Fields of Study

History: Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy

For information contact:
Director of graduate studies
Department of History
254 Upham Hall (513-529-5121)
www.muohio.edu/history

Admission Requirements

Combined Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts Program

An undergraduate sophomore history major who has completed at least 15 semester hours of history courses (excluding Advanced Placement credits) with a grade point average (g.p.a.) of 3.75 or above in those history courses may file a preliminary indication of interest statement for this program with the director of graduate studies. A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test should be taken in the fall of the junior year, and formal application to the program must be made by Feb. 1 of the same year.

Admission requirements include: g.p.a. of 3.5 or better with 3.7 or better in the history major, completion of 116 undergraduate semester hours (or equivalent) by the beginning of fall semester of the senior year, and GRE scores above 500 in verbal and analytic sections.

An application for a graduate assistantship in the fifth year of study may be submitted when the bachelor's degree is completed.

Master of Arts

You must have an undergraduate g.p.a. of at least 3.0 with successful completion of undergraduate history courses. You must submit scores from the GRE general test (subject test in history is optional), a statement about your field of interest and career objectives, an academic writing sample, and three letters of recommendation.

Doctor of Philosophy

You must have a master's degree in history or its equivalent in course credits, with a g.p.a. of at least 3.5 (4.0 scale). You must submit scores for the GRE general test, a statement about your field of interest and career objectives, a substantial writing sample on a historical subject (up to 15 pages), and three letters of recommendation. The department will admit up to five students per year. Students completing the M.A. at Miami University must make a separate application to be considered for the doctoral program.

Program Requirements

Master of Arts

Select a field of study from the following: origins and history of the United States, Europe since 1500, gender and comparative women’s history, or world and comparative history.

Thirty-six semester hours are required, including HST 702 Research Seminar (3), HST 793 Historical Methods (3), HST 794 History and Theories (3), three Readings Colloquia in the major field (9), one Readings Colloquium outside the major field (3), and one course from another department (3).

For students seeking world and comparative history as their major field, HST 760 World Theories (3) is also required. For students choosing gender and comparative women's history, one course, whether offered in History or in another department, must treat theoretical issues, either feminist theory or another aspect of gender theory.

Language requirements for M.A. students are determined by faculty in the major field; hours taken for licensure in a language do not count toward a degree. An advanced course in a research-relevant language may be taken with the adviser's approval and may count as the "outside the major field" colloqium for the M.A. degree.

A thesis/project or examination (nonthesis) option is offered. The thesis/project option requires that the student produce a substantial thesis or project involving original research. Nine semester hours of thesis/project credit are required, with an oral examination upon completion. The examination (nonthesis) option requires that the student take a comprehensive final examination (written and oral) in the major field in the last six weeks of the semester in which the students completes course work. Students in the examination option must take one 600-series "Studies in History" (independent study) dedicated to examination preparation (3).

Graduate assistants are required to enroll each semester in HST 840 College Teaching of History Surveys (2) which is offered each year during the week before the fall semester begins; and in HST 694 Methods in History Teaching (1) during each semester.

Doctor of Philosophy

The major field is selected from either Origins and History of the United States or Europe Since 1500. Students also gain competency in one minor field, chosen from origins and history of the United States, Europe since 1500, gender and comparative women’s history, or world and comparative history

Sixty semester hours beyond the master's degree are required. At least 30 hours must be in course work other than the dissertation (courses numbered 500 or above). Those 30 hours will include the following: at least 12 hours in the major field and nine hours in the minor field with a minimum of four Readings Colloquia among those 21 hours; HST 703 Doctoral Workshop (6 hours); and two courses in other departments (6). At least 16 hours of HST 850 Dissertation must be completed. Students who enter the Ph.D. program with master's degrees from other institutions must take HST 702 Research Seminar (3), HST 793 Historical Methods (3), and HST 794 History and Theories (3), or show evidence of completion of equivalent courses.

Graduate assistants and teaching associates are required to enroll in HST 840 College Teaching of History Surveys (2) which is offered each year during the week before the fall semester begins; and in HST 694 Methods in History Teaching (1) during each semester.

Doctoral students are required to demonstrate competence in a second language; hours taken for certification in a language do not count toward a degree.