Program Description

Students in the MA History program at Lakehead University have the option of preparing a Major Research Project/Paper as part of their degree requirements, which also include the completion of 3 FCEs coursework at the graduate level. Other options include the Thesis-based route and the Course-based route (see the Calendar or Graduate Studies website for full program requirements). 

A Major Research Project is defined as a research project on a historical topic.  It is designed to deal with a body of available primary resource materials or with a specific methodological, historiographical, or theoretical question.  In all cases, the Major Research Project will demonstrate a thorough grasp of the secondary literature on the topic and permit the author to arrive at an independent and original conclusion.  The topic may develop from one of the graduate courses or from the student's own research interest.  The Major Research Project carries the weight of one full course, and its normal length is approximately 50 to 70 pages of double-spaced type.

Schedule and Supervision:

Fall Information Meeting:  Within the first two weeks of term, the department will schedule a meeting of the graduate faculty and all of the incoming graduate students for mandatory orientation.  This will include an introduction to the faculty's research interests and a review of program regulations.

Selection of Topic and Supervisor(s):  By November 1^st, students in the Major Research Project Program will provide the Graduate Coordinator with a general statement of their research interest. At a graduate faculty meeting in mid-November, students' proposed topics will be discussed and appropriate supervisors (either single supervisors or co-supervisors) will be finalized. Students will be notified of their approved supervisor(s) shortly after the meeting. 

Approval of Major Research Project Proposals:  Proposals for Major Research Projects which have the prior approval of the supervisor(s) will be brought to a graduate faculty meeting for departmental approval as early  as January 15th. Proposals should be 2 pages in length, plus proper bibliography.  Students will be informed of the acceptance of their proposals within a week of the decision and will be provided with the comments made on the proposals. A resubmit deadline when necessary is April 15th.

Role of the Supervisor(s):  The supervisor bears the responsibility for guiding the student through the writing process, from the first draft to the final version of the Major Research Paper. Students will be encouraged to make use of University resources, such as the Learning Assistance Centre, as needed.