History M.A.
See University master’s degree requirements. Specific departmental requirements for the M.A. in history are listed below.
ALL STUDENTS
For either track in history a minimum of 45 credits of approved graduate-level courses are required for the M.A. in history. Of these 45 credits students must complete a minimum of 32 credits in history, including HST 500 (Introduction to the Master’s Program in History) and at least one HST 591-HST 592 seminar sequence. Per university policy all students must complete the second language requirement outlined below. Students are strongly advised to take HST 500 in their first term of the program. Students will enter one of the following tracks. Students may enter either track at any time but they must still fulfill all of the requirements.
THESIS TRACK
Students in the thesis track must complete the following:
● prepare a proposal outlining their area of study (defined geographically and / or thematically), any preparatory courses necessary for their thesis, and their thesis topic that must be approved by the student’s adviser, who must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the History Department.
● enroll in a minimum of 6 credits (a maximum of 9 may be counted towards the degree) of HST 503 (Thesis) in which they will complete their thesis.
● defend the thesis in an oral examination before a committee comprising the thesis adviser and two other tenured or tenure-track members of the History Department, one of whom should be someone with whom the student has not taken a course. A fourth committee member from outside the History Department (if the adviser deems it necessary or advisable) may be added.
● after completing any necessary revisions, the student must submit the thesis to the Graduate School.
EXAMINATION TRACK
Students in the examination track must complete the following:
● a second HST 592.
● prepare a proposal outlining an area of study (defined geographically and / or thematically), and any preparatory courses necessary for their written examination that must be approved by the student’s adviser, who must be a regular (tenured or tenure-track) faculty member of the History Department.
● enroll in 4 credits of HST 506 (Project) during their final term before graduation in which they will complete their examination.
● complete a written examination (while enrolled in HST 506) on their area of study which will be graded Pass or Fail by the adviser who must be a tenured or tenure-track member of the History Department.
SECOND LANGUAGE
Graduate Students should demonstrate proficiency in a second language no later than the point at which they have completed 32 credits of graduate study. Per university policy, proficiency may be demonstrated by successfully completing language coursework equivalent to PSU’s 203-level course, or by passing an examination administered for this purpose by the Department of World Languages and Literatures. However, some fields of research may require language preparation beyond the formal University requirements. All M.A. students are urged to consult their advisers about expectations for study of languages prior to or soon after admission to the program.
Public History Concentration
Students wishing to pursue a career in public history are urged to consider the department’s public history M.A. concentration. Coursework is comprised of a balance of classroom and practical offerings, including supervised internships. Students in the thesis track may select a thesis topic within the public history field and/or one that makes use of public history methods (i.e., oral or digital history). Students in the examination track may select public history as their field of study. In addition to fulfilling all other requirements for a Master of Arts in history in the track of their choosing, students are also required to complete the following:
1. Required Courses
| Hst 593 | Introduction to Public History | 4 |
(unless student has successfully completed this course as an undergraduate)
2. a digital public history portfolio
To be approved by the student's advisor and submitted to the department as documentation of the student's public history work.
3. one public history seminar
4. a minimum of 6 public history internship credits
5. one public history lab course
World History Concentration
A specialization in world history is available through the department’s world history M.A. concentration. Students pursuing the world history concentration must fulfill all the requirements for a M.A. in History, in the track of their choosing, as well as:
1. 8 credits of Hst 590 Comparative World History
An appropriate advisor-approved course can replace 4 credits of Hst 590.
2. 8 credits in fields other than that covered by the Hst 591-Hst 592 seminar.