Graduate Language, Technical, and Methodological Training

Graduate students in our department often have special training needs which cannot be covered by course offerings at McGill. Modelled on similar bursaries available at comparable institutions, this fellowship will enable our graduate students to gain additional language, technical, or methodological skills.

Language Skills

Historians need to read sources in their original languages, and to talk with people from the communities they are studying. No one university can offer intensive training in all the languages that graduate students may need for their research. This fellowship will enable our graduate students to attend intensive language training programs at other institutions. To give but one recent example among many, current PhD student Jessica Rose travelled to Pune, India, to undertake immersive study in Marathi, a regional language without which her research would be impossible. The program included homestays, and social engagement with the local community.

Technical skills

The digital revolution has reached history departments a long time ago. Not only do historians and classical linguists use computers not only to manage increasing data volumes, but computers also allow them to ask completely new questions. Both requires training in advanced computer programing. This fellowship will enable our graduate students to take the necessary technical course work, which is limited not only to the digital world, at other institutions.

Methodological Skills

Historians not only work with documents but increasingly also with non-textual materials. According to the individual field (ancient, medieval, non-European, for example), methodological skills vary greatly. Graduate students often need to attend specialized courses which are offered at other institutions or as summer courses in other countries. This fellowship will enable our graduate students to travel to attend these courses.

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If you want to launch this campaign with an initial donation, please contact听Alysha Anderson, Development Officer, alysha.anderson [at] mcgill.ca

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