Degree Plan for the Master of Arts in History
Admission Requirements into the M.A. in History Program
Conditional Admission into the M.A. in History Program
Degree/Plan/Candidate Status/Application for Graduation
Requirements for Registering for Courses
Requirements for the History Degree in the Thesis Option
Requirements for the History Degree in the Non-Thesis Option
Requirements for the History Degree in the Public History Option
Courses for the Non-Thesis Option
Courses for the Public History Option
1. Meet all University admission requirements
2. Have satisfactorily completed at least 30 undergraduate hours of History.
3. have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate
coursework attempted or a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on all upper division undergraduate
coursework attempted.
4. Score a minimum of 900 (combined verbal and quantitative scores) on the General
Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Requirements for Conditional Admission
1. meet all University admission requirements.
2. Have satisfactorily completed at least 21 undergraduate hours of history.
3. have a minimum cumulative grade point average or 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate
coursework attempted.
Students accepted for conditional admission into the program must make up any undergraduate
deficiencies during their first semester in the program. Students must also take the
GRE during the first semester and score a minimum of 750 (combined verbal and quantitative
scores on the GRE) to remain in the program.
Applicants for admission and for graduate assistantships should submit completed application
forms, transcripts, and GRE scores by April 1. Applicants received after that date
will be accepted, but priority in awarding assistantships and in scheduling graduate
classes will be given to those who meet the April 1 deadline.
Degree/Plan/Candidate Status/Application for Graduation
To remain in good standing in the M.A. in History program, all students must:
1. Obtain the Graduate Coordinator’s approval for an individual degree plan prior
to registering for their first semester of graduate coursework. Changes in the degree
plan may be made only with the Graduate Coordinator’s approval.
2. Apply for status as a Candidate for the M.A. in History degree prior to completing
12 hours of graduate coursework.
3. Apply for graduation by the appropriate deadline for the semester in which they
will graduate.
Requirements for Registering for Courses
To register for courses in the M.A. in History curriculum, students must
1. Have an approved up-to-date degree plan on file with the Department of History
and Political Science.
2. Obtain the Graduate Coordinator’s written authorization prior to registration
each semester. Advising for all graduate courses is mandatory. After receiving authorization,
students will then be registered in the department office.
3. Register during the early registration period for each semester. All 600-level
courses in the M.A. in History curriculum have waiting lists. Students who do not
register during the early registration period will have their names removed from the
waiting lists for these courses.
Requirements for the History Degree
To receive the Master of Arts (M.A.) in History degree, students in the Thesis Option
must:
1. Satisfactorily complete 36 hours of graduate coursework in the Thesis Option,
as detailed below.
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all coursework.
3. Satisfactorily complete the written and oral portions of the Comprehensive Exam.
4. Write a thesis, have it approved by the Major Professor and Thesis Committee,
satisfactorily defend the M.A. thesis before the Graduate Faculty, and submit at least
4 copies of the approved final version of the M.A. thesis to the Graduate Coordinator
for binding by the Sims Memorial Library.
5. Be recommended for the degree by the Graduate Faculty.
6. Meet all requirements for the M.A. in History degree within 6 years of enrolling
in the M.A. in History program.
To receive the Master of Arts (M.A.) in History degree, students in the Non-Thesis
Option must:
1. Satisfactorily complete 36 hours of graduate coursework in the Non-Thesis Option,
as detailed below.
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all coursework.
3. Satisfactorily complete the written and oral portions of the Comprehensive Examination.
4. Be recommended for the degree by the Graduate Faculty.
5. Meet all requirements for the M.A. in History degree within 6 years of enrolling
in the M.A. in History program.
To receive the Master of Arts (M.A.) in History degree, students in the Public History
Option must:
1. Satisfactorily complete 36 hours of graduate coursework in the Public History
Option, as detailed below.
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all coursework.
3. Satisfactorily complete the written and oral portions of the Comprehensive Examination.
4. Complete 6 hours of History 637: Public History Internship.
Or
Complete 3 hours of History 637: Public History Internship AND write a thesis, have
it approved by the Major Professor and Thesis Committee, satisfactorily defend the
M.A. thesis before the Graduate Faculty, and submit at least 4 copies of the approved
final version of the M.A. thesis to the Graduate Coordinator for binding by Sims Memorial
Library.
5. Be recommended for the degree by the Graduate Faculty.
6. Meet all requirements for the M.A. in History degree within 6 years of enrolling
in the M.A. in History program.
Thesis Option: Course Descriptions
Required Courses (9 hours)
History 600:Historical Research: 3 hours
History 770: Thesis: 6 hours
American History (9-15 hours)
History 605:America to 1800: 3 hours
History 606:America to 1800-1900: 3 hours
History 607:America since 1900: 3 hours
History 610:Southern History: 3 hours
History 611:Louisiana History: 3 hours
European History (9-15 hours)
History 630:Western Thought3 hours
History 641:Britain to 1485 3 hours
History 642:Britain since 14853 hours
History 643:Europe to 5003 hours
History 644:Europe 500-15003 hours
History 645:Europe 1500-18153 hours
History 646: Europe since 18153 hours
Public History (3-9 hours)
History 632:Introduction to Public History3 hours
History 633:Public History Seminar3 hours
History 634:Historic Preservation Seminar3 hours
History 635:Historical Editing3 hours
History 636:Introduction to Archival Practice3 hours
Elective (0-6 hours)
History 602:Readings 3 hours
History 621:Independent Study 3 hours
History 698:Special Topics 3 hours
Minor Field (Optional*)6 hours
Total 36 hours
Non-Thesis Option: Course Descriptions
Required Courses (3 hours)
History 600:Historical Research3 hours
American History (9-15 hours)
History 605:America to 18003 hours
History 606:America to 1800-19003 hours
History 607:America since 19003 hours
History 610:Southern History3 hours
History 611:Louisiana History3 hours
European History (9-21 hours)
History 630:Western Thought3 hours
History 641:Britain to 14853 hours
History 642:Britain since 14853 hours
History 643:Europe to 5003 hours
History 644:Europe 500-15003 hours
History 645:Europe 1500-18153 hours
History 646: Europe since 18153 hours
Public History (3-15 hours)
History 632:Introduction to Public History3 hours
History 633:Public History Seminar3 hours
History 634:Historic Preservation Seminar3 hours
History 635:Historical Editing3 hours
History 636:Introduction to Archival Practice3 hours
Elective (0-12 hours)
History 602:Readings 3 hours
History 621:Independent Study 3 hours
History 698:Special Topics 3 hours
History 655:Seminar for Teachers3 hours
History 698:Special Topics3 hours
Minor Field (Optional*)6 hours
Total 36 hours
Public History Option: Course Descriptions
Required Courses (18-21 hours)
History 600:Historical Research3 hours
History 605:America to 18003 hours
History 606:America to 1800-19003 hours
History 607:America since 19003 hours
History 632:Introduction to Public History3 hours
History 637:Public History Internship 3-6 hours#
Elective Courses Group I (6-18 hours)
Comm. 569:Video Documentary Production3 hours
Comm. 631:New Tech and Organizational Comm.3 hours
History 633:Public History Seminar3 hours
History 634:Historic Preservation Seminar3 hours
History 635:Historical Editing3 hours
History 636:Introduction to Archival Practice3 hours
History 637:Public History Internship 3-6 hours#
History 770:Thesis6 hours#
Elective Courses Group II (0-6 hours)
History 563:Local/Regional History3 hours
History 566:Family History3 hours
History 567:Introduction to Museum Practice3 hours
History 583:Heritage Tourism3 hours
History 584:Audience and media3 hours
History 588:Oral History3 hours
Elective Courses Group III (0-6 hours)
History 610:Southern History3 hours
History 611:Louisiana History3 hours
History 625:British History3 hours
History 626:Europe to 15003 hours
History 627:Europe since 15003 hours
History 630:Western Thought3 hours
History 698:Special Topics3 hours
*Elective courses may include a 6 hour minor in Philosophy or Political Science with
approval of the Graduate Coordinator. Only students with a minor field may take Non-History
courses for degree credit.
#Students in the Public History Option who do not write a thesis must take 6 hours
of History 637. Students who write a thesis must take 3 hours of History 637 and may
elect to take 6 hours.
Thesis Option. The Thesis Option is required for most students who plan to pursue
study beyond the M.A. degree, though in some cases it may be taken by students who
do not plan to pursue study beyond the M.A. degree. Students will be allowed to enter
the Thesis Option only with the Graduate Coordinator’s consent. The thesis is a major
work of independent research into primary sources on an original topic, supervised
by the student’s Major Professor and Thesis Committee.
Non-Thesis Option. The Non-Thesis Option may be taken only by students who do not
plan to pursue study beyond the M.A. degree. The Department of History and Political
Science considers an M.A. in the Non-Thesis Option to be a terminal degree and will
not recommend students in the Non-Thesis Option to doctoral programs.
Public History Option. The Public History Option is for students who plan to pursue
a career in Public History. Students in the Public History Option who plan to pursue
study beyond the M.A. degree must complete a Master’s thesis.
Minor Field. Students may choose a minor field in either Political Science or Philosophy.
The minor requires 6 hours in either discipline and must be approved by the Graduate
Coordinator.
Works-in-Progress Seminar. All students enrolled in the M.A. in History program attend
a monthly Works-in-Progress Seminar at which faculty, graduate students, and visiting
scholars present the results of ongoing research for books, articles, or M.A. theses.
This promotes a greater sense of community among faculty and students, allows participants
to present their own work in a congenial atmosphere and benefit from their colleagues’
constructive criticism, and gives students experience with the scholarly give-and-take
that occurs at professional conferences and in thesis defenses.
Comprehensive Examination. After they have completed their graduate coursework, students
must satisfactorily complete a written and oral Comprehensive Examination, based on
all graduate coursework completed. The written portion of the exam will consist of
mandatory questions from all faculty with whom the students have done coursework.
The oral portion of the exam will be held only after students have passed the written
portion. The panel of examiners for the oral portion will include all faculty with
whom the students have taken Graduate courses. Students who fail any part of the Comprehensive
Examination must retake that part within one year of the original exam and satisfactorily
complete it or face dismissal from the program. Students who fail the Comprehensive
Examination a second time will be dismissed from the program.
Thesis Defense. Prior to graduation students in the Thesis Option must defend their
theses. Before being recommended for graduation, students must receive approval for
their theses from the Department Head, Graduate Coordinator, Major Professor, and
Thesis Committee members, who may solicit advice from other members of the graduate
faculty.
Thesis Style and Binding. The thesis must conform to the format of the most recent
edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. Students must submit at least 4 copies of
the final approved version of the thesis to the Graduate Coordinator for binding by
the Sims Memorial Library.
