The full-time graduate student should expect to spend a minimum of three semesters working on the master's degree. Applicants to the graduate program must have a minimum of 15 semester hours of upper-level history courses or equal competency. Students accepted into the program without the 15 semester hours will be required to make up the deficiency before taking graduate level courses. Up to 6 of the 15 semester hours must be at the graduate level and may be applied to the graduate program.

In addition to general University requirements found on p. 53, students must write a thesis (6 semester hours) or take HIS 6911 and write a substantial research paper under the direction of a history faculty member. Students who write a thesis must defend it in an oral examination with the thesis committee. The graduate committee may require a student to present a foreign language if essential to the major research project. Students must earn at least a "B-" in each graduate course to receive credit towards their graduate program.

Students must apply for advancement to candidacy upon completion of 15 semester hours; the thesis or research paper advisor will then be appointed as the academic advisor.

Students may count one 3 semester hour course outside history toward degree requirements. Prior to taking the class, they must obtain approval from their advisor and petition the history faculty, who will make the final decision.

Students must complete graduate work within five years. Students may petition for extension of the five-year rule if circumstances do not permit completion of the requirement.

A student may take no more than 6 semester hours in any combination of dual listed or approved 3000 or 4000 courses. In a 30 semester hours program, at least 15 semester hours must be taken at the 6000 level while 18 semester hours in the 33 semester hours program must be 6000 level.

MASTER OF ARTS
The Department of History offers three plans for the M.A. degree.

Plan A: As part of the requirement, the student will write a thesis and pass an oral examination covering both the thesis and its general historical context. The program requires 30 semester hours of graduate history course work including thesis. Students will elect 15 semester hours in the major field (United States or European), and 6 semester hours in thesis.

Plan B: This program is designed for the student who prefers a wide range of studies in history. A student must take 33 semester hours of graduate history course work distributed in the following manner: 9 semester hours in European history, 9 semester hours in United States history, 12 semester hours of electives and 3 semester hours of research seminar (HIS 6911). In lieu of writing a thesis the student, supervised by an advisor, will prepare a research paper based upon original research. The student must receive at least a "B" on the paper. The paper must be approved and on file in the history department office before the student will be certified for graduation.

Plan C: Historical Archaeology--This program is designed for students with a bachelor's degree in history or anthropology/archaeology who want to pursue a professional career in archaeology and/or history or go on to a doctorate program in either discipline. This degree will qualify the graduate for starting professional positions in cultural resource management, historic preservation, public history, public archaeology with private consulting firms, government regulatory branches or university research institutes.

15 semester hours of upper-division history courses will be required of all applicants to the historical archaeology program: 3 semester hours in Methods, 3 semester hours in U.S., 3 semester hours in European, and 6 semester hours of electives. A maximum of 6 semester hours may be at the graduate level. These 15 semester hours must be completed within the first 2 semesters in the program.

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