History, MA

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Students admitted to the Master of Arts in History are required to become familiar with the program’s Student Handbook for the year in which the student begins the program.

Degree Requirements

Degree requirements for the program include the following.

40 units of coursework, with a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better
One substantive research paper
One foreign language
Thesis

University Policies. University policies detailed in the Student Information section of the Bulletin apply.

Master’s Along the Way to the Doctorate

Although rare, the student admitted to the doctoral program with only a bachelor’s degree is eligible to apply for a Master’s degree along the way to the doctorate. This opportunity, however, is not available if the student already has a Master’s in History from another institution. The student is not eligible to apply for another MA in History from CGU.

Students who wish to receive an MA while working toward the PhD should write a letter to the History faculty stating their intention. Students should have completed 40 units of required master’s degree graduate courses at CGU, passed the foreign language exam, and written two substantive research papers using primary historical resources in CGU history courses for which the student received grades of B+ or better.

History Concentrations

American Studies

The American Studies concentration is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach to the history and character of American culture and society.

European Studies

The European Studies concentration provides students new and traditional methods of research and equips them with the skills to teach general courses in European civilization, humanities, interdisciplinary subjects, and specialized areas of European cultural and intellectual history. An emphasis is placed on modern and early modern European culture and intellectual history.

Early Modern Studies

Early Modern Studies is a transdisciplinary concentration, encompassing the disciplines of English, history, and philosophy. For doctoral students, the concentration prepares students for higher education teaching careers and complements research in the selected discipline with doctoral level work. For Master’s students, the discrete course of study complements coursework in archival and museum studies.

Coursework. Coursework requirements are as follows.

Five courses in the early modern period (1509-1714), of which two must be outside the discipline in which the student is earning the degree
Courses in Latin Reading and Paleography
One course based upon bibliographic inquiry into the extensive collections of modern print and manuscripts housed in the Special Collections of The Claremont Colleges Library