Tri-University Graduate Studies
visit the Tri-University Graduate Program Website: http://www.triuhistory.ca
"My advisor and various members of the Department have provided me with a wide range of experiences which I think have been essential to securing a tenure track position (including teaching, service and research). My experience has been excellent and this is due to the opportunities provided by, and support offered from, the department and particularly my advisor."
Janay Nugent, M.A. (Guelph '97), Ph.D. (Guelph '05)
Assistant Professor, University of Lethbridge
"The professionalism of the department was exemplary, but
so, too, were the generosity and thoughtfulness offered by faculty and
staff. Being around these people was one of the true highlights of my
education."
John Walsh, B.A., M.A. (University of Ottawa), Ph.D (Guelph '02)
Assistant Professor, Carleton University
"From the professors to the administrative staff, my experience
at Guelph was truly two of the best years of my life.... I will have
nothing but good words for the History department to anyone who asks,
and should I decide to continue, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere
else."
Jason Wilson, M.A. (Guelph '03)
Introduction
 The
Tri-University Graduate Program in History brings together the faculty
members and resources of three of Ontario's leading universities to
develop the skills of historians in both traditional and innovative
ways. The Tri-University's Ph.D. program was begun in 1994 as a way
of combining the two small, but well-established Ph.D. programs at Guelph
and Waterloo, with the members of the History department at Wilfrid
Laurier. This fresh, new program integrates the skill and knowledge
of over fifty faculty members and offers students a wide range of research
approaches and expertise. In 2001 the successful Tri-University concept
was extended to include the Master's degree in History.
Central to the innovative character of the Tri-University Graduate
Program is its emphasis on thematic fields, which expand the more traditional
fields defined by space or time. The Tri-University Graduate Program
in History also provides M.A. and Ph.D. students with a wide range of
courses and research opportunities. It features small seminars and a
close student-professor relationship that distinguishes this program
from others at larger universities. In this program students benefit
from the existence of three smaller departments with the resources of
one of Canada's largest graduate programs in history.
THE MASTER'S PROGRAM
M.A. graduates from our universities have pursued careers in business
and law, politics, journalism, government service, teaching, museums
and archives, to name only some of the general areas in which history
graduates may be found. Some M.A. students choose a graduate program
in history for no other reason than that they enjoy the study of history
and realize that it can enhance their understanding of themselves and
the world in which they live. For others, the Tri-University M.A. in
history may also be seen as an opportunity to test their ability in
a graduate program or to see if they have an interest in pursuing a
Ph.D. degree, or perhaps through a Teaching Assistantship to sample
the experience of participating in the teaching of university level
courses. If the prospect of being part of an exciting new program built
on the strength of three of Ontario's finest universities interests
you, please consider the Tri-University M.A.
THE DOCTORATE PROGRAM
The choice of graduate school for your doctoral research is one of
the most important decisions that you will make about your academic
career. This decision involves several vital issues. In addition to
the university that you choose to attend, the selection of a research
area and topic influences every other element in the decision-making
process. It involves both your own talents and interests and trying
to predict what will attract the interest of other scholars. The choice
of graduate school is equally important. With a program that provides
stimulating intellectual atmosphere, produced by the interaction of
scholars -- both faculty and students.
The Tri-University Graduate Program carefully seeks to achieve these
goals by carefully selecting a limited number of applicants annually.
Classes are small; interaction with fellow students is encouraged and
close one-on-one relationships with doctoral supervisors are some of
its hallmarks. Approximately six students are admitted each year. Their
program of study entails several innovative features. Electronic classrooms
and communication play a central role in maintaining contact among students
and faculty on the three campuses; students are thus exposed to technology
that will be a vital part of future teaching and communication. Students
are also given training in university-level teaching, normally including
the handling of their own course for one term. The doctoral seminar
is designed to give students guidance and training in other areas of
professional development, such as successful grant application, techniques
of conference paper and multi-media presentations, approaches to archival
research, successful article writing, etc. Students will leave the Program
better prepared to develop their careers as scholars and teachers in
the classrooms of the twenty-first century.
The Tri-University Doctoral Program in History is committed to creating
a vibrant scholarly atmosphere. To this end the three departments have
cooperated in a joint scholarly conference each year since 1988. The
conference centres around challenging new themes of historical interpretation
and prominent international scholars are invited to participate. Peter
Gay of Yale spoke on Weimar culture, Carroll Smith-Rosenberg of Pennsylvania
on women in 19th-century America, Alexander Motye of Columbia on the
Russian Revolution, and Rod Phillips of Carleton on gender in the French
Revolution. In recent years, Natalie Zemon Davis, Brian McKillop and
Elizabeth Dowdeswell have addressed the conference.
The conference provides students with an opportunity to present to
the faculty and graduate students on the three campuses scholarly papers
derived from their own research. Faculty and students from more distant
campuses often attend the conference, creating useful scholarly networks.
The Program itself is fully integrated across the three campuses. Students
in the Ph.D. program register at the campus of their thesis advisor,
but otherwise all elements of the Program are combined. Courses and
seminars are held on each of the three campuses. Contact and communication
is easy and frequent across the three campuses. The Laurier and Waterloo
departments are a mere fifteen minute walk from each other, and Guelph
is just eighteen kilometres away; some financial support for transportation
between the three campuses may be provided.
At the Tri-University Graduate Program we think that our program offers
prospective doctoral students the kind of training and support that
will best help them in their long-term careers. We invite you to examine
the scholarly records and research programs of the faculty, think about
the components of the program, and come and visit us. We are confident
that you will like what you see and that you will be interested in joining
with us.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND SCHOLARSHIPS / FINANCIAL AID
Students seeking admission to the M.A. or PhD programs in History
at the University of Guelph should apply through the Tri-University
Graduate Studies link on this web page.
Guelph’s History department prizes its graduate programs and provides
attractive and competitive financial packages. Offers of financial assistance,
including scholarships, will be made by letter in response to applications
for admissions, but intending students should please note that for the
John Galt, Helen O’Reilly, Scottish Studies Foundation, and some
other scholarships and bursaries they need to qualify financially by
applying to the university’s office of Student Financial Services.
(Application forms are available online at http://www.uoguelph.ca/studfin.
Follow this chain: financial aid / forms / entrance awards / financial
need based entrance awards application).
• John Galt Scholarships:
The John Galt Scholarships were established
by the faculty of the Department of History with the aid of the Ontario
government’s OSOTF program, to attract the most promising graduate
students from Ontario to the MA and PhD programs in History. Two scholarships
of $1,500 each are available. They will be awarded to entering students
who demonstrate financial need who have maintained a minimum cumulative
80% average. A student can be awarded more than one scholarship and
these may be paid over more than one year, but the offer may be made
only at the point of entry into the program. The payment of the scholarship
in succeeding years will be conditional on continued financial need
and on the maintenance of a minimum cumulative 80% average in the
previous two years. Apply by letter with a completed Needs Assessment
Form to Student Financial Services by May 1. (ACCESS AWARD).
• Scottish Studies Foundation Graduate Scholarship:
Through
the generosity of the Scottish Studies Foundation and private donors,
and with the assistance of the Ontario government's OSOTF program,
this scholarship has been made available annually to an Ontario resident
with demonstrated financial need who enters the Scottish Studies Program
at the University of Guelph. The scholarship provides $1500 in the
first year and, providing the student maintains a Scottish Studies
focus and an A- average, $1500 in the second year of study. Doctoral
studies will be given first consideration. If none are eligible, Masters
students will be considered. Eligible students should request the
graduate committee of their Department or School to forward their
names and application materials to the Scottish Studies Committee
for consideration and submit a completed Needs Assessment Form to
Student Financial Services by February 15. (ACCESS AWARD).
After students have been admitted to Guelph’s graduate History
programs, there are a number of scholarships they may consider, some
in the Department and some in the university (through the Faculty of
Graduate Studies), but they will need to apply to Student Financial
Services using an In-course Need Assessment Form if the awards are marked
ACCESS. Some of these awards assist with research costs associated with
travel such as that associated with archival investigations. (All these can all be viewed online in the University of Guelph Graduate
Calendar (and using the search function at the university’s home
web page.) Thus, students
should also consider applying for:
• Helen O'Reilly History Scholarship (History):
To commemorate
Helen O'Reilly, a University of Guelph student and mother who entered university late in life
and went on to pursue graduate studies in history, her family, with
the aid of the Ontario Government's OSOTF program, has established
a scholarship of up to $1000 annually. The award is given to a graduate student in the
Department of History who has superior academic standing and demonstrated
financial need. Apply to Student Financial Services with a completed
Needs Assessment form by October 15. ACCESS AWARD.
• Alexander H. Brodie Memorial Award (Scottish Studies):
Gifts
from friends of the late professor Alexander H. Brodie make possible
financial assistance to an MA (or, if none is eligible, PhD) student
for thesis research overseas related to Scottish Studies. Application
should be made to the Interdepartmental Committee on Scottish Studies
(c/o the Department of History) by March 15.
• Ted Cowan Scholarship (Scottish Studies):
Prof. Cowan, for
many years chair of Scottish studies in the Department of History,
made major contributions to raising the awareness of Scottish studies
both in the academic world and among the public as a whole. The award
funds were raised by private donations and a grant from the Scottish
Studies Foundation. In even numbered years, $500 is awarded to support
research travel for a Guelph student in Scottish studies. PhD students
who have completed or anticipate completing their qualifying examination,
and MA students who have completed two semesters, may submit an application,
including proposed research trip budget and statement of research
plan, to the graduate coordinator of the department of registration
by Sept. 1. Preference will be given to PhD students.
• Frank Watson Travel Scholarship (Scottish Studies):
Dr. Cecily
Watson and the Scottish Studies Foundation provide this $1000 Scholarhip
for MA and PhD students in the Scottish Studies Program who intend
to visit Scotland for their thesis work. Applicants will be eligible
after the successful completion of their comprehensive examinations.
Preference will be given to PhD students, but if no PhD students qualify,
MA students with a minimum cumulative average of 80% (A-) will be
considered. Selection will be based on relevance of intended travel
to the student thesis work. Apply by February 1 for travel between
April of current year and April of the following year to the Chair
of Scottish Studies with an outline of the purpose and duration of
travel to Scotland.
• Clan Fergusson Graduate Research Travel Grant:
An endowment fund has been established in memory of deceased members
of the Clan Fergusson Society of North America. The initial donation
was from the estate of Donald MacNish Ferguson, "a Scotsman to
the Marrow..." The funds are used to provide travel grants totaling
approximately $500 to Guelph graduate students to visit Scotland for
thesis research. Registered graduate students with at least a first-class
('A-') average in the most recent two years of study whose thesis
research relates to Scottish studies are eligible, including study
in drama, English, family studies, history, philosophy and sociology.
Students make application by December 10 each year, including an application
form (available online in pdf. in the current Graduate Calendar) and
a letter of reference from the principal adviser. Selection is by
the Board of Graduate Studies Awards Committee in January each year,
for travel by a registered student between February and the following
January. Students who would be at or beyond semester 5 at the master's
level or semester 7 at the doctoral level at the time they would be
traveling are ineligible to apply.
• For the St. Andrews Society of Toronto travel award in Scottish
Studies, please contact Scottish history faculty members.
Examine the awards section of the Graduate
Calendar for other financial assistance potentially available to graduate students,
such as:
- the Richard and Sophia Hungerford Graduate Travel Grants,
- the Arthur D. Latornell Graduate Research Travel Grants,
- the University of Guelph Research Travel Grants
- the Registrar's Research Travel Grants, Child Care Grants and Research
Grant for Graduate Students
- and the College of Arts Graduate Research Bursary
The Department of History at the University of Guelph also offers the
following awards (no application necessary):
• Department of History Graduate Prizes (History): $100 will
be awarded in May to students who have written (i) an outstanding
thesis, (ii) an outstanding major paper, and (iii) an outstanding
course essay during the preceding twelve months. Students do not apply;
all theses and major papers will be considered. Instructors will nominate
course essays. Prizes may not be given out in each category every
year.
• The Tri-University Doctoral Program Annual Prize for the
Best Historiographical Paper (History): This $100 prize will be awarded
each fall to the graduate student in the Tri-University doctoral program
in History who has authored the highest quality historiographical
paper submitted in a Tri-university seminar during the previous Fall,
Winter, or Spring semesters. The selection committee may decide not
to give the award in any year where, in the committee's judgement,
there is not a paper of sufficiently high quality. Selection will
be made by the Program Coordinating Committee.
• The Tri-University Doctoral Program Annual Prize for the
Best Scholarly Paper or Article (History): A $100 prize will be awarded
each fall to the graduate student in the Tri-University Program in
History who has authored the best scholarly paper or article submitted
for consideration by a conference or journal during the preceding
academic year. Apply to the Chair, Department of History, by Sept.
1, submitting a copy of the paper or article and proof of its submission
to a journal or conference. Selection will be made by the Program
Coordinating Committee.
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ADMISSIONS AND AWARDS
Dr. David Monod, Tri-University Program Director
Department of History, Wilfrid Laurier University
Office: DAWB 3-205E
Phone: (519) 884-1970 ex. 3261
dmonod@wlu.ca
Diane Purdy, Tri-University Program Secretary
Department of History, University of Guelph
Office: 2010 MacKinnon Extension
Phone: (519) 824-4120 ex.
53556
dpurdy@uoguelph.ca
Dr. Catherine Carstairs, University of Guelph - Acting Graduate Coordinator
Department of History, University of Guelph
Office: 2004 MacKinnon Extension
Phone: (519) 824-4120 ex. 53185
ccarstai@uoguelph.ca
Sharon Helder, University of Guelph - Graduate Secretary
Department of History, University of Guelph
Office: 2010 MacKinnon Extension
Phone: (519) 824-4120 ex. 56847
shelder@uoguelph.ca
Department of History | 2010 MacKinnon Extension | University of Guelph | Guelph, Ontario | N1G 2W1 | (519) 824-4120 ex. 56528 | fax (519) 766-9516
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