Program Options

The Trent History M.A. offers flexibility and allows students to shape graduate work according to their interests, objectives, and time frame. Full time students are expected to complete all degree requirements within two years of admission (although, under special circumstances, a third year may be allowed). Full-time students normally complete the course requirements and gain approval of a thesis proposal in the first year, then finish and defend the thesis in the second year. Part-time students are expected to complete the degree within four years, and the timing of the completion of specific requirements is by individual arrangement. Both full-time and part-time students can choose from two program streams: Course Work or Thesis.

Thesis

Students must complete HIST 5100 as well as two half courses and a Research Thesis. The thesis will be modeled on a short scholarly monograph with multiple chapters. It will be assessed by an external examiner and the candidate will defend the thesis before a committee of at least 3 faculty members including the external. The thesis will be approximately 120 pages excluding notes and bibliography.

Major Research Paper (MRP)

Students must complete HIST 5100 as well as four half-courses and a Major Research Paper. The MRP will be modeled on a scholarly journal article and assessed by an external examiner. The MRP will be approximately 30-50 pages excluding notes and bibliography. 

Note: Students doing either MRP or Thesis are expected to have an appropriate theoretical framework, discuss relevant historiography and make use of primary sources.

Supervision

Each stream is supervised, from the proposal stage to completion, by a Supervisory Committee, which consists of a Supervisor (or two Co-supervisors) plus one or two additional faculty. The Committee is established during the first term of study, following consultation between the student, the Program Director and appropriate faculty. At the time of final reading and/or oral defense, the Supervisory Committee is supplemented by an External Examiner.