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In addition to the requirements of the Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts, the Department requires:

Master of Arts
a) Normally, a four-year undergraduate program with honours or a major in history. Usually this entails at least seven full-year History courses (or fourteen half courses). Credit may be given for up to two half courses in other disciplines, if appropriate for the proposed area of study;
b) A minimum admission grade point average of 3.40 on a four-point scale over the final 10 full-course equivalents of the undergraduate degree;
c) A copy of a historical research paper, preferably graded, normally at the senior undergraduate level
d) A 250-word (minimum) statement of research interest including research topics in the major field and the reasons for pursuing a post-graduate degree in history;
e) Two reference letters.

Doctor of Philosophy
a) Normally, a completed four-year undergraduate program with honours or a major in history and a completed Master’s degree or the equivalent in history or in a related discipline;
b) A grade point average of 3.70 on a four-point scale in history at the graduate level;
c) A detailed statement of research interests, career goals, and ideas for the thesis topic;
d) A sample of written work, normally a Master’s thesis chapter or a major research paper completed at the Master’s level;
e) Two reference letters.

In addition to the Faculties of Graduate Studies and Arts requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts (thesis-based)

a) A minimum of one year of full-time study at the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½.

b) Three full-course equivalents (including History 690) in two semesters of course work. Masters students will complete their coursework through regularly offered History seminars.
Areas of faculty research interests include: Canada, Europe, Israel Studies, Latin America, United States, Britain, Imperial India, China, Atlantic History, History of Science, Intellectual History, Military-Diplomatic History, Political History, Popular Culture, Religious History, History of Gender and Sexuality, Social History, and Western Canada/Borderlands/Frontier.

Students in the Departments of History, Political Science, Religious Studies and the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies may choose an interdisciplinary specialization in Israel Studies. For further information on the Israel Studies (Interdisciplinary) specialization, see the separate listing in this Calendar.

In cooperation with the Department of Philosophy, the History Department offers a Masters of Arts degree in the History and Philosophy of Science. Students who choose this concentration are required to take courses in the relevant departments. Candidates enrolled in the Department of History are expected to work with more than one instructor in History.

Students must take one half course seminar in a field unrelated to the student's research interests. In instances where there are no seminars being offered in the student's research field, students may, with permission of the chair of graduate studies, take one 500-level undergraduate seminar but on the understanding that extra course work will be required.
The Graduate Studies Committee may vote to allow students to enrol in History 691 directed reading courses after reviewing a written request from the student's supervisor.

c) A thesis of 80 to 150 pages, including notes, charts, tables and appendices, but excluding bibliography. Students begin thesis preparation as they undertake their course work and may fulfill the requirements for their Master of Arts degree in twelve months.

d) A demonstration of reading knowledge of a second language related to the major field of study prior to the oral thesis defence.

Master of Arts (course-based)

There is no full-time requirement for this program.

a) A minimum of six full-course equivalents; two may be senior undergraduate courses at the 500 level, two must be graduate seminars and at least two are to be graduate seminars in a secondary field.

b) Completion of History 690 in the first year and History 651 and History 653 in the final year of program.

c) A 50–60 page research paper prepared in the final year and defended in an oral examination.

d) A demonstration of reading knowledge of a second language related to the major field of study before the oral examination.

e) Completion of at least one half course per semester.

Doctor of Philosophy

a) A minimum of two years of full-time study at the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½.

b) Three full-course equivalents at the graduate level, including courses in the primary, secondary and cognate areas. Doctoral students are required to complete 2.5 FCE in History coursework at the graduate level, of which at least 1 FCE must be completed in the primary area and one half course in the secondary area. Doctoral students must also complete one half course outside of History in a cognate area. The areas will be defined in detail by the supervisor and the student in consultation with the Supervisory Committee and must be approved by the Department Graduate Studies Committee. During the candidacy examination, the student will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the primary and secondary areas as well as his or her particular field of research. The secondary area will be selected from an area of history outside of the primary area. The cognate course will consist of a non-history discipline or thematic history subject. The length of the reading list will be 100-150 titles for the primary area (with the understanding that the three articles or stand alone chapters in essay anthologies is the equivalent of one book), and 50-75 titles for the secondary area. The availability of secondary areas and cognate/thematic courses will depend on faculty members' expertise. Each of a student's areas must be taught by a different faculty member or as defined by the committee.

Primary Areas: Canada; History of Science, Latin America; Medieval and Early Modern Europe; Military/Diplomatic Modern Europe and Britain; United States; World.

Secondary Areas (to be chosen from outside of Primary Area): Canada; History of Science; Latin America; Medieval and Early Modern Europe; Military/Diplomatic; Modern Europe and Britain; United States; World.

Cognate Course: Students will complete one half course of graduate level coursework in an area outside of History. A student's cognate course will be determined in consultation with the supervisor.

c) A thesis normally of 400 pages, including notes, charts and tables, but excluding bibliography and appendices.

d) A reading knowledge of one language other than English.

e) Written and oral candidacy examinations in primary and secondary areas. The Supervisory Committee consists of the primary and secondary area supervisors with the third member being a faculty member whose area of expertise is in the field of study for the student. The History Department urges candidates to take candidacy examinations within 16 months of first registration. Examinations must be completed within 20 months of first registration.

The doctoral program consists of two terms of coursework relevant to the primary and secondary areas, and cognate course. During the third and fourth terms, students read for the candidacy examinations. Four to five terms of thesis preparation will normally follow. Students who have not taken History 690 or its equivalent will be required to take it as part of their program in the first year and in addition to the requirements above.

Doctoral candidacy examinations have a written and an oral component and are taken upon completion of all course and language requirements. Students will write exams for their primary and secondary areas. There will be a closed-book exam in each field. (Primary area closed book format will require that the student write a three-hour exam on campus with no sources, answering three questions from a range of questions provided by the primary area supervisor. Secondary area closed book format will require that the student write a two-hour exam on campus with no sources, answering three questions from a range of questions provided by the secondary area supervisor). Area supervisors will decided whether to emphasize historiography or teaching in setting exam questions. The supervisory committee, in consultation with the student, sets the subjects. A level of general knowledge consistent with teaching an introductory survey course is expected for each area. The oral candidacy examination is taken no later than twenty calendar days after the last written examination. The department strongly recommends that students take their candidacy examinations within 16 months of their first date of registration. Examinations must be taken within 20 months of first registration.

Final thesis oral examinations are open.