Program Requirements

Candidates may follow either a regular or Public History M.A. program, as follows:

M.A. History

Thesis option

• 1.0 credit in HIST 5002 and HIST 5003;
• 1.0 credit from HIST 5803, HIST 5804, HIST 5805, HIST 5806, HIST 5809[1.0], HIST 5810, HIST 5811, HIST 5812, HIST 5813;
• 1.0 credit in a graduate history seminar or seminars in the student's major area of concentration or, with permission of the Department, a graduate course (0.5 credit) in the Department, plus a second graduate course (0.5 credit) in the Department or in another unit at Carleton University, or in the Department of History at the University of Ottawa;
• 2.0 credits in HIST 5909: M.A. Thesis.

Research Essay option

• 1.0 credit in HIST 5002 and HIST 5003;
• 1.0 credit from HIST 5803, HIST 5804, HIST 5805, HIST 5806, HIST 5809 [1.0], HIST 5810, HIST 5811, HIST 5812, HIST 5813;
• 1.0 credit in a graduate seminar or seminars in the student's major area of concentration; a seminar at the fourth-year level may be taken with permission of the Department.
• 0.5 credit in HIST 5900;
• 0.5 credit at the graduate level in HIST at Carleton, or, with permission of the Department, in another discipline at Carleton University, or in the Department of History at the University of Ottawa.
• 1.0 credit in HIST 5908: M.A. Research Essay

M.A. Public History

• 1.0 credit in HIST 5002 and HIST 5003;
• 0.5 credit from HIST 5803, HIST 5804, HIST  5805, HIST 5806, HIST 5809 [1.0], HIST 5810, HIST  5811, HIST 5812, HIST 5813;
• 0.5 credit in HIST 5700;
• 2.0 credits in public history courses, offered under the numbers HIST 5701 and HIST 5702. Up to 1.0 credit may be substituted by other appropriate courses in history (including another historiography course) or other units with the approval of the Department;
• HIST 5704: Internship in Public History (0.0 credit);
• 1.0 credit in HIST 5908: M.A. Research Essay.

M.A. students are required to submit thesis or research essay proposals to the graduate advisor during their second term of full-time enrolment. Part-time students should discuss the timing of this requirement with the Department.

Guidelines for Completion of Master's Degree

Full-time students in the thesis option are expected to finish all requirements for the degree except HIST  5909 during their first two terms of study. The thesis requirement is designed to take an additional two or three terms.

Full-time students in the research essay option are expected to finish all requirements for the degree except HIST 5908 during their first two terms of study. The research essay requirement is designed to take an additional term.

Full-time students in the M.A. in Public History are expected to complete HIST 5002 + HIST 5003, 1.0 credit in historiography, Introduction to Public History and one other Public History 0.5-credit course during the fall and winter terms, their internship during the summer term, and the two remaining Public History 0.5-credit courses and their research essay HIST 5908 during the fall and winter terms of the second year. Some flexibility will be allowed in the distribution of the Public History courses to facilitate choice. Part-time students should complete all degree requirements except the thesis within twelve terms of study.

Language Requirements

All candidates are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English, the choice to depend upon the field of the candidate's thesis or research. For seminars dealing with sources not in English, a reading knowledge of the appropriate language will be required before acceptance into the program. Details may be obtained from the supervisor of graduate studies.

Program Requirements

Candidates will be responsible for three fields: a major field (normally Canadian history or history of Women, Gender and Sexuality) and two minor fields.

One of the minor fields for students in the Canadian history (major) field must concern American, British, French, Russian, modern or early modern European or international history.

At least one of the minor fields for students in the Women, Gender and Sexuality (major) field must concern American, British, Canadian, French, Russian, modern or early modern European or international history.

History of Women, Gender and Sexuality majors must declare their area of concentration from among these fields.

The second minor field for each major may be a transnational topic or in a related discipline. In each instance, the minor field should cover approximately one century.

Written examinations will be taken in the minor field before the end of the student's second term in the minor; an oral examination in the major field will be arranged during the student's fourth term.

Ph.D. candidates are required to submit a thesis proposal to the graduate supervisor within three months of completing their oral examination.

Students will complete:

• HIST 6808
• HIST 6906 Ph.D. Tutorials
• HIST 6907 Ph.D. Comprehensive, an oral comprehensive examination in the declared major field
• HIST 6100, HIST 6200, HIST 6400, or HIST 6500 (or HIST 6901 if the student is not in the Canadian major), plus a second of these courses or HIST 6600 (or HIST 6903 if the student is not in the Women, Gender and Sexuality major), or an approved course of studies in a related discipline, but excluding the declared area of the major field.
• HIST 6909 Ph.D. Thesis in the declared major field (5.0 credits)

Guidelines for Completion of Doctoral Degree

It is expected that full-time students will complete the thesis requirement within two years, and part-time students within four years.

Language Requirements

A reading knowledge of French will be required. Proven competence in an additional language or languages will be required if it is pertinent to the candidate's program. The language examinations will be written early in the first post-M.A. year, and before the field examinations.

Residence Requirement

The normal residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree is a minimum of three years of full-time study after the B.A. (Honours) degree, or two years after the M.A. degree.

University of Ottawa

A Carleton University student may take one seminar in the Department of History at the University of Ottawa, with permission of the two departments.