The History of Science and Technology Programme, much like the Contemporary Studies and Early Modern Studies programmes, can only be completed as a combined honours degree, meaning it must be paired with an arts, social science, or science discipline at Dalhousie University.

A HOST student is required to take the programme's three core classes HSTC 2000.06, 3000.06 and 4000.06, as well as six half-credit HOST electives. The requirements for the second honours subject are dependant on that department, and vary from programme to programme. Combined honours students are encouraged to visit the Registrar's Office for help structuring their degree, an experience that can be adjusted to suit individual interests and needs.

For more details, please refer to the outlined degree requirements available in the History of Science and Technology Programme section of the King's calendar.

Honours Degree Requirements

History of Science and Technology Programme students may fulfil the honours requirement (which gives them the 21st credit necessary to graduate with honours) in either of the two honours subjects. Usually this subject will be the one in which the student has taken more classes. In the HOST programme, completion of an honours thesis (in conjunction with HSTC 4550.06) fulfils the requirement of the honours qualifying examination. This is a full-year class and is normally taken as one-fifth of a regular (five-credit) course load.

Honours thesis: The honours thesis is a substantial piece of intellectual work on a subject chosen by the student and agreed to by the supervisor, normally a member of the HOST teaching staff. It is the responsibility of the student to approach the Honours Thesis Advisor in the first instance to discuss their topic and potential supervisors. A supervisor will be selected in consultation with both the Honours Thesis Advisor and the proposed supervisor. The thesis should normally be between twenty-five and sixty standard double-spaced pages in length (between approximately 7500 and 17,500 words). Topics should be developed and approved by a supervisor by the end of October. The following deadlines must be met by students writing honours theses:

The honours thesis will be examined by a committee of the supervisor and two other members of the HOST teaching staff. Theses will be defended at a half-hour oral exam the week of 16-20 April. Students will be expected to answer the examining committee's questions about the substance and methodology of their work.

Honours colloquium:  A fourth-year Honours Colloquium for graduating students addresses issues relevant to the honours requirement, deadlines and graduation. Students in the colloquium meet with the Honours Thesis Advisor twice a term. Attendance at the Honours Colloquium will be required of students who are fulfilling their honours requirement in HOST by writing an honours thesis; students who are not fulfilling their honours requirement with HOST or are doing so by completing the Honours Seminar are welcome to attend these meetings but are not required to do so. There is no need to register for the Honours Colloquium; it does not count as an ordinary class.  Unless otherwise announced, the colloquium will meet on the following dates (all meetings will be held in the Senior Common Room):

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the presentation of the work of another author in such a way as to give one's reader reason to think it to be one's own.  A student who is in any doubt as to what constitutes plagiarism is urged to discuss the matter with the thesis supervisor.  Plagiarism may constitute grounds for expulsion--see the statement on discipline in the University Calendar (University Regulations, particularly Academic Dishonesty).