Graduate Studies

Each graduate candidate's program is individually designed to meet the needs of the candidate and the thesis topic. Prospective applicants should note that a grade-point average equivalent to 80% is the minimum required for entry to the CPS program.

Topic Proposal

Prior to their formal application to the program, prospective candidates are required to prepare a descriptive summary of their proposed topic of research, which is presented to the Executive Director for discussion. The summary need not be more than a few pages in length, but it should include:

• the thesis area(s) of study
• the thesis problem statement
• objectives of the thesis
• a brief literature rationale that substantiates the importance of the question(s) being addressed in the thesis
• relevance of the thesis to the Canadian Plains
• the inter- or transdisciplinary features of the proposed research
• a copy of the applicant's transcripts

If a prospective candidate is proposing research that appears to be largely based in a single discipline, the Executive Director may require that the appropriate disciplinary department review the proposed research to determine if it would be acceptable in that department. If it would be, then the proposal would not be pursued through CPS. Also, if a suitable description of the research cannot be generated, then no further action in developing an application is pursued through the CPS program. However, if a suitable description of an inter- or transdisciplinary research project can be generated, then prospective committee members, including a prospective supervisor, are approached and asked to review the descriptive material and the prospective candidate's academic record. Those prospective committee members are approached on the basis of their potential contribution to the major themes of the proposed research. For example, if the proposed research involves a strong methodological component in the behavioural sciences, then a specialist in that field would be approached to serve on the committee.

Graduate Committee

The Executive Director of CPRC administers the CPS program and serves on all CPS thesis committees, ex officio. In addition, a CPS graduate committee is normally composed of a supervisor and two or three committee members. If no one can be found to serve as supervisor, or if there are no appropriate or an insufficient number of faculty members to serve as committee members, then no further action is taken in developing the application. Once a prospective committee has been developed, appropriate courses are determined for the student. The student is required to take 15 credit hours of courses at the graduate level. One of those courses is CPS 801 (3 credit hours); the others are determined in discussion between the prospective candidate and committee members. Once a suitable description of the thesis research is developed, and a suitable committee is configured with a listing of appropriate courses, a document is prepared that summarizes that material.

Applying to Grad Studies

The prospective candidate then completes a formal application form to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (with accompanying transcripts, references) and the document outlining the proposed research, committee, and courses. In the case of an application for a Ph.D., that material goes for review to the University's Ph.D. Committee which makes a final decision on the acceptability of the application. If accepted, the candidate then formally enters the program.

Program Requirements

Normally, in the first two terms of study, the candidate is expected to complete the fifteen credit hours of courses, and prepare a full thesis proposal for review by the committee. Once that proposal is accepted by the committee, the candidate then has formal permission to proceed on the thesis topic. In the case of research involving human subjects, research instruments (e.g. questionnaires) must first be approved by the University's Research Ethics Committee. For a Ph.D. candidate, the candidate undergoes a comprehensive exam normally no later than during the second year. The exam is set by the candidates thesis committee. Failure to reach acceptable grades in the courses, or failure to develop an acceptable thesis proposal, or failure to pass the comprehensive exam (in the case of a Ph.D. candidate) are all grounds for dismissal from the program. Assuming the candidate passes all of those requirements, then the candidate will be expected to deliver a defensible thesis acceptable to the committee. CPRC offers Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Scholarships on a competitive basis among CPS graduate students. Study carrel space within the CPRC office may also be provided.

The following list of current CPS students and their supervisors and committee members indicates the strong interdisciplinary nature of the program and support from throughout the university.

Lorena Cote (Master's program)
A Linguistic Analysis of the Dialect of the Cote Saulteaux First Nation through a Traditional Teaching Text.
Co-supervisors: Arok Wolvengrey (Indian Languages, Literature and Linguistics, First Nations University of Canada); Patrick Douaud (Education), Committee, Dr. Jan van Eijk, First Nations University of Canada.

Amber Fletcher (Ph.D. program)

The View From Here: Neoliberal Agricutltural Policy and the Future of Farm Women in Saskatchewan.
Supervisor: Dr. Wendee Kubik, Women's and Gender Studies, University of Regina. Committee Members: Dr. Murray Knuttila, Professor Emeritus (University of Regina, Department of Sociology), and Provost/Vice-President Academic (Brock University), Dr. Annette Desmarais, Dept. of Justice Studies, and Dr. Phillip Hansen, Department of Philosophy and Classics.

Holly McKenzie (Masters program)
How Saskatchewan Newspaper Staff 'Tell the Story' of Violence Against Aboriginal Women: A Case Study.
Co-supervisors: Dr. Carrie Bourrassa, Science Department, First Nations University of Canada and Dr. Wendee Kubik, Women's and Gender Studies, Univesity of Regina. Committee Members: Dr. Darlene Juschka, Women's and Gender Studies, Mitch Diamantopoulos, School of Journalism.

Kim Karpa (Masters program)
Healing Through Justice: the Application of Holistic Healing to Racialized and Sexualized Violence against Aboriginal Women of Saskatchewan.
Supervisor: Dr. Darlene Juschka, Women's and Gender Studies. Committee Members: Dr. Carrie Bourrassa, Science Department, First Nationas University of Canda, Dr. Nick Jones, Justice Studies.

Ian McWilliams (Ph.D. program)
Early Saskatchewan Theatre Spaces: Place, Performance, and Community (pre-1940).
Supervisor: Dr. Mary Blackstone, Theatre, Committee: Dr. William Brennan, History and Dr. Randy Widdis, Geography.

Doreen Oakes (Master's program)
The Discource Function of Conjunct Mode Constructions in Plains Cree.
Arok Wolvengrey (Indian Languages, Literature and Linguistics, First Nations University of Canada); Patrick Douaud (Education)

Jeffrey Walters (Ph.D. program)
The Social Impact of Federal Agricultural Income Stabilization Programs on Rural Saskatchewan, 1991-2007.
Supervisor: Dr. Jeremy Rayner, Political Science. Committe: Dr. Monika Cule, Economics and Dr. Randy Widdis, Geography.

Jim Warren (Ph.D. program)
Water and Politics in Saskatchewan: In Search of a New Paradigm.
Co-supervisors: Dr. Harry Diaz, Sociology and Dr. Greg Argue, adjunct Professor, Canadian Plains Research Center. Committee: Dr. J. F. Conway, Sociology, Dr. Margot Hurlbert, Sociology and Human Justice, Dr. David Sauchyn, Geograhy.

Completed Theses through CPRC's Canadian Plains Studies Program since 1995:

Sharon Baldwin, M.A.
Self-interest and the Public Interest: Professional Regulation in Saskatchewan, 1905-1948.
Defended Fall 1998. Supervisor: Dr. William Brennan (History), University of Regina.

Lisa Dale-Burnett, Ph.D.
Agricultural Change and Farmer Adaptation in the Palliser Triangle, Saskatchewan, 1900-1960.
Defended May 2002. Co-Supervisors: Dr. Randy Widdis (Geography) and Dr. James McCrorie (Sociology), University of Regina.

John Burton, M.A.
Public Ownership in Saskatchewan Potash: An Analysis of Factors Leading to the Saskatchewan Government's 1975 Decision.
Defended December 2004. Co-Supervisors: Dr. Howard Leeson (Political Science); Dr. Robert McLaren (Administration), University of Regina.

Darrell Davis, Ph.D.
Chemical Dependency and Relationship to Personality, Demographic, Psychometric Variables and Treatment Outcome.
Defended May 2005. Supervisor: Dr. Peter Hemingway (Education), University of Regina.

Gloria DeSantis, Ph.D.
The Power to Change: the Advocacy and Empowerment Functions of Nonprofit Organizations and the Health Impacts on Marginalized Communities.
Defended 2008. Co-supervisors: Dr. Michael Polanyi (Saskatchewan Population Heath and Evaluation Research Unit); Dr. Luc Theriault (Social Work), University of Regina.

Merelda Fiddler (Master's program)
"Yearning to Belong": Fiddler's Map - The Struggle for Metis Identity. This study examines the role that physical place and family history play in the identity of the Metis people.
Defended: 2009. Supervisor: Dr. David Miller (First Nations University of Canada).

Loretta Gerlach, M.A.
An Exploratory Study into the Appropriateness of Community Policing Theory and Strategy Given the Over-Representation of Aboriginal People in the Criminal Justice System in Saskatchewan.
Defended: 2001. Co-Supervisors: Dr. James Harding (Human Justice) and Dr. Randy Widdis (Geography), University of Regina.

Bruce Hanbidge, M.A.
Habitat Requirements of a Keystone Species. GIS modeling to predict the abundance and distribution of the Richardson's Ground Squirrel.
Defended 2007. Dr. Paul James (Biology); Dr. David Gauthier (Geography), University of Regina.

Miriam Handel, M.A.
"Pushing the Boundaries": Restorative Justice Practice in a First Nations Community.
Defended April 2003. Co-Supervisors: Dr. Otto Driedger (Justice) and Dr. Jim Mulvale (Justice)., University of Regina.

Wendee Kubik, M.A.
The Research and Study of Farm Stress and Coping: A Critical Evaluation.
Defended 1996. Supervisor: Dr. Robert Moore, Psychology (Campion); Committee Members: Bob Stirling (Sociology); Jim McCrorie (Sociology), University of Regina.

Wendee Kubik, Ph.D.
The Changing Roles of Farm Women and the Consequences for their Health, Well-being and Quality of Life.
Defended 2004. Supervisors: Dr. Bob Moore (Campion); Dr. Bob Stirling (Sociology/Social Studies), University of Regina.

Neil McLeod, Ph.D.
Exploring Cree Narrative Memory
Defended January 2005. Supervisor: Dr. Patrick Douaud (Education). University of Regina.

Maureen Murray, M.A.
Circles of Healing: Stories of Trauma and Recovery from Native American and Western Perspectives.
Defended 2003. Supervisor: Dr. Paul Antrobus (Psychology, Luther College), University of Regina.

Robert Nestor, M.A.
Hayter Reed and the Allotment of Indian Reserve Lands on the Canadian Prairies.
Defended Fall, 1997; Supervisor: Dr. David Miller (Saskatchewan Indian Federated College), University of Regina.

Rory O'Hagan, M.A.
A Geography of Absence: Identity, Alienation and Ambiguity on the North American Grasslands.
Defended December 2005. Supervisor: Dr. Patrick Douaud (Education), University of Regina.

Roger Petry, Ph.D.
The Role of Free Knowledge at Universities and its Potential Impact on the Sustainability of the Prairie Region. Defended 2008. Supervisor, Dr. Eldon Soifer (Philosophy), University of Regina.

Todd Radenbaugh, Ph.D.
Changing Landscapes and Resource Use by Breeding Birds in the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion, Saskatchewan.
Defended Fall 2003. Supervisor: Dr. David Gauthier (Geography), Univeristy of Regina.

Roxanne Roth, M.A.
Health Delivery Reform: A case study of health delivery system reform in two Saskatchewan rural health districts. T
Defended Summer 1997. Supervisor: Dr. James McCrorie (Sociology), University of Regina.

Blair Stonechild, Ph.D.
Indian Higher Education Policy in Canada.
Defended Spring 2004. Supervisor: Dr. James Pitsula, (History), University of Regina.

Roderick Irwin Stutt, Ph.D.
Water policy-making in the Canadian Plains: historical factors that influenced the work of the Prairie Provinces Water Board (1948-1969).
Defended 1995. Supervisor, James M. McCrorie (Sociology), University of Regina.

Charlotte Thompson, M.A.
A Case Study of the Surrendered Pheasant’s Rump Reserve Land: 1901–1971.
Defended Spring 2003. Co-supervisors: Dr. David Miller / Dr. Carl Beal (First Nations University of Canada).

Completed Theses through CPRC's Canadian Plains Studies Program from 1973 to 1995:

Louis Ariano.
Spatio-temporal images among the Plains Indians. M.A. 1988

Oliver Brass.
An opinion study concerning causes and solutions of problems relating to Canadian Indians and crime. Ph.D. 1985

Thora Lynn Cartlidge.
Historic district conservation in Winnipeg and Minneapolis/St. Paul. M.A. 1984

Kenneth David Falconer.
Tommy Douglas, 1930-1944: A case study of leadership and social structure. M.A. 1979

Beryl Alice Forgay.
Attitudes in Saskatchewan society toward people labelled mentally retarded. M.A. 1987

Nancy Jane Foulds.
The North-West press and the Conservative government's settlement policy 1878-1896, M.A. 1982

Margaret Hughes.
The functional hierarchy of business centres in Regina. M.A. 1972

Janet Knowles.
Prairie themes in Saskatchewan songs. M.A. 1991

John Ormond Mitchell.
The administrative politics in an educational action-research program in Canada: Case study of Saskatchewan NewStart Incorporated. M.A. 1978

Rosalind Grace Morgan.
An ecological study of the northern plains as seen through the Garratt site. M.A. 1978

John Lucas Moser.
The impact of city council's decisions between 1903 and 1930 on the morphological development of Regina. M.A. 1978

Donald Joseph Philippon.
An analysis of The Foundation Grants Act, 1970, and its application in Saskatchewan school units. M.A. 1973

Anwar Saddozai Qureshi.
Local variation in rural farm depopulation in southwestern Saskatchewan. M.A 1978

Robert Bruce Shepard.
American influence on the settlement and development of the Canadian Plains. Ph.D. 1994

Alexander Blair Stonechild.
The Indian role in the North-West Rebellion of 1885. M.A. 1989

William Arthur Wells.
Saskatchewan government cable television policy, 1971-1982. M.A. 1986

Gail Lesley Zahradnitzky.
The development and application of prairie railway policy. M.A. 1974