Doctorate in Philosophy History at University of Ottawa - Program overview

Program overview

Admission Requirements

Intakes

Last updated on 2026-10-05

Program overview

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Program overview

The Doctorate in Philosophy History at the University of Ottawa is designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding of historical studies. This program allows students to pursue their studies in either English or French, depending on their preference. The program is governed by the academic regulations for graduate studies, ensuring a structured and rigorous academic environment. Admission requires a Master’s degree in history or an equivalent qualification, with a minimum average of 75% (B+). Students will be assigned an adviser upon admission to guide them in their course selection and research focus.

Program structure

The Doctorate in Philosophy History program is structured to be completed within a maximum of six years from the date of initial enrollment. Students are expected to fulfill all requirements within four years. The program includes:

Compulsory courses in three fields of study in history at the graduate level.
A doctoral research seminar to enhance research skills.
A language requirement to demonstrate proficiency in either English or French.
A doctoral oral examination that must be completed by the end of the fourth term.
A doctoral thesis that represents an original contribution to historical knowledge, typically requiring two full years for research, writing, and defense.

Students may also have the opportunity to transfer from a Master’s program to the Doctorate program, provided they meet specific academic criteria.

Featured Experiences

Students engage in a doctoral research seminar that focuses on historiographical debates and research methodologies.
The program emphasizes independent reading and written work under the guidance of a field director.
Students have the flexibility to produce their work and defend their thesis in either English or French.
Research opportunities are enhanced by the university's strong focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Access to state-of-the-art research facilities and resources at the Faculty of Arts.

Career Options

University Professor: Teach and conduct research at the university level, contributing to academic knowledge and mentoring students.
Research Historian: Work in various institutions, conducting research on historical topics and publishing findings.
Archivist: Manage and preserve historical documents and records, ensuring they are accessible for future research.
Museum Curator: Oversee collections of historical artifacts, designing exhibits and educational programs for the public.
Policy Analyst: Analyze historical data to inform public policy decisions, working for government agencies or think tanks.

DISCLAIMER: The information above is subject to change. For the latest updates, please contact LOA Portal's advisors.

Visit University of Ottawa official website

Last updated on 2026-10-05

Program overview

Admission Requirements

History, PhD

Degree Offered: PhD

Available Options for Program

Student status

Full-Time:	Yes
Part-Time:	No

Language

English:	Yes
French:	Yes

Minimum Requirements

MA in history (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 75 per cent (B+)*
*In practice, because of the competitive nature of admissions, applicants with less than an A- average are rarely accepted into the Ph.D. program

Average time to completion

16 terms

Area(s) of specialization

Canadian History; European History; Gender, Sexuality and the Body; Ideas, Culture and Society; Colonialism / Post-Colonialism; Law and Society; War and Society

Your complete admission package must include

Application Fee:	CA$125.00 (non-refundable)
Recommendation letter(s):	2 It is highly recommended that you contact your referee prior to submitting your application to confirm their email address and their availability to complete your letter of recommendation.
Transcript(s):	1 You must upload copies of all transcripts from universities you have attended by using the uoDoc application. Transcripts must cover all courses and programs at any university you have attended, including regular programs (whether completed or not), exchanges, letters of permission, online or correspondence courses, courses taken as a non-degree student or visiting students, etc. If your transcript and degree certificate are not in English or French, you must submit a copy of a certified translation. Once you've received your offer of admission, if the offer contains any conditions for submitting official documents, you will need to upload them to uoDoc. Some exceptions apply. Previous or current Ottawa students do not need to submit a transcript of their studies at the University of Ottawa. Professional programs in rehabilitation require all transcripts, including those from uOttawa.
Language requirements (if applicable) Language proficiency test scores equivalencies:	French Program: DALF C1, C2/ TCF B2 (note globale)/TEF B2 (Note globale) (Internet-based) English Program: TOEFL 84/New TOEFL 4, 24 (Writing); 20 (Individual)/IELTS 6.5, 6.5 (Writing); 6 (Individual) (Internet-based)
Required document(s):	Curriculum Vitae (must include chronological academic history) Letter of intent Graduate Programs in History -Get to know us • Consult the list of Research clusters of the Department of History: Canadian History; European History; Gender, Sexuality and the Body; Ideas, Culture and Society; Colonialism & Postcolonialism; War and Society; Law and Society. • As well as the fields of interest of professors of the Department of History to familiarize yourself with the specialty of each professor. This will help you determine a potential supervisor. For applications to the PhD program, the letter of intent (2 to 3 pages) should include the following four elements: 1. Research project: provide a detailed outline of the intended research project (definition of topic, research hypotheses, historiography, sources). 2. Preparation: comment on your suitability and preparation to study this topic: language abilities (if required), past academic training, personal research, and experiences. 3. Research supervision: applicants must contact and identify a research supervisor, before applying to the program. Please include in your letter of intent the name of the professor who would be ready to supervise your research, should you be admitted into the program. 4. Indicate whether you have submitted applications to obtain graduate studies scholarships from relevant agencies and, depending on result dates, if you have obtained them. For more information, please contact the Graduate Studies Office of the Faculty of Arts Please note that non required admission documents will not be consulted, conserved or returned to the student. These documents will be destroyed according to our administrative procedures.

Language Requirements

Program-Specific English Requirements

Language Requirements

All applicants must be able to understand speak and write either English or French proficiently . Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must provide proof of proficiency in one or the other. The list of acceptable tests is indicated in the “Admission” section of the general regulations in effect for graduate studies.

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, students have a right to produce their work, their thesis, and to answer examination questions in French or in English.

General Graduate English Requirements

English proficiency test chart

Test	Minimum Required Score
TOEFL iBT Internet-based/Home Edition/Paper (for tests taken before January 21, 2026)*	84 (overall); 24 (writing); no partial score below 20
TOEFL iBT Internet-based / Home Edition/ Paper (for tests taken after January 21, 2026)*	4.5 or 86 (overall); 4.5 or 21 (writing); 4.5 or 22 (reading); 4.5 or 20 (listening); 4 or 20 (speaking)
IELTS Academic/ IELTS Academic One Skill Retake	6.5 (overall); 6.5 (writing); no partial score below 6
Cambridge English Proficiency Tests (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency)	170 (overall); no partial score below 160
PTE (Pearson Test of English)	60 (overall); no partial score below 59
CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Test)	70 (overall); no partial score below 60

* Effective January 21, 2026, TOEFL is changing its grading system to a 1-6 band scale instead of a 1-120 band scale. Score reports will include results on both scales for the next two years.

The University of Ottawa accepts TOEFL MyBest^®scores for the TOEFL iBT test.

French proficiency test chart

Test	Minimum Required Score
DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française)	C1/C2
TCF (Test de connaissance du français)	B2 (overall); no partial score below B2
TEF Canada (Test d’évaluation de français)	B2 (overall); no partial score below B2

Where the program-specific and general graduate requirements above differ, whichever score is higher (stricter) applies.

DISCLAIMER: The information above is subject to change. For the latest updates, please contact LOA Portal's advisors. The listed minimum requirements are a guideline and do not guarantee admission. Do not worry, we will notify you of any changes during the application process.

Not meeting the minimum language requirements?

You may still be able to apply!