MA program schedules

Department of History

Year one

In the first year, students will focus primarily on course work, and define their thesis project in consultation with the (interim) supervisor.

August to September

Consult with interim supervisor to:

  • Determine whether pursing a history MA or an MA in the History and Philosophy of Science
  • Begin developing a thesis topic
  • Fill out MA course registration form and obtain interim supervisor’s signature. Courses normally include: 
    • HTST 690
    • Four 600 level History seminar courses already timetabled

Submit MA Course Registration form to the GPA by the first day of regular instruction

Attend Orientations (see “Important Dates” on p. 3)

  • Department of History mandatory orientation and lunch
  • Department of History mandatory teaching-assistant workshop
  • Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) orientation session

Begin graduate seminars

Write second language exam, if needed, during the first full week of instruction.

Begin preparing to apply for external funding for Year 2:

  • Make a list of external funding for which you are eligible
  • Attend History SSHRC Orientation session
  • Attend optional FGS SSHRC Information Session
  • In consultation with your supervisor, begin drafting the Outline of Proposed Research

October

  • Continue coursework and refining thesis topic.
  • If eligible, work on SSHRC application by lining up referees, gathering transcripts in acceptable form, and continuing to draft the SSHRC proposal.

November

Continue coursework. 

If eligible for SSHRC:

  • Submit draft SSHRC proposal for assessment at departmental workshop.
  • Revise draft proposal, taking into account input from workshop and supervisor.
  • Submit application through the Tri-Council’s online system at least a day before their deadline of December 1 (the system is fragile, sometimes breaks down, and no grace period is offered).

December

  • Complete fall coursework.

January

February to April

  • Complete second term of course work
  • Begin background reading and preparations for primary research for MA thesis.
  • If using human subjections in research (ie: oral history interviews), ethics approval must be secured before such work begins

May - August

  • Conduct thesis research
  • Submit Annual Progress Report in May
  • Departmental funding letters are typically sent in July, announcing funding sources and levels for the next academic year.

Year two

During the second year, the focus is on writing the thesis, which will be defended in an oral examination, normally in the second term.

September

  • Language exams offered in the first full week of classes
  • If applying to doctoral programs and eligible for SSHRC awards, consult the SSHRC website to begin preparing a PhD application see

Note that PhD SSHRC applications for enrolled MA students are submitted through the institution at which the MA is being completed (the U of C in this case). Follow the timeline of first-year PhD students in terms of preparing a PhD SSHRC application this term. Note that the process and timeline are quite different than the MA SSHRC.

October to December

  • Continue preparing MA thesis

January

  • Language exams offered in the first full week of classes. Please note that the language requirement must be met before the MA thesis can be defended.

February to April

  • Thesis should be starting to take final shape. FGS has strict guidelines as to how the thesis should be formatted
  • Thesis deffense documentation deadline
  • Supervisors are responsible for composing the examining committee
  • A Notice of Defense of Thesis needs to be filed with FGS by the GPA no later than a month before the date of the thesis defense 
  • Thesis must be provided to examiners three weeks before defense
  • After approval for all required changes, the appropriate forms can be submitted to FGS and the thesis can be submitted to the Vault. More Information
  • Submit final Thesis to GPA

May

Annual Progress Report is due if thesis has not been defended and filed.

Schedule

August to September

Consult with interim supervisor to:

  • Begin formulating a Major Research Essay (MRE) topic
  • Fill out MA course registration form and obtain interim supervisor’s signature.

Submit MA Course Registration form to the GPA by the first day of regular instruction.

Attend Orientations

  • Department if History’s mandatory teaching-assistant workshop
  • Department of History mandatory orientation and lunch
  • Optional FGS orientation

Begin coursework

Write second language exam, if needed, in the first full week of instruction.

October to December

  • Complete Fall-Term coursework
  • Continue to refine MRE topic

January

  • Language exams offered in the first full week of instruction
  • Continue with course work
  • Continue to refine MRE topic

February to April

  • Complete second term of coursework
  • Conduct preliminary research and background reading for MRE
  • If using human subjects in research (ie: interviews), ethics approval must be secured before such work begins.

Learn more

May to June

  • Enrol in History 651 in Spring Term
  • Complete Annual Progress Report in May

July to August

  • Enrol in History 653 to complete MRE
  • The MRE should be completed and submitted for marking during the enrolment period for 653. You can only apply for a deferral of term work for about an additional month before the grade for the course will become an F
  • Submit completed MRE to supervisor and one other faculty member. Second reader should be agreed upon between you and your supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for arranging for the second reader, collecting their mark, and submitting a mark for History 653