Graduate academic calendar 2012 - 2013 - Trent University

GRADUATE PROGRAMS History
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REGULATIONS
The general regulations and requirements of Trent University for the M.A. degree apply to this
graduate program.
Students are normally admitted into the Program once a year for studies beginning in the
following September. The History Graduate Program Committee will begin the selection process
immediately following the application submission date of February 1. Applications received after this
date will be accepted and considered for funding until all available positions/spaces are filled.
Students must attain at least a B- (70%) in all course work to remain registered in their program.
For further details, see Failed Course Policy.
Entrance Requirements
Applicants to the M.A. program normally will be expected to have completed a B.A. Single or Joint
Major Honours Degree in History, with a minimum 80% (GPA 3.67 on the 4 point scale) average in
the last ten undergraduate credits. Additional considerations:
– Availability of the appropriate faculty as instructors, supervisors and committee members.
– Appropriateness of the applicant’s previous education and training.
– Feasibility of the applicant’s proposed course of study and project.
– Availability of appropriate academic resources (library, interlibrary, online, archival, oral, etc).
– Command of appropriate language/s by the applicant.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND OPTIONS
Both full-time and part-time M.A. students may choose between two program streams:
• Stream One (Course-Based). Students must complete the Core Course, four additional halfcredit
courses, and a Major Research Paper. The Major Research Paper will be modeled on a
scholarly journal article and assessed by an external examiner. It will be approximately 60 pages
long, excluding notes and bibliography.
• Stream Two (Thesis-Based). Students must complete the Core Course, two additional
0.5 credit courses, and a Research Thesis. The Thesis will be modeled on a short scholarly
monograph with multiple chapters and will be assessed by an external examiner. The
candidate will defend the Thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members
including the external. The Thesis will be approximately 120 pages in length, excluding notes
and bibliography.
Both the Major Research Paper and Thesis are expected to have an appropriate theoretical
framework, discuss relevant historiography and make use of primary sources. A supervisor will be
appointed for both the Major Research Paper and Thesis. Students will select research topics for the
Major Research Paper and Thesis in consultation with their supervisor.
COURSE SELECTION
All students must complete the Core Course (HIST 5100 – Theory, Historiography, Methodology).
Elective courses should be chosen from within the students’ declared “fields of study”. (See below).
Full courses will be taught over the normal academic year (September to April). Half-courses will be
taught over one semester (September to December or January to April).
COMPLETION TIME
Full-Time Studies. The minimum for program completion is one year (12 months). The maximum
is three full years (as per University policy). While it is possible to complete both streams within one
year, stream two (Thesis) may take 18 months to 2 years.
Part-Time Studies. Students may pursue their M.A. degree on a part-time basis. The minimum
time for completion for part-time students in both streams will be two years and the maximum time
is five years.