Master of Arts in History (History, Classics, and Religion)

Program Requirements

The MA in History can be taken as a thesis-based or a course-based program. Both may be subsequently used as a qualification for application to the PhD program. Students must declare at the beginning of their graduate studies which program they intend to follow. Students wishing to change their program category must seek the approval of the Department.

Successful completion of the MA program does not guarantee admission to the doctoral program. Students wishing to go on to a PhD must make a formal application according to standard procedures.

Thesis-based Program

Students are required to complete a minimum of 19 units in coursework and a thesis.

Coursework (19 units)

Required courses (10 units)

HIST 602 (1 units)
Any one of:
- HIST 603 (3 units)
- HIST 604 (3 units)
- HIST 605 (3 units)
- HIST 606 (3 units)
HIST 609 (3 units)
HIST 700 (3 units)

Elective Courses (9 units):

An additional three 3-unit graduate courses. Up to two of these may be graduate classes other than HIST, with approval of Department. No more than one of these may be HIST 699 except with approval of Department.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES. Students are required to write and orally defend a thesis based on original research. The thesis should normally be not more than 100 pages in length.

Course-based Program

Students are required to complete a minimum of 25 units including both coursework and a Directed Research Project.

Coursework (19 units)

Required courses (7 units)

HIST 602 (1 unit)
Any one of:
- HIST 603 (3 units)
- HIST 604 (3 units)
- HIST 605 (3 units)
- HIST 606 (3 units)
HIST 700 (3 units)

Elective Courses (12 units):

An additional four 3-unit graduate courses. Up to two of these may be graduate classes other than HIST, with approval of Department. No more than two of these may be HIST 699 except with approval of Department.

Directed Research Project (6 units):

Students must successfully complete two consecutive registrations of 3 units in HIST 900 , which requires a research paper of 40-50 pages which should reflect a significant use of primary materials and research.

Ethics Requirement

Students fulfill three hours of the GPS Ethics and Academic Citizenship Requirement through HIST 602 . Students must also complete the GPS Graduate Ethics Training course.

Professional Development Requirement

Students fulfill four hours of the GPS Professional Development Requirement through HIST 602 . See the Department website for a guideline of Department resources to fulfill the remaining PD hours.

Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate competence in a language other than English according to the procedures specified in the Departmental Language Requirement.

Residence Requirement

The minimum period of residence for both the course-based and thesis-based programs is two four-month terms of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the MA will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken; however, a minimum of 12 months is normally required.

The maximum time to complete the thesis-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is four years.

The maximum time to complete the course-based MA program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.