Humanities Grants for the Canada Graduate Scholarship and SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship

For information on SSHRC funding, please visit the section relating to SSHRC funding at the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

The Faculty of Humanities offers the following information:

First steps in the application process

Applications must be usually be submitted to your department by the deadlines indicated below:

• M.A. November 5
• Ph.D. October 30

(please confirm with your department)

Go to the SSHRC website and read the program description carefully. Then

• register with SSHRC. Do not lose your id no. and password!
• download and print the application and the instructions for your program.
• read them carefully.

If you haven’t contacted potential referees by now, do so immediately. If they are able to do an appraisal for you, let them know when you will provide them with the appraisal form from SSHRC’s website, along with copies of your project description, your transcripts and CV. You will need two letters of appraisal, delivered to you in sealed envelopes by your appraisers.

Order official undergraduate and graduate transcripts (immediately if you haven’t done so) for all of your college or university-level work.

Check to see if your department has its own deadline for receiving applications. This is usually the case, especially in larger departments, because the department must rank all of the applications received. The department must also fill out an appraisal of your application, returned to you in a sealed envelope for inclusion with your application.

Take advantage of all the help offered!

For help with technical questions, contact, in Grad Studies

• Ms. Carolyn Swayze, Scholarship Administration Officer: 472-5186; cswayze@uvic.ca
• Ms. Kathy McCarthy, Grants Facilitation Clerk: 472-5402; fgsaward@uvic.ca

For more information from SSHRC: fellowships@sshrc.ca, (613) 943-7777

Dr. Rosemary Ommer, university-level SSHRC grants facilitator, may also be available to read your proposal. To make an appointment, contact her assistant, Joy Austin, at  icor@uvic.ca.

Your departmental Graduate Advisor and the Associate Dean are also available to support you in this process.

Evaluation criteria

MA

Academic excellence: 60%

• as demonstrated by transcripts, awards, distinctions

Research potential: 30%

• quality of analytical skills, ability to think critically, ability to apply skills and knowledge, judgement, originality, initiative and autonomy, determination and ability to complete projects within an appropriate period of time, as demonstrated in the program of study and by work experience, research contributions, letters of appraisal, and the departmental appraisal

Communication skills: 10%

• as demonstrated in the description of the program of study and by work experience; community involvement and other extracurricular activities, letters of appraisal, the departmental appraisal, and the quality of presentation of the application

PhD

Selection committees evaluate solely on academic merit, measured by:

• past academic results, demonstrated by transcripts, awards, and distinctions;
• the program of study and research and its potential contribution to the advancement of knowledge;
• relevant professional and academic experience, including research training, as demonstrated by conference presentations and scholarly publications;
• two written evaluations from referees; and
• the departmental appraisal.

Evaluation process

1) Applications are ranked within each department;

2) Applications are ranked by the Faculty of Graduate Studies adjudication committee;

3) Applications are ranked by the SSHRC jury

• MA: this is pro forma; the decisions made at UVic almost always stand;
• PhD: UVic forwards an “A” list of recommended applications.

UVic recieves a quota for the MA and PhD SSHRC scholarships each year. Please contact Carolyn Swayze (cswayze@uvic.ca) or Kathy McCarth (fgsaward@uvic.ca) for the current year's quota.

The SSHRC web form

Work Experience, Credentials

List, for example, volunteer work, awards, nominations, conference organization, reviews in newspapers and magazines, poems or stories publishing, radio program hosting, tutoring, teaching or research assistantships, committee work, etc.

To quote Dr. Rosemary Ommer: “boast … quietly and modestly.”

Research Contributions

In listing publications, provide full information (co-authors, title of essay, journal title, volume and issue numbers, year, page numbers). In the case of forthcoming publications, list the number of ms. pages. Always indicate whether or not the journal is refereed.

In listing conference presentations, include the title of your presentation and of the conference, name of the institution, name of the professional association (when relevant), and date. Indicate if they were refereed.

List publications and conference presentations in separate categories, clearly labelled with headings.

Follow SSHRC’s instructions!

N.B. Ph.D. applications append one additional Research Contributions page.

N.B. PhD applicants may choose to include a page explaining interruptions or delays in the program of study. One page maximum (be succinct).

Program of Study (max. 2 pages)

• Give your project a descriptive and attractive title.

• From the first sentences, you must capture the attention of your (probably tired and crabby) reader. Good proposals often start with a story, anecdote or example of the context in which the research is important.

• In the first or second paragraph, get to the heart of your research question. You must not only convince the reader of your passion for your research area, you must demonstrate why this research is necessary.

• Explain why you would like to pursue graduate studies. How does your attendance at grad school tie in with your personal research program?

• Next, provide the context for and explain your project. One effective strategy is to state clearly the questions your research seeks to answer.

• Your proposal should also situate your work in relation to the key literature in your area. Cite one or two key sources (more for doctoral students). Include a bibliography: one page in addition to the proposal.

• Explain your research methodology, clearly and without jargon. You must use language that can be understood by non-specialists.

• Explain why have you chosen the graduate program(s) to which you are applying. What special expertise or resources do they provide? Is the coursework offered pertinent? Will you be working with a specific faculty member or members?

• Your conclusion should describe the outcome of your research: how will it preserve or advance knowledge? To what field(s) will it contribute? How will you publish or present your results? At which conference, in which journals, at which press? Your objectives have to be more precise than just the production of a thesis. If possible, speculate as to future directions for your research, past the thesis stage. To quote Rosemary Ommer, “Your last sentence should leave them absolutely certain that the world will be a significantly poorer place if they don’t fund you.”

• Strive for clarity throughout. Ask as many people as possible (profs, friends, family) to read your proposal, and be prepared to revise—more than once.

• Follow the directions for the preparation of attachments: Times New Roman 12 font is required; margins of at least .75 inch all around. Eliminate all spelling and grammatical errors.