental examination at the corresponding level. Advanced seminars are open to those with either prior credit in MST1001Y or else a pass of the Level Two Latin examination. These seminars thus serve both advanced students of medieval Latin as well as those who have passed MST1001Y but require further training in order to achieve the Level Two Latin examination pass.

• By the end of the Fall session of Year 2, students should have a full Advisory Committee, consisting of a supervisor and two other members. The Advisory Committee must be formally approved by the PhD coordinator.

• During the Spring session of the same academic year, students should develop the Special Field Proposal in consultation with the Advisory Committee. The proposal must be prepared according to CMS guidelines and consists of three documents:

  • The Reading List (minimum 150 and maximum 250 items, including both primary and secondary sources) — should be submitted to the Advisory Committee members by June 30 of Year 2.

  • A brief (one to two pages) description of scope of the Reading List.

  • The Special Field Proposal Form, which alone should be submitted to the PhD coordinator and graduate administrator at this time.

• Special Field Examination: the purpose is to demonstrate both the student's scholarly expertise in the particular area of doctoral dissertation and a broader academic competence. The Special Field Examination consists of the following:

  • The Field paper (approximately 8,000 to 12,000 words, including footnotes) — should be submitted to the Advisory Committee members and the CMS Executive Committee for approval by January 15 of Year 3.

  • The Syllabus — should be submitted, together with the final version of the Field paper, to the Advisory Committee members by March 31 of Year 3.

  • The Special Field Examination — a two-hour-long oral exam to be held by April 30 of Year 3, and graded on a pass/fail basis. The Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Executive Committee, has the discretion to determine if a student may retake the Special Field Examination. Only one retake is permitted and must take place within two months of the first exam. Students who do not pass the Special Field Examination before the beginning of Year 4 will be recommended to SGS for termination of registration.

• Students must pass the Level Two Latin examination and the CMS's examinations in the French and German languages before moving on to the Special Field Examination. In exceptional cases, a student may petition to replace one of the modern languages (French and German) with another language in their area of research. A written request, with a signed confirmation of support for the petition from the supervisor, must be submitted as early as possible, and no later than the end of the Fall session of Year 2 for consideration by the Executive Committee. In the case of a successful petition, the student will be expected to take the exam no later than the next examination date. Such substitute examinations will be offered no more than two times per year (April and September). Failure to pass all the language exams by the end of Year 3 leads to an automatic failure of the Special Field Examination and thus, to termination from the program.

• The candidate will be required to defend the dissertation at the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.

• It is possible to complete a PhD in Medieval Studies in four years, but most students, depending on their background preparation, find that it takes at least five years.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 4 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time

 

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 Centre for Medieval Studies (CMS)'s additional admission requirements stated below.

• Applicants enter with an appropriate bachelor's degree from a recognized university with an average grade of at least A– in the applicant's overall program. Coursework in the medieval period must have formed part of the program.

• All applicants must:

  • Follow the application instructions on the department's website.

  • Complete the forms in which they state the reasons for undertaking graduate studies in the medieval area and their qualifications for applying to do so.

  • Pass the Level One Latin examination before they register in the PhD program.

Completion Requirements

• During Years 1, 2, and 3, students must take a minimum of 5.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs), including 2.0 FCEs in a major field and 1.0 FCE in a minor field. In view of the CMS's interdepartmental nature, some of these courses on the Middle Ages can be taken in other departments, with the approval of the PhD coordinator. MST1001Y may not be counted towards the 1.0 FCE minor field requirements or included in the 5.0 FCEs minimum for the degree, but it must be taken in addition to the 5.0 FCEs minimum by all those who do not pass the Level Two Latin examination right before or upon arrival in the program. In addition to the 5.0 FCEs minimum, MST1003H Professional Development for Medieval Studies PhDs must be taken by all students over the course of the first three years of registration.

• In the PhD program, course training in Latin is given at two levels. MST1001Y Medieval Latin II is the PhD-level course. While this course is preparatory to the departmental Level Two Latin examination, a pass in the course does not guarantee a pass of the departmental examination at the corresponding level. Advanced seminars are open to those with either prior credit in MST1001Y or else a pass of the Level Two Latin examination. These seminars thus serve both advanced students of medieval Latin as well as those who have passed MST1001Y but require further training in order to achieve the Level Two Latin examination pass.

• By the end of the Fall session of Year 3, students should have a full Advisory Committee, consisting of a supervisor and two other members. The Advisory Committee must be formally approved by the PhD coordinator.

• During the Spring session of the same academic year, students should develop the Special Field Proposal in consultation with the Advisory Committee. The proposal must be prepared according to CMS guidelines and consists of three documents:

  • The Reading List (minimum 150 and maximum 250 items, including both primary and secondary sources) — should be submitted to the Advisory Committee members by June 30 of Year 2.

  • A brief (one to two pages) description of scope of the Reading List.

  • The Special Field Proposal Form, which alone should be submitted to the PhD coordinator and graduate administrator at this time.

• Special Field Examination: the purpose is to demonstrate both the student's scholarly expertise in the particular area of doctoral dissertation and a broader academic competence. The Special Field Examination consists of the following:

  • The Field paper (approximately 8,000 to 12,000 words, including footnotes) — should be submitted to the Advisory Committee members and the CMS Executive Committee for approval by January 15 of Year 3;

  • The Syllabus — should be submitted, together with the final version of the Field paper, to the Advisory Committee members by March 31 of Year 3.

  • The Special Field Examination — a two-hour-long oral exam to be held by April 30 of Year 3, and graded on a pass/fail basis. The Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Executive Committee, has the discretion to determine if a student may retake the Special Field Examination. Only one retake is permitted and must take place within two months of the first exam. Students who do not pass the Special Field Examination before the beginning of Year 4 will be recommended to SGS for termination of registration.

• Students must pass the Level Two Latin examination and the CMS's examinations in the French and German languages before moving on to the Special Field Examination. In exceptional cases, a student may petition to replace one of the modern languages (French and German) with another language in their area of research. A written request, with a signed confirmation of support for the petition from the supervisor, must be submitted as early as possible, and no later than the end of the Fall session of Year 2 for consideration by the Executive Committee. In the case of a successful petition, the student will be expected to take the exam no later than the next examination date. Such substitute examinations will be offered no more than two times per year (April and September). Failure to pass all the language exams by the end of the Spring session of Year 4 leads to an automatic failure of the Special Field Examination and thus to termination from the program.

• The candidate will be required to defend the dissertation at the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.

• It is possible to complete a direct-entry PhD in Medieval Studies in five years but some students, depending on their background preparation, find that it takes longer than five years. Students intending to work in an area of medieval studies that requires the acquisition of one or more extra languages may find that it is not possible to complete a doctorate within five years.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time