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Degree Programs

1. OCGS Fields of Study
2. Master of Arts (M.A.)
3. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
4. Collaborative Programs

OCGS Fields of Study

Master of Arts (M.A.)

• Introduction
• Course and Essay
• Course and Thesis
• M.A. Language Requirement

Introduction

The Master's program may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. A part-time M.A. program must be completed within five years of the date of entry. The full-time M.A. program generally takes ten months to complete.

The Master's degree in History involves either a) five half courses and a research paper or b) four half courses and a thesis. In recent years most M.A. candidates have chosen option a. The thesis M.A. generally takes longer to complete. All M.A. students are expected to take HIS 1997H or HIS 1201H, depending on their field.

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Course and Essay

The candidate is required to complete five half-year graduate courses in history or their equivalent, to pass an examination in French or fulfill other language requirements, and to write a major research essay, known in the Department as a 2000 paper. The courses are normally chosen from those offered by the Department that year, though it is possible for a student to arrange a one term reading course in an area not included in that year's list. Two of the half-courses (or one full course) may be taken outside the Department with the permission of the Graduate Coordinator. The candidate must achieve a "B" average in their course work to fulfill the requirements.

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Course and Thesis

The candidate is required to complete four half-courses or their equivalent, to pass the language examination, and present a master's thesis. The thesis must be based on primary sources and must not exceed 125 pages. It will be written under the supervision of a member of the Graduate Faculty. The thesis will be examined by a committee composed of the supervisor and two other members of the Department. The examination takes place in the Department.

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M.A. Language Requirement

The general rule is that M.A. candidates should demonstrate the ability to read French by passing the French language exam while registered in the program. The exam consists of translating passages from French to English and a passing mark is 70%.

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Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

There are five main requirements in the Ph.D. program in History: fulfillment of the residence and course requirements; successful completion of the comprehensive examinations in three fields of history; fulfillment of language requirements that vary according to the student's major area of study; and the writing and successful defense of a dissertation.

• Residence
• Course Requirements
• Comprehensive Examinations
• Ph.D. Language Requirement
• The Ph.D. Thesis
• Extensions, Lapsing and Reinstatement

Additional Information:

• Research abroad
• Extensions, lapsing, and reinstatement

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Residence

Ph.D. candidates are required to be in residence in order to hold a U of T fellowship, except for absences necessary for research. Ph.D. students with major external awards must be in residence until they have passed their field examinations. To fulfill this requirement a student must be in such geographical proximity as to be able to visit the campus regularly and participate fully in the University's activities associated with the program.

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Course Requirements

Ph.D. students entering with an M.A. will complete their four half-year courses during their first year of study. Direct-entry students must complete eight half-year courses— ideally they will take four half-courses in each of their first two years. Courses should be chosen to assist in the preparation for the field comprehensive examinations. All candidates for the Ph.D. must maintain a minimum average of B+ throughout their course work. Direct-entry students are expected to maintain an A- average in their first four half courses in order to continue in the program. If they fail to do so, they may transfer to the M.A. program and complete the requirements for that degree.

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Comprehensive Examinations

When entering the program, the student, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and other faculty members, will choose a MAJOR field and two MINOR fields for the comprehensive examinations (see field lists below). Usually the thesis supervisor will act as the adviser for the major field while another faculty member acts as the second reader. Each minor field is supervised by one professor. The major field generally represents the geographical region or thematic area in which the dissertation topic will be situated and should coincide with the student's major teaching interest. Minor fields serve to broaden a student's knowledge of history and historiography. Minor fields can strengthen breadth and depth of knowledge around the dissertation and expand the student’s teaching profile. Major supervisors have the primary responsibility for defining the scope of the major field within the field’s definition. As a rough guide to the preparation expected, students generally read the equivalent of 100 books for the major field and 40-60 for each minor field.  Articles, especially review articles, can prove useful within a given list.  Students are urged to take field seminars in their respective fields where available, since these explicitly prepare for historiographical coverage and breadth.  In all cases, students are encouraged to tap into course materials to build their exam lists.

The comprehensive exams serve to confirm a student’s knowledge of three historical fields (be they thematic or geographical).  The major field in particular should help the student situate her or his dissertation project within the historiography, and in combination with the two minor  fields, should lay the foundation for future teaching.

It is important that students carefully consider what they want to get out of a field preparation.  Student and supervisors should be clear about their own expectations with respect to both objectives and requirements. Typically, students will have regular meetings with professors in advance of the exam, preparing and rehearsing different sub-categories within a field (this sometimes takes the form of reading groups).  In the spring of the first year of the Ph.D. program, each student must meet with his or her comprehensive exam committee so that a plan of study can be agreed upon. In cases where the dissertation supervisor is not the major field supervisor, the dissertation supervisor will oversee the student's overall program and is expected to participate in supervisory committee meetings that take place before the student's dissertation committee is formed.

Comprehensive Examination Options

The comprehensive examinations are both written and oral. The oral examination, lasting about 2 hours, covers all three fields and follows soon after the written exams. Students may choose the following options with regard to the written exams:

1. Examinations written under supervision at the department. The written portion of the exam consists of three parts. The first part, covering the major field, is designed to be written within 3 hours; students will have up to 4 hours to complete the exam. Each of the minor exams is designed to be written within 2 hours; students will have up to 3 hours to complete the exams.  Students keep a copy of the questions and their answers.
   
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2. Take-Home Examination. Students may choose the take-home format for any or all of their fields. The maximum length of the major exam is 6,000 words; the maximum length of each of the minor exams is 4,000 words. Students writing all three exams as take-home exams have a total of 8 days to complete their work. Each minor field take-home exam should be done in 48 hours, and the major field in 96 hours. Students keep a copy of the questions and their answers.

For one of the minor fields only, there are two further options:

With the permission of the minor field supervisor, a series of papers may be substituted for the written examination. Students undertaking this option must write at least two essays of approximately 15-20 pages. The papers should cover broad themes in the field and include a substantial historiographical component. The written portion of the field must be completed before the written exams in the other fields. At the common oral exam, the candidate will be examined on the papers submitted, as well as the general content of the reading list.

With the permission of the minor field supervisor, a teaching dossier may be substituted for the written examination. While the student is responsible for mastering a reading list required for a minor field, the written part of this comprehensive involves the following components:

A course syllabus, including outlines of lectures, themes for tutorial discussion with required readings, suggested essay topics and a sample final exam

Rules Governing the Comprehensive Examinations

Examinations are marked on a pass/fail basis, but the committee of examiners in exceptional cases declares that the comprehensive examinations have been passed "with distinction."

If candidates fail the written portion of the major field or of both the minor fields, the written examination in all three fields must be repeated before the oral examination may take place. Candidates who fail the written portion of one minor field are not required to take the written examination again in the two fields successfully passed, but the oral examination is not held until candidates have passed the minor field exam that they failed at the first attempt.

The oral examination covers the major and two minor fields. If a candidate fails to pass any field of the oral examination the examining board will recommend to the Graduate Coordinator either

that the candidate will begin again and take both written and oral portions of the comprehensive examinations in all three fields, or

that the candidate will take only the oral phase of the examination in all three fields again.

Candidates are allowed two attempts to pass the comprehensive examinations. A failure to pass either the written or the oral examination at the second attempt results in the student being required to withdraw from the program.

It is the responsibility of the Chair of the examining board (who is normally the student's major supervisor) to inform the candidate of the results of the examination at its conclusion. It is also the responsibility of the board to make a recommendation to the Graduate Coordinator concerning the timing of the second examination if necessary. The board appointed to conduct the second examination should as far as possible include the same members who examined the candidate in the first place.

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Ph.D. Language Requirement

All students must fulfill the language requirement that is pertinent to their field of research. Language requirements should be completed before the student proceeds to the comprehensive examinations. Language requirements vary from area to area. Students may carry forward language requirements fulfilled at the M.A. level. All language requirements should be met before the student proceeds to the comprehensive examinations.

a. European Area
Two European languages, normally French and German, or other languages more relevant to the student's research areas approved by the student's supervisor.

b. International Relations Area
Two languages other than English most relevant to the student's research area.

c. Russian/East European Area
Two languages other than English, one of which would normally be Russian or another Slavic or Fenno-Ugric language.
NOTE: Russian Ph.D. applicants should have two years of Russian before entering the program.

d. Medieval Area
Medieval Latin, French and German. A modern language more appropriate to the student's research may be substituted for French or German.
NOTE: Ph.D. students must demonstrate advanced proficiency in Latin. They do so by passing the Latin exams set by the Centre for Medieval Studies. The CMS M.A. Latin exam must be passed before the comprehensive examination, and the Ph.D. level exam before the dissertation is defended.

e. Chinese Area
Chinese.

f. Other Areas
At least one language other than English, normally French, approved by the supervisor and Graduate Co-ordinator.

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The Ph.D. Thesis

Students are assigned a supervisor when they are admitted to the Ph.D. program. During the second year, the student, in consultation with the supervisor, must form a dissertation committee consisting of 3 U of T graduate faculty members, including the supervisor. Faculty members from other units with appropriate expertise may be invited to join the committee. This committee collectively oversees the writing of the dissertation, although members' roles will vary. The doctoral dissertation must be a piece of original scholarship, based on primary materials, and must be presented in the form outlined below.

The choice of a thesis is of fundamental importance in one's professional career. To help students make wise decisions at this early stage in their work, the Department requires that all students submit a dissertation proposal, approved by their dissertation committee, to the Graduate Office within six weeks of completing the comprehensive examination. The proposal must be 5-6 pages and it should include the major questions addressed in the thesis, outline the historiography, discuss archival collections and other potential sources, suggest methodological techniques, and indicate a tentative schedule for research and writing.

Supervision and Dissertation Committee

Each student is guided primarily by his or her principal supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for receiving and commenting on draft chapters in a timely manner. The two other members of the dissertation committee also assist the candidate. They may be qualified to provide the student with expertise that supplements that of the supervisor. They should obtain annual reports from the candidate, offer counsel, and otherwise assist in the development of the thesis.

The dissertation committee must meet for the first time after the student completes the comprehensive examinations in order to approve the dissertation proposal. Thereafter the committee must meet at least once a year and submit to the Graduate Office a formal report regarding the student's progress. The Graduate Office provides a progress report form to the supervisor in February of every year and the report will normally be due on 30 April. The progress report is essential to both the department and the School of Graduate Studies.

Research Abroad

Those who need to go abroad to conduct research should keep the following in mind when making their arrangements:

1. Start with the Graduate Administrator's office to arrange for the appropriate documentation and approvals for your research trip, and ensure that your direct deposit is set up.
   
   
2. It is helpful to have letters of reference from the thesis supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator. Such letters are useful for securing entrance to libraries and archives, student accommodation, etc.
   
   
3. Students must apply for external fellowships (OGS, SSHRC) even when abroad.

Finished Form of the Thesis

When the departmental procedures are completed, the student will produce a finished hard copy of the thesis, conforming to the following specifications: it must be double-spaced on quarto paper (8 ½" x 11"), with a sufficient margin on the left side to allow for binding (approximately l ½") and the remaining three should be at least ¾" to the main text. Each and every page in the thesis must be numbered. Typing must be 10-point or larger and not less than 12 characters per inch. The spacing of the typed lines should be at least one and a half spaces, on one side of the paper only.

A thesis is not to be longer than 90,000 words (350 pages), exclusive of notes and bibliography. Exceeding the prescribed length limit is a sufficient reason for a thesis to be refused examination.

Copies of the thesis must bear on the title page the notation "A Thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Department of History, in the University of Toronto", along with the thesis title, student's name, and the international copyright notice - the letter "C" enclosed in a circle.

Notes and references should be numbered and placed either at the end of each chapter or at the foot of each page - preferably the latter. They should be single-spaced and clearly separated from the text. In general, lengthy notes should be avoided. References should be given in the same way throughout the thesis, save that, after the first reference to any work, an abbreviated form may be used. The Chicago Manual of Style, A Manual for Writers (K.L. Turabian) or Scholarly Reporting in the Humanities set the models to be followed.

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Oral Examination of the Thesis and Microfilm Publication

You must submit a final, unbound copy of your thesis to each member of your committee, at least eight weeks before the desired examination date. Along with the hard copy of the thesis that will be sent to the External Appraiser, the student must provide an abstract of the thesis to the Graduate Office. The abstract will be printed in Dissertation Abstracts and, to conform to the requirements of that publication, it cannot exceed 350 words.

A committee nominated by the Associate Chair, Graduate and approved by the School of Graduate Studies conducts the examination of the thesis. The examination Committee shall consist of five to six members but usually five members. It includes up to three members of the supervising committee; one to three examiners who have not been closely involved in the supervision of the thesis including an external appraiser from another university who prepares a written report, and a non-voting Chair appointed by SGS.

After the thesis has been successfully defended in an oral examination, the student is required to submit a digital copy of the dissertation to SGS. One bound copy (navy blue cover) is to be submitted to the Department of History. The bound copy must have the author's name and year of the oral exam on the spine. More information about finishing the thesis can be found on the School of Graduate Studies website here: http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/informationfor/students/finup/producingthesis.htm

The electronic copy of the thesis is sent to the Archives in Ottawa and to University Microfilms in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The thesis thus becomes available to interested scholars relatively quickly. Students may wish to postpone the publication of their work in this form while they explore the possibilities of its publication in print. In 1973 the University adopted the following policy that allows for a delay:

It is the intention of the University of Toronto that there be no restriction on the distribution and publication of theses. However, in exceptional cases, the author, in consultation with the thesis supervisor and with approval of the Chair of the graduate unit, shall have the right to postpone distribution and publication by microfilm (but not the abstract) for a period of up to two years from the date of acceptance of the thesis. In exceptional circumstances and on written petition to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, the period might be extended by in no case for more than five years from the date of acceptance of the thesis unless approved by the Council of the School of Graduate Studies.

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Time Limits, Extensions, Lapsing, and Reinstatement

All degree requirements must be completed within five years of first enrolling in the Master’s Program and six years in the PhD program.  The PhD is a six-year degree.

After six years a PhD student who has failed to complete the degree requirements may be granted a one-year extension if the Department approves.  The Department is likely to approve such a request if the student can provide evidence that he or she has made substantial progress and is likely to finish within the one-year extension.  PhD students who fail to complete the program in that period may apply for further extension of up to one year, but the Department scrutinizes such an application very carefully and consents only if it is persuaded that the thesis will be completed within the period of further extension.  Third extensions are decided by the school of Graduate Studies and are rarely granted.

At the end of the guaranteed funding period, students first registered before 2010-11 may “lapse” their candidacy until they are ready to defend.  Lapsing does not mean termination.  The Graduate School thinks of the lapsed student as being “inactive.”  Lapsing has the effect of withdrawing the privileges that membership in the University brings—the right to a carrel in the library, to supervision and so on.  But students whose candidacy has lapsed are encouraged by the Department to finish their program and are helped in every possible way while doing so.  There are two sets of rules for lapsing:

a ) Old Lapsing Rules (for students registered for the first time before 2010-11).  These students may lapse any time during the MA and after year five during the PhD.  Theses and MA research papers must be complete before students may apply for reinstatement by the School of Graduate Studies.  A request for reinstatement may be refused when, in the view of the Department Chair, the thesis or research paper is not sufficiently complete or of a sufficiently high quality for the Department to support it.  Students who lapse after year five of the PhD will be expected to pay for year six upon reinstatement and for the semester in which they defend if that semester is beyond year six.  Students who lapse after year six will be expected to pay for the semester in which they defend upon reinstatement.  Alternately, students may opt into the new extension arrangements described below.

b)  New Extension Arrangements (for students registered for the first time after 2010-11).  These students no longer have the option to lapse their candidacy.  Instead, these students can apply for extensions beyond year six of the PhD for up to four years.  During the extension period, fees will be calculated at the rate of 50% of the annual domestic fee.

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Collaborative Programs

The Department of History participates in collaborative programs in Asia-Pacific Studies, Book History and Print Culture, Editing Medieval Texts, Ethnic and Pluralism Studies, International Relations, South Asian Studies, and Women's Studies. To obtain an advanced degree in history with a specialization in one of these programs, a student must be registered in the Department of History and successfully complete its requirements and those of the collaborative program. Information about the collaborative programs is available from the collaborative programs administrators. Please note the addresses below:

Collaborative M.A. Program in Asia-Pacific Studies
Munk Centre for International Studies
University of Toronto
1 Devonshire Place, Room 226N
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3K7
Phone: 416-946-8997
e-mail: ma.asiapacific@utoronto.ca
WWW: http://webapp.mcis.utoronto.ca/asiapacific-ma/

Book History and Print Culture
Massey College, University of Toronto
4 Devonshire Place, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2E1
Phone: 416-946-3560
e-mail: book.history@utoronto.ca
WWW: http://bookhistory.ischool.utoronto.ca/index.html

Editing Medieval Texts
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto
39 Queen’s Park Crescent East, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C3
phone: 416-978-4884
e-mail: medieval@chass.utoronto.ca
WWW: http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/calendar/2009-10/programs/emt.htm

Jewish Studies Program
University College, Room 322
15 King's College Circle Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H7
Tel. (416) 978-8131
Fax. (416) 946-7719
e-mail: jewish.studies@utoronto.ca
WWW: www.cjs.utoronto.ca

Robert F. Harney Professor and Program in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies
(Ethnic and Pluralism Studies)
Department of Sociology
University of Toronto
725 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 2J4
phone: 416-978-4783
e-mail: ethplur@chass.utoronto.ca
WWW: www.utoronto.ca/ethnicstudies

Munk Centre for International Studies
1 Devonshire Place, Room 255S
Toronto, ON M5S 3K7
Canada
phone: (416) 946-8917
fax: (416) 946-8915
e-mail: cis.mair@utoronto.ca
WWW: http://www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/

Centre for South Asian Studies
Munk Centre for International Studies
1 Devonshire Place, Room 268S
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3K7
email: south.asian@utoronto.ca
WWW: www.sgs.utoronto.ca/calendar/2009-10/programs/sas.htm

Sexual Diversity Studies
University College
15 King's College Circle, Room 251
Toronto, ON M5S 3H7
email: sexual.diversity@utoronto.com
WWW: http://www.uc.utoronto.ca/content/view/237/1316/

Graduate Collaborative Program in Women’s Studies
Institute for Women's Studies & Gender Studies
University of Toronto
40 Wilcocks Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1C6
phone: 416-978-3668
fax: 416-946-5561
e-mail: grad.womenstudies@utoronto.ca
WWW: www.wgsi.utoronto.ca/graduate

Collaborative Master's and Doctorial Program in Diaspora
and Transnational Studies
Centre for Diaspora and Transnational Studies
Suite 230, Jackman Humanities Building
170 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5R 2M8
phone: 416-946-8464
fax: 416-978-7045
WWW: http://www.utoronto.ca/cdts/graduate.html

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