Graduate programme outcomes in history, 1990–2015: a humanities case study in Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACTDuring the last decade, scholars and journalists in Canada raised alarm bells about the efficacy and viability of graduate humanities programmes across the country. The Department of History at the University of Saskatchewan decided to analyse the outcomes of its graduate programmes at the Doctoral and Master's levels, from 1990 to 2015. We learned that our students complete their programmes in a timely manner, their attrition rates are lower than expected, and most are finding employment in relevant fields, including academia, administration, and public history. However, we also discovered a trend of gender inequity that warrants attention. Although the proportion of male and female graduate students entering our programmes was about equal, our female students withdrew more often and took longer to complete their degrees. In addition, our female graduates were not hired in the top academic positions at the same rate as their male counterparts.