RIC Home
Calendars
Campus Map
SearchRequirements
Master of Arts in History
The M.A. program provides opportunity for in-depth study of United States, Western, and non-Western history. The degree may serve as a basis for teaching, research, or work at the doctoral level.
Admission Requirements
- A completed application form accompanied by a fifty dollar nonrefundable application fee.
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in undergraduate course work.
- A minimum of 24 credit hours of undergraduate courses in history (these courses should not include a Western civilization series or its equivalent).
- An official report of scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Three letters of recommendation, with two from history professors.
- A plan of study approved by the advisor and appropriate dean.
- An interview.
Program Requirements
A candidate may choose between a thesis plan and a seminar plan. The thesis plan requires a minimum of 30 semester hours, including History 501, 521, 561, 562, and 571. Six semester hours must be in History 599, which culminates in a written thesis. With advisor's approval, three semester hours may be elected in a related discipline, such as languages, statistical methods, or computer science. After completion of the program, students must pass an oral examination on the thesis and the major field.
The seminar plan also requires a minimum of 30 semester hours, including History 501, 521, 561, 562, and 571. In addition, History 561 must be taken a second time. With advisor's approval, three semester hours may be elected in a related discipline, such as languages, statistical methods, or computer science. Students in the thesis plan or the seminar plan may take up to six semester hours of graduate courses at the University of Rhode Island from the university's 400- and 500-level Department of History course offerings with consent of advisor or department chair.
| Choose A or B, Thesis Plan or Seminar Plan, below | ||
| A. Thesis Plan | ||
| HIST 501 | Historiography | 3 |
| HIST 521 | Topics in Comparative History | 3 |
| HIST 561 | Graduate Seminar in History | 3 |
| HIST 562 | Graduate Reading Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 571 | Graduate Reading Course in History | 3 |
| HIST 599 | Directed Graduate Research | 6 |
| NINE ADDITIONAL CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES, with advisement, from HIST 521, 550, 551, 552, 561, 562, 571. Three credit hours of courses in a related discipline may be substituted for one of these courses, with advisor’s approval. | 9 | |
| ORAL EXAMINATION on the thesis and the major field | 0 | |
| Total Credit Hours |
|
|
| B. Seminar Plan | ||
| HIST 501 | Historiography | 3 |
| HIST 521 | Topics in Comparative History | 3 |
| HIST 561 | Graduate Seminar in History | 3 |
| HIST 562 | Graduate Reading Seminar | 3 |
| HIST 571 | Graduate Reading Course in History | 3 |
| NINE ADDITIONAL CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES, with advisement, from HIST 521, 550, 551, 552, 561, 562, 571. Three credit hours of courses in a related discipline may be substituted for one of these courses, with advisor’s approval. | 9 | |
| *HIST 561 and 561 are taken twice | ||
| Total Credit Hours |
|
|
Master of Arts in Teaching in History
Students who already have an undergraduate degree with a major in history may become certified to teach history/social studies in secondary schools upon completion of the requirements for the M.A.T. See Secondary Education. The Academic Disciplines Component of the M.A.T. in history consists of the following courses: History 501, 521, 561, 562, and 571.
Master of Education in Secondary Education/History
The Academic Disciplines Component of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education/History includes the following courses: History 501, 521, 561, 562, and 571. See Secondary Education.