This course is normally open only to majors of exceptional ability (defined as a B+ or higher average in History) with the permission of the Chair or Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students may take no more than six credits under this course rubric.
To apply for permission to do History 4990, students must submit a formal application to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, normally at the beginning of Term. Application forms (available in Vari Hall 2140) require: a brief course description and rationale; a proposed evaluation breakdown (at least 60% of the final grade must be based on written work); a list of relevant History courses completed and in-progress; a representative bibliography (with a minimum of 20 titles listed in standard academic format); and the name and signature of the supervisor (who must normally be full-time faculty in the Department of History). Students are responsible for finding Department members willing to serve as supervisor.
The Chair or Director of Undergraduate Studies must be satisfied that the subject of History 4990 is demonstrably distinct and separate from that of any other course taken by the student. History 4990 may be supervised by the instructor in another of the student’s courses.
The detailed programme of study will be determined by the student and the supervisor. Students are expected to prepare a substantial amount of written work. The student’s final grade will be based primarily (at least 60%) on the assessment of the written work by the course.
Normally, in any one year, no instructor may supervise more than a total of three courses under the rubrics of AP/HIST 4000 6.0 (Honours Essay), AP/HIST 4990 6.0 (Supervised Reading and Research), or AP/HIST 3990 6.0 (Supervised Reading and Research).
- Students may take directed reading courses only after having successfully completed (passed)
- 24 credits in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.
- The maximum permissible number of directed reading courses depends on a student’s program type. Students in Honours BA programs may take 24 such credits; students in a BA program may take 18 such credits.
- Within their last 30 credits, students may take a maximum of 12 credits in directed reading courses.
- Students may take a maximum of 12 credits of directed reading courses with the same faculty member.