PIMSPontifical Institute
of
Mediaeval Studies

Admission

Applicants for the Institute’s Licence in Mediaeval Studies must have completed all requirements for their doctoral degree at a recognized institution. The degree should have been approved (if not awarded formally) normally within the previous five years. Candidates should submit a proposal indicating the nature of the research which they would undertake at the Institute and letters of support from two scholars who are familiar with their work, along with a curriculum vitae and an official transcript (where applicable) of their graduate studies. Publications may be submitted as well, if desired. Consideration will be given to the candidate’s academic record as well as to the weight and appropriateness of the research proposal. Candidates will be expected to come prepared with the languages needed to deal with original sources in their field of study. English will be the language of instruction and discussion.

On admission, the candidate will have the status of LMS Candidate, and an Academic Advisor will be appointed from among the Fellows of the Institute. On submission of a completed research project deemed suitable for publication by the Institute Council, the candidate will be eligible for the degree of Licence in Mediaeval Studies.

Most students awarded a Mellon Fellowship by the Pontifical Institute use this opportunity to pursue the LMS degree. Students who have not been awarded a Mellon Fellowship are welcome to apply for the LMS, but if they are admitted to the degree program, they must find financial assistance from sources external to the Institute.

Programme

The programme consists of two elements: the mandatory Interdisciplinary Research Seminar, and a written research project or thesis. All candidates participate in the Seminar along with Institute Fellows, Mellon Fellows, and other interested scholars, including those from the Graduate Faculty of the University of Toronto. Meetings of the seminar are listed on the Calendar. The object of the programme is to provide optimum opportunity for the development of the candidate’s personal research in the context of the Institute’s library resources and the interdisciplinary nature of the traditional Licence programme at the Pontifical Institute. The candidate should bear this in mind and envisage the development of the proposed project accordingly. This development will be accomplished through the scholarly exchange of the Interdisciplinary Research Seminar and through personal contact with Fellows of the Institute. The content of the Seminar will depend from year to year on the needs and interests of those participating, but the governing principle will be to incorporate into the established research interests of each LMS Candidate the various disciplines and interdisciplinary approaches which have characterized the Institute’s scholarly traditions from its inception. Candidates for the LMS have 6 years from the time of admission to the programme to complete the thesis, after which their candidacy will be terminated.

Facilities and Residential Accommodation

Candidates for the Licence will be provided with full access to the facilities of the Institute Library. The Institute cannot provide residential accommodation, but applicants may apply to the Secretary of the Institute for information about accommodation in the vicinity. Applicants are encouraged to consult the University of Toronto’s student housing website. All candidates for the Licence have access to the facilities of the University of Toronto. A brief guide, by way of orientation, is available elsewhere on this site.

Applications

The Licence application form is now available. The form can also be saved and completed as a PDF and sent via email attachment. Applicants may also contact Cynthia Watson, Institute secretary, for further information (phone 416 926 7142; fax 416 926 7292). The deadline for applications every academic year is 15 February. Council’s decision will be issued not later than 30 April. A tuition fee of $2,500 will be charged.

Application may initially be made for a period of one year. In only very exceptional circumstances, may the status of LMS Candidate be extended for a second year. In that event, the applicant will be expected to request renewal at an appropriate time and submit a report on work done to date. Assessment will take into account the quality of the candidates’ work and of their regular contribution to the Research Seminar and the ongoing scholarly discourse of the Institute community.