The Department of History offers the degree of Master of Arts (with or without thesis) in History. Within the limits imposed by the availability of qualified staff, students may pursue their studies in English or in French.

At the master's level students undertake research in diverse areas corresponding to the expertise and interests of faculty members. The program includes a co-op option at the master's.

The Department participates in the collaborative programs in Women’s Studies and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the master's level, allowing students to specialize in one of these areas. For further details, please consult the "Admission Requirements" section of the master's program.

The collaborative master’s in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDV) has two goals:

• To offer at the graduate level a multi-disciplinary education in Medieval and Renaissance Studies;
• To teach students the theoretical approaches and methods of research specific to the study of the period.

The specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies is intended for students who wish to enrich their training by including to their main program an interdisciplinary component in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Besides a thesis or a major research paper on a topic related to the medieval and Renaissance period, the specific requirements of the collaborative program include two core courses in medieval studies (MDV), one of which will count as a partial requirement in the main discipline.

The programs are governed by the general regulations in effect for graduate studies. 

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.

Students must have an honours BA in history (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 70 per cent (B) before they can be considered for admission. The department may require a written or oral entrance examination.

Collaborative Programs

Entry into the collaborative program requires at least a passive knowledge of French language.

Applications to the collaborative program must be submitted at the same time as the application for admission to the master's program in the main discipline.

Students wishing to enroll in the Collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies must first be admitted to the Master's program in one of the participating units. Candidates must hold an Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Co-op Option

To be admissible to the co-op option, students must commence the Master of History Program in the fall term and be enrolled full time. Applications for the co-op option must be received by the end of the first month of the student’s enrollment in the MA program. Acceptance into the co-op option is offered on a competitive basis and is managed by the Co-op Office. Enquiries should be directed to that office.

Language Requirements

All applicants must be able to understand speak and write either English or French proficiently. Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must provide proof of proficiency in one or the other. The list of acceptable tests is indicated in the “Admission” section of the general regulations in effect for graduate studies. 

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, students have a right to produce their work, their thesis, and to answer examination questions in French or in English.

Master's with Thesis

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses:
HIS 5122	Research Seminar	3 Units
6 elective course units in history (HIS) at the graduate level		6 Units
Language Requirement:
HIS 5599	Exigence de langue française en histoire
Thesis:
THM 7999	Master's Thesis 1

Note(s)

¹

Preparation and effective defence of a thesis (THM 7999) before a board of at least two examiners and presided over by the Chairperson of the Department or his representative. The master's thesis should be between 125 and 150 pages in length.

Master's with Research Paper

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses:
HIS 5122	Research Seminar	3 Units
12 elective course units in history (HIS) at the graduate level		12 Units
Language Requirement:
HIS 5599	Exigence de langue française en histoire
Research Paper:
HIS 6999	Research Paper 1

Note(s) 

¹

The research paper must receive the approval of the supervisor and a passing grade from the reader. The research paper should be about 50 pages in length.

Language Requirements

Students in both the master's and doctoral programs must understand, speak and write either English or French fluently. In addition, students in both programs must demonstrate their reading competence in Canada's other official language, French or English, at the earliest opportunity, by passing a language examination administered by the department in the fall or winter term. To this end, enrollment in HIS 5599 is compulsory. Students who take a graduate course in history in the other language may be exempted from this examination, given a favourable report from the professor concerned. Students working in a field of history where a language other than English or French is necessary may also be required to demonstrate their grasp of that language.

Collaborative Program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

Students in the program must complete the requirements of their primary program and those of the collaborative program. The course MDV 5100 (3 units) in Medieval and Renaissance Studies will be counted towards the requirements of the primary program. Consequently, students in the specialization will have only one extra course to take.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses: 1
MDV 5100	Medieval and Renaissance Studies Research Methods and Tools	3 Units
MDV 5900	Interdisciplinary Research Seminar	3 Units
Thesis or Major Research Paper 2

Note(s)

¹

Students must complete the two compulsory courses before they enroll to the major research paper or thesis. Note that MDV 5900 is a bilingual course that requires at least a passive knowledge of French.

²

A thesis or major research paper on a topic related to Medieval and Renaissance studies; the proposed topic must be approved by the program committee of the participating unit and the committee of the collaborative program. The supervision of the major research paper or thesis must be carried out by a professor approved by the collaborative program committee. At least one of the two thesis examiners (or one examiner of the major research paper) must be a member of the collaborative program. In both cases, the title of the degree will indicate the discipline of the participating unit with the specification "specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies."

Co-op Option

Co-op students must enroll full-time and complete two work terms: ACP 6001and ACP 6002 . The co-op work terms are each worth six units.

Each work terms is graded P/F (Pass or Fail), based on the employer’s report and on a written report completed by the student. The report must be 30 pages, including appendices. The report is evaluated by the professor in charge of the graduate co-op option in History.

The units awarded for co-op work terms may not be used to obtain equivalences for other courses. In other words, the co-op units are additional to the minimum requirements of the degree.

To remain in the co-op option, students must:

• Be enrolled full-time.
• Maintain a 7.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Obtain a satisfactory grade (P) for each co-op work term.

Duration of Program

Students are expected to complete all requirements within two years. The thesis must be submitted within four years of the date of initial enrollment in the program.

Minimum Standards

The passing grade in all courses is C+. Students who fail two courses (equivalent to 6 units) must withdraw from the program.

Research at the University of Ottawa

Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa ranks among Canada’s top 10 research universities. Our research is founded on excellence, relevance and impact and is conducted in a spirit of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Our research community thrives in four strategic areas:

• Creating a sustainable environment
• Advancing just societies
• Shaping the digital world
• Enabling lifelong health and wellness

From advancing healthcare solutions to tackling global challenges like climate change, the University of Ottawa’s researchers are at the forefront of innovation, making significant contributions to society and beyond.

Research at the Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is proud of the state of the art research conducted by its professors. In the spirit of showcasing its research to the university community as well as to the general public, the Faculty has created three activities: Dean's Lecture Series, Treasures of the Library, and Excellence Lectures.

Facilities, Research Centres and Institutes at the Faculty of Arts

• Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française,
• Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies,
• Institute for Science, Society and Policy,
• Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) 
• Morisset Library.

For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb. 

IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.

N.B. 9000-level courses are reserved for Ph.D. students.