History

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the master’s degree are required to complete 30 credits of graduate-level history, or 24 credits plus an acceptable thesis written under the direction of a professor in the student’s major field.

At least 18 (but no more than 21) credits must be taken in the major field, three credits of which must be a seminar in the major field. Three additional credits must be taken in historical methodology. The remaining credits (six or nine) must be taken in an area other than the major field; a minor field may be designated for these credits. All students are strongly encouraged to take a course in historiography in their major field.

A full-time student may take four courses a semester. Historical methodology and seminars in American and European history are offered every year. The other courses are offered every two or three years.

Candidates for the master’s degree in history must give evidence of a reading knowledge of a foreign language. Although French and German are recommended, substitution of another language may be made with the approval of the director of the Graduate Program in History. In some instances, a student may be allowed by the program director to substitute a designated computer language course (with a minimum grade of “B”) for the language requirement.

After the completion of all course work, a candidate for the master’s degree must pass an oral examination covering the major field.