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History

Students seeking a major in American History for the Master of Arts degree must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate courses in history, provided they fulfill the undergraduate history requirements of the University or another accredited institution. A maximum of six hours in cognate courses from other areas such as political science and geography may be used to complete the minimum requirements of thirty semester hours for the degree.

1. BA in History, or BA in other field with 18 credit hours in undergraduate History
2. Students with less than 18 hours of undergraduate History courses must meet the 18 hour requirement before being admitted to candidacy for a M.A. degree. They may take these courses, beginning in their first semester, while enrolled in graduate classes. None of the 18 hours history prerequisite will count toward the hours required to complete the graduate degree.
3. Transfer of credit: In a 30-hour program ( Thesis option ), nine semester hours earned at another accredited graduate school may be accepted toward the master's degree at Virginia State University. In a 36-semester hour program ( non-thesis option ), 12 semester hours may be accepted. In any case, transfer credit from another institution must be approved by the major advisor and must be of "B" quality or higher. Transfer of credit of the required courses is not permitted. The required courses are Historiography, and, in the non-thesis option, Foundations of Education, Statistical Procedures, and Educational Research.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The GRE must be taken either prior to enrollment to VSU or within the first semester at VSU. A student must attain at least 330 on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE. A student with a combined score of 700 (verbal and quantitative, but not less than 300 on either subtest), also meets the required standard. Students unable to meet either or both of the GRE standards may meet the requirement by passing ENGL 516 (Advanced Writing) and/or MATH 499 (Mathematics Review), whichever applicable.

Foreign Language / Research Methods Requirement

Graduate students in History are required to have completed two years of a modern foreign language in High School and one year of a foreign language in college, or a minimum of two years of a modern foreign language in an undergraduate college program, or demonstrate knowledge equivalent to passing second half of intermediary foreign language, or pass a reading test administered by the Department of Languages and Literature at VSU (French, German, Spanish).

Program Coordinator

Students entering the History Graduate Program must immediately consult with the Program Coordinator who will review their undergraduate records, determine their academic needs, fill out their program cards in consultation with the student's prospective advisor, advise on possibilities for graduate student assistantship, and help the student select an academic advisor.

The Program Coordinator maintains the student's records and periodically meets with the student to insure that appropriate academic progress is made. When problems arise, the student will first consult with the Program Coordinator.

Students entering the program select an academic advisor from among the approved Graduate faculty in the History Department (currently Drs. Philipsen, Goldenberg, Blouet, Toppin). Your thesis advisor may be the same as your academic advisor or the Graduate Program Coordinator, or may be different. Until admitted to candidacy, students have the freedom to change advisors during the course of their graduate program.

Program Cards

Within the first two weeks of your first semester, you must meet with the Program Coordinator in order to discuss your Program Card, which consists of the list of courses you can take, and, more specifically, explains how many courses you can and/or have to take in each of the categories (categories are: --mandatory courses; --U.S. History basic courses; --field of specialization seminars; --methodology seminars; --history education courses). The Program Coordinator and the student will fill out and sign the Program Card, assuring that all course requirements and expectations are clearly understood.

Course Requirements

Thesis Option

1. Mandatory Courses: Historiography and Research and Thesis (6 credit hours)
2. U.S. History Basic Courses: At least two, no more than five
   (6 to 15)
3. Methodology Seminars: No more than one (0 to 3)
4. Field of Specialization Seminars
   (Group “A”: American History): At least two, no more than four (6 to 12)
   (Group “I”: International History): At least one, no more than three (3 to 9)
5. Electives (graduate courses from Sociology, No more than two (0 to 6)
   Education, Pol Sci, etc.)

TOTAL: (30 credit hours)

Courses taken from outside of the History Department must be approved by the advisor and Program Coordinator.

Non-Thesis Option (History Education)

1. Mandatory Courses: Historiography and Comprehensive Exam 3 credit hours)
2. U.S. History Basic Courses: At least two, no more than four
   (6 to 12)
3. Methodology Seminars: : No more than one (0 to 3)
4. Field of Specialization Seminars
   (Group “A”: American History): At least one, no more than two (3 to 6)
   (Group “I”: International History): No more than one (0 to 3)
5. Education Courses: Six courses (18 credit hours)
   
   TOTAL: (36 credit hours)

Education courses are intended to cover the necessary requirements to obtain teaching certification (currently EDUC 501, EDUC 513, STAT 510, HIST526, HIST 530, and HIST 531).

After the program cards have been filled out and signed by the Program Coordinator and your advisor, they are sent to the Graduate Office for review and approval. Once approved, one copy remains in the Graduate Office, one copy goes to the Program Coordinator, and the last copy is given to the student.

Historiography (HIST 510)

Historiography is a mandatory course which all Graduate Students have to take during their first year. The course introduces students to the program as well as to graduate studies in History in general. Students will become acquainted, and will gain experience, with doing historical research, interpreting both primary and secondary historical sources, writing historical essays, compiling annotated bibliographies, quoting and citing historical sources, as well as evaluating different schools of historical thought and scholarship.

Research and Thesis (HIST 555)

A student enrolled in the thesis option must take this course during the semester in which she/he intends to graduate. The course is intended to help guide the student through the process of finishing and defending her/his thesis. HIST 555 can be taken up to two times.

Available courses

The following History graduate courses are available for History graduate students:

HIST 501: The Colonial Era in American History
HIST 510: Historiography
HIST 511: Special Topics in United States History
HIST 512: Special Topics in World History

HIST 513: The Revolutionary Era in American History, 1763-1812
HIST 514: Seminar in Southern History
HIST 515: Antebellum and Civil War America
HIST 517: Seminar in Reconstruction
HIST 518: Industrialization, Expansion, and the Rise of the American Empire, 1870s to 1945
HIST 520: Seminar in American History After World War II
HIST 526: Methods and Materials for Teaching History and Social Studies in the Secondary School
HIST 530: Problems of Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School
HIST 531: Developments in Social Studies Curriculum
HIST 536: Comprehensive Examination
HIST 537: Economic and Business History of the United States (the graduate track of the same-titled HIST 437)
HIST 538: Internship: Social Studies Education
HIST 539: A History of the Constitution of the United States (the graduate track of the same-titled HIST 439)
HIST 540: From Freedom to Slavery: The Black Experience in North America to 1865
HIST 541: From Slavery to Freedom: The Black Experience Since 1865
HIST 542: History of Slavery in National and International Perspective
HIST 543: History of Race Relations in the U.S.
HIST 545: Women s History (the graduate track of the same-titled HIST 445)
HIST 546: Modern American Social History
HIST 547: Oral History / Historical Methodologies
HIST 551: Independent Study in American History
HIST 553: History of Black Education in the United States (the graduate track of the same-titled HIST 453)
HIST 555: Research and Thesis
HIST 559: A History of Black Religious Experiences in America (the graduate track of the same- titled HIST 459)
HIST 561: Africa to 1800
HIST 562: Africa Since 1800
HIST 563: The Atlantic World During Colonialism and Slavery
HIST 564: The Atlantic World in the Post-Colonial Era
HIST 592: Coming to America: A History of Immigration to the Americas (the graduate track of the same-titled HIST 492)

List of Courses in History Graduate Program by Categories

Mandatory Courses
HIST 510— Historiography
HIST 536— Comprehensive Examination (for non-thesis option)
HIST 555— Research and Thesis (for thesis option)

U.S. History Basic Courses
HIST 501— The Colonial Era in American History
HIST 512— Special Topics in World History
HIST 513— The Revolutionary Era in American History, 1763-1812
HIST 515— Antebellum and Civil War America
HIST 517— Seminar in Reconstruction
HIST 518— Industrialization, Expansion, and the Rise of the American Empire, 1850s to 1945
HIST 520— Seminar in American History After World War II

Field of Specialization Seminars
Category “A” (American History)
HIST 511— (A) Special Topics in United States History
HIST 514— (A) Seminar in Southern History
HIST 537— (A) Economic and Business History of the United States
HIST 539— (A) A History of the Constitution of the United States
HIST 540— (A) From Freedom to Slavery: The Black Experience in North America to 1865
HIST 541— (A) From Slavery to Freedom: The Black Experience Since 1865
HIST 543— (A) History of Race Relations in the U.S.
HIST 545— (A) Women's History
HIST 551— (A) Independent Study in American History
HIST 553— (A) History of Black Education in the United States
HIST 559— (A) A History of Black Religious Experiences in America
HIST 592— (A) Coming to America: A History of Immigration to the Americas

Category “I” (International History)
HIST 542— (I) History of Slavery in National and International Perspective
HIST 561— (I) Africa to 1800
HIST 562— (I) Africa Since 1800
HIST 563— (I) The Atlantic World During Colonialism and Slavery
HIST 564— (I) The Atlantic World in the Post-Colonial Era

Methodology Seminars
HIST 546— Modern American Social History
HIST 547— Oral History / Historical Methodologies

History Education Courses
HIST 526— Methods and Materials For Teaching History and Social Studies in the Secondary School
HIST 530— Problems of Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School
HIST 531— Developments in Social Studies Curriculum
HIST 538— Internship: Social Studies Education

Academic Performance

A graduate student whose GPA falls below 3.0 is placed on probation. If the student fails to raise his/her GPA to 3.0 in the next semester, s/he will be dismissed from the program.
Students suspended for academic reasons may appeal to the Policy and Petitions Committee for reinstatement.

Transfer Courses

In a 30-hour program, nine hours of transfer courses from another graduate program may be accepted with the permission of the Program Coordinator in consultation with the academic advisor (transfer courses cannot be over six years old by the date of your graduation from VSU).
In a 36-hour program, twelve hours of transfer courses from another graduate program may be accepted with the permission of the Program Coordinator in consultation with the academic advisor (transfer courses cannot be over six years old by the date of your graduation from VSU).
Six hours of non-History courses may be accepted with the permission of the Program Coordinator in consultation with the academic advisor.

Special Topics Courses

A student can take up to two Special Topics courses (HIST 511 and HIST 512) as long as the title and content of the Special Topics courses s/he chooses to take differ substantially in terms of title and content (in order to assure these requirements are met, taking more than one Special Topics courses requires permission by Graduate Program Coordinator).

Independent Study Courses

A student can take one Independent Study course (HIST 551) with approved History Graduate Program faculty, as long as the substance of the Independent Studies differs substantially from other courses offered in the program.

Completion of Graduate Program Requirements

Students must complete all degree requirements within six years. Extensions of up to two years may be granted by the Policies and Petitions Committee of the Graduate School.

Candidacy

After a student completes a minimum of twelve semester hours (thesis option), or a minimum of 18 semester hours (non-thesis option), in the approved program of study at VSU, s/he is eligible for admission to candidacy for the MA degree. The following requirements must be met:

1. unconditional admission to graduate school
2. passing scores on the GRE (see above)
3. passage of all foreign language and/or research methods requirement (see above)
4. completion of twelve semester hours of graduate course in your approved program of study at VSU (with a minimum of B average)
5. endorsement of academic advisor(s)

Upon completion of the above requirements, the student is to meet with his/her academic advisor and complete forms (available at the Graduate School) for admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy must be completed no later than the preceding semester in which the student expects to graduate (deadline dates for the candidacy application to be in the Graduate Office are published in the Graduate Office.)

THESIS OPTION

Proposal: After having completed a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours, but no later than after having completed 24 graduate credit hours, a student must submit for review and approval a thesis proposal to the Master's Defense committee the student has selected. The committee must consist of three graduate faculty, of which at least two must be from the History Department (one of which is the student's advisor). The thesis proposal must include:
- a clearly formulated research question;
- a thesis statement;
- an annotated bibliography;
- and a plan of research.
If approved, the student may then begin her/his thesis project.

Thesis title card: Candidates for the Master of Arts degree will file a thesis title card approved by the advisor at least six months before the candidate expects to complete all requirements for the degree.

Thesis: a thesis is a larger research paper in the student's field of specialization of at least 50 to 60 pages in length, and must comply to the standard format of History research papers (font size, spacing, margins, citations, bibliography, etc--see your advisor about details). In addition, the thesis must
- show an authoritative critical appreciation of secondary sources on the topic at hand
- include a substantial portion grounded in original research on the part of the student
- include a substantial interpretive section (what does the evidence presented mean?, how does it compare and contrast to the findings of other researchers in the field?, etc.)

Review and defense: A first draft of the thesis must be submitted for review and approval to the selected members of the Defense Committee at least eight weeks prior to the scheduled final defense date. The final draft of the thesis must be submitted to all members of the committee at least ten days prior to the scheduled defense date. The defense date cannot be later than the last day of classes during the semester during which the student intends to graduate. It is the responsibility of the student to get all materials to the advisor in time to meet the above deadlines, and, with the aid of her/his advisor, to make all materials available in time to the other two committee members.

The actual defense consists of

1. a short presentation by the student of her/his work
2. a longer discussion in which the three faculty defense committee members will ask the candidate questions about the student's research, findings, and conclusions
3. a discussion among the three faculty defense committee members (without the candidate being present) as to how to grade various aspects of the student's work, and how to evaluate/grade the overall thesis work.

In certain cases, the student's work may be approved conditionally, which means that the student has to make certain changes or additions to her/his thesis prior to final approval.

Once approved and evaluated with a passing grade, the student will have fulfilled all requirements for graduation with a Masters in History.

NON-THESIS OPTION

After having completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours, but no later than after having completed 30 graduate credit hours, a student must put together a Master's Defense committee. The committee must consist of three graduate faculty (all of whom the student has taken classes from), of which at least two must be from the History Department (one of which is the student's advisor). The members of the committee are responsible for (1) formulating the final Master's written exam, and (2) for the Master's oral exam of the student.
Application for Comprehensive Examination Form: The student must file a Application for Comprehensive Examination Form during the first month of the final school term in Graduate School or after s/he has completed all course work.

Final Written and Oral Exam: The student and her/his advisor are responsible for scheduling a time for (1) the final exam, and (2) the oral defense at the end of the last semester of the student s course work (no earlier than six weeks, but no later than two weeks before final grades are due--the last exam question must be administered no later than a week before the oral defense date).
The final written exam is a take-home exam and will consist of three questions, each one of which come from a different faculty on the defense committee (and one of which must come from an education faculty in the case of non-thesis History Education). The questions should be formulated in ways that allow the student to answers them in no more than two hours each. The exam answers must be typed, and the student is not allowed to use any outside help.

The exam can be administered either in one part, or in three separate parts (the student and her/his advisor will decide which option to choose). The student must return the exam in no more than 24 hours to the respective faculty. Each individual faculty is responsible for grading that part of the final exam that was administered by her/him. All defense committee members shall receive copies of all exam answers no later than four days before oral defense date.

The final oral exam consists of

1. a question-answer period in which faculty on committee will ask student questions about her/his answers in the exam
2. a longer discussion in which the three faculty defense committee members will ask the candidate questions about the student's Master's course of study at VSU
3. a discussion among the three faculty defense committee members (without the candidate being present) as to how to grade the various aspects of the student's performance during the oral defense.

The three grades from the three final exams count for half of the overall grade, the performance of the student during the oral exam counts for the other half. Once approved and evaluated with a passing grade, the student will have fulfilled all requirements for graduation with a Masters in History.