M.A. Program Requirements

Students must select a field of study from the following:

• Origins and History of the United States
• Europe since 1500
• Gender and Comparative Women's History
• World and Comparative History

Thirty-six semester hours are required, including:

• HST 793 Historical Methods (3)
• HST 794 History and Theories (3)
• HST 702 Research Seminar (3)
• Three Readings Colloquia in the History Department (9)
• Three other courses, including one from another department (9). These additional courses may be 500-level courses or other departmental colloquia.
• Thesis/project option: HST 700 Thesis (9)
• Examination option: One 600-series "Studies in History" (Independent Studies) dedicated to examination preparation (3)

For students selecting World and Comparative History as their major field, HST 760 World History Theories is also required. For students choosing Gender and Comparative Women's History as their major field, one, course, whether offered in history or in another department, must treat theoretical issues, either Feminist Theory or another aspect of gender theory.

Graduate assistants are required to enroll each semester in HST 694 Methods in History Teaching (1).

Students may elect either a thesis/project or an examination (non-thesis) option. Thesis students will complete a substantial piece of original research in their field. Non-thesis students will gain breadth and depth in a field but will not focus on the production of original research as a primary goal of their degree program. Like thesis students, however, they will practice as part of their degree program advanced cognitive skills transferable to other contexts such as law, business, library and information science, and careers in the military.

Thesis/project option: The thesis/project option requires that the student produce a substantial thesis/project involving original research. Nine hours of thesis/project credit are required. The nature of the thesis/project might include any of a variety of substantial forms, such as a thesis, a film or a museum exhibition. In general a written thesis/project will involve a minimum of 50 double-spaced typewritten pages or the equivalent. The final examination in this option will consist of a one-hour oral defense before the members of the student's committee.

Examination option: Students not wishing to pursue further graduate study in history may choose the examination (non-thesis) option, which substitutes a substantial comprehensive examination for the thesis. The examination will be taken in the last six weeks of the semester in which the student completes course work. It will consist of a three-hour written and a one-hour oral exam. The exam will be read and conducted by a committee of three faculty members. The adviser will be responsible for writing the questions for the exam, in consultation with the other members. The exam will cover a reading list of at least 50 books or the equivalent in the student's major field.

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