Department of History
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M.A. Degree Requirements
Graduate training in history at the master's level may serve a variety of purposes: to improve your skills and credentials as a teacher or other professional, to broaden your academic expertise into new fields, or to "test the waters" in the discipline before committing to a doctoral program. Master's candidates take the same courses and meet the same expectations as doctoral candidates in history, but their degree programs are shorter and require less comprehensive reading and research preparation.
Admission
- Purdue University Graduate School on-line application form.
- Official copies of all transcripts for college-level study. International students must provide official transcripts in the language of origin along with English translations and a copy of the Bachelor's Degree diploma.
- Your statement of purpose specifying fields of interest and potential major professor(s).
- Acceptable performance on the general portion of the GRE.
- English language proficiency (international students supply the TOEFL).
- An overall undergraduate grade point average of “B” or better.
- Usually not less than 24 undergraduate semester hours of history courses with at least a “B” average. (Well qualified students with fewer hours may be admitted to the program conditionally, and they may be required to take additional courses to prepare for the M.A. degree.)
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A writing sample (written in English, not translated), usually a term paper.
Degree Requirements
Masters candidates may choose a thesis or non-thesis program. On the thesis track students complete 27 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis research. Non-thesis candidates earn their degree entirely through 33 hours of coursework. All M.A. students take the Graduate Colloquium and at least 3 more courses at the 600 level (you must earn a B- or better to include a course on your plan of study). Non-thesis students take at least 2 reading seminars and 1 research seminar in addition to the Graduate Colloquium; thesis-option students must take at least 1 reading seminar, 1 research seminar, and 6 hours of 698 Thesis Research. M.A. candidates must maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (B). There is no general language requirement, but language proficiency may be required for some fields.
Courses Explained
- First year Graduate Colloquium (HIST 598 and HIST 599) introduces the discipline of history, its current trends and problems, and the fundamentals of research and writing. Comprises a "theory and perspectives" seminar (semester 1) and a "research practicum" (semester 2).
- Reading seminars in which two key aspects of the historians' craft are practiced--careful reading and critical discussion. In any given semester the reading seminars offered may deal with topics outside your particular major field; nevertheless, they will serve as valuable preparation for mastering the discipline of history.
- Research seminars in which you will craft an original piece of historical scholarship. Again, the subject of these seminars may not coincide with your dissertation interests, but the skills taught and tested are universal to the enterprise.
- Specialty courses: HIST 640, "Introduction to Global History," may be counted as a reading seminar; HIST 650, "Teaching the History Survey," may not be counted as a reading seminar.
- 500-level courses (dual-level undergraduate-graduate courses) on different topics that count toward your total 33 hour requirement but do not replace seminars.
- Independent directed readings (HIST 590), where you will work with faculty mentors to shape your subject fields. The course may be repeated for credit.
- Thesis research credits (HIST 698), which allow you to complete your master's thesis.
Fields of Study
The Major Professor guides the preparation of the Major Field (called "Primary Area on the Plan of Study"). A major field covers a substantial area and/or span of time. The exact content and scope of a major field is determined by you and your major professor. Ordinarily students take 15 hours of coursework in their major field.
You also must identify a Minor Field (also called by the Graduate School a "related area") that lies outside the major field in time, place, or significant theme. A thematic minor (such as gender in history or imperialism) may include material that overlaps with the major field as long as the majority of reading is theoretical or lies outside the major area. With the approval of the major professor, a relevant minor field may be prepared outside the Department of History.
Procedures in the MA program
Purdue’s program in history is small enough so that each student receives substantial individual attention. A significant factor in the program is the strong link between each student and her or his Major Professor. Whether or not the student writes an M.A. thesis, the advice and counsel of this experienced mentor is very important to the educational process.
Upon entering the program each student meets with the Director of Graduate Education to make initial plans, but as soon as possible academic guidance is transferred to the Major Professor. The selection of a Major Professor should be completed during the student’s first year in the program.
Plan of Study: Each student must file a Plan of Study with the Graduate School. This document lists all relevant coursework and identifies the Advisory Committee (3 individuals: Major and minor professors and one additional advisor). A plan of study must show credit for 598 (or equivalent), at least of 15 hours in the Major Field (“primary area”) and at least 6 hours in the Minor Field (“related area”). All candidates for the M.A. will show at least 33 total hours of graduate coursework (for thesis-option candidates 6 hours will be 698). Only courses with earned grades of B or better may be included on the POS.
The POS must be filed BEFORE the start of the semester in which a student intends to graduate, as determined by Graduate School deadlines.
Instructions for filing an electronic plan of study are available in the History program's graduate office or click here.
Progress Toward Degree: Ordinarily the M.A. takes two years. Midway through their second and fourth semesters the records of full time M.A. candidates will be reviewed by the DOGE for evidence of progress toward the degree. Second semester candidates must have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better in at least 6 credit hours of coursework and should be registered for enough courses to bring the total for year one to at least 15 hours (at least 6 at the 600 level). To be in “good” standing fourth semester candidates must have maintained a 3.0 average in at least 24 hours of coursework and be registered for enough hours to attain 33 by the end of year two. “Good” standing is a requirement for continuation of any graduate staff appointment.
After 2 semesters below GPA of 3.0 or if a student falls below the cumulative minimum credit hours the file must be reviewed by the Graduate Committee, which may find that such student is making “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” progress toward the degree and recommend remedial action and/or termination of a graduate staff appointment.
Non-traditional MA students taking courses part-time may be excused from this assessment of progress toward degree.
Exams: Non-thesis candidates for the M.A. currently do not take a final exam. Thesis option candidates will be examined by the members of their advisory committee at an oral thesis defense, which typically is one hour in length.
Students are responsible for meeting the requirements set for them in the Purdue Graduate School Bulletin, the Policies and Procedures Manual and, for thesis students, the Manual for Preparation of Graduate Thesis.