Direct Entry to the Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies

 

 

The Ontario Council on Graduate Studies has now made it possible for Universities in Ontario to admit students to PhD programs with 4-year baccalaureate (or equivalent) qualifications (“direct entry”). Students admitted this way would not do a Master’s degree before they are admitted into the Ph.D.. The normal time of completion and funding for direct-entry PhD students would be 5 years.

 

The Graduate Committee of the Hispanic Studies Program has established the following minimal criteria to consider applicants who want to start their PhD as direct-entry students:

 

Admission Requirements:

·        An admission average of 88%,

·        Evidence of research capacity:

o       participation as a presenter in at least one professional conference, or

o       publication of at least an article in a professional journal, or

o       at least 1-year of engagement in the activities of a research group or project, and

·        Native or near-native fluency in Spanish and English.

·        Two letters of recommendation addressing the ability of the candidate to successfully carry out doctoral studies.

·        An interview with the candidate (either in person or by phone)

 

2.          Note that, if once admitted into the program, a direct-entry student is deemed not prepared to adequately progress in the Ph.D., or voluntarily asks to withdraw, the Graduate Chair, with the agreement of the Graduate Committee, will request the student to withdraw from the Ph.D. and  to complete a Master’s instead. However, a student who obtains the Master’s degree through this route may not subsequently re-register in the same PhD program.   In order to complete an M.A., s/he must complete either:

·        Seven half-courses plus a 75 to100-page research paper or thesis, evaluated as ACCEPTABLE by three members of the program, or

·        Ten half-courses.

No additional funding is granted for theses students once they have declared their decision to not to complete the doctoral program. The same criteria are applied to students who have been fast-tracked into the Ph.D. after just one year in the M.A., and are unable to adequately progress in the Ph.D.