History (MA)
Admission Requirements
The History Department conducts a holistic review of all credentials presented by the applicant in order to identify each applicant's academic abilities and potential for success in our graduate program; no single factor alone leads to either accepting or excluding an applicant.
Applicants to the MA program in History should have:
- A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale (a GPA based on a 3.0 scale will be converted to a 4.0 scale)
- 21 undergraduate credit hours in history, with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Students with an undergraduate GPA of between 2.5 and 2.99 may be accepted conditionally into the program at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, provided they meet all other requirements for admission. Conditional admission requires that the student maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the first nine (9) credit hours of graduate coursework.
Students with fewer than 21 undergraduate credit hours in history will be required to take additional history courses to bring their total undergraduate hours up to the required number.
Admission Materials
Applicants must submit the following materials to the University of Louisville Graduate School:
- A completed graduate application form and application fee
- Official transcripts, verifying the receipt of a BA from an accredited institution
- At least two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic and/or professional capabilities and potential
- A writing sample of no more than 15 double-spaced pages
- A curriculum vitae highlighting past awards, scholarships, leadership and work experiences, or internships
- A statement of purpose, not to exceed 500 words, outlining in reasonably specific terms, the applicant's academic and career objectives and how they can be advanced through graduate work in our program. The statement should also indicate the applicant's intended area(s) of interest, preparation for this field of study, and, if possible, the departmental faculty with whom the applicant wishes to study.
Deadlines:
Applications for Fall semester: February 15 *
Applications for Spring semester: December 1
* February 15 is the deadline for all students who want to be considered for available fellowships, assistantships, and internships. Students who do not intend to apply for these funding sources may submit their applications until May 15. For a list of the graduate assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and internships, see louisville.edu/history/graduate-studies/funding Applications for these awards are normally due on February 15.
Accelerated BA/MA
This program allows a history major to use a maximum of nine (9) credit hours of graduate coursework towards both a BA and an MA After completing the undergraduate program and receiving a BA, the student will enter the graduate program and complete the remaining requirements for the MA.
To be considered for admission to the accelerated program, students must:
- Have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.35 in history
- Students must apply for admission to the program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the program. Complete a graduate application for admission to the graduate program.
- At least two recommendations.
In addition, students must retain a GPA of 3.35 in history (have a B+ in graduate history courses) during their senior year to remain in the program.
In general, students will work with Associate or Full Professors as their academic advisors. To work with an Assistant Professor, students will have to receive approval from the faculty member and the Director of Graduate Studies.
Program Requirements
All graduate students are required to take the Core Courses (15 credit hours in total) along with approved Major Field courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 15 | |
| Research Methods and Materials | ||
| Practicum in Public History | ||
| Studies in American History (Digital History) | ||
or HIST 607 | Oral History | |
| Introduction to Public History | ||
| Thesis | ||
| Major Field Courses | 15-18 | |
Thesis option students take 15 credit hours; non-thesis/exam option students take 18 credit hours (see below). | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 30-33 | |
All History M.A. students choose one of the following three Major Fields and take 15 credit hours (if they are working toward the thesis option) or 18 credit hours (if they are working toward the exam option):
- Americas: Five (thesis option) or six (exam option) content courses with at least one course on Latin American/Borderlands history.
- World: Five (thesis option) or six (exam option) content courses on the history of regions, peoples, and cultures primarily outside of the Western hemisphere.
- Public History: Two public history methods courses, two (thesis option) or three (exam option) content courses, and one additional HIST 608 Practicum in Public History course.
MA students in the History Department normally take nine (9) credit hours of coursework per semester (three courses). With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, a student may take up to 12 credit hours (four courses) in a semester. Students may take up to six (6) credit hours HIST 601 Directed Study and up to six (6) credit hours of graduate courses outside of the History Department. No pass-fail courses may be applied to an MA in History.
If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, he or she is subject to academic probation and may be dismissed from the MA program.
For MA-level work in certain areas, knowledge of foreign languages or knowledge of other specialized research tools may be required.
Students will be allowed to transfer up to six (6) credit hours of appropriate coursework from outside the University of Louisville. Up to nine (9) credit hours of non-degree graduate coursework in History may be transferred into the MA program.
Students may choose to complete the MA by thesis or by exam.
Thesis Option
Completion of 30 credit hours of coursework, 15 credit hours in the required Core Courses and 15 credit hours in the student's chosen Major Field. The thesis must be in the Major Field. Following an oral defense, it must be approved by a thesis committee consisting of the thesis director and at least two other faculty members, one of whom must come from another department. The committee requires prior approval by the Department Chair and the Academic Unit.
Examination Option
Completion of 33 credit hours of coursework, 15 credit hours in the required Core Courses and 18 credit hours in the student's chosen Major Field. The exam consists of two written examinations, one covering the competencies addressed in the Core Courses and one in the Major Field, and an oral examination. A committee will evaluate the written and oral examinations on their content and the relevant areas of history. The committee will consist of three faculty members, normally the two faculty members who administer the examinations and a third faculty member who may be in the Department of History. The committee requires approval by the Department Chair and the Academic Unit.
