Master of Arts Philosophy Specialization in Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The Department of Philosophy offers MA (with or without thesis) and PhD programs in Philosophy. The programs are offered in English and French. According to the University's policy, students may pursue their studies in the official language of their choice.

The Department participates in the collaborative programs in Womens Studies (at the MA level), in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (at the MA level) and in Canadian Studies (at the PhD level). For more information on these programs, see Admission Requirements.”

The collaborative masters in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MDR) has two goals:

• To offer at the graduate level a multi-disciplinary education in Medieval and Renaissance Studies;
• To teach students the theoretical approaches and methods of research specific to the study of the period.

Since the 16th century, study of the middle ages implies studying a middle, or intermediary period, seen as standing between two great civilizations: Roman antiquity and the modern western world. This definition has had a major impact on scholarship, crystallizing a periodization that has now become traditional in most of the humanities.

The programs are governed by the general regulations in effect for graduate studies.

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.

To be admitted to the MA program a candidate must have an honours BA in Philosophy (or the equivalent) with a minimum average. The Department reserves the right to impose a preliminary examination.

Candidates lacking the necessary background may be admitted to a qualifying program.

An application dossier must include official transcripts and two letters of recommendation. For the master's with thesis, the dossier must also include a description of the intended field of research, and a sample of written work in philosophy (15-25 pp.).

Collaborative Programs

The Department of Philosophy is a participating unit in the collaborative programs in Women's Studies (master's level only) and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies (master's level only).

The collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies has been established for students wishing to enrich their training in Philosophy by including an interdisciplinary component in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. The specific requirements of the collaborative program include two core courses in medieval studies and a thesis on a topic related to Medieval and Renaissance Studies.  

Students should indicate in their initial application for admission to the master's program in Philosophy that they wish to be accepted into the collaborative program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Candidates must hold an honours degree or the equivalent.

Language Requirements

Proficiency in both French and English is strongly encouraged so that students may take advantage of the full range of activities — lectures, personal contacts, and courses — available in the Department (graduate courses are normally not duplicated in the two languages).

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.

• Apply online through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), by completing form 105.
• Declare all your current and previous postsecondary studies, completed or not, even if they are not related to your application. Failure to do so may lead to the cancellation of your application or the withdrawal of your offer of admission at any time.
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• Pay the application fees for all your admission applications. Applications are forwarded to the University of Ottawa only after fees are paid in full and the payment has cleared. Learn more about application fees.
• Note that OUAC is not part of the University of Ottawa. It handles applications to all Ontario universities and is responsible for transferring your application to our admission office.