Graduation Requirements
Culminating experiences (depending on option):
Thesis option. Students must write and defend an MA thesis of approximately 75 to 100 pages. The thesis should demonstrate the candidate’s capacity to organize and analyze original materials by constructing a historical argument based largely on primary materials (manuscript and archival holdings, newspapers, government publications, and other published and unpublished historical materials). The topic is chosen in consultation with the supervisory committee, which then evaluates the quality of the student’s written work and their ability to orally defend the thesis’s argument.
Report option. The MA report is required to meet the same requirements as the thesis but is about half the length. The supervisory committee evaluates the quality of the candidate’s written work and their ability to orally defend their report’s argument.
Non thesis/non report option. In the last semester of course work, the student takes a three-hour MA examination focusing on their course work, followed by an oral exam, administered by the supervisory committee.
Foreign Language
There is no general requirement of foreign language proficiency for the MA degree; however, the supervisory committee may require a student to gain proficiency in a language if this is needed for them to be able to do primary research on their chosen topic.
Required Courses:
All MA students must include the following courses in their programs of study:
Topics Courses:
Thesis option. 18 credits. Students must complete at least 6 topics courses at the 700 level or above and are required to enroll in at least one 800 or 900 level history course every regular semester the student is in the program unless there is only a thesis left to complete or the supervisory committee agrees to excuse this requirement.
Report option. 22 credits. Students must complete at least 7 topics courses at the 700 level or above and are required to enroll in at least one 800 or 900 level history course every regular semester the student is in the program unless there is only a report to complete or the supervisory committee agrees to excuse this requirement.
Non-thesis/non-report option. 24 credits. Students must complete at least 8 topics courses at the 700 level or above and are required to enroll in at least one 800 or 900 level history course every regular semester the student is in the program.
Courses that can be taken include, but are not limited to, the following:
Master’s Research:
Thesis option: 6 credits.
Report option: 2 credits.
Total Hours Required for Master’s: 30
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