Admission Requirements

The Department welcomes applications from qualified individuals for admission to its programs of graduate study. The general requirements for admission are specified below. For program specific requirements, please check the relevant program pages.

Grades

The Department's minimum admission requirements are an admission GPA of at least 3.5 on the 4.0 scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last ★60 of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework. Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the Graduate Admissions Committee.

Language Proficiency

Given that English is the primary language of instruction and communication at UAlberta, all applicants must be proficient in English prior to admission. Information on ELP can be found on the FGSR web site.

Applicants with degrees/qualifications in a language other than English need to demonstrate English Language Proficiency by completing an approved English Language exam. The Department of History & Classics requires test scores that are higher than the FGSR minimum requirement. We require a minimum TOEFL score of 95 (internet-based) with a minimum score of 20 on each of the individual skill areas, or equivalent.

In addition, the various programs in Classical Languages, Classical Archaeology and Ancient Societies and Cultures all have proficiency requirements in Latin and/or Ancient Greek for admission: for these, see the pages for the relevant programs.

The History programs do not have a uniform admission requirement for any language other than English. However, if an applicant proposes an area of study for which knowledge of a given language is necessary or useful, then his or her proficiency in that language may be a factor in an admissions decision.

Applicants should always indicate their level of proficiency in relevant languages, and may wish to consult their potential advisor and/or the associate chair. All our graduate programs do have language requirements for completion, which are listed under the individual programs.

MA Qualifying Year

In all MA programs, students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than History or Classics, or who for other reasons require further coursework at the undergraduate level, may be admitted to an MA qualifying year. Qualifying graduate students must normally take eightto ten (24 to 30) courses, at least ★18 of them in HIST, CLASS, LATIN or GREEK courses as appropriate to their intended program. The courses, usually senior undergraduate courses at the 300- or 400-level, will be chosen in consultation with the Associate Chair (Graduate). Students must attain a grade point average of 3.5, with no single grade below B-. Students should also plan to complete the language requirement by the end of their qualifying year, or to make significant progress toward that goal. Admission to MA Candidate status may be delayed if such progress is not made.