Suggested Program Maps

Below you will find tables showing the suggested path through the history department’s current PhD and MA programs respectively. 

These maps reflect minimum requirements. There is a good deal of flexibility in our program, and your individual situation may call for adjustments. Students may elect to take additional courses after having met their requirements in order to take advantage of subject offerings or optional training courses that were not available during the standard two-year course rotation. However, these tables indicate benchmarks against which “progress toward degree” will be measured.

Masters Candidates, 2 year map

Required for MA: 30 credit hours total including Hist 610-611, at least one additional research seminar, 5 additional courses 590 and above.

Goal for year 1: introduce the history profession
Goal for year 2: field differentiation, professional identity, original research paper (or thesis)

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 Director of Graduate Education 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 30 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, thePolicies and Procedures Manual and, for thesis students, the Manual for Preparation of Graduate Thesis

PhD Candidates, 4 year program map

Required for PhD: 90 hours total including Hist 610-611, at least 1 more research seminar, at least 3 more reading seminars (survey, wild card, or sequence).

Goal for year 1: introduce the history profession
Goal for year 2: field differentiation, professional identity, original research paper
Goal for year 3: demonstrate competency (prelims), launch dissertation, maybe teach survey
Goal for year 4: write dissertation and/or teach survey

 *After passing prelims each ABD will be asked to teach an appropriate survey class at least once, probably twice before graduation.  When you do this depends on when and where you need to conduct research.

PhD Candidates, Fast Track 5 year map

Required for PhD: 90 hours total including Hist 610-611, at least 1 more research seminar, at least 3 more reading seminars (survey, wild card, or sequence).

Goal for year 1: introduce the history profession
Goal for year 2: field differentiation, professional identity, original research paper
Goal for year 3: further content development, demonstrate competency (prelims)
Goal for year 4: launch dissertation, maybe teach survey
Goal for year 5: write dissertation and/or teach survey

*After passing prelims each ABD will be asked to teach an appropriate survey class at least once, probably twice before graduation.  When you do this depends on when and where you need to conduct research.