History and Classical Studies McGill University

Overview

The History and Classical Studies Department offered by McGill University is composed of 39 full-time faculty members as well as a strong complement of visiting professors, faculty lecturers, and postdoctoral fellows. This array of dedicated teachers and scholars supports high-quality instruction and research across the periods of history and regions of the globe. Our professors have won many prizes for their books and articles, and their ongoing investigations are supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the FQRSC, CFI, the Killam Trusts, and the Mellon Foundation. The Department is home to a number of major collaborative research projects, all of which also include students. Among these are the Montreal History Group; the Indian Ocean World Centre (IOWC); Quelques arpents de neige, an environmental history group; and the French Atlantic History Group.

Classics was among the first disciplines taught at McGill College. Our students benefit from the resources of closely related disciplines and draw on the academic expertise of scholars from various backgrounds. Many awards and prizes are available for students who excel in the classroom, and both undergraduates and graduates can join professors on study tours and field projects. Students can also become members of the Classics Students Association and publish their work in the McGill Journal of Classical Studies, aptly titled Hirundo—Latin for “swallow,” like the martlets found on the McGill coat-of-arms, ever soaring in search of knowledge.

Degrees in History

The M.A. (Non-Thesis) program is normally completed in three terms, or one calendar year (Fall, Winter, and Summer). Candidates for the M.A. degree follow an individual program approved by the Department. The M.A. in History offers advanced training in the scholarly discipline of history in a variety of fields. The McGill History degree carries international prestige and cachet and contributes meaningfully to success on the job market. Careers pursued by our graduates, aside from those who have sought and found places on the faculties of colleges and universities, have included positions in the area of public history at museums and other public institutions, in libraries and archives, in the diplomatic and other branches of the civil service, and in a variety of NGOs.