History, MA

The M.A. degree is available to students seeking a stand-alone (or terminal) M.A. and to students who are seeking an M.A./Ph.D.  Many M.A. graduates pursue careers in high school teaching, government service, libraries and archives, and private employment. Others continue on to the Ph.D. program or to doctoral study at other institutions. 

 

Admission Requirements  

Students applying for the MA degree program should submit evidence of extensive undergraduate preparation in History (preferably an undergraduate major). Applicants who wish to be considered for financial assistance and fellowships should review the department’s web-site for specific deadlines. For additional information on application procedures and requirements, consult: https://history.as.uky.edu/history-graduate-program/applying-program 

 

Degree Requirements 

MA Plan A (Thesis)   

Credit requirements:  

• 30 semester credit hours of coursework and a thesis with a standing of 3.0 (B) or better 

Course requirements: 

• HIS 606 HISTORICAL CRITICISM   
• At least 15 credit hours at the 600 or 700 level (not including 768 hours) 
• At least one 700-level research seminar 
• At least 16 credit hours must be from Department of History courses (not  including 768 hours) 
• At least 16 credit hours of regularly scheduled courses (excludes the following course types: independent study, research, residency, practicum) 
• A maximum of 6 hours of HIS 768  is allowed  
• Students must write an MA thesis under the supervision of a MA advisor. The thesis must be an original work of scholarship and 60-100 pages in length. 
• Students must defend the MA thesis in an oral examination before an advisory committee that consists of the student’s advisor and two other faculty members. The exam will focus on the thesis, but the student may also be examined over the MA coursework. 
• Meet the MA foreign language requirement as outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin and any additional requirements specified by the student’s field. 

 

MA Plan B (Non-Thesis)  – Plan B can be satisfied by one of the following two options: 

 

Credit requirements: 

• 30 semester credit hours of coursework and an essay with a standing of 3.0 (B) or better 

Course requirements: 

• HIS 606 HISTORICAL CRITICISM   
• At least 21 credit hours at the 600 or 700 level  
• Two 700-level research seminars 
• At least 21 credit hours of regularly scheduled courses (excludes the following course types: independent study, research, residency, practicum) 
• At least 20 credit hours must be from Department of History courses  
• Students must write an MA essay under the supervision of a MA advisor. The  thesis must be an original work of scholarship and 45-60 pages in length. 
• Students must defend the MA essay in an oral examination before an advisory committee that consists of the student’s advisor and two other faculty members. The exam will focus on the essay, but the student may also be examined over the MA coursework. 
• Meet the MA foreign language requirement as outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin and any additional requirements specified by the student’s field. 

OR 

Credit requirements: 

• 36 semester credit hours of coursework and 3 papers with a standing of 3.0 (B) or better 

Course requirements: 

• HIS 606 HISTORICAL CRITICISM   
• At least 24 credit hours at the 600 or 700 level 
• Two 700-level research seminars 
• At least 24 credit hours of regularly scheduled courses (excludes the following course types: independent study, research, residency, practicum) 
• At least 24 credit hours must be from Department of History courses  
• The student must submit three papers to an advisory committee. These papers must have been written for graduate credit in the Department of History’s MA program. Two of the papers must be research papers that demonstrate competence in historical research and writing, and the third should be a historiographical review essay of at least twenty pages. The student will participate in an oral examination before the advisory committee that is based on these papers.   
• Meet the MA foreign language requirement as outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin and any additional requirements specified by the student’s field. 

 

For more information about the History MA program and its requirements, see: https://history.as.uky.edu/history-graduate-program/ma-program