All students must meet the Requirements for the Accelerated Master’s Degree Pathway
Overview
The accelerated master’s pathway in history is designed to allow current UVM undergraduate history majors to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a streamlined period of time. Following formal admission to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway, students will work simultaneously on their B.A. and M.A. requirements, counting up to 6 graduate credits (5000- or 6000-level) toward both the B.A. and the M.A. degrees. Another 3 graduate credits can be counted towards the M.A. degree while an undergraduate but cannot count towards the B.A. degree.
Specific Requirements
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO GRADUATE STUDIES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS FOR ACCELERATED STUDENTS
Applicants should be undergraduate history majors in the third year of the undergraduate program. Candidates must submit applications to the AMP through the standard Graduate College application process. The application includes an undergraduate transcript; 3 letters of recommendation from faculty members; a writing sample; and a statement of purpose. GREs are not required for the AMP. The application and admission process must be finalized before courses may be counted toward the M.A.
MINIMUM DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
| OPTION A (PORTFOLIO) | ||
| HST 5050 | Graduate Historiography | 3 |
| HST 6993 | Independent Study | 3 |
| 18 credits at the 5000-level or above | 18 | |
| 6 credits at the 6000-level or above | 6 | |
| Successful completion of the comprehensive examination | ||
| Successful compilation of a portfolio of work demonstrating the student’s thematic and methodological proficiencies | ||
| OPTION B (EXPANDED ESSAY) | ||
| HST 5050 | Graduate Historiography | 3 |
| HST 6993 | Independent Study | 3 |
| 18 credits at the 5000-level or above | 18 | |
| 6 credits at the 6000-level or above | 6 | |
| Successful completion of the comprehensive examination | ||
| Successful completion and defense of the Expanded Essay | ||
| Option C (Thesis) | ||
| HST 5050 | Graduate Historiography | 3 |
| HST 6391 | Master's Thesis Research | 6 |
| 15 credits at the 5000-level or above | 15 | |
| 6 credits at the 6000-level or above | 6 | |
| Successful completion of the comprehensive examination | ||
| Successful completion and defense of the master’s thesis | ||
HST 5050 is required for all students. Those enrolled in the Accelerated Master's Pathway may take this required course in the senior undergraduate year, when it will count toward the M.A., but not the B.A.
At least 15 credits of course work must be earned in seminars, but students may complete independent study courses that involve the creation of individualized reading lists and regular meetings with instructors appointed to the graduate faculty. With the consent of the student’s advisor, 6 credits of the required course work for the M.A. may be taken in related fields outside of the history department. Students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.30 (B+) each semester. Students failing to maintain this average will be dismissed from the program.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
Students in the Accelerated Master’s Pathway must pass a comprehensive examination in a field of specialization, to be defined in consultation with the primary faculty advisor.
The examination requires students to provide a comprehensive analysis of major themes and problems in their field of historical specialization, including attention to historiography and interpretive problems. The examination may take 1 of several forms, to be determined by the faculty advisor in consultation with the student and the director of graduate studies. Options include: a timed written examination; an oral examination; a take-home essay; a historiographical review undertaken as part of the student’s master’s thesis; an annotated syllabus or detailed lesson plans for a field of study. Exams will be assessed by the primary faculty advisor and a second faculty member.
Candidates whose initial efforts are not judged satisfactory may re-take the exam. In most instances, reexamination will occur within 1 month. Students failing the examination twice will be dismissed from the program.
AMP students will ordinarily take the Comprehensive Examination in December or January of the second year of the program.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS
Completion of the above requirements.