Master of Arts in History
Louisiana Tech University offers the MA degree in history, available in both thesis and non-thesis tracks. The graduate program in history is designed to train postgraduate students in the knowledge and skills necessary to the professional practice of history,
- as preparation for further study (especially the Ph.D. in history),
- for employment or advancement in fields in which such skills are desirable, and
- for personal cultural enrichment.
Combined with a teacher certification program, the MA in history is excellent preparation for teaching social studies at the secondary level.
Programs of Study
The degree of Master of Arts in History may be completed under either Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Non-Thesis):
Plan A: Thesis Option
- 30 hours (18 hrs must be at the 500-level, including 505 and 6 hrs thesis)
- oral exams [taken before registering for Liberal Arts 551 (thesis)]
The thesis plan is recommended for the student who anticipates continuing graduate study beyond the Master of Arts degree. It may also be appropriate to the professional or personal goals of other students. The student must complete 30 semester hours of graduate credit, 6 hours of which will be given for successful completion of a thesis. The thesis course is Liberal Arts 551, Research and Thesis (3 semester hours credit), which may be repeated once for credit. At least 12 of the remaining 24 hours must be completed in 500-level courses open only to graduate students. History 505 is required of all students. The remaining courses may be taken either at the 500-level (for graduate students only) or at the 400- level (for advanced undergraduate and graduate students).
A thesis topic must be submitted to the student's graduate committee for approval before the end of the first quarter in which he/she is enrolled in thesis work. It is the responsibility of the student's thesis director to assist him/her in deciding on a suitable topic. A student following Plan A must take an oral examination administered by his/her graduate committee prior to registering for Liberal Arts 551. Should a student fail one part of the examination, he/she must take a written examination in that field. If the student fails more than one part of the oral examination, he/she must re-take the entire oral examination. Failure to pass the oral re-examination will result in the dismissal of a student from the graduate program.
Plan B: Non-Thesis Option
- 33 hours (18 hours must be at the 500-level)
- written exams, then oral exams
This plan is intended primarily for the student who does not anticipate pursuing doctoral-level work in history following completion of the Master of Arts degree. The student will not prepare a thesis, but must pass a written examination in his or her area of major specialty concentration or other approved area of course work specialization. Also, the student must submit at least two substantial research papers prepared in 500-level courses for departmental approval as evidence of research and writing skills attained. The student must complete 33 hours of graduate credit in history, at least 18 of which must be completed in 500-level courses open only to graduate students. History 505 is required of all students.
Written and oral examinations are taken by the student during the last quarter of his/her graduate work. The written examination is administered by the student's major professor. If a student fails any part of the written examination, he/she must retake it. Upon successful completion of the written examination, the student must take an oral examination administered by his/her graduate committee. If a student fails one part of the oral examination, he/she is required to take a written examination in that field. If the student fails more than one part of the oral examination, he/she must retake the entire oral examination. Failure to pass a re-examination, oral or written, will result in dismissal of a student from the graduate program.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING BOTH OPTIONS.
- With approval from the graduate director, the student may have 6 hours other than history, but it may not count as part of the 500-level requirement.
- Upon approval of the department involved, a maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate resident credit, or 1/3 of the hours required for the master's degree, may be transferred for degree credit from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university. The grade earned must be a B or above, and the credits are accepted as applicable to the master's degree program by the student's academic college.
- Maximum of 9 hours of independent study courses (History 510, Liberal Arts 503)
- Since most members of the department's graduate faculty are on nine-month appointments, the department cannot guarantee that faculty will be available to administer M.A. examinations or read theses during the summer quarter. For this reason, students are advised not to count on being able to graduate in summer quarter. Students whose plans call for graduation in summer are advised to seek commitments of availability from affected faculty members well in advance. If faculty members cannot be available, the student cannot graduate.
- Every candidate for the Master of Arts degree in History must pass an oral examination covering his or her entire program of study.
- All history courses numbered 400 or above in the current Catalog of Louisiana Tech University, unless otherwise designated, are acceptable for credit toward the degree of Master of Arts with a major in history.
Areas of Concentration
A student wishing to pursue the Master of Arts in history will elect a Major Specialty Concentration, which will consist of at least 12 semester hours of thematically related course work chosen in consultation with the graduate advisor. The principal Major Specialty Concentrations currently offered are:
- Southern History
- History of Culture and Ideas
- History of American Foreign Policy
In addition, students may develop individualized concentrations in other areas, including U.S., European, and other fields, with the approval of the graduate advisor and the Graduate Coordinating Committee.
The Major Specialty Concentrations in Southern History and the History of Culture and Ideas are offered under the Collaborative Agreement with the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Some courses related to these concentrations are taught by ULM faculty members, who are also available to direct independent study experiences and to serve on thesis and examination committees.
Plan of Study
Each student is required to submit a plan of study by the end of the first quarter in which he/she is enrolled. The plan of study is worked out by the graduate director and the student and is approved by the members of the student's graduate committee. The committee will consist of faculty members under whom the student will take most of his/her course work. If there is a change in a student's plan of study, this change may be reflected in the final composition of the student's committee.
The committee listed on the Plan of Study will be the committee for purposes of written and oral examinations. The composition of the thesis committee may be different, and will be reflected on the thesis proposal. Ordinarily, the chair of the examination committee and the thesis committee will be the same person.
All history courses numbered 400 or above in the current bulletin of Louisiana Tech University, unless otherwise designated, are acceptable for credit toward the degree of Master of Arts with a major in history. Six hours of course work approved by the Graduate Director may be taken outside the discipline of history.
Department, College and University Regulations
Current graduate students are required to know and understand regulations governing grading, enrollment, registration, and graduation. In particular, students are responsible for knowing important guidelines and deadlines. Students must also be familiar with the university's honor code and policy regarding academic misconduct.
Special Resources
In addition to substantial book and periodical holdings in the field of history, Prescott Memorial Library possesses rich materials for historical research in its Regional Government Documents Depository; its Department of Special Collections, Manuscripts, and Archives; and its American Foreign Policy Center. The McGinty Trust provides financial support to the Department of History for graduate and undergraduate scholarships, lecture series and symposia, library collection development, and other enhancements. The department houses the McGinty Chair in History and publishes the McGinty Monograph Series and other scholarly works in the field of Louisiana history.
Institutional Collaborations
The Department of History maintains a Collaborative Agreement with the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a Cooperative Agreement with Louisiana State University-Shreveport. In addition, Louisiana Tech University permits cross-registration in graduate courses with Grambling State University, under the Interinstitutional Cooperation Program (ICP). Students enrolled in the MA program in history at Louisiana Tech enjoy access to the graduate faculty and library facilities of all collaborating institutions. Details of these agreements are available from the department office.
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