history phd canada

• BA History Program
• Opportunities
• Undergraduate Advising
• Writing Centre
• Master’s Program

PhD Program

• Academic Community
• Research Clusters
• Published Books and Monographs
• Recently Published Articles
• Former Members
• Job Opportunities

The PhD program in the Department of History is designed to take five years to complete. It requires full-time academic residency until the attainment of candidacy.

PhD Program Overview

Students in the PhD program complete their coursework in their first year; take their comprehensive exams, defend their prospectus, and advance to candidacy in their second year; spend a year and a half doing dissertation research; and a year and a half writing the dissertation.  Students should create a personal program completion timeline in conjunction with their supervisor during Term 1 of Year 1 of their program.  Students who require more than six years to complete their program can apply for and receive an extension through the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Admission to the PhD program is on a full-time basis only.  Most PhD students enter the program with a completed MA degree.

Applicants and candidates for the PhD program should also review the general requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies ( www.grad.ubc.ca ) regarding residency, coursework, examinations, and dissertation preparation and submission.

Program Requirements – PhD Degree:

PhD students must complete  three courses.  Two of these courses are mandatory: “Professional Development for Historians” (HIST525) and “The Doctoral Research Seminar” (HIST699).  Students choose their third course in consultation with their supervisor. Note that students who have not previously taken a graduate-level historiography course must choose Historiography (HIST 548) for this third course.

Graduate courses for PhD students:

Course 1 (3 credits) : HIST 525 - Professional Development For Historians: This is a mandatory course taken in Year 1 of the PhD program . This course introduces students to professional skills and options for historians in both academic and non-academic careers.

Course 2 (3 credits): HIST699 -  The Doctoral Research Seminar: This is a mandatory course taken in Year 1 of the PhD Program .  The course guides students through the process of doing research for and drafting their dissertation prospectus.

Course 3 (3 credits): Choose from options below: Students should take this course in Term 1 of Year 1.  However, where appropriate and in consultation with their supervisor, they may choose to take it as late as Term 1 of Year 2. For their third course, students choose ONE of the following:

• HIST 548D - Historiography (3 credits) Students who have not previously taken a graduate-level historiography course must choose HIST 548D: Historiography.  This course is offered annually only in Term 1.
• Area and Thematic course (3 credits) The History Department's readings courses introduce students to the main historiographical problems and secondary literature in their fields of specialization. Readings and topics courses require written work (approximately 3,000-4,000 words per course) from students as evidence of their growing mastery of secondary literature.
• Graduate course offered outside of the History Department (3 credits) With permission of the Graduate Advisor, students may take 3 credits of graduate coursework from outside the History Department. Language courses may not be substituted for graduate readings courses.  Please consult your supervisor for possible graduate courses offered outside of the History Department.  (Examples of non-history graduate seminars represent 500+ level courses from the STS department, Asian Studies, FNIS, etc.)
• HIST 547D - Directed Studies Course (3 credits) This course (HIST 547D) represents a one-on-one or small group directed readings course with a professor.  When a professor (usually the supervisor) agrees to do a directed readings course with a student, the professor must contact the graduate programme assistant to set up the course and register the student into the course.
• Graduate course through the Western Dean's Agreement (3 credits) Students at participating Universities in Western Canada can attend partner institutions as visiting students without having to pay the host university's tuition fees through the  Western Dean's Agreement (WDA). As per the UBC Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS) policy , courses taken by PhD students under the Western Deans' Agreement will not be credited to their degree programs.  If a PhD student wishes to take a graduate course through the WDA, they must also get approval from the graduate advisor for an exemption to the PhD Course requirements.

1b. Graduate Course Schedule & Course Planning Guide

Updated: May 29, 2024

Link to Document: Graduate Course Schedule Link to Document:  Graduate Course Planning Guide

2. Language requiremen t

Before receiving the PhD degree, candidates must demonstrate an adequate knowledge of a language other than English. The language exam typically takes the form of a written test of reading ability, although under certain circumstances, oral proficiency can satisfy this requirement.

Students who require a foreign language (or languages) for their dissertation research must take the language exam in that language. In cases where the dissertation research involves only English-language sources, students may take the exam in the language of their choice.

For students who will be examined on their reading ability, the department holds a language exam twice a year (usually in November and April) in which candidates must successfully translate a passage from the language they have chosen into English, with the aid of a dictionary, but without the assistance of online translation tools.

The exam is a one page translation of text testing for reading ability of the target language. The grading scale represents:

• First class: student demonstrates professional level translation in target language.
• Pass: student demonstrates reading ability in target language
• Fail: student does not demonstrate reading ability in target language.

Requesting an Exemption to the Language Requirement/Exam:

Exemption from the language exam may be granted under certain circumstances, on a case by case basis, by submitting a written request to the History graduate advisor:

• Several departments at the university offer courses to help students acquire a reading knowledge of a foreign language, such as French, German, or Russian. Students who have successfully completed such a course at the third-year level or above, with at least a B (72%) average, can apply for exemption from the History Department’s translation exam by submitting evidence of completion of the course to the History graduate advisor.
• Students whose projects rely on oral sources in a language other than English can make a request to be exempted from the language exam and to instead satisfy the language requirement with their demonstrated oral proficiency in the relevant research language.  In such cases, the graduate advisor will consult with the student’s supervisor to confirm their ability and determine whether this requirement has been met.
• For all other circumstances, please contact the History graduate advisor in writing.  Exemptions may be granted on a case by case basis.

3a. Comprehensive Examinations

PhD students are required to complete written and oral comprehensive examinations in two major fields.  One field is geographically defined; the other is thematic .  Examination fields and the composition of the examination committee are determined through consultation involving the student, research supervisor, and Graduate Advisor. The major fields that will be examined are determined by the student’s research and the department’s research clusters.

The PhD Field Examination Committee is comprised of four field examiners. One of the four examiners is the research supervisor.  Regular meetings should be held with all four of the examining professors. Discussion of the types of questions likely to comprise the exam is also highly recommended.  Professors and students should agree on the number of questions and amount of choice well in advance of the exam. The standard is two questions answered per field (a total of 10,000 words for both fields) from a list of questions any of which might be asked during the oral part of the examination.

Students must complete all of their coursework requirements before sitting their comprehensive examinations.  Students are expected to complete their comprehensive examinations within fifteen months of the date of initial registration.

In order to advance to candidacy, students must successfully pass the written and oral comprehensive exams, and then defend their dissertation prospectus within the subsequent four months.  A student who has not advanced to candidacy within 36 months from date of initial registration must withdraw from the program.  Extension of this period may be permitted by the Dean of Graduate Studies in exceptional circumstances.

Preparation for Comprehensive Exams

Students should have working reading lists in hand for their two fields by the end of Term 1 of Year 1.  They begin studying for comprehensive exams at the beginning of Term 2 of Year 1.

As an approximate guide to the preparation expected, students generally read the equivalent of 75 books (with 3 or 4 articles counting as the equivalent of a book) for each field.  Examiners in each field provide the candidate in advance with titles comprising 70-80% of the bibliography. Students themselves identify titles to comprise the remaining 20-30% of the list.

Form of the examination

• Written Examinations.  The examinations test the candidate's mastery of the factual knowledge, central historiographical issues, and theoretical concepts of the field.  Doctoral students are required to complete two written take-home examinations, one in each field, over a two-week period.  Students have a week to write for each field and may choose which field they do first. The comprehensive exams should total no more than 10,000 words.
• Oral Examination.  In the week following the written examinations, candidates take an oral examination, to be based mainly on the candidate's written field examinations.  All of the questions posed in the written examinations are open to oral questioning.  Other questions relevant to the field reading lists also may be expected.  The oral examination is normally three hours in duration.  The written and oral examinations in each field will receive one grade (pass/fail).  A student who fails either major field must repeat the written and oral examinations in all fields.  No substitution of fields at re-examination will be permitted.  A student will be allowed to re-sit comprehensives only once, and will be required to withdraw from the PhD program upon a second failure in one or more fields. Comprehensive doctoral examinations should be held between October and December of the second year.

3b. Comprehensive Exam Checklist

Comprehensive Exam Checklist

• Assemble your committee (Term 1, Year 1) 1a. Major Field in ___________   Professor___________; Professor_________________ 1b. Major field in ___________    Professor___________; Professor_________________
• Communicate this list to the Grad Advisor for final approval, and the Graduate Programme Assistant ( [email protected] ), who will notify the graduate committee member in charge of exams  to find a chair for your oral exam.
• Finalize reading list. Send an electronic copy of the reading list to Graduate Programme Assistant ( [email protected] ) along with a copy of email approval from the professors involved. Alternatively, a hard copy signed  by you and the professors involved. (The final list can be submitted just prior to the commencement of the examination.)
• Organize the comprehensive exam date.  The comprehensive exam involves three academic weeks.  The first two weeks represent written exams for each field. The Oral exam will be held in the third week.  Set a date  and time (3 hour block) with your committee members and communicate the date and time to the Graduate Programme Assistant ( [email protected] ).

Upon receiving the confirmed "date and time", the Graduate Programme Assistant will:

• Arrange a Room,
• Alert the Member of the graduate committee responsible for exams, who will find a chair for your oral exam,
• Send out a formal written schedule with a request to the committee members to submit their written comprehensive exam questions, and;
• Update the schedule once the graduate committee member has confirmed a chair.

For reference, the Graduate Programme Assistant will be invigilating the written exams.

Note on Remote Setup for Virtual Meetings: The supervisor is responsible is responsible for setting up a skype (or zoom) virtual meetings for comprehensive and prospectus examinations .

Important Note about Scheduling: The oral comprehensive examination date should be set with a minimum of 5-6 weeks in advance in order to allow enough time to find a chairperson.   For Oral examination dates set with less than 5 weeks’ notice, the graduate committee member in charge of comprehensive and prospectus exams may require the supervisor to find a chairperson.

4a. Dissertation Prospectus Examination

When a student has completed all coursework and the comprehensive examinations, the candidate and Graduate Advisor establish a Dissertation Committee.  This Committee is composed of  a minimum of three faculty members  including the Dissertation Supervisor and is presided over by the Dissertation Supervisor.

Candidates are required to present a dissertation prospectus for approval by the Dissertation Committee.  As a guideline, the dissertation prospectus is usually presented between one month to  no later than four months after completion of the PhD comprehensive examinations.   The examination of the dissertation prospectus can occur as early as Term 1, Year 2 and typically, no later than the end of Term 2, Year 2.

Candidates should first present to the Dissertation Supervisor a 10-12 page prospectus indicating the nature of the problem the candidate plans to investigate, the body of literature relevant to the problem and the candidate's expected contribution to that literature, the specific research methods and plans to be followed in the study, the availability and accessibility of the relevant materials including specific archival collections and other sources, and a tentative schedule for research and writing. After consultation with the Dissertation Supervisor, the prospectus must be presented to the Dissertation Committee and discussed at the prospectus examination.  If one of the Dissertation Committee members cannot attend the prospectus examination, another faculty member will join the committee for this purpose.

Additional Resources:

What is a Prospectus? ( February 2013 )

by Chris Laursen, PhD (Alumni)

• Just get to the heart of what you want to do with your dissertation in the prospectus.  You may not feel anywhere near ready to create a prospectus, and that's okay!  You have to start somewhere.  What you write will be critiqued.  You can't escape that, and it's fine because it's part of being a scholar.  Whatever advice you are given, remember that you will end up moving in better directions in your dissertation research and writing as a result of it.  Make the prospectus a fun exercise, one in which you use your imagination and creative thinking, as well as showing that you have something to contribute to historical studies and can defend your preliminary arguments (which will become stronger as you get into the real work of your dissertation).  Start by asking yourself, "What is my dream dissertation?"  With that, get the essential bits in there: a strong thesis, proposed chapter outline, and showing how it makes a contribution to the study of history (through a historiographical section).
• Once you've explained how you're making a contribution, put all of those scholars you've read aside, go back to what you've outlined, and think for yourself.  Unless your committee indicates they expect application of an existing theoretical model based on your study, I would advise being more concerned about focusing on how you are going to approach your topic.  Myself, I felt an invisible pressure after taking so many courses that focused on so many theoretical or philosophical models.  I assumed that I was expected to think about my dissertation through the lens of at least a few of these existing models.  Unless you're absolutely passionate about applying one of these models (which, honestly, I wasn't), you should start with yourself.  After writing - and fumbling in my defense - on how my project could fit existing theoretical models (what a disaster!), the advice my committee gave was liberating: worry about your own methodological development, not applying that of others.  It's not that it's easier to develop your own methodological approach.  But the prospectus is your opportunity to propose how you would do so.  You've been working on it in everything you've done up to this point.  If there's one thing I wish I had done it would have been to say to myself, "Okay, I've learned all sorts of approaches.  I've outlined how my works fits in the historiography.  Now I'm going to put others' work aside and think for myself.  How do I want to approach collecting research materials and analyse them?  How would I get what I want out of them?"  I think the ability to say this is what I want to do is crucial in a prospective defense.  My committee wanted to know how I was going to develop my own scholarly style through the dissertation process, and some of that was in my prospectus, but I spent way too much time writing about other scholars' approaches.  You've already recognized related scholars in a historiographical section.  Make the rest of the prospectus about how you want to do things.  What you produce will not be perfect, but it's a significant step toward thinking for yourself as a member of a community of scholars.
• How one of your PhD colleagues or faculty members does something does not mean you have to do it the same way.  First of all, remember to consult with your committee as you develop these approaches before you get to prospectus defense.  This will be a big help.  As your prepare, when you look at sample prospecti, read dissertations, or published works, concern yourself with how they're organized and consider how strong their thesis is.  Apply structures and content that strongly benefits what you want to say in your dissertation.  Ultimately, you are going to build an idea for a dissertation in the way you want to do it. From there, your committee is going to give advice, some of which you won't implement, much of which will completely lift you up in terms of strengthening your scholarship.  I thought of my defense more as a formal brainstorming session.  I loved hearing what my committee members and defense chair had to say.  Nothing went as I imagined, and really, life is like that anyway.  Defend your ideas as carefully as you can, but be open to all critiques and advice.  Be thankful for it.  This is really an opportunity to grow.  It's a forum where you walk in with a document and walk out with new ways of thinking about your research, writing, and scholarly style.
• Start early , gather your sources, and set yourself a tight schedule with milestones to complete your prospectus after passing comps.  For those preparing for comps, insert key scholarly works to read that you'll be using in your dissertation research.  This is so important.  For those starting grad school, collect as many key sources as you can well ahead of time.  If you haven't already started doing that by the time you begin your PhD, you'd better get going on that!  (I had been gradually collecting sources since 2006, two years before commencing my MA, and defended my prospectus in January 2012, two months after my comps exam; writing the prospectus was a quick process because I already had key sources read and ready to consider in my prospectus.)  Once you are ready to write the prospectus, make it an efficient process.  In my opinion, you can probably write it, get outlines and drafts reviewed by committee members over a month or two, then refine it and defend.  Set your defense date early to motivate getting it done.  With candidacy, you can get to the real work of research and writing your dissertation. Don't draw the prospectus process out too long.
• It's a defense ; that's nerve wracking, and that's okay.  It's part of being a scholar.  The prospectus defense is probably not going to feel smooth.  You're early on in your dissertation.  Your ideas are just forming.  Write as strong of a document as you can in a limited time.  Consult with your committee members ahead of the defense to see what they think of an outline of it, and then on a draft of it.  They'll catch the early weaknesses that you can work on. Expect to hear questions and ideas that hadn't been mentioned earlier in your defense - things you'd hadn't considered before.
• Myself , I'm writing a succinct reimagined prospectus one year after defending.  The first prospectus felt like a beginning, a way of getting feedback, and a way of showing that I can carry on with my dissertation work.  The second one - only a revised working thesis, succinct overview of methodology and argument, and a more developed chapter outline - is an opportunity to truly shape the dissertation.  The prospectus you write to achieve candidacy will be a useful tool to develop your methodology, analysis, and research travel strategies. As a candidate, I have put a lot of thought into those three elements over the past year.  I also consulted a lot with people knowledgeable about my research topic - invaluable!  Now the content seems all the more concrete, although I fully expect my committee to have a variety of new ideas and directions based on this revised prospectus.  It's an ongoing process - and one that should be both as delightful and challenging as you can make it.
• So what is a prospectus really? It is an essential step for you and your committee to feel that you are ready to do the real work of the dissertation - so make this a time to show them and yourself that you're ready to proceed with that.  It's an exercise in imagining what you would really enjoy doing, getting your key sources lined up, assessing the contribution your work with make to historical studies, and above all an opportunity to say, "This is how I want to be a historian.  This is the approach I'm thinking about.  What do you think, colleagues?"

4b. Prospectus Examination Checklist

The last step to advancement to candidacy is the prospectus defence (examination). Once you are ready to defend your prospectus:

• Please arrange a “2 hour time slot” with your prospectus committee.  This should be done with at least five week's notice in order to leave ample time to find a chairperson.
• Email the Date, time, and names of the prospectus committee to Graduate Programme Assistant at [email protected] .
• The Graduate Programme Assistant will book the room, notify the graduate committee member responsible for comprehensive and prospectus examinations to find a chairperson, and send out a schedule to everybody involved.

Important Note about Scheduling: The oral prospectus examination date should be set with a minimum of 5 weeks in advance in order to allow enough time to find a chairperson.   For Oral examination dates set with less than 5 weeks’ notice, the graduate committee member in charge of comprehensive and prospectus exams may require the supervisor to find a chairperson.

5. Admission (Advancement) to Candidacy

Once candidates have completed their residency period, completed all required coursework, passed their comprehensive examinations, and the dissertation proposal has been approved by the Dissertation Committee, the student is admitted to candidacy and may proceed with the dissertation.  Advancement to candidacy can occur as early as Term 1, Year 2 and typically no later than the end of Term 2, Year 2.

For reference, the date for advancement to candidacy usually represents the date of the prospectus defense because the prospectus examination is usually the final requirement to be completed.  

A student who is not admitted to candidacy within three years (36 months) from the date of initial registration will normally be required to withdraw from the program.  Where extenuating circumstances exist, students can apply to G&PS for an extension. 

6. PhD Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation must be an original contribution to historical knowledge, based upon primary sources. The PhD candidate is strongly advised to select a dissertation topic and research supervisor as early as possible, and to begin work on the dissertation within one of the research seminars.  The dissertation must not exceed 400 pages, including footnotes, bibliography, and appendices.

• Dissertation Supervisor and Dissertation Committee The Dissertation Committee is composed of  a minimum of three faculty members  including the Dissertation Supervisor and is presided over by the Dissertation Supervisor.  Although the supervisory work is largely done by the Dissertation Supervisor, the final responsibility for supervision, for approving the dissertation proposal, for judging the acceptability of the dissertation, and for recommending its submission to the University Thesis Examining Committee rests with the Dissertation Committee.
• Progress Reports and the Role of the Dissertation Committee There should be frequent contact between candidates and thesis supervisors to facilitate the giving of advice and the reporting of research progress. The Dissertation Supervisor should be available, even when on leave. The Faculty of Graduate Studies suggests that there be contact between students and supervisors at least every three months. The Dissertation Committee may also request progress reports from a candidate. If research prevents the candidate from being in Vancouver, such reports may be submitted by arrangement with the supervisor and/or Dissertation Committee by mail or e-mail. A full committee meeting with the candidate must occur once a year.  Students should plan to submit their work-in-progress at a department colloquium in Year 3 or 4.  Students who plan to complete by the end of Year 5 should have a full dissertation draft ready for the entire committee to review by the end of Year 4. While the Dissertation Committee should be an important source of advice and aid to the student, it is not responsible for the final quality of the dissertation. Its responsibility is to see that the candidate does the best possible job within a reasonable period of time, and then to decide, after discussions with the candidate, whether the dissertation should be laid before a University Committee for evaluation.
• Final Doctoral Examination The Dissertation Committee must be convinced of the quality and acceptability of the dissertation before approving its submission to the External Examiner, which begins the process of its submission for public examination to the University Thesis Examining Committee.  The final examination of the dissertation by the University Thesis Examining Committee is not a mere formality. Candidates may be asked to undertake revisions, or the dissertation may be rejected at this stage. For further information on the composition of the University Thesis Examining Committee and the results of examinations see the Faculty of Graduate Studies document  " The Final Oral Examination: Guide for Doctoral Candidates ."  Candidates should acquaint themselves with the submission procedures and technical requirements for formatting of theses. These requirements are listed in the Faculty of Graduate Studies document  " Dissertation and Thesis Preparation ."

7. Submitting your PhD Dissertation To Formally Close Your Program

After you have successfully completed your Final Defense, the final step is to submit your thesis to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) to close your program.

Step 1: Read the overview of the submission process: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission

Step 2: Carefully follow the steps in the link below to submit your thesis to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to close your program: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/final-dissertation-thesis-submission/final-submission-instructions

Note: Once the student has all of the forms in step 1, they can email them to the Graduate Programme Assistant ( [email protected] ) to verify the signatures and forward the forms to GPS on behalf of the student.

Dissertation/Thesis Submission Deadlines: Check deadlines for dissertation/thesis submission dates: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/deadlines (Under Deadline Type -->Select Option: Thesis Final Submission --> Click: Filter)

Thesis approval deadlines are for having your thesis fully approved in cIRcle , not just submitted. You are expected to submit at least five days ahead of any deadline in order to allow yourself time to make any needed corrections.

8. Applying For Graduation

For Reference: https://www.grad.ubc.ca/current-students/graduation/applying-graduate

Every candidate for a degree must make formal application for graduation. Students apply through Student Workday . Login with your Campus-wide Login (CWL). Please check the Deadlines section of this website or contact your program to find out when the Application to Graduate is open.

If your application to graduate is not approved, then you must re-apply for the next graduation season.

Doctoral Students Doctoral students must also complete a 350-character doctoral citation. For details and information on how to submit this, please see Doctoral Citations for Graduation .

Not attending the graduation ceremony? You must apply to graduate regardless of whether or not you plan to participate in the scheduled ceremonies.

Questions? For questions about applying to graduate, please contact [email protected]

Conference Travel Funding

Graduate students are now eligible to receive travel funding to attend a conference at which they are presenting a paper. Over the course of a graduate career, each PhD student will have access to $3,000 to attend conferences. Eligibility continues for up to four months after completion of the degree. As per University guidelines, payments will be made via reimbursement.

PhD Co-op (Optional)

Co-operative education is an optional program that allows you to gain work experience as you work on your doctoral degree. You will have access to various resources to help support your job search and build career skills.

Research on co-op programs has shown that students typically return to their studies after co-op terms highly motivated and increasingly successful in their studies (marks, completion rates, etc.).

Eligibility:

You are eligible to apply to the UBC History PhD Co-op Program if you have achieved candidacy (or are expecting to achieve candidacy by the time you begin your co-op term, typically in January of your third year in the PhD program). You also must have two years of PhD study left, in which to schedule three, 4-month work terms. You cannot enrol in the Co-op Program without advancing to candidacy first: that is, Co-op students must be ABD (all but dissertation).

SSHRC-holders and international students are both eligible to apply and go through the same application process.

• My UCalgary
• Class Schedule
• UCalgary Directory
• Continuing Education
• Active Living
• Academic Calendar
• UCalgary Maps
• Close Faculty Websites List Viewing: Faculty Websites
• Cumming School of Medicine

Faculty of Arts

• Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Faculty of Kinesiology
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Nursing
• Faculty of Nursing (Qatar)
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Social Work
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• Haskayne School of Business
• School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
• School of Public Policy
• Schulich School of Engineering
• Werklund School of Education
• Future Students
• Explore programs
• How to apply
• Understanding graduate studies
• Indigenous graduate students
• Financing grad school
• International students
• Graduate student life
• What I wish I knew
• Admissions contact information
• Current Students
• Newly Admitted
• Graduate Orientation
• Pre-arrival
• Registration
• Annual Registration
• Concurrent Registration
• Flexible Grading Option (CG Grade)
• Confirmation of registration
• Course registration
• Leave of absence
• Registration status
• Studying at another university
• Updating personal information (included preferred name)
• Thesis-based students

Fees and funding

• Understanding your fees
• Paying your fees
• Funding options
• Payment plan
• Supervision
• Best practices and guidelines
• Conflict of interest
• Changing supervision
• Academic integrity
• Annual progress report
• Intellectual property
• Building a thesis
• Submit your thesis
• Conducting oral exams remotely
• Thesis defence
• Course-based Students
• Academic Integrity
• Sources of funding
• Payment Plan
• NEW: Term-Based Registration
• Completing my degree
• Indigenous Graduate Students
• Supports for graduate students
• Graduate Academic and International Specialists
• Important dates and resources
• Forms and documents
• Service Requests and eForms
• News, updates and events
• Find your Graduate Program Administrator
• Calendar Archives
• Award Opportunities
• Graduate Awards Database
• Doctoral Recruitment Scholarships
• Award Guide
• Step 1: Applying
• Looking for awards
• Eligibility
• Preparing your application
• Step 2: Receiving
• Accept/Decline your award
• Getting paid
• Step 3: Managing your award
• Renewing your award
• Award interruption
• Award Termination
• Policies and Regulations
• Regulations
• Exceptional scholars
• Contact the Scholarship Office
• Professional Development
• Academic Success
• My GradSkills Partners
• Communication Skills
• Research Communications Feedback Sessions
• Oral communication
• Visual communication
• Written communication
• Experiential Learning
• Internships
• For employers
• For graduate students
• Finding an internship
• Making your internship a TTI
• Applying for a TTI
• For graduate supervisors
• Images of Research
• Three Minute Thesis
• 2024 UCalgary 3MT Finalists
• 2024 3MT Finals' Hosts and Judges
• Past Three Minute Thesis Videos
• Workshops and Resources
• Career planning and professional development resources
• My GradSkills Calendar
• My GradSkills Workshop Matrix
• Online/Virtual Training
• UCalgary Alumni Mentorship Program
• Supervisory Resources
• Supervisory Renewal
• Graduate supervisors
• Thesis and candidacy exams
• Supervisor resources
• Maintaining your supervisor profile
• Supervisory privileges
• Leadership team
• FGS Council
• Committees of Council
• Minutes and meetings
• Website Feedback

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

Program overview.

Learn from internationally recognized scholars in a program with excellent student-to-supervisor ratios. Departmental expertise is wide-ranging; our historians are specialists in histories of Africa, Canada, China, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Students learn valuable skills in argumentative writing, critical thinking, public speaking, and grant proposal writing. Typically, students base their doctoral research in archival work within Canada and abroad. Students will complete a dissertation that contributes meaningfully to their chosen fields as they gain experience in teaching at an undergraduate level, present at conferences, and prepare research for publication.

Completing this program

• Core Courses: Reading courses in primary and secondary areas of study.
• Additional Courses:  Elective graduate seminars (may include one course from another department).  Must include Historiography and the Theories of History if not completed in the MA program.
• Language: Students demonstrate reading knowledge of a second language relevant to the student's research prior to the candidacy examination.
• Candidacy: Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams in primary and secondary areas.
• Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.

Academic teaching and research, research consulting, public history, education, professional writing and editing, journalism, civil service and diplomacy.

A PhD in history is usually considered a final degree.

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Four courses

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Time commitment.

Four years full-time; six years maximum

A supervisor is required; potential supervisors must be listed when applying to the program

See the Graduate Calendar for information on  fees and fee regulations,  and for information on  awards and financial assistance .

Virtual Tour

Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

Harvey Amani Whitfield

Lyndsay Campbell

George Colpitts

Petra Dolata

Alexander Hill

Nancy Janovicek

Amelia Kiddle

Courtnay Konshuh

Hendrik Kraay

Ken MacMillan

Admission requirements

A minimum of 3.7 GPA on a  four-point scale (or equivalent), in history courses taken at the graduate level.

Minimum education

Masters degree in history (or related) and a four-year undergraduate degree with honours or a major in history.

Work samples

A sample of written work, normally a master’s thesis chapter or a major research paper completed at the master’s level.

A detailed statement of research interest.

Reference letters

Test scores, english language proficiency (elp).

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iB T including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)  minimum score of 86 (Internet-based, with no section less than 20).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  score of 6.5 (with no section less than 6.0).
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency  minimum score of 180.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)   score of 59 or higher
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL)  overall score of 70 (no section less than 60).
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC)  minimum of B+ in each course.
• Duolingo English Test  obtaining a minimum score of 125 (with no sub-score below 105).

*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements.

For admission on September 1:

• Canadians and permanent residents: Jan. 5 application deadline
• International students: Jan. 5 application deadline

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Are you ready to apply?

Learn more about this program, department of history.

Social Sciences Building, Room 656 618 Campus Place NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Visit the Faculty of Arts website

Related programs

If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.

Course-based MA

Thesis-based MA

Anthropology

Thesis-based PhD

Archaeology

Military, security and strategic studies.

Thesis-based MSS

Course-based MSS

Political Science

Curious about the university of calgary.

Located in the nation's most enterprising city, we are a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude.

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Our Community
• Request Info

PhD Program in History

The programs offered by the Department of History emphasize the modern world in a global framework. A range of approaches to history, from political and cultural through social and intellectual, to environment and medicine, find representation in our program.

My program at McMaster taught me a breadth of skills beyond what you see on the surface from a history degree.

Stephanie Carpenter '05

Honours BA in History with a Minor in English

The Humanities are versatile. We are masters of communication, analysis and finding the information needle in a haystack.

Katilyn Laslo '18

Honours History, Philosophy minor

The experience of a Humanities degree is the preparation for life’s skills and opportunities

Mark Giavedoni '01

Combined Honours English and History

About the Program

The History PhD program involves the completion of 2 minor fields by course work and one major field of readings by September 15th of the second year of doctoral study. Thereafter candidates will devote their full time to research and writing their doctoral thesis.

The Department offers full and part-time PhD degrees to candidates.

Areas of Research offered include:

• Animal History
• Atlantic World
• Britain 1688-2000
• Canada 1791-2000
• Environmental History
• Medieval Europe
• Modern Europe
• Science & Technology
• Urban History
• War and Society

Admission Requirements

The Department supervises doctoral research in a variety of areas of specialization. Prospective applicants are directed to consult the Department’s website which details research specializations. Candidates must contact individual faculty for guidance on appropriate thesis topics.

Application Process

Completed applications consisting of the following:

• How to Apply
• Departmental Application Form   (This is equivalent to the required study plan). Once you’ve completed your Departmental Application Form, save it as a PDF and upload as an attachment to your online application. You can also send it as an attachment via email to: [email protected]
• Two Confidential Reports from referees most familiar with your academic studies (These can be found on McMaster University Graduate Studies Online Application – the online application process).
• Transcripts from all post-secondary academic institutions attended (When applying online your transcripts are listed under “Academic History Checklist”).
• Writing Sample.
• The above should be submitted by 1 February for consideration by our graduate studies committee for admission and funding (September admission only). Transcripts and confidential report forms should be sent directly to the Department under separate cover.  We may still consider applications after the February 1 deadline.

Program Timelines

When admission to PhD work has been granted, a candidate will, in consultation with his or her prospective supervisor and the Graduate Studies Chair of the Department, select two Minor Fields and one Major Specialization. Minor Fields and Major Specialization will cover the principal literature in the areas of concentration.

Minor fields normally consist of two half-year 700‐level graduate reading seminars in each of which a major historiographical essay is required. The grade for a minor field will consist of the grades for the in- course requirements and the historiographical essay, in combination as indicated by the minor field supervisor. One minor field course will be taken in the fall term, the second in the winter term. Instructors may opt to set a written exam.

While some overlap may be deemed beneficial, the Minor Fields should not duplicate Major Specialization reading. All doctoral candidates must have a minimum of three, and usually four, instructors supervising the combination of their Minor Fields and Major Specialization.

Major Specialization preparation begins in September and takes the form of a reading course that will run normally until the following May. The reading for the course will be determined by the course instructors with oversight from the department’s Graduate Studies Committee to ensure appropriate breadth and depth of the reading list. As part of the reading course, candidates will complete a significant historiographical paper or papers. Instructors may opt to set a written exam.

Successful completion of 6 units of Minor‐Field coursework and 6 units of Major Specialization coursework, fulfill the course requirements of the School of Graduate Studies for doctoral candidates. Satisfactory performance in doctoral Minor Field and Major Specialization courses is a minimum grade of B‐. A single grade of F on any course in the PhD program, or two B- grades, entails automatic withdrawal from the program.

Finally, all History PhD candidates will write a dissertation research proposal by the end of their first year in the PhD programme.  Each candidate’s proposal, of 10-15 pages in length, is defended on a Pass/Fail basis with the candidate’s PhD committee no later than the third week of September. This defence will constitute the required PhD comprehensive examination (written and oral). In order to attain a passing mark, the dissertation proposal and its oral defense must satisfactorily demonstrate breadth of knowledge and the integration of key ideas and methods related to the student’s thesis area. Successful passage of the comprehensive examination along with successful completion of the coursework is required before a candidate may proceed in programme.

Tuition & Program Fees

Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about tuition, supplementary fees and everything you need to know about being paid as a Teaching or Research Assistant. Tuition fees are assessed on a term by term basis, depending on the number of courses a student takes or if they are paying by term. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is tuition?

For the 2023-2024 academic year, tuition fees are as follows:

Please note, these costs are exclusive of supplementary fees and are subject to change on an annual basis.

When is tuition due?

Tuition is usually due in mid-September.  Dates will change on an annual basis and will be communicated via departmental communication channels.

What does the course load look like for an MA student?

MA students in the Department of History are required to take 3 level-700 courses in the fall and winter terms.  Each class is approximately 3 hours in length based on course offerings and student interest.  Courses are offered one day per week.   Unless otherwise specified, courses are offered in-person and students are expected to be present in class on campus.  Course scheduling and registration takes place in the spring/summer.

Does the Department require scholarly work?

Both the MA and the PhD require completion of the supplemental application, which can be found on the respective application websites.  The PhD application requires a writing sample.

How is graduate funding decided?  Is it guaranteed?

Within the Department of History, there is a graduate committee which is composed of History faculty members.  For MA students, each individual faculty member reviews the applications and ranks the students.  Each student receives an average ranking.  The student’s GPA is then used as a further ranking tool to determine graduate scholarships.  The application and the student’s GPA has equal weighting in determining their final rank.  Top students are likely, but not guaranteed, to receive scholarship funding.  In addition to scholarship funding, there are multiple teaching assistant positions which offer students an opportunity to study and work. No funding is guaranteed and is subject to change on an annual basis.

For PhD students, minimum funding is guaranteed.  As of September 1, 2023, all full-time PhD students admitted to the program are guaranteed a minimum of $17,500 which may be composed of multiple different sources of funding.  This is guaranteed for 4 years.

Does the department offer any scholarships?

The department offers the following internal scholarships for graduate students:

Is it necessary to consult a potential supervisor?

For an MA student, you will connect with a potential supervisor by the end of your first term.

For a PhD student, it is highly recommended that you consult with a potential supervisor before applying into the program.  Supervision requires a heavy commitment from faculty members, and some faculty members may not be able to provide the necessary support required.  The department cannot guarantee a supervisor for incoming PhD students.

Can the application fee be waived?

No, the fee is mandatory to apply into the program.

How are my international grades calculated?

The university uses the Ontario University Registrars’ Association guides to calculating international grades.  These vary from country to country.  If you are interested, you may reach out to [email protected] for clarification.

What testing is required if English is not my first language?  What is the minimum score required?

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide an official record of the Test of English as a Foreign Language. A minimum TOEFL score of 92 (iBT), 580 on the regular test and a score of 237 on the computerized test are required. If you are submitting the IELTS test, a minimum score of 7 is required.

Faculty Scholarship Adjustments Guidelines

The McMaster Graduate Scholarship (MGS) is the most common form of scholarship support available to graduate students in our program. The MGS ensures that students receive a guaranteed minimum level of scholarship support. Adjustments to the MGS will depend on other available scholarships.

The Faculty of Humanities Adjustments guidelines policy is available for review.

REVIEW THE POLICY

Apply to the PhD Program in History

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GRADUATE SUPERVISORS

Research your passion in History with supervision from our world-class faculty.

SEE OUR CURRENT AND FORMER GRAD STUDENTS

Supplemental information.

2024-2025 Graduate Courses Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2024)

HISTORY 725 Canadian Environmental History HISTORY 728 American Foreign Relations HISTORY 741 Historiography HISTORY 770 Sex, Health, Gender Colonial HISTORY 790 MA Independent Study HISTORY 798A Phd Spec Reading Course

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2025)

HISTORY 742 Applied History HISTORY 745 Canada’s Racial State HISTORY 754 Social and Environmental History of Modern America HISTORY 767 War and Society in East Asian History HISTORY 790 MA Independent Study HISTORY 798B Phd Spec Reading Course

Winter – Summer 2025 (January – August 2025)

• History 798 PhD Major Specialization

Summer 2025 (May – August 2025)

• History 797 MA Research Paper

2023-2024 Graduate Courses Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2023)

• History 702 War and American Society since 1898| Dr. Stephen Streeter
• History 741 Historiography | Dr. Tracy McDonald
• History 756 The World Wars| Dr. Martin Horn
• History 767 War and Society in East Asian History| Dr. Jaeyoon Song

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2024)

• History 717 Topics in Early Modern European History| Dr. Megan Armstrong
• History 721 Modern British History| Dr. Stephen Heathorn
• History 725 Canadian Environmental History| Dr. Ken Cruikshank
• History 757 The British Empire and Global Integration, 1815-1960| Dr. John Weaver
• History 776 History of Sexualities in the Western World, 1750 to the present| Dr. Michael Gauvreau

Winter – Summer 2024 (January – August 2024)

Summer 2024 (May – August 2024)

2022-2023 Graduate Courses Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2022)

• History 708 Research in European International Relations 1890-1956 | Dr. Martin Horn
• History 741 Historiography | Dr. Michael Gauvreau
• History 754 Social and Environmental History of Modern America | Dr. Ken Cruikshank
• History 767 War and Society in East Asian History | Dr. Jaeyoon Song

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2023)

• History 743 Topics in Soviet History | Dr. Tracy McDonald
• History 757 The British Empire and Global Integration, 1815-1960 | Dr. John Weaver
• History 766 Comparative Perspectives on Health and Medicine in the Colonial World | Dr. Juanita De Barros
• History 776 History of Sexualities in the Western World, 1750 to the present | Dr. Michael Gauvreau
• History 777 Decolonizing Indigenous History | Dr. Allan Downey

2021-2022 Graduate Courses Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2021) In- Person

• History 728 American Foreign Relations | Dr. S. Streeter | Tuesday 9:30 – 12:20
• History 741 Historiography (required for MA’s) | Dr. T. McDonald | Thursday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 766 Comparative Perspectives on Health and Medicine in the Colonial World | Dr. J. De Barros | Wednesday 14:30 – 17:20
• History 775 The Canadian Left in the Twentieth Century | Dr. I. McKay | Monday 9:00 – 12:00

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2022)

• History 757 The British Empire and Global Integration, 1815-1960 | Dr. J. Weaver | Wednesday 13:30 – 16:20
• History 764 Global Power, Local Cultures: Comparative Colonialisms in Africa | Dr. B. Ibhawoh | Tuesday 12:30 – 15:30
• History 767 War and Society in East Asian History | Dr. J. Song | Thursday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 776 History of Sexualities in the Western World 1750 to the present | Dr. M. Gauvreau | Friday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 780 Historical Perspectives on Women and Biography | Dr. A. McQueen | Monday 9:00 – 12:00

Winter – Summer 2022 (January – August 2022)

Summer 2022 (May – August 2022)

2020-2021 Graduate Courses

Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2020) (Virtual)

• History 717 Topics in Early Modern European History | Megan Armstrong | Friday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 741 Historiography | Michael Gauvreau | Thursday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 766 Comparative Perspectives on Health and Medicine in the Colonial World | Juanita De Barros | Wednesday 13:00 – 16:00
• History 769 Historical Representations of Cities | Alison McQueen | Tuesday 9:30 – 12:30
• History 775 The Canadian Left in the Twentieth Century | Ian McKay | Monday 13:00 – 16:00

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2021) 

• History 725 Environmental History: Canada in International Perspective | Ken Cruikshank | Wednesday 13:00 – 16:00
• History 756 The World Wars | Martin Horn | Wednesday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 765 Canadian Sport History | Nancy Bouchier | Monday 9:30 – 12:30
• History 767 War and Society in East Asian History | Jaeyoon Song | Thursday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 776 History of Sexualities in the Western World, 1750 to the Present | Michael Gauvreau | Friday 9:00 – 12:00
• History 779 History of Indigenous Manifestos | Allan Downey | Tuesday 13:00 – 16:00

Winter – Summer 2021 (January – August 2021) 

Summer 2021 (May – August 2021) 

2019-2020 Graduate Courses

Term 1 Seminars (September – December 2019)

• History 702 War and American Society in 1898 – Stephen Streeter
• History 741 Historiography – Tracy McDonald
• History 772 State & Civil Society in Canada, 1948-2000 – Ian McKay
• History 775 The Canadian Left in the Twentieth Century- Ian McKay
• History 790 MA Independent Study

Term 2 Seminars (January – April 2020)

• History 717 Topics in Early Modern History- Megan Armstrong
• History 743 Topics in Soviet History –  Tracy McDonald
• History 757 ( Cross-listed as GLOBALST 757 ) The British Empire and Global Integration, 1815-1960 – John Weaver
• History 776 History of Sexualities in the Western World, 1750 to the present- Michael Gauvreau
• History 779 History of Indigenous Manifestos – Allan Downey

Summer 2020 (May – August 2020)

Winter 2020 – Summer 2020 (January – August 2020)

Funding is available through a large number of available scholarships. McMaster’s School of Graduate Studies maintains a list of available scholarships available as well as details on how to apply.

In addition to McMaster scholarships, the School of Graduate Studies also maintains a list of external scholarships.

• Program Handbook
• Thesis Defence
• Graduate Calendar
• School of Graduate Studies Graduate Resources
• Graduate Associations
• Where to find jobs

Department Life

Graduate students are fully incorporated into the intellectual and social life of the Department.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Graduate History Society

Our graduate students have their own organization

Thursday Speaker Series

See out past and future guest speakers

Find a Humanities Expert

Research-focused and student-centered. Humanities researchers promote interdisciplinary approaches to local and global leadership. Learn more about our researchers by searching by name or keyword.

• Intranet (Restricted)
• Job Opportunities
• Course Offerings
• Program/Module Information
• Program Counselling
• Awards/Scholarships
• Student Association/Clubs
• Internships and Opportunities
• Course Information
• Program Information
• Funding/Scholarships
• Graduate Handbook
• History Graduate Student Association
• Prospective Students
• MA Students
• PhD Students
• Research Areas
• Recent Publications
• Facilities and Labs
• Research Funding
• Administration
• Post Docs / Visitors
• Undergraduate
• Ph.D. in History

Graduate Studies

• MA in History
• MA, Public History Field
• Collaborative Programs

Our doctoral program trains select graduate students to be professional historians—world-class researchers, teachers, and scholars. Our faculty has deep strengths in Canadian history, the history of international relations and conflict, environmental history, and public history, with courses and eminent scholars in many other areas as well. And we are a recognized leader in the new digital history and digital humanities.

Ph.D. students in our department enjoy access to extensive library collections, excellent departmental facilities, and a world-class digital history lab with facilities unrivalled in Canada, as well as competitive funding, an award-winning faculty, and professional development and teacher training programs devoted to the promotion of academic excellence.

Applicants to the program must have first class standing in a recognized MA program, excellent references, and a well-conceived statement of purpose that demonstrates compatibility with the strengths and supervisory capacity of the department. Please see the  Prospective Students  section of our website for the  application process  and admission requirements , and the  Graduate History Handbook  for detailed regulations and procedures.

Department of History Lawson Hall Rm 2201, Western University London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B8 Tel: 519-661-3645 [email protected] Privacy | Web Standards | Terms of Use | Accessibility

American Studies

International Relations Program

Public History

• Study resources
• Calendar - Graduate
• Calendar - Undergraduate
• Class schedules
• Class cancellations
• Course registration
• Important academic dates
• More academic resources
• Campus services
• IT services
• Job opportunities
• Safety & prevention
• Mental health support
• Student Service Centre (Birks)
• All campus services
• Calendar of events
• Latest news
• Media Relations
• Faculties, Schools & Colleges
• Arts and Science
• Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
• John Molson School of Business
• School of Graduate Studies
• All Schools, Colleges & Departments.
• Directories

Department of History

• Faculty members
• Graduate programs
• Undergraduate programs
• Public History
• Ethics in research
• Financial awards
• Student life
• News archive

PhD in History

Program overview.

The PhD in History allows you to gain expertise in a broad range of topics, including law and society, media and popular culture, and transnationalism and empire. Doctoral students join a vibrant research community and are invited to become involved in one of the many centres affiliated with the Department of History such as the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling , Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies , Curating and Public Scholarship Lab . The program encourages creativity and innovation, allowing students to respond to critical social issues in new and interesting ways. The storytelling techniques used by our students include the use of telecommunications, multimedia, oral histories and mobile exhibitions.

Program Details

Admission requirements, admission requirements.

• MA degree in History, with high standing, from a recognized university.
• Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Degree requirements

Degree requirements.

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the History Courses page for course descriptions.

History PhD (90 credits)

Application deadlines

We pride ourselves in offering minor and major fields that are tailor-made to our students’ research interests.  These fields can be geographical, chronological, thematic, or methodological fields.  Examples of fields recently supervised include:

• Twentieth-Century US History
• History of Migration
• Japanese Popular Culture
• History and Memory

Our doctoral seminar HIST 889 allows for scholarly, pedagogical, and professional conversations.  The format of this course is fluid as it is designed to respond to the concerns of each doctoral cohort.  Topics of discussion include study and writing strategies for comprehensive exams, grant-proposal writing workshops, research methods and resources, teaching strategies for the undergraduate classroom, and discussions of historical theories and methods.  The seminar meets bi-weekly during the fall and winter terms.

Consult the graduate calendar  for a complete list of current courses.

Full-time graduate students and new applicants for full-time study can apply for a teaching assistantships of around $ 3,700 per semester.

A number of departmental awards are also available for graduate students, including the Dagobert Broh Graduate Research Stipend, the Dagobert Broh Doctoral Entrance Fellowship, the Keith Lowther Graduate Award, the Inge Thurm Bursary in Women’s or Gender History, and the Geoffrey Adams Scholarship in French History.

Other awards available through the Faculty of Arts and Science include:

• Concordia Merit Scholarship
• Concordia University Graduate Fellowship
• Hydro-Quebec Graduate Award
• John W. O'Brien Graduate Fellowship
• Clara Strozyk Scholarship
• Out-of-Province Fee Remission Awards
• Conference Travel Awards
• International Tuition Award of Excellence

Consideration for Entrance Awards is automatically part of the admissions process for all new students.

Please also consult Concordia’s graduate funding page and Financial Aid and Awards .

Faculty research interests

The research of our full-time faculty members spans the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Areas of faculty research expertise include:

• law and society
• gender and sexuality
• war and peace
• science and the environment
• public history and memory
• media and popular culture
• genocide and human rights
• transnationalism and empire

Emerging ideas — student projects

Review an inspiring list of thesis topics and read about some of our  exceptional graduate students .

Student initiatives

Graduate students organize one of North America’s longest-running history graduate conferences. History in the Making is an annual bilingual conference that invites students from Quebec, Ontario, Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States to showcase their work in their respective fields. Past conferences have addressed topics such as “Recording History: Memories, Monuments & Manuscripts,” “Shattered Spaces: Piecing Together Narratives of Crisis and Change” and “Reinterpreting Our Collective Pasts: Community, Identity, and Memory.”

The Graduate History Students’ Association aims to promote a stimulating academic and social atmosphere by organizing social events, informal academic discussions, speaking engagements and other activities.

Your professional future

Our alumni find great success in a wide range of professional careers, including international relations, transportation, social work, journalism, law, politics, public advocacy, archives management and education.

Read about our alumni and their career paths since graduation.

Note: The History Department introduced new requirements for the doctoral program beginning in the Fall semester of 2014. Students who began the program prior to 2014 follow the requirements in place before this date .   Henceforth, students applying to the PhD program will only be considered for admission in the Fall semester.

[email protected] 514-848-2424 ext. 2414

1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.,  LB 1001-05 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 2V8

Concordia Grad

Concordia University Future Students

© Concordia University

History on social media

Search for academic programs , residence , tours and events and more.

History (PhD)

Our PhD in History program is part of the Tri-University Graduate Program in History, a partnership of Laurier, the University of Waterloo and the University of Guelph . This collaboration makes it possible for you to access the scholarship and experience of more than 65 graduate faculty and the resources of three universities.

The integration of history departments makes this program one of the biggest graduate history programs in Canada, while retaining the small classes and supportive student-professor relationships associated with History at Laurier.

Small PhD seminars; five students or fewer.

Wide variety of faculty supervising different geographic, thematic and temporal fields.

Guaranteed funding for four years of full-time study.

Program Details

Program structure.

This program is designed so that it can be completed in four years of full-time study. It consists of a mixture of seminar courses, presentations, examinations, and student instructional opportunities. These milestones keep you in intimate contact with your committee, incorporating feedback into every stage of the program.

You must complete a:

• major field seminar
• two minor field seminars
• professional development seminar
• qualifying examination
• dissertation proposal
• dissertation

Students generally participate in three field seminars in their first year and sit their major field exam in their fourth term.

Research Focus

Faculty members are willing to supervise students in any of the following research areas:

• Canadian history
• Scottish history
• World history
• Early Modern European history
• Modern European history
• Medieval history
• Cold War history
• War and society

Professional Opportunities

Innovative features of our program include a first-year professional development seminar and a presentation of a portion of your dissertation in a colloquium setting.

Our program emphasizes teaching skills, and most eligible doctoral students have the opportunity in their fourth year to teach a course of their own , with mentorship from a faculty member.

"Support for professional development was the key to my experience at Laurier: students are welcome to present at the Tri-University History Conference, which is a collegial place for new scholars to present their research alongside established researchers."

Lianne Leddy (BA '05, PhD '11), assistant professor, History, Wilfrid Laurier University

Take the first step in your graduate education and apply to one of our graduate programs. Follow our three-step admission process — we’ll walk you through how to apply and prepare for your first day as a graduate student.

• Start: Fall (September)
• Format: Full-time
• Application deadline:  Mar. 30 (international applicants) or Aug. 15 (domestic applicants). Applications will be considered until the program is full.

Admission Requirements

• A Master of Arts in History with a minimum A- standing.
• Applications are reviewed by the Tri-University Admissions Committee, which considers all prior university grades, a statement of research interests and letters of reference.
• Contact a prospective advisor prior to submitting your application.

Application Checklist

After you have submitted your OUAC application , paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from [email protected] advising you to upload the additional required documentation to Laurier’s Online Registration and Information System (LORIS) .

Please note, the application process and the uploading of supplemental documentation, which includes references, typically takes two weeks. To avoid disappointment, apply early.

An application for admission to the PhD program in History must include:

• The Application Summary, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Documents must be dated within the past six months.
• A completed statement of intent.
• A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your master's thesis or a paper written for a graduate course.
• Completed reference forms . Three academic references are required. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.

Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS .

Your Next Steps

Questions? Contact Mark Humphries, graduate coordinator, at [email protected] or 548.889.5054. For general inquiries, contact Heather Vogel, senior administrative assistant, at [email protected] or 548.889.5049.

"Immerse yourself in all Laurier has to offer while completing your graduate education. Enjoy the journey – remember to have fun too!"

Paula C. Fletcher, associate dean, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Waterloo Campus

This program is available on Laurier's Waterloo campus.

Laurier's Waterloo campus is home to more than 19,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Tucked into several city blocks, this campus is walking distance to your classrooms, food, and various campus amenities.

Laurier is a leading force in research among Canadian universities, and many of our research centres and institutes are housed in Waterloo.

Learn more about Laurier's campuses .

Tuition and Funding

Regardless of the type of graduate degree program you intend to pursue, financial planning is important. At Laurier, we want to provide you with as much information as possible about a variety of scholarship and funding opportunities and equip you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

Graduate Tuition and Funding

"With contributions from several university-based partners, ASPIRE provides graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with informative, hands-on professional skills training essential for degree and post-degree success."

Brent Wolfe , Associate Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Graduates of our program have pursued successful careers in higher education, teaching, government and the private sector.

Your Path to Post-Degree Success

ASPIRE is Laurier's professional skills development training program for graduate students. The program helps you craft an individualized, extracurricular learning plan tailored to your professional journey and entry to the workplace .

Learn about the interests of our faculty members. For assistance in identifying an appropriate supervisor, contact a member of our team .

Gavin Brockett Associate Professor Coordinator, Muslim Studies Option Vice-Dean of Arts

• Modern Middle East
• Social history of modern Turkey

Tarah Brookfield Associate Professor

• Cold War Canada
• Childhood and family
• Women and gender
• Peace education and activism

Blaine Chiasson Associate Professor

• Modern China
• Sino-Soviet/Russian border
• Culture, social and political history of Russian refugees in China
• Chinese urban history
• 19th- and 20th-century Chinese minority and ethnic policy

Adam Crerar Associate Professor

• Social and cultural history of 19th-century Canada
• Province of Ontario

Darryl Dee Associate Professor

• Politics in Ancien Régime France
• State and society during the reign of Louis XIV
• Power and authority in early modern Europe
• Early modern military history

Peter Farrugia Associate Professor

• 19th- and 20th-century Britain and France
• War and peace
• History of Brantford
• Memory in World War I
• Impact of museums on perceptions of the Great War in Britain and France

Leonard Friesen Professor

• History of international relations
• Russian studies
• The West as modern problem

Jeff Grischow Associate Professor Associate Director, Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa

• Global history
• African history
• Global history of disability and disability rights

Mark Humphries Associate Professor Graduate Officer

• First World War
• History of medicine including mental illness and epidemic disease
• Modern Canadian social history

Rob Kristofferson Professor

• 19th-century Canada
• Labour and working class history
• Business history
• Social history

Sofie Lachapelle Professor Dean of Arts

• History of science, culture, and entertainment
• History of science and religion
• History of the human sciences
• History of modern France

Lianne Leddy Associate Professor

• Indigenous history
• Indigenous history, gender and the environment

Amy Milne-Smith Associate Professor

• Victorian Britain and the British Empire
• 19th-century cultural history
• Masculinity and gender history
• Psychiatry in Britain and its empire
• Cultural constructions of class

David Monod Professor

• Modern U.S. history
• Art and entertainment in early 20th-century American culture

Darren Mulloy Professor

• American history post-1945
• American political extremism
• Intellectual history and political rhetoric
• Film and popular culture

Susan Neylan Associate Professor

• 19th- and 20th-century Native-missionary encounters
• Indigenous Canadian history
• Indigenous peoples and colonialism
• Indigenous North America
• Comparative Indigenous ethnohistory

Chris Nighman Associate Professor

• Late medieval and early renaissance intellectual history
• Latin florilegia
• Early Italian humanism
• Conciliar sermons
• Digital humanities

Eva Plach Associate Professor

• Modern Polish history
• Polish-Jewish history
• History of animal welfare

David Smith Assistant Professor Chair, Department of History

• Early modern Britain and the Atlantic world
• Anglo-Canadian political traditions
• The Atlantic economy
• Exploration during the Age of European Discovery

Kevin Spooner Associate Professor, North American Studies Director, Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada

• Canadian foreign policy
• Canada’s contribution to international peacekeeping
• Canada and the Cold War

Dana Weiner Associate Professor

• Grassroots politics in the colonial U.S. and U.S. history to 1900
• Social reform and gender history in U.S. history to 1900
• Debates over rights in early U.S. history

We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience.

By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.

History (PhD)

Master your craft as a historian. In our PhD program, you’ll study your era or subject of interest alongside our renowned faculty.

We divide our courses along geographical and topical or thematic lines. Once you’ve completed your courses and written your comprehensive exams, you’ll embark on original research in your dissertation field. 

You can also take part in the interdisciplinary Cultural, Social and Political Thought program.

Quick facts

Students in this program will:

• master multiple topical and geographical fields of historical knowledge
• engage in advanced research in both published and unpublished records
• make an original contribution to the understanding of the past
• develop oral and written communication skills appropriate to both academic and non-academic audiences
• acquire pedagogical skills through experience as a teaching assistant

Find a supervisor

PhD students must have a faculty member who serves as their academic supervisor. When you apply:

• you must list a potential supervisor on your application
• this faculty member must agree to be your supervisor and recommend your admission
• include an email from your supervisor with your application

To find a supervisor, review the faculty contacts. When you’ve found a faculty member whose research complements your own, contact them by email.

Adebisi Alade

Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Advisor African History, Environmental History, History of Health and Medicine, Climate Change

[email protected]

Andrea McKenzie

Professor Early Modern Britain, Crime and Legal History, Conspiratorial Politics, Manuscript Culture

[email protected]

Andrew M. Wender

Associate Teaching Professor and Director, Religion, Culture and Society Program Middle Eastern History, World History, Religion and Law

[email protected]

Beatriz de Alba-Koch

Associate Professor Colonial and Early National Latin American history, Intellectual History, Global Cultural History

[email protected]

Christine O'Bonsawin

Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor Indigenous History, Colonialism, Decolonization, Sport and Olympic History

[email protected]

Cynthia Milton

Professor Modern Latin American History, Human Rights and Memory, Truth-Telling and Transitional Justice

[email protected]

David Dolff

Lecturer Modern European History, History of Soviet Union (Not available to supervise)

[email protected]

David Zimmerman

Professor Modern Canadian and European History, War and Technology, Immigration and Academic Refugees

[email protected]

Elizabeth Vibert

Professor African History, World History, Race and Gender, Sustainable Economies and Food Systems, Community Responses to Climate Change

[email protected]

Georgia Sitara

Assistant Teaching Professor Modern Canadian History, Racism and Antiracism, History of Sexuality, Identity and Social Justice

[email protected]

Jason Colby

Professor and Department Chair Environmental History, Pacific Coast History, Humans and Climate Change, Modern American History, US International Relations

[email protected]

Jill Walshaw

Associate Professor and Honours Adviser Early Modern European History, French History, Political Culture, Crime and Counterfeiting

[email protected]

Professor British Columbia History, Pacific Northwest History, History of Indigenous-Settler Relations

[email protected]

Jordan Stanger-Ross

Professor, Provost’s Engaged Scholar, 2020-2025 Modern Canadian and American History, Urban History, Immigration and Dispossession

[email protected]

Kristin Semmens

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator Modern European History, German History, the Holocaust, Public History, History of Tourism

[email protected]

Loren McClenachan

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair Environmental History, Historical Marine Ecology, Fisheries and Marine Conservation, Climate Change

[email protected]

Lynne Marks

Professor Modern Canadian History, Women’s and Gender History, North American Religion

[email protected]

Mariel Grant

Associate Professor Modern British History, Social and Cultural History, Mass Media, Propaganda, Tourism

[email protected]

Martin Bunton

Professor Modern Middle Eastern History, World History, Colonial Land Policies

[email protected]

Neilesh Bose

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair Modern South Asia History, Global History, Cultural and Intellectual History

[email protected]

Norm Fennema

Lecturer Canadian History, American History, North American Religion (Not available to supervise)

[email protected]

Oliver Schmidtke

Professor Modern European History, Germany History, Migration and Identity

[email protected]

Paul Bramadat

Professor Modern Canadian History, Religion, Secularism and Radicalization

[email protected]

Penny Bryden

Professor Modern Canadian History, Political and Constitutional History, Scandal

[email protected]

Perry Biddiscombe

Professor Modern European History, Political, Social, and Military History

[email protected]

Associate Professor Early Canadian History, Settler-Indigenous Relations, Immigration and Identity

[email protected]

Rachel Cleves

Professor American History, History of Sexuality and LGBTQ2S+ History, Food History

[email protected]

Professor Early Modern European History, Social and Cultural History, Criminal Justice, Gender History

[email protected]

Serhy Yekelchyk

Professor Modern European History, History of Ukraine, History of Russia and the Soviet Union

[email protected]

Simon Devereaux

Professor and Undergraduate Advisor Early Modern British History, Criminal Justice, Political and Constitutional History

[email protected]

Tim Haskett

Assistant Professor Medieval European History, Legal and Social History, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Created Medieval History, Manuscript Studies

[email protected]

Zhongping Chen (陳忠平)

Professor History of Late Imperial and Republican China, Chinese Diaspora, Environmental History of China, Climate Change

[email protected]

Show me program details

Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:

I am a Canadian citizen or permanent resident International student

Show program details

Your program details

Application deadlines.

September entry – apply by January 15. Applications after this date will not receive funding.

Note : In certain circumstances, it may be possible to enter the program in January. Contact the graduate secretary for more details.

Admission requirements

Program specific requirements.

• A statement of intent outlining research interests and goals
• Two letters of reference
• A writing sample

Program-specific language requirements

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) : A minimum Overall Band Score of 7.0, with no score of less than 6.5 on each individual component on the Academic IELTS or equivalent
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) : A minimum score of 610 on the paper-based test or 101 on the internet-based test
• a statement of intent outlining research interests and goals
• two letters of reference
• a writing sample

Completion requirements

Funding & aid, tuition & fees.

Estimated minimum program cost*

* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator .

Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.

Ready to apply?

You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.

Apply now     How to apply

Faculties & departments

• Faculty of Humanities

Related programs

• Public History (MA)
• History - thesis-based (MA)
• History - project-based (MA)

Contact Heather Waterlander at [email protected] or 250-721-7384 .

< Back to History overview

This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember your browser. We use this information to improve and customize your browsing experience, for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media, and for marketing purposes. By using this website, you accept and agree to be bound by UVic’s Terms of Use and Protection of Privacy Policy . If you do not agree to the above, you must not use this website.

Universal Navigation

Universal navigation2.

• RSVP - Graduate Orientation 2023-2024
• RSVP - Graduate Program Retreat 2023

Search form

• PhD Program

PhD Program Requirements

There are five main requirements in the PhD program in history:

• Fulfilment of geographical proximity requirements
• Fulfilment of course requirements
• Fulfilment of language requirements that vary according to the student’s major area of study
• Successful completion of comprehensive examinations
• The writing and successful defence of a dissertation

Most PhD students begin the program with a completed Master of Arts (MA) degree.

Direct-entry PhD students (those without an MA) will be required to complete more coursework.

We also offer a number of collaborative PhD programs .

Geographical Proximity Requirements

As a PhD candidate, in order to receive funding from the University, students must be in such geographical proximity as to be able to visit the campus regularly and participate fully in activities associated with your program – unless you are away conducting research. PhD students must maintain geographical proximity to the campus until they have passed their field examinations but no longer than a period of two years.

Course Requirements

All PhD candidates must achieve an overall average of B+ at the end of their coursework.

If you are a PhD student entering with an MA , you will complete four half-year courses (2.0 FCEs) during your first year of study.

Direct-entry PhD students must complete nine half-year courses (4.5 FCEs). Ideally, you will take four half-courses in each of your first two years, in addition to HIS1997H in your first year. You must maintain an A- average in your first four half-courses in order to continue in the direct-entry program. If you are unable to do so, you may transfer to the MA program and complete the requirements for that degree.

Language Requirements

All History PhD students must fulfill a language requirement in at least one language other than English. Students must demonstrate (a) an ability to conduct research in a language essential to the integrity of their research and (b) use of relevant language competency in their research and in their dissertation.

The PhD Program application and admissions stage

The ability to conduct archival research in a language relevant to your area of specialization is an essential component of the methodology and integrity of the discipline of history. It is strongly recommended that all students applying to the PhD program take steps to begin acquiring necessary language training before entering the program. As part of its deliberations the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee considers evidence that applicants either already have, are taking steps to learn or have a clear and reasonable plan for gaining facility in the language necessary for their proposed research.

At the same time, the Graduate Program in history seeks to ensure that lack of access to formal language training should not be a barrier to graduate education, or a source of undue hardship for doctoral students. The Graduate Office will prioritize working with incoming students who need to upgrade their language skills, in coordination with their prospective supervisors, in order to give them the best chance of meeting the department’s language requirements.

It is strongly recommended that applicants for PhDs in Russian/Eastern European history begin the process of acquiring facility in two languages other than English, one of which would normally be Russian or another Slavic or Fenno-Ugric language. Russian PhD applicants should have two years of Russian before entering the program.

Applicants in Medieval History should be prepared to demonstrate that they have some degree of facility in Latin, as well as either French or German.

Students may carry forward language requirements that they have fulfilled at the MA level at the University of Toronto.

After Students are Admitted to the PhD Program

All language requirements are subject to approval by your supervisor and the Associate Chair, Graduate. Language requirements must be completed no later than one year after the student passes the comprehensive examinations. It is strongly recommended that students aim to fulfil this requirement no later than 3 months after completing their comprehensive examinations.

Students in all areas of research must demonstrate research capacity in at least one language other than English, approved by the supervisor and Associate Chair, Graduate. In cases where the research requires competency in more than one language, it is the responsibility of the student, in consultation with their supervisor and their dissertation committee, to ensure that they demonstrate use of this language competency in their research and in their dissertation.

In some areas of research specialization, students are required to fulfill additional requirements; specific requirements are determined by the student’s choice of major field for the comprehensive exam and proposed area of research, in consultation with the supervisor of the major field.

Students who are admitted to the program to study Medieval history should immediately begin preparations to fulfil a requirement in Latin, French or German not later than one year after passing their comprehensive examinations. You may substitute a modern language that is more appropriate to your research for French or German. PhD students must demonstrate advanced proficiency in Latin by passing the Latin exams set by the  Centre for Medieval Studies  (CMS). You must pass the CMS Master of Arts Latin exam one year after passing the comprehensive examination. You must also pass the PhD-level exam before you will be permitted to defend your dissertation.

Language Exams

We offer a French exam twice a year. Dates will be announced by the graduate office early in the academic year. Information about examinations in the following languages may be obtained from the relevant departments:

• East-Asian-language exams ( Department of East Asian Studies )
• Italian exams ( Department of Italian Studies )
• Latin exams ( Centre for Medieval Studies )
• Slavic-language exams ( Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures )
• South-Asian-language exams ( Centre for South Asian Studies )
• German language exams ( Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures ).  Contact Helena Juenger , senior secretary & graduate assistant.

Students looking to fulfill language requirements in less commonly taught languages should consider applying to the SELECT Languages for Research Purposes fund ( https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/graduate/graduate-opportunities/international-graduate-opportunities/select-languages-research ).

If you have further questions about languages, especially languages not listed, please consult the Graduate Office.

Comprehensive Examinations

The comps process has many purposes: to introduce you to the key questions in your chosen fields, to build a solid grounding in key texts and readings, to provide foundation for current and future teaching and to form the basis of research in the area.

Comps are rarely completely comprehensive, but they should build breadth and depth in your key fields. The process culminates in the comprehensive field examinations, which consist of separate written examinations in each field and a common oral examination covering all fields.

• View our fields of study

Structure of Comprehensive Fields

Two basic options are available:

• Two major fields, typically one based on geography or time and one based on theme.
• One major and two minor fields.

Major Fields

• A major field generally represents the geographical region or thematic area in which your dissertation topic will be situated.
• Thematic majors should normally be genuinely transnational in coverage, including significant material from more than two geographic areas.
• You will read the equivalent of 100 books for a major field. Major fields are overseen by two faculty supervisors. Your thesis supervisor will normally serve as the supervisor for one major field while another faculty member serves as a second reader.
• You must choose your major field(s) from the list of approved fields.

Minor Fields

• Minor fields serve to broaden your knowledge of history and historiography, and therefore should be in areas substantially different from your major.
• You will read the equivalent of 40-60 books for a minor field.
• A minor field is overseen by one faculty supervisor.

Reading Lists

• An important part of preparing for your comps is deciding which books you will read.
• We assume that you and your supervisors will shape your reading list to your own needs and interests. You and your supervisors should balance breadth and specificity with an eye to the key questions of the field, future teaching and research, the job market and your intellectual development.
• In particular, your major field(s) should help you situate your dissertation project within the historiography, and in combination with the two minor fields, should lay the foundation for your future teaching.
• We encourage you to tap into course materials to build your reading lists.

Pathway to Comps

• At the Beginning of Your First Year:  You will meet with the Associate Chair, Graduate to discuss coursework and language requirements. Coursework will be the focus of your first year in the program. Midway through your first year, in consultation with your supervisor and the associate chair, graduate, you should begin considering fields. We urge you to take graduate courses related to your potential future fields where available, since these offer historiographical coverage and breadth. 
• In April of Your First Year:  By this time, you should have fields and comp committee set. You should meet with your comprehensive exam committee to agree on a plan of study. A full list of readings for all of your fields should be submitted to the Graduate Office by May 31. 
• During Your Second Year: This is the year that you focus on your comps preparation. You should 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). There should be a meeting with your full comps committee by October 31 to check in on your progress and give you a clear sense of what to expect in the exam. The supervisor of the major field is responsible for calling the comps committee member and for ensuring the presence of the candidate and the committee. 

Scheduling the Exams

• You are required to take your field examinations by the spring of your second year in the program, but you are strongly advised to take them as soon as possible after the completion of your coursework.
• Examinations organized by our graduate office are held in October, January and April. Examinations cannot be postponed beyond the spring of the second year without permission of the Associate Chair, Graduate.

Comprehensive Examination Formats

The comprehensive examinations have both a written and an oral component. They should be an opportunity for students to engage with work in their field at a high level, rather than feel like an “exam”. We strongly encourage students and field supervisors to work together to choose exam format options and to discuss the general outlines of questions and topics that will be covered in the written and oral exam. 

Oral Examination: The oral examination lasts about two (2) hours and covers all comps fields. It takes place soon after the written exams.

Written Examinations: You may choose from the following options:

• Major fields are designed to be written within three (3) hours; you will have up to four (4) hours to complete the exam(s). Minor exams are designed to be written within two (2) hours; you will have up to three (3) hours to complete the exams. You will get to keep a copy of the questions and your answers.
• You may choose the take-home format for any or all of your fields. The maximum length of a major exam is 6,000 words; the maximum length of each of the minor exams is 4,000 words. If you choose to write all three exams as take-home exams, you will have a total of eight (8) days to complete your work. You must complete each major field take-home exam in 96 hours, and minor field take-home exam in 48 hours. You will get to keep a copy of the questions and your answers.

Accessibility & Accommodations 

Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in the graduate program. We strongly encourage all students to familiarize themselves with the supoprts available through Accessibility Services . We recommend that students who would like accommodations work with an Accessibilty Advisor . However, we will make every attempt to meet reasonable accommodation requests even if a student is not registered with Accessibility Services. 

Minor Exam Alternative: Series of Papers

• With the permission of your minor field supervisor, you may substitute a series of papers for one minor field’s written examination.
• If you choose this option, you must write at least two papers of approximately 15-20 pages.
• The papers should cover broad themes in the field and include a substantial historiographical component.
• You must complete the required papers well in advance of the written exams in the other field(s).
• At the oral exam, which includes all fields, you will be examined on the papers you submitted, as well as the general content of your reading list.

Minor Exam Alternative: Teaching Dossier

With the permission of your minor field supervisor, you may substitute a teaching dossier for one minor field’s written examination. While you are still responsible for completing a reading list required for a minor field, the written part of this exam option 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.
• Three (3) to five (5) sample lectures, drawn from across the course syllabus, suitable for an undergraduate course in the field. The length should be equivalent to a one-hour lecture and you can include illustrative material.
• You must complete the teaching dossier well in advance of the written exams in the other field(s).
• At the oral exam, which includes all fields, you will be examined on the teaching dossier you submitted, as well as the general content of your reading list.

Comprehensive Examination Policies

• Examinations are marked on a pass/fail basis, but in exceptional cases, the committee of examiners can declare that the comprehensive examinations have been passed “with distinction.”

Written Examinations

• If you fail the written portion of a major field or of both minor fields, you must repeat the written examination in all fields before your oral examination may take place.
• If you fail the written portion of one minor field, you are not required to take the written examination again in the two fields you successfully passed. However, your oral examination will not be held until you have passed the minor field exam you previously failed.

Oral Examination

The oral examination covers all fields. If you fail to pass any field of the oral examination, the comprehensive exam committee will recommend to the Associate Chair, Graduate, either that:

• You will begin again and retake both written and oral portions of the comprehensive examinations in all fields, or
• You will retake only the oral phase of the examination in all fields.

Retaking Your Comprehensive Exams

You are allowed two attempts to pass the comprehensive examinations. The chair of your comprehensive exam committee (who is normally your major supervisor) will inform you of the results of your examination. The committee will recommend timing of the second examination (if necessary) to the Associate Chair, Graduate. The committee appointed to conduct the second examination should, as far as possible, include the same members who examined you in the first place.

In the extremely rare event you fail to pass either the written or the oral examination at the second attempt, you will be recommended for termination from the program. You may withdraw from the program at any time before your termination is approved by the School of Graduate Studies.

The PhD Thesis

You will be assigned a supervisor when you are admitted to the PhD program.

When you pass your comprehemsive exams, in consultation with your supervisor, you must form a dissertation committee consisting of three (3) U of T graduate faculty members, including your supervisor. In most cases your dissertation committee will consist of three (3) members of your comprehensive exams committee. In some unusual cases the Associate Chair, Graduate will approve a committee of four (4) Faculty members. 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.

Students are required to have an annual dissertation committee meeting, during which they meet all together with their full committee, every fall. At those meetings the student must present a progress report detailing their research and writing progress for the last year and outlining plans for the coming year. The student and all committee members must sign off on a 'PhD Supervisory Committtee Progress Report' and submit it to the Graduate Office. 

Throughout your program, you will be guided primarily by your principal supervisor. Your supervisor is responsible for receiving and commenting on drafts of your thesis chapters in a timely manner.

The two other members of your dissertation committee will also assist you. They may be qualified to provide you with expertise that supplements that of your supervisor. They must obtain annual progress reports from you, offer counsel and otherwise assist you in developing your thesis.

Thesis Proposal

Choosing a thesis is of fundamental importance in your professional career. To help you make wise decisions at this early stage in your work, we require you to submit a dissertation proposal.

Your proposal should be four (4) to six (6) pages 

• Include the major questions addressed in your thesis
• Outline the historiography
• Discuss archival collections and other potential sources
• Suggest methodological techniques
• Indicate a tentative schedule for research and writing

You should submit a draft of the proposal to your dissertation committee within six weeks of completing the comprehensive examination.

Normally, if you write comprehensive exams in April of your second year, the entire dissertation committee will meet in September of your third year to approve the final version of your proposal. (This target date will be adjusted if you are writing comprehensive exams at a different date.)

We will register new dissertation title with the Canadian Historical Association each fall to inform other historians that you intend to undertake research on that subject in the near future.

Annual Progress Meetings and Reports

You must prepare your first report on your research in progress for your dissertation supervisor, preferably by the end of your third PhD year and no later than your fourth PhD year.

The report will normally be discussed at your dissertation committee’s annual meeting.

Thereafter, the committee must meet at least once a year, typically in October, and submit to the graduate office a formal report regarding the student’s progress. The graduate office provides a progress report form to the student and the report will normally be due on October 31. The progress report is essential to both the department and the School of Graduate Studies.

Research Abroad

If you need to go abroad to conduct research, you should take the following steps when making arrangements:

• 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.
• Register with the Safety Abroad office . Consult the Graduate Office and the Centre for International Experience for more information.
• Some archives and libraries will require letters of reference for admittance. Consult your thesis supervisor and the associate chair, graduate for requirements in your area of study.

Preparing Your Thesis

The final copy of your thesis must follow SGS regulations.

Defending Your Thesis (Oral Examination)

The examination committee.

Your thesis examination will be conducted by a committee nominated by the associate chair, graduate, in consultation with your supervisor, and approved by the School of Graduate Studies. The examination committee will consist of four to six voting members, along with a non-voting chair appointed by SGS. The voting membership includes up to three members of the supervising committee, and at least two (preferably three) examiners who have not been closely involved in the supervision of your thesis, including an external appraiser from another university who prepares a written report. The examination will be run according to SGS guidelines.

After Your Defence

After you have successfully defended your thesis in an oral examination, you must submit:

• One digital copy of your thesis to the School of Graduate Studies
• An abstract of the thesis (maximum 350 words) to the Department of History’s graduate office. 

The School of Graduate Studies includes general instructions for the Electronic Thesis Submission process.  

Collaborative Specializations

As a Department of History PhD candidate, you have the option of applying to a collaborative doctoral program in one of the following areas of study. Please contact the graduate office for more information.

• Book History and Print Culture
• Diaspora and Transnational Studies
• Ethnic & Pluralism Studies
• Food Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Sexual Diversity Studies
• South Asian Studies
• Women & Gender Studies
• Prospective Students
• Program Requirements
• Tuition & Funding
• Scholarships & Awards
• PhD Program by Year
• Dissertations
• Curriculum & Course Information
• Request new password

Our Ph.D. students complete their coursework in their first year, selecting from a wide array of graduate-only seminars focused on diverse regional and thematic topics. All Ph.D. students take a mandatory course that offers an opportunity to engage in lively debates about field-defining and cutting-edge scholarship, to learn about the historian’s craft, and to participate in workshops on research, writing, and publishing. Students focus on defining and planning their own research early in the second year and present their research proposals for approval to their committee members, who remain involved in their projects over the four to five years it takes our students to complete their degrees. Several of our past doctoral students hold academic appointments in universities, prestigious post-doctoral fellowships, and museums and archives in Canada and around the world. Others seek out careers in government, media, education and business. Many of our PhD students publish their theses as highly-regarded books. We strive to provide our graduate students with training in research and writing that enables them to excel in these multiple career paths.

Why choose Graduate Studies?

Degree Completion Requirements

Doctoral candidates in History must satisfy requirements in the following areas:

• Two session length courses and required course (Hist 901), taken in the Fall/Winter terms of the first year of the programme
• Field requirements (1 major and 2 minor - one minor field is normally carried over from the MA degree)
• Thesis proposal and qualifying exam
• Defence of a doctoral dissertation
• Reading proficiency in a second language

Course Work

The purpose of the course work in the candidate's major field is to introduce the candidate to the major historical writings and debates in the area covered, prepare them to teach and undertake original research in that area, and provide a context for the broad-ranging historiographical and interpretative portion of their thesis proposal. The purpose of the course work in the minor is to add breadth to the candidate's training, either to strengthen and widen the framework for the dissertation, to prepare for future teaching or to broaden knowledge of methodology and historiography.

At the time of pre-registration in the summer, after consulting with the thesis supervisor and Graduate Chair, students shall provide the Graduate Office with a list of their intended seminars. Upon arrival in September, they shall obtain the approval of their instructors, potential thesis supervisor, and the Graduate Chair for their entire programme (courses and major and minor fields). Normally the thesis is written in a major field. Students are encouraged to take graduate courses from a range of faculty members. No member of the faculty shall be responsible for more than two one-term graduate seminars or graded readings courses (for a total of 1.0) in a candidate’s Ph.D. programme. A minimum final grade of B+ (3.3) in all primary courses is required. Failure to fulfil this requirement will result in the student being asked to withdraw from the programme.

Graded reading courses can be taken in exceptional circumstances and only if no existing graduate seminar in the field is offered. Request for a graded reading course requires approval by the Graduate Chair, the supervisor and the instructor of the reading course.

History 901

All doctoral students are required to take History 901. This seminar introduces Ph.D. candidates in the Queen's Department of History to a selection of theories and methods that have shaped the contemporary discipline of history. The purpose of the course is threefold:

• to expose doctoral students to an array of approaches to history and debates about the practice of history, which, it is hoped, will help them to situate their thesis work in broader theoretical and methodological contexts;
• to provide students with a foundational vocabulary and conceptual resources for the field of history;
• to encourage the development of intellectual community among the Ph.D. candidates. Toward these ends, course readings encompass a wide range of different theories, methods, and examples of historical scholarship drawn from the department's three major ‘clusters' (Canada/North America; world; Europe). Individual weeks' readings will usually include one or two theoretical or methodological pieces alongside one or two examples of historical scholarship that incorporate the theory or method in question. This course is taught as a Pass/Fail graded course. All course assignments will be graded using the normal scale, but the final grade will be calculated as P or F, while expecting a rigorous and high standard of performance for a passing grade.

Royal Military College

Students may also take graduate courses offered at the Royal Military College. Offerings vary from year to year and interested students should consult both History departments well in advance. Note: Normally students taking courses at RMC must take, or must have taken, two other regular history courses in the Queen's History Department, either as part of a three-course M.A. program or as one of three Ph.D. courses. The cooperative Queen's/RMC programme permits students to take a course at either institution without payment of extra fees.

Instructors are asked to arrange their courses so that each student will have completed by mid-October sufficient written work to provide an objective standard upon which to judge his/her progress. The purpose of this regulation is to assist instructors and the department fellowships committee in the writing of references for scholarship applications which are usually due mid-October and also so that students may have an indication of their standing to date in each course.

All graduate instructors shall report to the Graduate Chair on the progress of students enrolled in their courses by the end of the first term of enrolment. The Graduate Committee may judge it appropriate to recommend to the School of Graduate Studies that a student withdraw, if it is thought that he/she is not capable of showing improvement in the second term.

Incomplete Work

The deadline for completion of incomplete work in any graduate course is 15 August of the year following initial registration in the course. Individual exceptions can be made to this rule only on the explicit permission of the Graduate Committee following appeal by the student to the Graduate Committee. If a student has not completed all requirements for a course the year following initial registration, then that student must sign a contract with his/her instructor that specifies exactly when those requirements are to be completed. A student may not register in the second or subsequent year of his/her graduate programme with an incomplete mark unless the Graduate Committee has ruled that an extension be granted.

Language Requirements

Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate proficiency in an additional language.

Students can choose in which language to satisfy this requirement but are expected to consult their supervisor(s) and to choose a language appropriate to their program of study. The test will consist of a passage of about 40-50 lines of a basic historical text to be translated into literary English in two hours, with the aid of a dictionary. The standard expected is that the translator must prove that he/she understands the passage for purposes of historical research, i.e. minor mistakes/infelicities will be tolerated (within reason), but major misunderstandings will not. This test is marked on a PASS/FAIL basis.

Normally a language examination is scheduled every November (a second language examination is normally offered in the spring), and all incoming PhD students are expected to sit the November examination. If they do not pass, they should at that time meet with the Graduate Chair to discuss plans for satisfying the language requirement.

Students have the opportunity to take undergraduate language courses at Queen's University without paying additional tuition, as long as the request is supported by a letter from the supervisor indicating that the language course is essential to the student's academic programme. If you would like to enroll in an undergraduate language course, please contact the Graduate Office.

Field Requirements

Fields are designed by students in consultation with their field supervisors. Fields may be defined geographically, chronologically, and/or thematically. Examples of fields done in the past include "Canadian Social and Cultural History," "Early Modern Europe," "South Asia," "Atlantic World," "Gender and Sexuality," and "'Race': International Perspectives.

• History PhD Programme Field Requirements - MAJOR FIELD
• History PhD Programme Field Requirements - MINOR FIELD
• History PhD Programme Field Requirements - MINOR FIELD (Waived)

PhD Students in First Year

Major field.

• submit reading list to field supervisor and graduate office ( [email protected] ) no later than April 30th.
• submit syllabus to field supervisor and graduate office and defend major field by June 30th.

Minor Field

• submit syllabus to field supervisor and graduate office and defend minor field by June 30th

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination is an examination of a thesis proposal prepared by the candidate. The purpose of the Qualifying Examination is to provide the candidate with an opportunity to put together a detailed thesis proposal. The examination also enables an evaluation of the candidate's suitability for continuing in the doctoral programme. The examination should aid in the identification of weaknesses which need to be remedied, provide the candidate with the opportunity to organize material in a wider context than is normally available in an individual graduate course, and help the faculty to judge the overall intellectual abilities and scholarly qualifications of the candidate.

Candidates will not be allowed to sit for the Qualifying Examination until they have completed all outstanding coursework, the grade has been recorded on their official university transcripts, and they have successfully completed their major and minor field requirements. The candidate should begin to work out a preliminary thesis topic with his or her supervisor by the Spring of the candidate's first year in the programme. At this time the Qualifying Examination Committee will be set up by the supervisor in consultation with the candidate. The formation of a Qualifying Examination Committee (consisting at a minimum of the Graduate Chair or a delegate as a neutral chair of the Committee, the supervisor(s), one examiner from the Department and a second examiner either from inside or outside the Department) will be the responsibility of the thesis supervisor(s) in consultation with the candidate and subject to the approval of the Graduate Chair and Chair of the Department. It is desirable that wherever possible the members of the Qualifying Examination Committee should also serve on the candidate's final Thesis Examining Committee. However, an examiner from outside the University who serves on the Qualifying Examination Committee should under no circumstance serve as the external examiner of the thesis. Members of the Qualifying Examination Committee are also responsible for assessing the annual reports and writing samples of the candidate in Year III and beyond.

Students are encouraged to meet with committee members individually to receive early advice on the direction of their research and suggestions on additional background reading or primary sources. In preparation for this meeting, the candidate will normally circulate to the Committee members a short statement on the proposed thesis topic and a working bibliography on background literature.

During the summer the candidate will carry out more detailed research into the theoretical or methodological approach to be pursued, the major thesis or questions to be answered, the relevant historiography, and the location and relevance of major primary sources to be analysed. The candidate will begin to draft a thesis proposal of twenty to twenty-five pages and no longer than thirty pages (not including the research timetable and bibliography) addressing these topics and proposing a time frame for the completion of research and writing.

The thesis proposal will:

• discuss the historiography, national and transnational (students are encouraged to consider the broad literature on their topic, including transnational, thematic, and comparative aspects of the literature)
• discuss the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological issues pertinent to the thesis topic and the sources, with references to relevant, significant writings;
• outline the overall working historical interpretation to be pursued in the thesis and comment upon its significance;
• discuss in detail the primary sources to be analysed, including printed, manuscript, typescript and oral sources, noting the location of these materials and their relevance; and
• provide a timetable of research and writing of the various chapters, with a projected date of completion. It should anticipate the completion of the thesis not more than 36 months after the completion of the Qualifying Examination. Any anticipated date of completion beyond these 36 months should be explained in writing to the Examination Committee and to the Graduate Committee by both the candidate and the supervisor(s).
• provide a bibliography of primary and secondary source material.

Normally the thesis supervisor(s) will approve the thesis proposal in writing (by signing the proposal or by email) before it is submitted to the Graduate Office and circulated by the student to the members of the Qualifying Examination Committee. If the candidate and supervisor(s) do not agree that the thesis proposal is ready for examination, the candidate may inform the Graduate Chair in writing that he or she wishes to have the thesis proposal examined.

The thesis proposal must be submitted and defended by November 30 in the second year of the programme. The student must email a copy of their qualifying proposal to the Graduate Office and to their committee members at least 10 working days prior to their defence. The supervisor will be responsible for convening the defence of the proposal.

If the proposal is not submitted and defended by this date students are no longer eligible to resubmit and undergo a new exam if the proposal does not pass at the qualifying exam. If students have not submitted their proposal by the end of the winter term in their second year they will be considered to have failed. Should exceptional conditions arise which warrant a time extension of the qualifying exam deadline, the candidate should complete a Qualifying  Exam Time Extension Form and submit it to the History Graduate Office before November 15th and state the reasons for the request. A time extension will only be granted with a majority vote by faculty on the Graduate Committee.

Members of the Qualifying Examination Committee should provide the Graduate Office and the Committee chair with a written report on the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis proposal before the start of the exam.  They are encouraged to share their reports with the student at the conclusion of the examination.

The Qualifying Examination Committee will either pass the thesis proposal or ask the candidate to resubmit it with specified revisions required; the decision to pass must be unanimous and the Committee will specify in writing the nature of the revisions. The candidate may resubmit to the Committee within three months. Each member of the reconvened Qualifying Examination Committee will be asked by the Graduate Office to submit a brief written assessment of the resubmitted thesis proposal to the Graduate Chair at least three working days before the date set for the reconvened Qualifying Examination. The Qualifying Examination Committee will either pass or fail the revised thesis proposal; this decision will be by simple majority. Failure of the reconvened Qualifying Examination or the passage of three months without resubmission requires withdrawal from the programme. Candidates wishing to appeal the decision of the Committee after a second failure may consult the Graduate School Calendar (Section 8.9) for details of the procedure. The chair of the examination will inform the candidate of the decision of the Committee at the conclusion of the examination.

Annual Report on PhD Student Progress

All PhD students in Years III and beyond (post qualifying examination students) are required to submit an Annual Report by the first Monday of December to the Graduate Office.

This report is intended to ensure continuing communication among supervisor(s), student and supervisory committee members in the years after the thesis proposal defence, to provide continuing support to the student, and to ascertain that the student is making strong progress or to identify areas of difficulty and to suggest remedies. Students are required to submit ALL chapters or substantive parts of chapters written or revised in the relevant calendar year or, if the student is not yet in the writing phase, to provide a description of the research and relevant work conducted during the calendar year.  

Students should email the completed Annual Progress Report Form and their writing sample to their supervisor, committee members, and Cathy Dickison ( [email protected] ).

Supervisor(s) and supervisory committee members will then complete reports and substantive comments in response to this material and email the completed reports to the student and to Cathy Dickison ( [email protected] ).

A meeting of the supervisory committee will normally be called if the supervisor(s) or any member of the supervisory committee, after reviewing the annual report and student's work, deem that the student is not making satisfactory progress. If one or more members of the committee suggests that a meeting should be held, the Graduate Chair will arrange for a meeting of supervisory committee and student to discuss the annual report. This meeting will provide the student with the opportunity to hear concerns expressed and to respond to them. It will also provide the opportunity to explore collectively strategies to address the areas of difficulty. If in the subsequent year the annual report again indicates concerns over the student's progress, a meeting of the supervisory committee and the student will again be held to discuss the progress of the thesis, and to explore collectively constructive remedies.

A meeting of the committee can also be called if there are no concerns about progress but if there is a general sense that the meeting would be particularly useful for the student.

Thesis and Thesis Supervision

The regulations governing the thesis, including production of the thesis, composition of the examining board, are found at the following School of Graduate Studies site .

Doctoral theses should not be unreasonably long. Good practice dictates that a doctoral thesis be 300-350 pages and not exceed 400 pages.

Normally supervision is confirmed before the student begins the PhD programme. Until a student has decided upon a supervisor, the Graduate Chair or his/her named deputy will oversee that student's progress. Once a student and supervisor have agreed on a supervision, that supervisor becomes the student's adviser in the department. History Department expectations regarding Student/Supervisor communication are further detailed in these guidelines.

Thesis topics must be submitted to the Qualifying Examination Committee for approval before the candidate commences work on the thesis. The topic must also be submitted to the Graduate Office together with the names of the members of the Qualifying Examination Committee.

Students intending to write a thesis in military history under the supervision of an RMC staff member will be required to have dual thesis supervision - one adviser from RMC and one adviser from the Queen's History Department. The Queen's History Department will bear the ultimate responsibility for the supervision of the thesis. Similar arrangements will be made for students wishing to have a dual supervisor at another university (e.g. under the Trent/Queen's cooperative agreement).

Students are encouraged to meet regularly with the members of their Qualifying Examination Committee to discuss their research and writing. The annual reports, due annually in December, are designed in part to ensure that this committee continues to be a valuable resource and support throughout the student's programme.

Following consultation with the student, the supervisor is responsible for arranging the oral defence, asking examiners to serve on the board, finding a date and time, liaising with the Graduate Office and the School of Graduate Studies about all aspects of the defence (including room bookings and reimbursement for the examiner's travel expenses). SGS finds a Chair for the PhD thesis examinations. Please keep in mind that the thesis must be submitted five weeks before the tentative date of the oral defence.

Research Ethics

Any research project involving human subjects, whether funded or not, must receive ethics approval of the General Research Ethics Board [GREB]. To determine if your project requires ethics consult either the Tri-Council Policy Statement or the Ethics Office .

The following link will guide you through the process of applying for Ethics approval .

Academic Regulations

Withdrawal on academic grounds.

There are three situations which require withdrawal from the graduate programme in History:

• failure on a primary course;
• failure of the qualifying exam for the second time;
• failure of the thesis (this is covered by the published regulations of the Graduate School).

Any student who receives a grade of less than 65% in a primary course has failed that course. A student who fails a primary course will be required to withdraw from a graduate degree programme in history. (A primary course is any course prescribed for a student's approved programme of study. Only courses additional to the student's approved programme -- e.g. language courses or remedial writing courses -- are designated as secondary. For these courses a mark of less than second class may be accepted.) Note, however, that a student will be asked to withdraw from the programme if he/she receives less than a 78 in the graduate course in their major field or less than a 77 average in their major and minor field courses.)

When a failing mark is reported to the graduate office, the graduate chair will confirm the mark with the instructor(s), ensure that the student is aware of the procedures for appealing the grade and any academic decision that may result from it as outlined in these regulations and in those of the School of Graduate Studies, and inform the student's supervisor(s) of the situation.

A doctoral candidate who fails the qualifying exam for the second time is required to withdraw.

Complaints and Problems

If individual students have a complaint or problem they normally discuss it in the first instance with the faculty member concerned. If they remain dissatisfied they then normally take the problem to the Graduate Chair. If they are still dissatisfied the normal procedure is then to go to the Chair of the Department. Students with complaints or problems should always feel free to seek the advice and assistance of the student members of the Graduate Committee. It should be noted that any student is free, at any time, to take a problem or a complaint directly or to either the Graduate Chair or to the Chair of the Department.

Grievance Procedures

If a student feels that he/she has a grievance and wishes to pursue formal grievance procedures he/she should in the first instance consult the Graduate Chair and the Chair of the Department. The full "Senate Statement on Grievance, Discipline and Related Matters" is available in the Graduate Chair's office for consultation by students and faculty members. A grievance should concern procedural (non-academic) matters only and should not be confused with an appeal of an academic decision (see below). Graduate School rules concerning grievance and appeal of academic decisions are described in the School of Graduate Studies calendar. Appeals beyond the department are limited to procedural matters; the ruling of the department with respect to academic decisions is final.

Appeals of Academic Course Decisions

Procedures for appealing non-course related academic decisions are outlined in the relevant sections of these regulations and by the School of Graduate Studies. Regarding final marks in a graduate course in the department:

• Any student wishing clarification about, or who is dissatisfied with, an assigned grade in a graduate course should first discuss the matter with the course instructor(s) to ensure everyone is aware of all the relevant facts. The instructor(s) will review the work in question in a timely fashion. This discussion should take place within 14 days of the grades being available. If the instructor(s) agree to change a grade, a change of grade form shall be processed in the usual way. Either the instructor(s) or student may request that the graduate chair play an informal mediation role.
• If the instructor confirms the original grade, and if the student is still dissatisfied, then the student should appeal to the department chair for a formal review, stating clearly the grounds on which the grade should be raised. The appeal should be made through the graduate chair. If the department chair believes the grounds to be reasonable, then he/she shall initiate a review of the grade. The department chair, in consultation with the graduate chair, will undertake the review which may include asking an appropriate member of the department's graduate faculty to grade a clean and blinded copy of any written work which forms part of the appeal. He/she may also seek the advice of the faculty members of the department's graduate committee. The final decision will be made by the department chair.
• If the department chair does not agree to a review of the grade, then the student has the right to formally request a review of the grade through the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. The Dean will forward the request to the department chair, who will conduct a review of the grade.
• The grade determined by means of the review shall be recorded as the final official grade, irrespective of whether it is identical to, or higher or lower than, the original grade. The department chair or graduate chair will inform all parties, including the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, of the result of the review.
• Further appeal of an assigned grade can be made only on the basis of a specific procedural error or errors made in the departmental grade review procedures. This would be done through convening the Academic Appeal Board of the School of Graduate Studies (see Step 4 through Step 5, Appeals Against Academic Decisions).

Note: These procedures for review of an assigned grade do not apply when a failing grade (FA) has been received on courses numbered 899 (Master's Thesis) or 999 (Doctoral Thesis). Appeal of a grade of Fail on a graduate thesis is appealed through the Appeal of Thesis Examination Committee Decision, under Appeals Against Academic Decisions.

Department of History, Queen's University

49 Bader Lane, Watson Hall 212 Kingston ON K7L 3N6 Canada

Please note that the Department of History phone line is not monitored at all times. Please leave a voicemail or email  [email protected]  and we will contact you as soon as we can.

Undergraduate

Queen's University is situated on traditional Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe territory .

Main navigation

• Talks & Events
• Undergraduate
• Graduate & Postdoc
• Outreach & Donate
• For Faculty Only
• Current MA History Programs
• MA Program (Prior to Fall 2021)
• Prospective Students
• Current Student Information
• PhD Student Profiles
• PhD Theses since 1938
• Postdoctoral Information
• Research Areas
• Teaching Assistants
• History and Classics Graduate Student Association

Ph.D. Program

Instruction is offered in all major areas of historical scholarship by a distinguished faculty of approximately 40 members covering a wide variety of geographic, chronological, and thematic areas of research and teaching expertise. The History Department at McGill is committed to training doctoral students to demanding and rigorous standards that will produce the academic historians and other leaders of tomorrow. We seek to create an environment where doctoral candidates develop proficiency in teaching, researching, and interpreting the histories and historiographies of particular times and places from a comparative, cross-cultural, and global perspective.

The Ph.D. program at McGill comprises comprehensive exams, a language exam, and a dissertation. The comprehensive process aims to prepare students to teach and research in three distinct fields: a major field connected to the dissertation project and two minor areas.

The Humanities and Social Sciences Library collection dates back to 1855 and has particular strength in Canadian Studies, British History, Russian and East European Studies, and the Second World War. Many of our students draw upon the resources of the Osler Library of the History of Medicine, the Blackader-Lauterman Library of Architecture and Art, the Islamic Studies Library, and the  Nahum Gelber Law Library. The Indian Ocean World Centre (IOWC) houses a significant collection of archival material relating to the history of the Indian Ocean World (from Africa to the Far East) and a major international and interdisciplinary research network that is building a database on the history of human-environment interaction in the Indian Ocean World. Within McGill, the History Department regularly collaborates with the Department of East Asian Studies, the Islamic Studies Institute, the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, and Social Studies of Medicine. Montreal boasts three other world class universities—Concordia, Université de Montréal, and Université du Québec à Montréal—and local archives such as the archives nationales du Québec—Montréal, the McCord Museum, and the Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives.

Department and University Information

Department of history and classical studies.

• Interesting for you
• My settings

Our innovative PhD History program at Carleton University combines traditional academic strengths in historical theory, historiography and primary research. 

Carleton University Multiple locations Ottawa , Canada Top 3% worldwide Studyportals University Meta Ranking 4.3 Read 103 reviews

Award-winning faculty with national and international reputations ensure excellence in training and supervision of students. 

• Our faculty supervises dissertations in the specialized fields listed below. 
• The History PhD program at Carleton University collaborates with the Institute of Political Economy in offering interested students a collaborative PhD with a Specialization in Political Economy.

Programme Structure

• Place, space, and memory; social media
• Critical race and diaspora studies
• History of food and drink
• The body and sexuality
• War, state violence, and social movements

Key information

• 60 months

Start dates & application deadlines

• Apply before 2025-01-15 00:00:00

Disciplines

Academic requirements.

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Student insurance.

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

• Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
• Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
• Home contents and baggage

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Carleton University and/or in Canada, please visit Student Insurance Portal .

Other requirements

General requirements.

• Transcripts
• Referee Contact Information
• Statement of Intent
• Writing Sample
• Language Proficiency

Tuition Fee

International, living costs for ottawa.

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for History.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Read more about eligibility

• missing or incomplete ?"> Missing or incomplete content
• wrong or outdated ?"> Wrong or outdated content

Other interesting programmes for you

Our partners.

Go to your profile page to get personalised recommendations!

• Art History
• Opportunities
• Registration
• Masters’ Programs

PhD Program

• Wreck Journal
• Theses Collection
• Major Papers, Exhibitions, and Artworks
• Publications
• Exhibitions
• Job Opportunities

The PhD in Art History offers doctoral supervision to students focused on art history and theory from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Indigenous cultures. 

In the art history PhD program, you are encouraged to pursue high scholarly achievement, original research, and a firm theoretical grounding. Alumni of the program have made considerable contributions to teaching and research in universities, museums, and galleries worldwide.

The PhD in art history maintains links with geography, history, anthropology, European studies, Asian studies, Latin American studies, First Nations studies; and gender, race, sexuality, and social justice among others.

Program Overview

Program Structure

The Art History PhD program opens with a required, rigorous, two-term methodology seminar led by two specialists in divergent areas. Additional seminar offerings are broad and diverse. Students are encouraged to take seminar coursework outside the department and pursue their specialization or extend the scope of their studies. 

During the program, a doctoral committee of faculty and their doctoral thesis research supervisor advise students. In addition, the graduate advisory committee is available at all times to assist with course selection and the general direction of studies. Members of this committee meet routinely with every graduate student at the beginning of the academic year. Students are in charge of assembling their committee initially in preparation for the required comprehensive examination. 

The comprehensive examination is intended to test the PhD student's knowledge of the objects and discourse of their field of doctoral research. After completing coursework, the comprehensive examination, and the language requirement, the thesis proposal is established with the student's thesis committee's guidance.

A successful PhD thesis is founded on high academic achievement, original research, and firm theoretical grounding. At the mid-stage of thesis research, PhD candidates share their findings with peers, faculty, and the public through a roundtable presentation to receive critical feedback.

  PhD Requirements

• Full-time residency requirement:  two years
• Foreign language requirement : two foreign languages; note that courses taken to fulfill the language requirement do not count toward the PhD degree's required credits
• Thesis required: yes
• Minimum number of courses:   15 credits
• Number of courses required outside of the major area/hemisphere: there is no requirement for this, but three credits out of 15 allowed outside the department
• Minimum number of art history seminars:  12 credits
• Minor area of concentrations required : no
• Qualifying exams required: yes; comprehensive examination, including written and oral exam
• Additional requirements: dissertation proposal, roundtable presentation, defense

Dissertation

Number of PhD dissertation readers

Three, two of which must be from the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory.

Dissertation process

PhD students advance to candidacy following completion of:

• Five graduate seminars
• Two foreign language exams
• Dissertation proposal

Completion of the degree includes 

• A roundtable presentation of methodology and research in progress 
• An oral defense, a public display of the candidate's dissertation, followed by questions from examiners and audience members

Graduate courses

• ARTH 531 (3/6) Early Medieval Art
• ARTH 533 (3/6) Medieval Art
• ARTH 535 (3/6) Art of the Renaissance
• ARTH 537 (3/6) 17th and 18th-Century Art
• ARTH 539 (3/6) 19th-Century Art
• ARTH 540 (3/6) 20th-Century Art
• ARTH 543 (3/6) Canadian Art
• ARTH 548 (3/6) North American Architecture
• ARTH 550 (3) Art in the Islamic World
• ARTH 551 (3/6) Chinese Art
• ARTH 553 (3/6) Japanese Art
• ARTH 555 (3/6) South & Southeast Asian Art
• ARTH 561 (3/6) Indigenous Arts of the Americas
• ARTH 571 (6) Methodology of Art History
• CCST 500 (3) Seminar in Interdisciplinary Frameworks in Museum and Curatorial Studies
• CCST 501 (3) Seminar in Contemporary Contextual Issues for Museums and Curatorial Practice
• CCST 502 (3) Case Studies in Museum and Gallery Exhibitions

Please note, not all courses are offered every year.

Quick Links

• Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Go to programs search

Students in the PhD in Art History program are encouraged to situate art in its historical context, to analyze its impact on the world around us, and to develop theoretical frameworks that contribute to critical thinking and engage with debates in the field. The program involves coursework, two foreign languages, a comprehensive examination, dissertation proposal, roundtable presentation, doctoral dissertation, and oral exam.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The Art History PhD program encourages high scholastic achievement, original research, and a firm theoretical grounding. Alumni of the program have made considerable contributions to teaching and research in universities, museums, and galleries worldwide.

I chose UBC because it provided me with enormous research resources, primarily because of its outstanding library collections such as the First Nations, Anthropology, and Women’s Studies among others, which created wider research possibilities and options.

Titilope Onolaja

Program Structure

The PhD program opens with the rigorous two-term required Methodology seminar led by two professors who are specialists in divergent areas. Seminar offerings within the Department are broad and diverse, and students are encouraged to take seminar coursework outside the Department as well. This typically provides our students with ways of complementing their art history courses either by pursuing their specialization or by extending the scope of their studies. We have well-established links with Social Geography, History, Anthropology, Women's Studies, the Institute of European Studies, the Institute of Asian Research, the Latin American Institute, and First Nations Studies, amongst others.

A successful PhD thesis is founded on high scholastic achievement, original research, and firm theoretical grounding. At the mid-stage of thesis research, PhD candidates share their findings with peers, faculty, and the public through a Round Table presentation to receive critical feedback.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Normally, admission to the Ph.D. requires the completion of an M.A. in Art History, including reading knowledge of one language other than English. Students with master's degrees in related fields may be required to complete additional art history courses for their Ph.D. program.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 8 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 8 students was $9,201.
• 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $2,735.
• 12 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 12 students was $24,043.
• 2 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 2 students was $20,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Alumni on Success

Asato Ikeda

Job Title Assistant Professor, Art History

Employer Fordham University

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Art History (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Adriasola Munoz, Ignacio Alberto (investigates responses by artists and intellectuals to the crisis of aesthetic and political representation triggered by the failed protests against the US-Japan Security Treaty of 1960, and in particular their reliance on depictions of the sexual and geographical margins in their articulation of an aesthetics of political disaffection.)
• Claxton, Dana (film, video, photography, single- and multi-channel video installation, and performance art)
• Georgopulos, Nicole (Art history and theory; French art; nineteenth-century art and visual culture; art and science; gender and early feminism)
• Gu, Xiong (Fine Art. Transcultural identity and hybridity. Through the critical angle of visual art, my work encompasses other elements such as sociology, geography, economics, politics, literature; and finally, the dynamics of globalisation, local culture and individual identity shifts. These shifts do not merely constitute a simple amalgamation of two original subjects, but instead, seek to create an entirely new space., Installation, painting, drawing, photography, contemporary art theory)
• James, Gareth (histories of iconoclasm in which the social divisions and inequities that mark and delimit artistic practice are registered most emphatically)
• Koh, Germaine (Visual art)
• Makris, Georgios (Arts of Byzantium; Material culture and archaeology of monasticism; Dissemination and usage of portable objects across the eastern Mediterranean; Medieval monastic culture)
• Mansoor, Jaleh (Art history and theory; Curatorial and related studies; Visual arts and media arts; Cultural Industries; Formalism; Marxism and Critical Theory; Marxist Feminism; Modernism; Twentieth Century European Art)
• Mitchell, Karice (Visual art)
• Monteyne, Joseph (Art history and theory; Curatorial and related studies; Visual arts and media arts; Arts and Technologies; Renaissance/early modern art and print culture)
• Orell, Julia (History of Chinese Art; Landscape painting of the Song and Yuan dynasties; Construction of place, site, region, and empire in painting and other visual media; Art and the production of knowledge; Cultural and historical geography; History of cartography)
• Peck, Alexandra (Social and cultural anthropology; Other studies related to history and archaeology; Art history and theory; Native tribes and First Nations in the Pacific Northwest; historical Northwest Coast art; Salish (Coastal and Interior) art; Anthropology/anthroplogical methods; Material culture, archaeology, museums)
• Pina Baldoquin, Manuel (Images)
• Porto, Nuno (Self-representation of African identities in contemporary Afro-Cuban Art and in Kenyan photography, Modern and contemporary arts of Africa and the African Diasporas, Curatorship and social justice, Social museology, History of collections, Photography)
• Roy, Marina (Intersection between materials, history, language, and ideology)
• Salgirli, Saygin (architecture of fourteenth-century Bursa, the first Ottoman capital)
• Shelton, Anthony (Mexican and Andean visual culture, critical museology, development of folk art, aesthetics)
• Silver, Erin (Art history and theory; Curatorial and related studies; Visual arts and media arts; Activism and visual culture; Artist or Author Social Identity; Artistic and Literary Marginality; Artistic and Literary Movements, Schools and Styles; Canadian contemporary art; Feminist art histories; Movement culture; Performance studies; Queer art; social movements)
• Smith, Tai (History of art and architecture; Art theory and analysis; Visual theory, visual culture and visual literacy; Arts and Technologies; Economical Contexts; Gender; media theory; Modern and Contemporary Art and Design; Politics of Media and Mediation; Textiles)
• Starling, Dan
• Thauberger, Althea (Art history and theory; Curatorial and related studies; Visual arts and media arts; Biopolitics and institutional critique/reform; Media philosophy; Photographic history/theory; Settler decolonization, and site-based art and activism)
• Usher, Camille (Contemporary art; Indigenous visual culture; curatorial practices; Museum studies; feminism and performance; public art and graffiti)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• The right to be seen : archiving absence in post-civil war Lebanon
• Disappearing threads : art between text and textile in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile after 1955
• Narrative forms and visual sequences : the new photography in American practice and French discourse, 1968–1989
• Prophecy, power and change : meetings between the Skwxwú7mesh and Tsimshian in the early 20th century
• Making and remaking Renaissance sculpture : the terracotta groups (1460–1560)
• Total economy : the Artist Placement Group (1969-1976)
• The Beckett effect : the work of Stan Douglas, Paul Chan, and Tania Bruguera
• Grains of silver and sand : landscape photography in South Africa since the 1960s
• Objects, actions, and participation in the art of Korea, 1960-1980
• Absence and artlessness in Early Modern Church of England martyr portraits
• Enraged and confused : art after student revolt, circa 1970
• Lines of sight : the hand, the eye, the microscope and the knife in Nehemiah Grew's The anatomy of plants (1682)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Art History (MA)

Same Academic Unit

• Master of Arts in Art History (Critical Curatorial Studies) (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Art History offers advanced study in the major periods of European and North American art, in certain areas of Asian art, and in the indigenous arts of the Americas.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Alison Ariss

My prior work experience with UBC had given me a strong sense of the depth and breadth of research expertise within the Faculty of Arts. In both my MA and PhD programs, I have been fortunate to work with supportive faculty members in Art History, Visual Art and Theory (AHVA), Anthropology, and...

Titilope Salami

I chose UBC because the institution is one of the best universities in Canada with large research resources. The educational programmes and exhibitions of the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) also motivated my interest. Finally and most importantly, the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory...

Pamela Mackenzie

UBC is a great university with a beautiful campus and a good international reputation, plus my department is well known for its engaged faculty and high-quality research.

Curious about life in Vancouver?

Find out how Vancouver enhances your graduate student experience—from the beautiful mountains and city landscapes, to the arts and culture scene, we have it all. Study-life balance at its best!

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Application & Admission
• Info Sessions
• Research Projects
• Indigenous Students
• International Students
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Living
• Newly Admitted
• Student Status & Classification
• Student Responsibilities
• Managing your Program
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Professional Development
• Dissertation & Thesis Preparation
• Final Doctoral Exam
• Final Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Life in Vancouver
• Vancouver Campus
• Graduate Student Spaces
• Graduate Life Centre
• Life as a Grad Student
• Graduate Student Ambassadors
• Meet our Students
• Award Opportunities
• Award Guidelines
• Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students
• Killam Awards & Fellowships
• Dean's Message
• Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• Vision & Mission
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Initiatives, Plans & Reports
• Graduate Education Analysis & Research
• Media Enquiries
• Newsletters
• Giving to Graduate Studies

Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
• Improving Student Funding
• Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs
• Enhancing Graduate Supervision
• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
• Supporting Student Development and Success
• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes