Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

History, Thesis, MA


Department of History, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Graduate Faculty

Anderson, Charles W., PhD, Middle East.
Bhattacharjee, Dharitri, PhD, South Asia
Bushelle, Emi, PhD, Japan.
Cameselle, Pedro, PhD, Latin America, U.S. Latin American Relations.
Cerretti, Josh, PhD, Sexuality, Indigenous America.
Costanzo, Susan E., PhD, Russian/Soviet, Europe.
Diehl, Peter D., PhD, Medieval, Ecclesiastical, Social.
Eurich, S. Amanda, PhD, early modern Europe, France and European social history.
Friday, Christopher C., PhD, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Northwest, Public History.
Garfinkle, Steven J., PhD, ancient Near East and Mediterranean, historical theory and methods.
Hardesty, Jared R., PhD, colonial America.
Johnston, Christine, PhD, ancient Mediterranean world.
López-Pedreros, A. Ricardo, PhD, Latin America.
Pihos, Peter C., PhD, post 1865 African American history. 
Price, M. Hunter, PhD, 19th-century U.S., American Religion, Borderlands/Frontiers.
Neem, Johann N., PhD, Early U.S. Republic, American Intellectual.
Seltz, Jennifer, PhD, late 19th-century and 20th-century U.S., U.S. West.
Stewart, Mart A., PhD, 19th-century U.S., Civil War and Reconstruction, Environmental.
Thompson, Roger R., PhD, China.
Zarrow, Sarah, PhD, Jewish history.
Zimmerman, Sarah, PhD, Africa.

Affiliates

Friesen, Kitty, paper conservator, Archives.
Kurtz, Anthony, MA History with a certificate in Archives & Records Management.
Steele, Ruth, MA History with a certificate in Archives & Records Management, MA (Hons) History, University of Edinburgh.

Goals

The program prepares students to: 1) enter doctoral programs or pursue other advanced academic training in history; 2) teach at the secondary or community-college level, and 3) assume positions as employees, researchers, writers, teachers and curators in a variety of public and private organizations, including government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and businesses.

Every student will prepare an original work of scholarship in the form of a master’s thesis. To prepare students for this work, incoming students will take HIST 505: Historical Theory and Method in the fall term, which offers an introduction to the theories that have informed historical scholarship. In the winter term, first-year students will enroll in HIST 506: Research Seminar, during which time they will work with the course instructor and their advisor to develop a thesis project and write a research proposal. Most students take two History courses per term. In addition to HIST 505 and HIST 506, students will complete six 500-level courses to develop the disciplinary practices and habits of professional historians by introducing students to historiography, seminar discussions, and research. Students may have additional coursework to meet the language requirement if necessary. All students will develop a coherent plan of study with their advisor.

Most students will complete their master’s thesis prospectus by the end of the winter or spring terms of their first year, and, in addition to completing any remaining coursework, will devote the bulk of their summer and second year to research and writing their theses.

Prerequisites

Admission to graduate status and to graduate courses requires completion of an undergraduate major in history or the permission of the department.

Application Information

Admit Quarter: Students are generally admitted only for the academic year, not summer.

TA Deadlines: April 1 for all program specializations.

Supporting Materials:

  • In addition to the Graduate School application requirements, all history applicants must submit a brief statement of purpose and goals, and a writing sample, such as a research paper or similar example of writing ability

Program Requirements


Thesis: Basic Requirements 48 credits


  •   Credits: 4 (4)
  •   Credits: 4
  •   Credits: 2-16 (16)
  • ❑ A written thesis prospectus is a prerequisite for 690 registration.

  • ❑ Elective 500-level seminars in History under advisement.

  • ❑ Completion of Language Requirement (see below).

  • By the end of week two of the quarter in which the thesis defense is to take place students shall submit the thesis version to be defended to the committee.

Additional Information


Language Requirement

The foreign language requirement may be met in one of two ways: by passing an exam approved or administered by the department; or by earning a B grade or higher in the last course of a second-year language program. Courses graded on a pass/no pass basis would not qualify for satisfying the language requirement. Tests and course work taken before entry into the graduate program may be counted if completed within five years of acceptance into the graduate program.

For further information, contact departmental office, Bond Hall 364, 360-650-3429.