Admission/Financial | College of Arts

Admission/Financial

 

Diego Riveria Rockefeller Mural

Admission Requirements

Students apply for MA Integrated Humanities, Latin American and Caribbean Field.

 

This propgram is open to applicants holding the equivalent of an Honours degree from a recognized
institution with at least a B+ average in the last four full-time semesters of study. Preference will be given to students who have taken upper-level undergraduate courses in areas such as Latin American and Caribbean history, society, politics, development, literature, art, languages, and music. A reading knowledge of Spanish will be required.
Required documents: 
•The official application form: https://graduatestudies.uoguelph.ca/future/applying-guelph
•All past transcripts.  Official and final transcripts can be sent directly from your previous institution electronically to gradapps@uoguelph.ca
•A detailed up-to-date curriculum vitae.
•A one-page statement of research (letter of intent) outlining your reasons for applying to this program.
•A sample of writing that displays your aptitude for research and analytical thinking (approx. 2,500 words).
•Two letters of recommendation.

 

The Letter of Intent is a very important piece of information in one´s application dossier.

It allows the applicant to demonstrate personality, communication skills, and most importantly, the ability to envision a research project. A successful letter of intent is informative (tells the committee the applicant´s area of research interest and why the applicant is choosing this area of research), scholarly (shows that the applicant has the necessary academic preparation and focus to pursue their research interests and succeed in our graduate program, and persuasive (presents a convincing argument that the project is important and may feasibly be completed within the framework of a Master’s degree). This should be achieved in about 600 words.

Students applying to the HUMN/LACS/IDEV collaborative program are expected to include a statement which explains 1. how their research ideas fit with the International Ddevelopment Studies specialization, and 2. how their background and interests will contribute to the vitality of the specialization in development studies.

The applicant is not bound by his or her letter of intent; they can change the research topic during their course of study.  Similarly, the project advisor can be changed if another professor is more suitable. The project advisor does not have to be named in the Letter of Intent. However, it is helpful if applicants review faculty members´ bios (available on the LACS website) and mention a faculty member whose research is relevant to their project.

Letters of Intent can be written in English or in Spanish and should be addressed to the Admissions Committee.

Applications received by February 1  will be considered in the first round of selections for fall entry; however, applications received at other times will be considered as well. It is advised that international students apply by February 1, as the application and visa processing take additional time. 

All documentation must be uploaded through WebAdvisor.

Financial Support

Successful applicants are guaranteed competitive funding support: a minimum of two teaching or research assistantships (approximately $12,000 in total). The School of Languages and Literatures considers the teaching experience it offers to its graduate students an important part of their professional preparation. All students receive training in pedagogy at the beginning of the semester, and they have an opportunity to attend various group seminars provided by Teaching Support Services. When they fulfill the requirements, they receive a Teaching Development Program Passport.

Scholarship

  • Domestic students will also receive a top-up scholarship (amounts range from $6,000 to $10,000). International students with outstanding record are also eligible.
  • Domestic applicants are also strongly encouraged to apply for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (worth $5000 per semester); the deadline to apply is at the end of January.

Travel and Research Grants

  • Twice a year, students can apply for travel or research internal grants in the amount of $1,500.
  • Student Financial Services also has several travel grants for students who wish to conduct their research elsewhere or who give papers at academic conferences. 

Emergency funding

In case that during your study you require some assistance to figure out your financial situation, there are resources available to you.
https://graduatestudies.uoguelph.ca/current/funding/financial-aid