About the MA Program

Brock’s History Master of Arts Program stands out from other programs by our students’ easy access to faculty and supervisors. Master of Arts students are welcomed into the department’s collegial atmosphere, and are respected as scholars in the regular colloquia that feature invited speakers, faculty, and Master of Arts students presenting their research. We provide a challenging academic program and we support our students so they can succeed.

MA with Thesis

  • 5 terms (20 months)
  • Students take Historiography and Historical Method (HIST 5F01) plus 2 variable-topics half-course seminars (HIST 5V00-HIST 5V79)
  • Each student enrolled in the MA Thesis course (HIST 5F90) must defend their thesis at a public oral examination
  • Full-time Thesis students are eligible for a Graduate Fellowship (~$8,500) and a Graduate Assistantship (~$8,000), or approximately $16,500 per year
Paige Groot (BA ’22) and volunteer Pam Mundy (BA ’21) dress a mannequin in a 1900s cycling outfit Mundy recreated for Groot’s latest exhibit. Groot, who will begin in Brock’s Master of Arts in History program this fall, has been putting her history skills to work this summer at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum. Photo Credit: The Brock News

MA with Major Research Paper (MRP)

  • 3 terms (12 months)
  • Students take Historiography and Historical Method (HIST 5F01), 4 variable-topics half-course seminars (HIST 5V00-HIST 5V79), and the Major Research Paper (HIST 5F80)
  • Full-time MRP students are eligible for a Graduate Assistantship (~$8000/year)
  • Students holding an 82%+ entrance average qualify for the MRP Merit Entrance Award, a one-time $3,000 award.

MA with Co-op

  • 5 terms (20 months)
  • Students complete the regular MRP-stream academic work, plus:
  • Funding opportunities are the same as the normal MRP stream

Teaching

The History Master of Arts Program offers full-time students the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience (and income) while they study.  As teaching assistants for first and second year undergraduate courses, Master of Arts students lead, or facilitate, seminars, as well as mark essays and exams. History faculty may also provide research assistantships to MA students.

Professional Development

In the History Master of Arts Program’s historiography/methodology course students are also mentored in their professional development.  They prepare applications to the Humanities Research Institute to engage in a larger community of scholars.  Students are also encouraged to prepare a conference proposal and to present their research at the History Department colloquia, the Annual Mapping New Knowledge conference at Brock, and at various national and international academic conferences.

The History Master of Arts program cultivates skills that employers want: critical reading and analysis, excellent written and oral communication, the ability to understand and organize large amounts of information into logical and cogent presentations.  The History Master of Arts program helps students and employers recognize and apply these skills in the workplace.

Matthew Melnyk (BA Honours, History & Philosophy, 2007; MA History, 2008) was honoured at the Business Link Media Group’s annual 40 Under Forty Business Achievement Awards for 2023. The award recognizes “individuals under the age of 40 who make significant positive contributions to the local economy, community, and business ecosystem.” Photo credit: The Brock News

Research Support

Office space is provided for History Master of Arts students in the History Department.  This shared facility provides space for our Master of Arts students to work and gather. Students are also provided with space to meet with their undergraduate students as part of teaching responsibilities. The Master of Arts program provides our students with financial support for conference travel and research expenses.  Computers, printers, scanners, and photocopiers for research and teaching are available.

Possible MA Supervisors

Please view the list of faculty members in the History department. They are all available for supervision.

MA Program Statistics

MRP:                 90.91%
Co-op MRP:        4.55%
Thesis:                4.55%

There were a diverse range of responses from a wide variety of options. Responses included the following fields:

Education: 32%
Still in school: 18%
Finance: 9%
Heritage: 9%
Business: 9%
Recreation: 9%
Media/Journalism: 5%
Not working: 5%
Other industry/field: 5%

The majority of respondents were working in education or still in school themselves.

Archaeologist Kimberly Monk (standing at back of trench, with headset) walks visitors through the Shickluna Shipyard site while a group of field school participants (front) continue excavation of a 19th-century boat house.