M.A. in History with a Major in History
Coursework
Hour Requirements: 33 hours, 24 of which must be taken on a letter grade basis. All master’s students are required to take HIS 6059 Historical Methods.
The master's degree candidate chooses one Principal Field and one Complementary Field of concentration. Principal and Complementary Fields must be in different areas, and a minimum of 9 semester hours must be taken in the Principal Field and 6 semester hours must be taken in the Complementary Field.
If completing the thesis track: student must take at least six semester hours of HIS 5971 Thesis.
If completing the non-thesis track: student must submit and present two research papers or projects for approval to their committee.
Language
One foreign language is required for the Master of Arts degree. This may be fulfilled by: (1) having completed four years of one language in high school; (2) having at least 12 semester hours of a language, with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, while earning the bachelor's degree; (3) by passing the reading knowledge examination offered by the FSU Modern Languages or Classics departments; or (4) completing a Complementary Field in a language.
M.A. in History with a Major in Public History
Coursework
Hour Requirements: 33 hours, 24 of which must be taken on a letter grade basis.
As part of the 33 hours, the student must take:
Part A (All four classes):
- HIS 6059 Historical Methods (3 hours)
- HIS 5067 Public History Theory & Methods (3 hours)
- HIS 5083 Preserving Historic Sites and Spaces (3 hours)
- HIS 5935 American Architectural History (3 hours)
Part B (At least one of these classes):
- HIS 5082 Managing Archives and Historical Records (3 hours)
- HIS 5165 Digital History (3 hours)
- HIS 6087 Exhibiting History (3 hours)
Part C (Both):
- HIS 5085 Internship (3 hours)
- HIS 5089 Capstone Research Project (3 hours) OR HIS 5971 Thesis (6 hours)
Language
One foreign language is required for the Master of Arts degree. This may be fulfilled by: (1) having completed four years of one language in high school; (2) having at least 12 semester hours of a language, with an overall GPA of at least 3.0, while earning the bachelor's degree; (3) by passing the reading knowledge examination offered by the FSU Modern Languages or Classics departments; or (4) completing a Complementary Field in a language.
Ph.D. in History
Coursework
Hours Requirement: Student will choose a Principal Field and three Complementary fields of study. The student must take a minimum of 9 credit hours of graduate work in each Complementary Field and a minimum of 12 hours in the Principal Field of study. Doctoral students are required to take HIS 6059 Historical Methods. If the student has completed a graduate level methods course at another institution, HIS 6059 may be waived by the Graduate Studies Committee upon the student's petition and approval by the Faculty Advisor. Doctoral students must complete 24 hours of HIS 6980 Dissertation.
Portfolio Requirement and Oral Qualifying Exam
Each doctoral student will create a portfolio of materials representing their Principal and Complementary Fields as well more general professional competencies. The portfolio forms the basis of the Oral Comprehensive Qualifying Exam. The oral qualifying exam together with the portfolio determines if a student has clearly grasped the content areas of their fields of study and the discipline of history more generally. Students planning to take the oral qualifying exam must register for HIS 8964. A student who successfully passes the oral qualifying examination is considered a candidate for the doctoral degree and is eligible to register for dissertation credits.
Prospectus
During the first term in which the student registers for dissertation credits, a student must submit to their Advisory committee a research proposal suitable for a doctoral dissertation. After all committee members have read the prospectus, they and the student will meet to discuss the project and its anticipated trajectory. Students should be prepared to offer an oral presentation of their project for approximately ten minutes at the beginning of the meeting. This prospectus must be approved by all members of the Advisory committee, including the representative of the graduate school, and the approval form must be filed with the academic advising office.
Doctoral Defense
After doctoral students have successfully completed 24 hours of dissertation credit, and with the approval of their committee, they may defend their dissertation. The defense of the dissertation will be oral and all advisory committee members will take part synchronously. After completion of the examination, the examining committee will certify the results of the examination as one of the following: Pass, Pass with Major Revisions, Re-Examine, or Fail.
Language Requirement
The ability to read a foreign language can be a critical research skill for many graduate students. The language(s) required to complete a dissertation vary according to the topic. Therefore, the student’s Faculty Advisor (in consultation with the student) will determine which language(s) or other research skills are required for the given project. The requirements, as agreed upon by Faculty Advisor and student, will be recorded on the program of study, and will be signed by both student and Faculty Advisor. All language and skills requirements must be completed before the student is eligible to take qualifying exams. Graduate reading knowledge of one foreign language or an equivalent skill competency is required.