Admission Requirements
History, MA
Degree Offered:
MA
Available Options for Program
Student status
| Full-Time: |
Yes |
| Part-Time: |
Yes |
Language
Option(s)
| Thesis: | Yes |
| Major Research Paper: | Yes |
| Course-based or Project: | No |
Minimum Requirements
Honours BA in history (or the equivalent) with a minimum average of 70 percent (B)*
*In practice, because of the competitive nature of admissions, applicants with less than a B+ average are rarely accepted into the Master’s program
Average time to completion
6 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 Master’s program, the letter of intent (1 to 2 pages) should include the following four elements:
1. Research project: fully describe your research project and specify the national or thematic history as well as the periodization you wish to study. Identify your research goals as specifically as possible.
2. Preparation: comment on your background preparation and your suitability to undertake this topic: i.e., language abilities (if required), courses and seminars taken during undergraduate training, or any relevant personal research or 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. Comment on your relevant experiences (student exchange, work as a research assistant, museum/historical site guide, etc.) and explain any “anomaly” in your academic experience (e.g., low grades in one semester because of illness, time spent away from your studies, etc.).
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. |
Courses at the University of Ottawa are offered in English, French, or both languages. To be admitted, you must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French. If required, the University may request proof of your language proficiency.
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.
