All students must meet the Requirements for the Master's Degree.
Overview
The Department of History offers a comprehensive program of courses in the history of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in global and comparative studies. At the graduate level, students develop broad historical knowledge and acquire training in historical interpretation and methods. Students may pursue the M.A. on either a part-time or full-time basis. Additional details about our faculty and current course offerings can be found on the department website.
Specific Requirements
Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of Arts
Applicants should have an undergraduate major in history or in a related field of the humanities or social sciences with the equivalent of a minor in history. The Graduate College application requires: 3 letters of recommendation; a statement of purpose; and a writing sample (normally a research paper completed in an undergraduate history course). Applicants are welcome to submit Graduate Record Examination scores or other evidence of achievement as optional additions to the required submissions.
To be considered for admission, a candidate must have a grade point average of 3.00 (B) in their last 2 years of undergraduate study, with evidence of better work 3.30 (B+) in history.
Minimum Degree Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts
| Option A (Portfolio) | ||
| HST 5050 | Graduate Historiography | 3 |
| HST 6993 | Independent Study | 1-18 |
| 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 | 1-18 |
| 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 | ||
All students enrolled in the M.A. program are required to take HST 5050 during their first semester. 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
All graduate students 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.
The exam should take place by the end of the student’s third semester in the graduate program. Students may petition the director of graduate studies to take the exam in the fourth semester.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Arts
Completion of the above requirements.