Prerequisites for Admission

1. For students who have majored in History, the following are required:

  1. A B.A. in History
  2. Completion of a senior thesis
  3. An overall G.P.A of 3.0 and a G.P.A of 3.0 in their history major
  4. Two professional letters of recommendation. These letters are not required if the student has completed 15 or more units of upper division History at Stanislaus State.

Students who meet these requirements and are granted admission to the program after review by the History Graduate Committee will be admitted under Classified Status.

2.  Students who have not majored in History, but who have completed a minimum of four upper division history courses, including a senior thesis course, with a G.P.A. of 3.0 in those courses, may also be considered for admission under Classified Status if they meet the following requirements:

  1. A B.A. in a field closely related to history
  2. An overall G.P.A of 3.0 and a G.P.A. of 3.0 in their major
  3. Two professional letters of recommendation

3.  Students who have not majored in History, or who have not completed a minimum of four upper division history courses, including a senior thesis course, with a G.P.A. of 3.0 in those courses, may be considered for admission under Conditional Classified Status in the program at the discretion of the History Graduate Committee if they meet the following requirements:

  1. A B.A. in a field closely related to history
  2. An overall G.P.A of 3.0 and a G.P.A. of 3.0 in their major
  3. Two professional letters of recommendation

4.  Students who otherwise meet the requirements for admission but have an overall G.P.A. and/or a G.P.A. in their major of less than 3.0 but at least 2.9 may be considered for admission under Conditional Classified Status.

5.  Students who are admitted under Conditional Classified Status must meet the following requirements within one year before they can be advanced to Classified Status:

  1. Complete three 4000-level history courses at Stanislaus State, including completing the extra work required of graduate students in these courses, with a G.P.A of 3.0 or higher. Students will receive graduate credit for these courses if they are advanced to Classified Status.
  2. Complete Senior Seminar if they have not already completed this course prior to admission. In this case, Senior Seminar may count toward the three 4000-level courses, but Senior Seminar units will not count toward the M.A. degree. 

Progression toward Degree

  1. Upon admittance, students will be assigned an adviser, usually the Chair of the Graduate Committee.
  2. Unless admitted under “conditional classified” status, students begin with “classified” status.
  3. Pending completion of all classes counting toward the M.A., minus the thesis (if the student chooses the thesis option), each student must write a letter to the Chair of the Graduate Committee announcing his/her readiness to take comprehensive exams.
  4. Students must take their comprehensive exams within one calendar year of completing their coursework, minus the thesis, during the times specified by the department.
  5. Upon completing all requirements for the M.A., the student achieves “candidacy” status and is eligible for graduation.
  6. The maximum period for completion of the M.A., including coursework taken under conditional classified status that is counted toward the degree, is seven years.

Degree Requirements

  1. Thirty units are required, of which at least 24 units are to be taken in courses offered by Stanislaus State. If the thesis option is chosen, up to 8 of the 30 units may be thesis units.
  2. A minimum of 21 of the 30 units must be at the 5000 level. The remaining units may be at the 4000 level or the 5000 level.
  3. No coursework graded below B- or “Credit/No Credit” courses may fulfill any M.A. requirement, with the exception of thesis units, which are always “Credit/No Credit” units.
  4. A comprehensive written examination is required of all candidates and will cover all work taken in the program. In addition, if the thesis option is chosen, an oral defense of the thesis is required.
  5. Students not choosing the thesis option must submit at least two substantial papers, written during graduate classes, for his/her file prior to graduation.
  6. In the papers, examination, and thesis, the student is expected to demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter and its historiography, as well as competence in the following three skills: ability to conduct research, analytical ability, and ability to communicate clearly.

Additional Requirements

If the candidate earns less than a "B" average in any single semester, a departmental review of the candidate's eligibility is mandatory. Withdrawal of candidacy may result.

Adherence to the departmental Statement of Professional Ethics is also mandatory. Departure from this standard also results in dismissal from the program.

Course Requirements (30 units)

1. All graduate students with conditionally classified status must take the following course at the first opportunity that the course is offered:

  • HIST 5930 - The History of Historical Writing (4 units)

2. All students must take 17 additional units at the 5000 level.

The applicable courses are:

  • HIST 5000 - International Relations Seminar (4 units)
  • HIST 5900 - Graduate Studies-East Asian (4 units)
  • HIST 5910 - Graduate Studies-American (4 units)
  • HIST 5920 - Graduate Studies-European (4 units)
  • HIST 5960 - Graduate Studies-Middle Eastern (4 units)
  • HIST 5970 - Graduate Studies-Latin American (4 units)
    Note: HIST 5900, 5910, 5920, and 5970 may be repeated with a different instructor for credit.
  • HIST 5980 - Individual Study
    (may be repeated for a total of 6 units)
  • HIST 5990 - Thesis (Optional)
    (8 units maximum, 4 per semester)

3. Students may take up to 9 units of 4000-level courses to be applied to the degree.

Extra work, as specified by the instructor, is required in order for 4000-level courses to count toward the M.A. degree. The only 4000-level classes not appropriate for graduate students are HIST 4000, 4960, and 4980.

4. In consultation with the Graduate Committee, other courses may be considered for application toward the degree.

Prior approval required.

Updated: July 14, 2023