History M.A.

• Introduction
• Requirements

Introduction

The Department of History offers an M.A. degree in history for those individuals who are interested in postgraduate work, but who are not planning to complete a Ph.D. It is a degree program that can fulfill in-service education requirements for current teachers as well as for future teachers earning a single-subject credential in social studies. Part-time enrollment is allowed.

Each student will be required to choose one of three areas of specialization (U.S., Europe, East Asia). To complete the degree, each student must pass a total of 12 courses of 5 credits each and two courses of 2 credits each. Students are required to produce a substantial research essay (average word count of 8000-1000) grounded in original research in primary historical documents. There is no language requirement.

Detailed information for prospective graduate students, including procedures for applications and admission to graduate studies, examinations and requirements is available from the Division of Graduate Studies.

Applications

The deadline for applications to the History Program is December 10 of each year. Admission information and application material are available online.

Requirements

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The M.A. degree is awarded after two years in residence, provided that the following requirements have been met:

• Completion of 12 five-unit courses and two 2-credit Proseminars
• Removal of all Incomplete notations on record
• Approval of an M.A. essay

Course Requirements Expand and Collapse

HIS200	Methods and Theories of History	5
HIS201	Directed Research Colloquium	5
HIS202	Practicing World History	5

HIS 200: year 1, fall quarter

HIS 201: year 2, winter quarter

HIS 202: year 1, spring quarter

One research seminar during the first four quarters: Expand and Collapse

HIS204A	History of Gender Research Seminar	5
HIS204C	Colonialism, Nationalism and Race Research Seminar	5
HIS204E	Transnationalism, Borderlands, and History	5

Three Promseminars of 2 credits each including: Expand and Collapse

HIS280A	History Graduate Proseminar: Teaching Pedagogy	2
HIS280B	History Graduate Proseminar: Research Presentations and Grant Writing	2
HIS280C	History Graduate Proseminar: Job Market	2

HIS 280A: year 1

HIS 280B: year 1

HIS 280C: year 2

Six area of concentration electives of 5 credits each, two of which may be taken outside the History Department. Expand and Collapse

Courses taken must be graduate seminars, upper-division undergraduate courses, and independent study courses (maximum of two).

Reading seminars in the area of specialization: Expand and Collapse

U.S.:

HIS210A	Readings in U.S. History	5
HIS210B	Readings in U.S. History	5

Europe:

HIS251A	Readings in Modern European History: Environment and Technology	5
HIS251B	Readings in Modern European History: Empire	5

East Asia:

HIS230A	Readings in Late Imperial China	5
HIS230B	Engendering China	5
HIS230C	Readings in 20th-Century China	5
HIS242	Readings in Modern Japan	5
HIS243	Transnational Japan	5
HIS244	Gender and Japanese History	5

Further details about the graduate program are available from the Department of History website.

Applying for Graduation Expand and Collapse

The final essay (hard copy and pdf copy) must be submitted to the graduate program coordinator by the spring quarter deadline. A completed Application for the Master's Degree must be filed with the graduate coordinator with the submission of your final essay.

Essay Review and Evaluation 

The Graduate Committee evaluates the master’s essays and makes recommendations to the graduate director on the awarding of the M.A. degree. Applicants are notified of the committee's decision in June.