The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master’s degree (or its equivalent) with at least high honours standing in Canadian Studies or one of the disciplines represented in the School of Canadian Studies at Carleton or the Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies at Trent University (hereafter the School and the Frost Centre). Applicants should note, however, that meeting the admission requirement does not guarantee admission to the program. Review of the competitive selection process indicates that students with a Grade Point Average (GPA) below 10.0 (A-) in their master’s program are generally not recommended for admission to the doctoral program. Students applying on the basis of a master’s degree from disciplines not represented in the School or the Frost Centre will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may, if admitted, be required to take additional courses as part of their program.

Application is made through the School of Graduate Studies. Please ensure that all components of the application are submitted as described on the Graduate Studies web page. The deadline for application for Fall 2012 intake is February 1, 2012.

The following information may be of assistance in preparing your application.

• A detailed Research Statement / Plan of Study (400-600 words) in which you explain your intention in applying for Graduate Studies and your overall expectations of the Ph.D. program must be included in your application. This statement should include a description of your proposed topic for the dissertation, and an explanation of why this interdisciplinary topic is likely to be of interest to others engaged in Canadian Studies, as well as a brief account of work that has been done on this, or related topics, by other scholars.  (Please note that because interests do change, this statement is not intended to serve as a binding commitment regarding dissertation topic.)
• Applicants must submit a writing sample.
• Applicants may identify a Trent faculty member as a provisional dissertation supervisor; however, this is not a requirement for admission. Incoming students will be assigned a Program Advisor, a faculty member familiar with their area of research, who can offer academic advice and guidance. Students will be required to confirm a dissertation supervisor and committee by April 1 of the first year.  Arrangements with an individual faculty member can be made in person, by phone, by email, or by correspondence. For a list of faculty members and their research interests, please visit the Faculty page.
• If you are currently completing your MA programme, please include a list of current courses.

Application Deadline

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all application items are received at Trent University by February 1, 2012. Transcripts must be arranged to be sent directly to Trent by the issuing institutions. 

The Graduate Programs Selection Committees will begin their selection process in the weeks following the application submission date of February 1, 2012. All applications received after this date will be accepted and considered for funding until all available positions/spaces are filled. Students are encouraged to apply by the recommended application deadline; however, we welcome applications beyond this date.

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*Please note the online application will continue to be accessible after this date.

Fees

For a full listing of fees, please check the Graduate Student Fee Schedule.