MA Degree in History
Description and Goals
The
Department of History offers two programs leading to the MA degree.
Students may choose to concentrate in one of four culture areas: Africa, Europe, Latin
America or the United States.
They will choose to follow either a thesis or a report option, in
consultation with their advisor. The degree requirements vary according
to the option taken. Students planning to continue into the Doctoral
Program in Atlantic Civilization are expected to complete the thesis
option. Separate application to the Ph.D. program
must be made as the student completes the MA program.
For
application information and deadlines see our application
information page.
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Degree Requirements: Thesis
Option
I. Courses
Distribution Requirements:
In consultation with their advisor,
students select one Core Area for concentration in African, European, Latin
American, or US history. Twelve semester hours of course work must
be taken within the Core Area.
Students also select a Breadth Area in consultation
with their advisor. Six semester hours of course work must be taken
within the Breadth Area. These classes may be courses taken in the
Department of History which are outside of the student's Core Area, or
in associated disciplines outside of the Department (with the approval
of the student's advisor), or a combination of the two.
General Coursework Requirements:
1. Total program
coursework will include a minimum of 30 semester-hours, including a
maximum of SIX semester-hours of thesis credit.
2. Two Research Seminars
3. Historical Methods (not transferable
from another program)
Limits:
1. No more than 3 semester hours of
Independent Study
2. Students must receive the grade of B
or better for any course to be counted toward the degree.
3. No more than 6 semester hours of HIS
5930 (Special Topics)
4. No more than one research seminar
per semester
5. No graduate-level cross-listed
courses already taken at the undergraduate level.
6. All coursework must be taken at
FIU.
II. Reading competence in a language other than
English.
Language competency is assessed by the faculty of the
Department of History, as appropriate. Courses required to meet the
language competency requirement do not count toward the degree. The
language required differs depending upon the field of concentration.
Consult your advisor and the catalog for details.
III. Thesis
1. Students will register for at least six
semester-hours of HIS 6970 (Thesis Research). (No more than six credits
will be counted toward the degree.)
2. The thesis must be successfully
defended and formally approved by a Supervisory Committee composed of
three faculty members. The chair of the committee will be the thesis
supervisor. One semester before the completion of the thesis, students
must submit a proposal and discuss this proposal with their Supervisory
Committee. One member of the supervisory committee may be from outside
of the department.
3. The degree candidate will prepare the thesis in
accordance with the regulations stipulated in the University's Graduate
Policies Manual. The degree will be conferred after the approval of the
final version of the thesis by the Office of the Dean of the College of
Arts and Sciences and its acceptance by the Division of Graduate
Studies.
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Degree Requirements: Report Option
A total of 30 semester-hours of coursework are needed
for the MA degree. The report option does not set requirements for the
Core/Breadth area distribution. Students will design their distribution
needs in consultation with their advisor and the relevant faculty. All
courses must be taken in the Department of History at FIU.
A minimum of two Research Seminars must be taken. If
approved by the supervising faculty members, the papers written for the
seminars will be presented to the Graduate Committee for approval. If
approved, these two papers will represent the "report" of this "report
option."
Historical Methods and Historiography are required for
all students.
Limits:
1. No more than 3 semester hours of
Independent Study
2. Students must receive the grade of B
or better for any course to be counted toward the degree.
3. No more than 6 semester hours of HIS
5930 (Special Topics)
4. No more than one research seminar
per semester
5. No graduate-level cross-listed
courses already taken at the undergraduate level.
6. All coursework must be taken at
FIU.
Courses (30 credits required)
Common Core:
Historical Methods
Remaining
Coursework:
2 Research Seminars (minimum
requirement). Students prepare a substantial research project.
Readings Seminars (variable number).
Students read and discuss works on a theme.
Topics Courses (variable number).
Advanced lecture courses.
Thesis Research (if applicable)
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Degree Requirements: Internship in Public
History Option
1. A total of 30 credit hours, of which no more than 6
can be in independent Study tied to an internship in the fields of
Museum Studies or Public History
2. A minimum of one Research seminar.
3. Historical Methods
4. At least 2 of the following 3
courses: HIS 5067 (Public History), HIS 5084 (Museum History), AFH 5850
(Introduction to Museum Studies--offered by the Department of Art &
Art History).
5. The remaining elective courses
should be selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate
Studies.
Students pursuing the Internship in Public History Option may wish to
also earn the Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies offered by the Department of Art & Art
History
