Honours Application Process
Deadline: September 17, 2025
To graduate with a Combined Honours Degree in HOST, students must have their honours application approved by:
• The HOST Director (Dr. Frappier melanie.frappier@ukings.ca)
• The Chair of the Dalhousie Department of their other subject
The approved application must then be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.
For assistance with the Honours Application Form, contact: Jennifer Fong – King’s Registrar’s Office (jennifer.fong@ukings.ca)
Honours Requirements
To obtain a Combined Honours in History of Science and Technology (HOST), students must fulfill the honours requirements of their degree:
- B.Sc. students must meet the honours requirements in their science subject.
- B.A. students typically fulfill the honours requirement in their primary subject (i.e., the subject with the most completed courses). Alternatively, B.A. students may fulfill the requirement in their secondary subject, if they receive approval from both programs.
Students choosing to fulfill their honours requirement in HOST must:
- Enroll in HSTC 4510 Independent Readings in HSTC and HSTC 4650 Honours Thesis in the History of Science and Technology (as part of a regular 30 credit-hour course load). The two courses will be used to write their honours thesis.
- Actively participate in the Honours Colloquium (held 2 to 4 times per term). Participation in the colloquium is mandatory even if it does not count for credit.
- Successfully defend their thesis.
Honours Thesis (Completed in HSTC 4510/4650)
The honours thesis is a substantial piece of intellectual work (generally between 35-50 pages long) on a topic chosen in consultation with your supervisor (normally a HOST faculty member). We encourage you to explore a topic about which you are passionate and would like to discuss at length with others. You are encouraged to revise and expand an essay submitted in a previous HOST class (while avoiding self-plagiarism), but new topics are welcome. The thesis should demonstrate original, critical thinking and meet graduate-level writing standards.
Honours Colloquium
The Honours Colloquium meets 2 to 4 times a term. It is meant to support your research efforts and introduce you to academic forms of collaboration.
The colloquium is mandatory for students writing their thesis in HOST, and failure to participate may result in a lower grade for both HSTC 4510/4650. Other HOST honours students are welcomed to attend but are not required to.
No registration required.
Colloquium Schedule and Thesis Deadlines
- All submissions must be uploaded to Brightspace for HSTC 4650 (see winter term tab).
- Late submissions will result in a one-third grade reduction, unless documented proof of unavoidable delay is provided.
- Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are in the Archibald Room.
Fall Term (times and place may change, please monitor the Brightspace page for HSTC 4650 for the most up-to-date information)
- Before September 15: Meet with Dr. Frappier to discuss topics and potential supervisors as well as applications to graduate/professional programs and grants.
- By September 16: Enroll in HSTC 4510 and start thinking about potential research topics.
- September 16: Last day to apply for honours programs.
- By September 23: Secure a supervisor
- It is fine, and even advisable, to speak with two or more potential supervisors before making a decision. Feel free to email them or to request in-person meetings.
- When the topic justifies it, it is possible to work with two co-supervisors.
- Your supervisor should be a HOST faculty member. Should you wish to work with a King’s or Dalhousie instructor who is not a HOST member, with an instructor from another academic institution in Halifax, or someone with other relevant credentials (e.g., a museum curator), arrangements must still be made with a HOST member who could act as the primary supervisor. The two individuals will then serve as your thesis co-supervisors.
- October 7, 11:30-12:30: OPTIONAL Writing Workshop 1 (in collaboration with CSP)—Research strategies, thesis proposals, bibliographies and AI tool usage
- Note on AI Tools: Even if covered in the Writing Workshops, use of AI-assisted tools is generally prohibited for HOST theses. Written approval from your supervisor or Dr. Frappier is required. All use must be properly cited.
- October 23: Thesis proposal and annotated bibliography is due.
- October 30, 11:30-12:30: HOST Colloquium
- Students will make a 5- to 10-min. presentation of their project proposal and annotated bibliography (no PowerPoint), followed by general discussion.
- Proposals will be previously circulated. Students are expected to read all of them and come prepared to offer comments to their peers.
- November 18, 11:30-12:30: OPTIONAL Writing Workshop 2 (in collaboration with CSP) Argument development, theory integration, citations
- November 20: Draft of first chapter due
- November 27, 11:30-12:30: HOST Colloquium
- Students will make a 5- to 10-min. presentation of their first chapter to their peers.
- Each student will receive a chapter to read prior to the meeting. They are expected to come ready to make suggestions on the chapter.
Winter Term
- January 14: Register for HSTC 4650
- January 15: Draft of the second chapter is due
- January 22, 11:30-12:30: HOST Colloquium
- Students will make a 5- to 10-min. presentation of their first chapter to their peers.
- Every student will then receive feedback from one peer and one faculty member.
- Each student will receive a chapter to read prior to the meeting
- February 3: OPTIONAL Writing Workshop 3 (in collaboration with CSP) Editing, abstracts, keywords, table of contents
- March 6: Complete draft is due
- March 12, 11:30-12:30: Honours Colloquium
- Discussion of completed drafts and thesis defence process
- April 6: Submission of the finished thesis
- April 13-17 Thesis Defence (30 min.; Senior Common Room):
- Provide a five-minute summary of your thesis
- Answer questions posed by the examining committee (supervisor(s) + 1 other HOST faculty member; supervisor acts as Chair)
- Evaluation: Based on thesis quality, defence performance, participation in the colloquium and thesis writing process, and ability to meet deadlines
- End of April: You will receive a written evaluation of your thesis and final grade
- End of April: Make minor revisions and submit thesis to the library
HOST Honours Thesis Prize
The HOST Honours Thesis Prize for 2025–2026 will be awarded to the highest-ranked thesis.
Academic Rules and Regulation and Academic Integrity
HSTC 4510 and HSTC 4650 are governed by the academic rules and regulations set forth in the University of King’s College Calendar.
At the University of King’s College and Dalhousie University, we are guided in all our work by the values of academic integrity: honesty, trust, fairness, responsibility, respect, and courage (The International Center for Academic Integrity, 2021). As a student, you are required to demonstrate these values in all the work you do.
The notion of academic integrity is broad, as is the notion of plagiarism, and you are encouraged to read up on them here and to discuss them with your thesis supervisor or the thesis advisor. But in essence, what both notions mean for this course is the following: Every assignment you complete for this course will be your own work and you will acknowledge sources of information and ideas following academic standards when they are not your own. Failure to do so constitutes a serious academic offense and could result in academic penalty.
Academic Integrity issues may impact the grades of both HSTC 4510 and HSTC 4650 as the two courses act, this year, as a multi-term course.
Important Notes on Generative Writing Tools:
Generative writing tools like Co-pilote, Chat GPT, Google Translate and QuillBot (etc.) are not permitted unless allowed in writing by either your thesis supervisor or the thesis advisor. This includes any functional use of AI (including, but not limited to brainstorming, finding or summarizing sources, outlining your arguments, editing, formatting and translating).
Any submission that is found to have used AI tools will be considered as plagiarized and reported as an academic offense. Academic integrity will be dealt by the Academic Integrity Officer (AIO) of the University of King’s College who will decide on the penalty, which will impact the final grade of both HSTC 4510 and HSTC 4650, which act as a single multi-term course.
