The James Bourque Northern Doctoral Scholarship

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Awarded for research leading to a thesis on a subject relating to northern geography.

The  James Bourque Northern Doctoral Scholarship (up to $6,000), is awarded annually by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. It is for students enrolled in a Doctoral program at a Canadian university. The scholarship will be awarded for research leading to a thesis on a subject relating to northern geography.

Eligibility

Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Students must be registered in a Doctoral program with a thesis requirement at a Canadian university, and must propose a research topic that addresses some substantive element of northern geography of Canada. Any Doctoral program that allows for such a focus is acceptable. The Scholarship will normally be awarded to a student (full-time or part-time) whose course work will be completed by the May following the application deadline.

Deadline

The deadline for receipt of applications is February 14. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Confirmation of receipt will be emailed. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Application Procedure

No application form is provided. Please do not include a résumé as it is not required. Applications MUST conform to the following format.

Items 1 through 9 must not exceed two (2) 8½ x 11 pages using one inch margins and a font that prints no more than twelve (12) characters per inch. Please use capitals for section headings and leave two lines between sections. Provide ONLY the information requested, using the headings listed below and formatted as indicated:

  1. Surname, Given Name
  2. Address (mail, telephone, e-mail, fax – list all available)
  3. Current Program
  4. Degrees (and other post-secondary qualifications)
  5. Proposed Thesis Title
  6. Academic Awards (if applicable)
  7. Related Employment Experience (if applicable)
  8. Names and Addresses (as in item 3 above) of Two Referees
  9. Referees’ Evaluation
    Included with the submission must be two (2) evaluations of your academic performance and the proposed thesis research by faculty who are familiar with your work. Applicants are responsible for providing EACH referee with a copy of the Description of Research (item 11) and ensuring that the evaluation, not more than one page single-spaced, be returned to them in a SEALED envelope in time for inclusion in their submission to the Society. One of the referees will normally be the thesis supervisor.
  10. Brief description of project in 150 words or less.
  11. Description of Research
    The description can be no more than two (2) 8½ x 11 pages, single-spaced. It should provide a clear statement of (1) the focus of the research, (2) conceptual framework, (3) research methodology and data sources and (4) research budget.
  12. University Ethics Clearance
    Approval of the proposed research by the University Ethics Committee or other relevant body must be submitted where the research involves human subjects. For guidance, consult your faculty advisor or Faculty of Graduate Studies.
  13. Transcripts

Submit an official transcript of your post-secondary education to date directly from the institution.

Please address all submissions as follows:

James Bourque Doctoral Scholarship
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
50 Sussex Drive
Ottawa (Ontario)
K1M 2K1

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Reference letters may also be emailed to the above email address. The name of the student should be clearly indicated in the subject line.