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Location: Social Sciences Building, Room 656
Program number: 403.220.3839
Fax: 403.289.8566
Email address: histgrad@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Arts (MA), one-year course-based and two-year thesis-based. Both the one-year and two-year MA programs include significant independent research. The one-year course-based MA program is SSHRC-eligible and is appropriate for students who intend to proceed to doctoral studies.

Specializations:

• History and Philosophy of Science (MA, thesis-based only)*

*This specialization is offered in co-operation with the Department of Philosophy.

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.

b) A minimum admission grade point average of 3.40 on a four-point scale over the final 60 units of the undergraduate degree.

c) A sample of written work.

d) A statement of research interest. See for faculty research areas.

e) Two reference letters.

f) A curriculum vitae.

See for further application details.

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 interest.

d) A sample of written work.

e) Two reference letters.

f) A curriculum vitae.

See for further application details.

Deadlines for the submission of complete applications are available on the Future Students website:

Master of Arts (thesis-based):

Master of Arts (course-based):

Doctor of Philosophy:

The applicant must make advanced credit requests as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to a required level for admission.

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. Normally, students complete the program in two calendar years.

b) Fifteen units (including History 690) in two semesters of course work. Master's students will complete their coursework through regularly offered History seminars. See for faculty research areas.

Students must take one seminar course (3 units) 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 graduate program director, take one 500-level undergraduate seminar on the understanding that extra course work will be required.

Students in the History and Philosophy of Science specialization may, with departmental approval, take Philosophy courses to fulfill course requirements for the degree.

c) 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)

a) Normally, students complete the program in one year of full-time study at the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½. Students enrolling on a part-time basis are expected to complete the requirements by the end of the Winter Term of their fourth year in the program.

b) A minimum of 18 units, including History 690, in regularly offered History graduate seminars in the Fall and Winter terms; 3 units may be senior undergraduate courses at the 500 level (but on the understanding that extra course work will be required).

c) Completion of History 651 in the Spring Term as preparation for the Major Research Essay (MRE).

d) Completion of History 653 in the Summer Term, in which a MRE, normally around 9,000 words in length (including notes, charts, tables and appendices, but excluding bibliography), is written, modelled on a scholarly research article. The MRE is marked by the student's advisor and an additional faculty member.

e) A demonstration of reading knowledge of a second language related to the student's research interests before the MRE can be accepted.

f) Students enrolled on a part-time basis must complete at least 3 units per semester in the Fall and Winter terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

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

b) Twelve units at the graduate level, including courses in the primary and secondary areas. These courses include:

• Three units in the primary area as a History 791 reading course;
• Three units in the secondary area as a History 791 reading course;
• Six additional units including History 690 (3 units), if not completed in your MA program. Among these, the student may also choose 3 units outside the Department (requiring the supervisor's approval).

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. The availability of secondary areas and 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. During the candidacy examination, the student will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the primary and secondary areas as well as their particular field of research. The secondary area will be selected from an area of history outside of the primary area.

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

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

c) A demonstration of reading knowledge of a second language relevant to the student's research prior to the candidacy examination.

d) Written and oral candidacy examinations in primary and secondary areas. The Supervisory Committee consists of a primary area supervisor and a secondary area specialist with the third member being a faculty member normally outside the department 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. During the third and fourth terms, students read for the candidacy examinations. Four to five terms of thesis preparation will normally follow.

Copyediting

The graduate program in the Department of History does not permit the use of third-party editors in the preparation of papers and theses.

None.

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts thesis or course-based program may apply for no more than one 500-level course for graduate credit, subject to the approval of the Department. Graduate students taking a 500-level course for graduate credit will be required to complete additional assignments.

Expected completion time is 12 to 20 months for the Master of Arts thesis program, 12 months for the Master of Arts course-based program, and four years for the doctoral program.

Maximum completion time is four years for both the Master of Arts thesis program and course-based program, and six years for the doctoral program.

Upon acceptance into the program, students are assigned an interim supervisor. Each student should select a permanent supervisor, subject to the consent of the faculty member, within three months of entering program. Admission to the master’s and the doctoral programs is dependent upon the agreement of a faculty member to supervise in an interim capacity.

The supervisor establishes a doctoral supervisory committee in consultation with the student. The Supervisory Committee consists of the primary area supervisor and a secondary area specialist with the third member being a faculty member, normally outside the department, whose area of expertise is in the field of study for the student. The supervisory committee must be selected within three months of the supervisor’s appointment (no later than March of the first year of a program).

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements for Candidacy and Thesis Examinations, the Department requires:

Candidacy

Doctoral students must pass oral and written candidacy examinations in their primary and secondary areas. For complete details of candidacy requirements and the examination format, see .

Thesis Examinations

Final thesis oral examinations are open.

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s research, including a relevant written sample of the materials related to the thesis, before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Committee

The Internal Examiner may be internal to the home program.

A doctoral student's supervisory committee must approve a student's Dissertation Proposal after successfully passing their oral candidacy examination. For complete details of the Dissertation Proposal, see .

Students should plan their courses in consultation with their supervisors, complete the Course Registration Form supplied by the department, obtain the supervisor’s signature, and bring their course program to the Graduate Program Director for approval before registration.

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar.

Students applying for scholarships must submit their online applications to the Department by the deadline posted on the department website .