Graduate Report for 2007-2008Senate Academic Planning Committee

Graduate Report for 2007-2008Senate Academic Planning Committee

Carleton University

Ottawa CanadaSenate Academic Planning

November 15, 2006

Proposals for

New Programs, Major Program Changes and Program Deletions

For the 2007 – 2008 Academic Year

Graduate Faculty

I Outline

1)Anthropology

a)M.A.: remove the comprehensive examination

b)M.A.: add a Research Essay option

2)Canadian Studies

a)M.A.: Reduce the requirements from 5.0 credits to 4.0 credits

3)European and Russian Studies
Changes to the M.A.:

a)Change the name of the program and institute  Pending OCGS approval

b)Expand the scope of the program – modify the requirements

c)Eliminate the 7.5 credit version of the MA

4)History:
History is making several changes that will bring their MA into line with other Ontario history MA’s. Including

a)Reducing the MA in Public History from 6.0 to 5.0 credits

b)Reducing the MA in History to 3.0 credits by reducing the seminar requirement from two to one.

c)Adding a Research Essay Option that is standard elsewhere.

5)Law

a)Adding a Research Essay option that is standard for the MA at Carleton and will improve completion times.

6)Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

a)M.Eng.: Adding option that allows the degree to be completed by course work without a project course.

b)Ph.D.: Simplified examination procedures

7)NPSIA: International Affairs

a)Adding a new cluster based on three new courses

8)Philosophy

a)M.A.: changing the requirements to introduce more flexibility for students

9)Physics

a)M.Sc.: Removing comprehensive examination from the course work option.

10)Political Science

a)M.A. A restructuring of the program to provide students with a more clearly described and more easily navigated program.

11)Psychology

a)M.A.: Add concentrations, already approved by OCGS, in:

i)Social and Organizational Psychology

ii)Forensic Psychology

iii)Health Psychology

b)M.A.: add flexibility to the methods requirements and add pro-seminars to build community within the program.

c)Ph.D.:

i)Eliminate the comprehensive examination.

ii)Introduce pro-seminars PSYC 6906 & PSYC 6907.

iii)Consolidate the statistics courses into PSYC 5412 & PSYC 5413.

12)Public Policy & Administration:

a)M.A.:

i)Without changing direction or focus, the proposed revision streamlines the program making it easier for students to navigate and the School to offer

ii)Reduce the requirements by 0.5 credit

b)D.P.A.:

i)Major revision to focus on the needs of current clients for the diploma.

ii)Reduce the requirements to 3.0 credits to suit current clients.

II Details

1) Anthropology

a) Change program requirements for the Course Work program

Old Version:

Course Work Program

•5.0 credits excluding ANTH 5905, consisting of:

ANTH 5401 (normally to be taken in the first fall term after admission to the program);

ANTH 5402;

4.0 additional credits as described in the thesis program above, chosen in consultation with the student's graduate adviser;

• A written and oral comprehensive examination in the candidate's area of specialization and program.

New Version:

Course Work Program

•5.0 credits consisting of:

ANTH 5401 (normally to be taken in the first fall term after admission to the program);

ANTH 5402;

4.0 additional credits as described in the thesis program above, chosen in consultation with the student's graduate adviser;

Rationale:

Such anexam is not appropriate to the realities of a course-work M.A. and dropping the requirement should speed time to completion.

b) Add a Research Essay option

New Version:

Research Essay Program

•4.0 credits to include:

ANTH 5401 (normally to be taken in the first fall term after admission to the program);

ANTH 5402;

3.0 additional credits as described in the thesis program above, chosen in consultation with the student’s graduate advisor;

•A research essay equivalent to 1.0 credit;

• An oral examination of the candidate’s research essay.

Rationale:

Byintroducing an option for a research-based M.A. that is less intensive than a thesis, we hope to speed times to completion.

2) School of Canadian Studies

a) Master’s Program Requirements changed from 5.0 to 4.0 credits

Old Version:

The School of Canadian Studies specifies that all candidates must select one of the following program patterns:

• 4.5 credits, and an M.A. Comprehensive Examination (CDNS 5907, 0.5 credit)
• 4.0 credits, and a research essay (CDNS 5908, 1.0 credit)
• 3.0 credits, and a thesis (CDNS 5909, 2.0 credits)

New Version:

The School of Canadian Studies specifies that all candidates must select one of the following program patterns:

• 4.0 credits, and an M.A. Comprehensive Examination
• 3.0 credits, and a research essay (CDNS 5908, 1.0 credit)
• 2.0 credits, and a thesis (CDNS 5909, 2.0 credits)

Rationale: The M.A. program requirements will drop from a 5.0 credit program to a 4.0 credit program to keep it in line with other M.A. programs in Canada. This change is based on the recommendations received from the consultants in our 2005 OCGS review. It is also consistent with the aim to reduce the time-to-completion rates and to increase graduation rates in our program. As a result of the reduction in the overall M.A. credit requirements, the CDNS 5907 comprehensive course will no longer be worth 0.5 credit; it will be worth 0.0 credit.

3) Institute of European and Russian Studies

Two major program changes are proposed for 2007-2008. This involves both a change in the name of the Institute and the MA program, as well as an expansion of the scope of the MA program.

a) Name change:

(SAPC: This change requires OCGS approval and is reserved pending such approval)

Currently:

MA in Central/East European and Russian Area Studies

offered by the

Institute of European and Russian Studies

with acronym EURUS for both.

Proposed:

MA in European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies

offered by the

Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies

with acronym EURUS for both.

In 1999 the name of the Institute was changed from Central/East European and Russian-Area Studies (CERAS) to the current name of the Institute of European and Russian Studies (EURUS) to reflect the region’s changing political reality and to reflect the expansion of the Institute’s BA Honours degree to cover all of Europe. The scope and name of the MA degree, however, remained CERAS, encompassing the area included in the previous communist system. Now, our teaching and research profile has expanded to encompass European studies in general. This expansion was facilitated by the addition of a number of courses associated with the graduate Diploma in European Integration Studies, which was introduced in 2002 as well as by expansion of research foci of EURUS faculty, associated in part with the recent enlargement of the EU to include several of the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. With changes that have occurred in the region, the current delimitation of the MA program is no longer viable; the previous East-West division no longer governs either scholarly research or practice. Faculty and students alike consider that the complex and multi-level processes of European integration should now be covered in the EURUS MA program and curriculum. For this reason we are now proposing to change the name and scope of the MA degree to be M.A. in European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies.

The change from “Central/East European” to “European” reflects the expansion of the program’s coverage to the west. In contrast, the addition of the term Eurasian does not change the scope or content of the program, but brings the name of the program into coordination with common practice in programs of this nature across North America. We conducted a survey of names of the major programs in this field of study, and almost all have added the term Eurasian to the title. This term signals that the program includes not only Russia but her immediate western neighbours as well as the Caucasus and post-Soviet Central Asia. The present name of the Institute does not adequately take into account these areas. The inclusion of “Eurasia” in the name is a more acceptable and more accurate designation than “Russian-Area” in our current name. We have introduced a course on Central Asia and have a faculty member covering this region and have strong links with embassies and non-governmental organizations dealing with the region, so this change in name will also highlight that fact. We intend to retain the acronym EURUS for both the Institute and the program to maintain our identity as a unit.

Expansion of the Program:

The main rationale for expansion of the program to include all of Europe is twofold. Firstly, truly dramatic developments have taken place in our region of study, including widening and deepening of European integration. With these new changes are emerging a whole new range of political, social, environmental and economic challenges that our courses address. Over time, we will make additional curricular adjustments based on student interest and faculty expertise. Given the changes that have occurred, is no longer possible to delimit the study of the former communist states of Central and Eastern Europe from European processes in general. Secondly, we are addressing concerns raised by current students (a newly-created EURUS Students Society expressed its concerns regarding the name of the Institute and inadequate attention within the program to EU-related issues). We feel that the adjustment and expansion of the scope of the program will make us more competitive with similar programs that are offered by other Canadian Universities (particularly Toronto, University of Victoria, and UBC) . We note that the University of Toronto is making a similar change to its MA program in the area. We expect to see an increased enrollment (to a projected level of 25 students per year) through introduction of these changes

The proposed changes will strengthen the main objectives of the program: contributing to the development of informed and enlightened citizens; transmitting cutting-edge skills; and providing knowledge to prepare students for the challenges of the labour market as well as for PhD study. The particular objective on which we are focusing current changes is to provide students with truly inter-disciplinary expertise in order to understand the histories and the character of societies, politics, culture, economies, policies and institutions of the Euro-Asian space.

Revised Calendar Preamble:

The Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies continues a tradition of over forty years of teaching and research on the region at Carleton University. The Institute offers an interdisciplinary Master of Arts program in European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, with the participation of faculty members from ten disciplines (art history, business, economics, geography, history, international affairs, law, political science, Russian, and sociology). They are regularly joined by visiting scholars from outside the University, including invited specialists from Europe and Russia.

In recent years, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia have witnessed dramatic developments, including the collapse of the communist system, the progression of European integration, the enlargement of the European Union, and increased mobility across state borders. These changes present a wide range of political, social, and economic challenges. While established democracies in Europe struggle to respond to issues such as immigration, economic integration, social policy reform, institutional change, and the development of a common foreign policy, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe face challenges deriving from the communist and pre-communist periods. States in Eurasia must balance Soviet legacies alongside a desire for national independence on the one hand and the rise of Islamic sentiment on the other. Other dynamics, such as globalization, the increasing importance of international influences, and environmental decline affect the entire region.

Institute courses and research programs focus on several broad themes. These themes combine attention to historical contexts with a thorough analysis of contemporary developments. Major themes include:

•the legacy of the Soviet system and its impact on contemporary developments

•the role of the European Union in transforming the continent

•transition periods in the history of the region, with particular emphasis on political, economic, and social dimensions of the post-communist transition

•nationalism, ethnicity, and migration as forces for change in the area

•international integration, and the reintegration of Eastern Europe and Eurasia into European institutions and the larger international community

•environmental problems and policies in a comparative perspective

•the changing relationship between state and society, with attention to ethnicity, class, gender, and religion

The interdisciplinary approach emphasizes the social sciences and history. Students may take advantage of the university's regular academic exchanges with post-secondary institutions in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Russia, and the United Kingdom. In addition, EURUS faculty facilitate research work and other study programs in other countries in the region.

The diploma program in European Integration Studies is a supplemental qualification available to graduate students enrolled in M.A. or Ph.D. degree program at Carleton. Students in the Institute's M.A. program may work concurrently towards their diploma in European Integration Studies.

b) MA in European, Russian and Eurasian Studies: Revise program requirements by introducing concentrations

Old Version:

Students in the 5.0-credit master’s program must complete the following:

•EURR 5001, which is a 0.5 credit seminar in Central/East European and Russian-Area Studies, offered specially by the Institute and incorporating the approaches of several relevant disciplines;

•EURR 5200 (Research Design), which is a 0.5-credit seminar introducing students to a variety of methodological approaches and tools needed to design and implement research projects;

•2.0 credits chosen with the approval of the graduate supervisor from the list below, with at least 1.0 credit (or the equivalent) at the 5000-level. No more than 1.0 credit may be taken at the 4000-level. No more than 0.5 credit may be taken in the Russian or German language discipline;

•One of the following:

EURR 5908 (1.0 credit), a research essay incorporating the approaches of at least two of the disciplines represented in the program; the research essay must be defended orally. The essay must be combined with an additional 1.0 credit, or the equivalent, chosen from those listed below (not including Russian)

or

EURR 5909 (2.0 credits), an M.A. thesis which must combine the interdisciplinary approach with a greater degree of originality than that required of the research essay, and which must be defended orally.

In both cases (EURR 5908, EURR 5909) the paper should demonstrate that its author is capable of undertaking research in Russian or German, or in another language used in the region. The EURR 5909 option cannot be taken without the specific permission of the graduate supervisor.

New Version:

1) Students in the program must complete 5.0 credits, consisting of the following:

•EURR 5001, which is a 0.5 credit core seminar offered specially by the Institute, and incorporates the approaches of several relevant disciplines and introduces students to a variety of methodological approaches and tools needed to design and implement research projects;

•Selection of a concentration (either “Russian, Eurasian and Transitions Studies” or “European and European Union Studies”), with 1.0 credit of coursework from the concentration course list provided below under the description of each concentration;

•Either EURR 5200 (recommended for students selecting the “Russian, Eurasian and Transition Studies” concentration) or EURR 5300 (recommended for students selecting the “European and European Union Studies” concentration);

•An additional 1.0 credit in coursework chosen with the approval of the graduate supervisor from the electives course list below;

•Either EURR 5908 (1.0 credit), a research essay related to the concentration, incorporating the approaches of at least two disciplines represented in the program; the research essay must be defended orally and combined with an additional 1.0 credit coursework chosen with the approval of the graduate supervisor from the electives course list below;

OR EURR 5909 (2.0 credits), an MA thesis on a topic related to the concentration, which must combine interdisciplinary approaches with a greater degree of originality and a greater use of primary sources than that required of the research essay. The thesis must be defended orally. The thesis option cannot be taken without the specific permission of the graduate supervisor.

No more than 1.0 credit may be taken at the 4000-level. No more than 0.5 credit in a language discipline may be counted towards program requirements.

2) Completion of the language requirement:

Each student must demonstrate language proficiency. Students entering the M.A. program with no language proficiency or inadequate language proficiency will require extra coursework and/or summer language training to meet the language proficiency requirement.

Students who select the Russian, Eurasian, and Transition concentration must demonstrate proficiency in either Russian or one of the region's other languages. If a language other than Russian is selected (a) this language must be utilized in undertaking research for the research essay or M.A. thesis; and (b) its selection must be approved by the graduate supervisor.

Students who select the European and EU concentration must demonstrate proficiency in French, German, Italian, or Spanish. A student may request permission to substitute another language, but this will be approved only in exceptional cases. In any case, the language selected must be utilized in undertaking research for the research essay or M.A. thesis.

Proficiency in the approved language may be demonstrated by successful completion of a written translation examination to be administered by the Institute or by completion of the appropriate language from the following list with a minimum grade of B: RUSS 4200 or RUSS 4201; GERM 3605; SPAN 3605; ITAL 3000; or any fourth-year course in French.

Concentrations

While one of the program’s goals is to provide students with an integrative approach to the entire region, the concentration assures that each student’s individual program will retain a particular focus. Europe and Eurasia have become increasingly integrated in terms of theoretical and methodological approaches. However, the two sub-regions covered by the program have distinct histories and legacies along with differing intellectual traditions. Selection of a concentration assures that each student’s program will have an adequate level of intellectual coherence. Students studying the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe that are EU member states or candidates for membership may select either concentration, depending on the thematic focus of the student’s work. The Institute offers two concentrations that draw systematically from the program’s range of courses and expertise. Students are required to pursue one of these concentrations: