Master of Arts
In this program the Master of Arts degree is ordinarily an incidental degree that can be granted on the way to full Ph.D. candidacy. It can also be awarded under other circumstances. In any case, to be granted an M.A. degree in History the student must have completed at least eight courses totaling 24 graded credits and up to six credits of non-topical research, the requirements of a Major field, and a Master’s Essay approved by two readers. The Master’s Essay will usually be a paper originally produced for a research seminar. The paper must then be refined to win final approval by two readers as a Master’s Essay – a paper of the kind and quality that could be submitted as an article to a refereed journal for possible publication. Students can apply to receive the M.A. degree once these requirements are complete. These requirements must be completed within two years.
Doctor of Philosophy
Candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History are required to pass at least 12 graded semester courses (54 credits including 18 hours of non-topical research and 9 hours of non-graded course work)/ At least 8 of these 12 graded courses must be in History, and at least 6 of these must be 5000-, 7000-, or 8000-level courses, and 2 must be 8000-level research seminars. Student must take a set of written exams, and a two-hour general oral examination covering one major field, a special field within the major field, and a special field outside the major field. This examination must be taken after the seminar and colloquium requirements has been met, after the written exams have been passed, and after at least one mastery-level foreign language examination has been passed.
All candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language. Reading knowledge of a second foreign language is regularly required in most non-American fields, and a third or even fourth language may be necessary in certain fields.
Students are expected to complete all pre-dissertation requirements, including coursework, language proficiency examinations, and qualifying examinations, prior to the beginning of their third year of study. Students specializing in Ancient History must complete one of their four required mastery exams before taking their qualifying examinations.
After submission of the dissertation, a final oral examination is given in which the candidate must defend the dissertation.
All fields of study are chosen in consultation with the major professor. At least 24 graded credits must be in history, with 18 of these in topical history research seminars and colloquia, or their approved equivalents.
Program in Legal History
The history department, in cooperation with the School of Law, enables students to develop special competency in American legal history and in English legal history. A joint committee of the faculty in history and in law administers the program. Admission to the program is through the usual procedures of admission to the Department of History.
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