Calendar 2005/2006

Location

Social Sciences Building, Room 656

Faculty number

(403) 220-3839

Fax

(403) 289-8566

E-mail address

histgrad@ucalgary.ca

Web page URL

http://www.hist.ucalgary.ca/

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Master of Arts (MA), course-based and thesis-based

Candidates should apply to the program of their choice, indicating the area of specialization.

Master of Arts

For the Master of Arts degree, areas of specialization are Canadian, European, Latin American, United States, British, Imperial Indian History, 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. The feasibility of specific programs within these general areas will depend upon the availability of adequate resources for research, and the particular expertise of the staff.

In cooperation with the Department of Philosophy, the History Department offers a Master 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.

Doctor of Philosophy

For the Doctor of Philosophy degree, areas of specialization are Canadian, European, Military-Diplomatic, Latin America, United States, British Imperial, and India. Sub-specializations will depend upon the particular expertise of staff.

In addition to the requirements of the Faculty, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

(a)Applicants for the Master of Arts are normally expected to have completed 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 two years of the undergraduate degree. In special cases, outstanding applicants with a grade point average of 3.60 or higher may be admitted to the Master of Arts (thesis) program with the understanding that they can complete the degree requirements within twelve consecutive months.

(c)A copy of a graded historical research paper

(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.

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)Applicants for the doctoral program should normally meet the requirements for the MA program, and should also have completed a 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

Deadlines for the submission of complete applications:

5 January for September admission and funding

30 April for September admission only

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 Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts (Thesis)

(a)A minimum of one year of full-time study at the University of Calgary;

(b)Three full-course equivalents (including Historical Studies 690) in two semesters of course work. Of the remaining courses, 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. Only in exceptional circumstances will students be allowed to take more than one reading course. Two semesters of thesis preparation will normally follow.

(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)

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 Historical Studies 690 in the first year and Historical Studies 651 and Historical Studies 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;

(e)Completion of at least one-half course a semester.

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)A minimum of two years of full-time study at the University of Calgary;

(b)Three full-course equivalents at the 700-level. These include Historical Studies 795, a required Advanced Seminar in Historiographical Interpretation), and reading course in the major and minor fields and in an external cognate field. When an appropriate cognate field cannot be found, the student may apply to do an external field within the Department of History.

For the Doctor of Philosophy degree, major and minor fields are: Canada (Beginnings to 1871; 1850 to the Present); Europe (Medieval, 500-1500; Early Modern, 1350-1789; Modern, 1750 to the Present); Latin America (Colonial, 1492-1810; National, 1810 to the Present); United States (1750-1865; 1865 to the Present); Imperial/India (International; India, 1750 to the Present); Military/Diplomatic (International). Students cannot take more than one field from any area of specialization.

(c)A reading knowledge of one language other than English;

(d)Written and oral candidacy examinations in major, minor, and cognate fields. The History Department urges candidates to take candidacy examinations within 20 months of first registration. Examinations must be completed within 28 months of first registration.

The doctoral program consists of two terms of coursework relevant to the major, minor, and cognate fields. The second term comprises reading courses in each of the three candidacy fields. 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 Historical Studies 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.

The maximum length of a Master of Arts thesis is 150 pages, including notes, charts and tables, but excluding bibliography and appendices. The maximum length of a doctoral thesis is normally 400 pages, excluding bibliography and other technical matters.

Students enrolled in the part-time course-based Master of Arts program may take two of the required six full-course equivalents at the 500-level.

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts thesis 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 20 to 24 months for the Master of Arts thesis program, and four years for the doctoral program. Maximum completion time is four years for the Master of Arts thesis program and six years for the course-based Master of Arts and doctoral programs.

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.

The supervisor establishes a doctoral supervisory committee in consultation with 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).

Doctoral candidacy examinations have a written and an oral component and are taken upon completion of all course and language requirements. Each doctoral student takes one three-hour written candidacy examination within a period of ten calendar days in each of the three fields of study. 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 field. The oral candidacy examination is taken no later than twenty calendar days after the last written examination. The department strongly urges candidates to complete their candidacy examinations within 20 months of their first date of registration; candidacy examinations must be taken within 28 months of first registration.

Final thesis oral examinations are open.

In consultation with the supervisory committee, each doctoral student is required to submit a brief thesis proposal which will be discussed and if necessary revised at a meeting of the supervisory committee no later than four weeks before the candidacy exam. The thesis proposal may serve as an additional basis for questioning during the candidacy exam.

Students should plan their courses in consultation with their supervisors, complete the Registration Confirmation for First Year Students report (if appropriate), obtain the supervisor's signature, and bring their course program to the Graduate Coordinator for approval before telephone 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 applications to the Department by 5 January.

Since resources are limited, the Department may, in any year, admit fewer applicants than those who are qualified to undertake graduate studies.

The research interests of current faculty can be found at http://www.hist.ucalgary.ca/faculty/default.htm