Apr 20, 2024

2012-2013 General Catalog

2012-2013 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

History, M.A.

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U.S. History
Latin American History
European or British History

(AHIST)

LSU offers the MA degree in American, British, European, and Latin American history. The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

The thesis-option MA requires 30 semester hours of credit, including six hours of thesis credit, and a research thesis. The non-thesis option requires 36 hours of course work and passing the MA comprehensive examination. The non-thesis MA is regarded as a terminal degree.

The curricular requirements include:

At least 15 hours at the 7000 level or above, exclusive of any type of independent studies credit except for special project credit earned
Research seminars: All MA students must take a research seminar sequence (HIST 7908 and HIST 7957 for U.S. history; HIST 7908 and HIST 7909 for European and British history). If a seminar needed to fulfill the requirements for the course of study is not offered in a given semester, the student may fulfill the requirement through independent study in consultation with the major professor.
Reading seminars: All MA students must take a minimum of four reading seminars. Students in Modern European or British history will normally take five reading seminars (HIST 7915 -HIST 7930 ). Students in American history will take HIST 7904 , HIST 7951 , HIST 7952 , HIST 7955 , HIST 7958 and HIST 7959 (twice for six hours)

A final examination committee is chosen when the student nears the end of his or her program. The student selects those 24 hours of study, including work with the major professor, upon which to be examined. The examining committee includes the major professor, the minor professor if a minor field was elected, and one or two others in the department whose specialties coincide with other history work offered for examination. If a student writes a thesis, a defense of the thesis is included as well. The examination on this material is oral. After the completion of the examination, the committee will make a formal recommendation in writing about the suitability of the student for PhD-level work.

Specialization in U.S. History

1st Year (18 hours)

Fall:

Spring:

2nd Year (12-18 hours)

With thesis - Fall:

With thesis - Spring:

HIST 8000 Thesis Research (1-12 per sem.)

Without thesis - Fall:

Without thesis - Spring:

nine hours history electives (six may be in a minor field)

Note:

HIST 8000 may be taken for up to nine hours a semester, however, only six hours will count toward fulfilling the requirements for the MA

Specialization in Latin American History

A program will be devised to meet the student’s preferences, to include four reading seminars, one or two research seminars, thesis research if applicable, and additional history electives and/or outside minor fields.

Specialization in European or British History

The specific course selection and sequence will vary to fit the concentration chosen.

With thesis - 1st year (18 hours)

Fall:

HIST 7908 Introduction to Historical Research (3)
One elective in History or Minor Field (3)

Choose one:

depending on offerings

Spring:

HIST 7909 Research Seminar in European History (3)
One elective in History or Minor Field (3)

Choose one:

depending on offerings

With thesis - 2nd year (12-18 hours)

Fall:

HIST 8000 Thesis Research (1-12 per sem.)

Choose two:

depending on offerings

Spring:

HIST 8000 Thesis Research (1-12 per sem.) (3 credits required)
Electives (6)

Without thesis - First Year (18 hours)

Fall:

HIST 7908 Introduction to Historical Research (3)
One Elective in History

Choose one:

depending on offerings

Spring:

Two Electives in History or Minor Field

Choose one:

depending on offerings

Without thesis - Second Year (18 hours)

Fall:

One Elective in History or Minor Field

Choose two:

depending on offerings

Spring:

HIST 7909 Research Seminar in European History (3)
Two Electives in History or Minor Field

Note:

Non-thesis students may at the end of their second year still elect to write a thesis and extend their residency and registration accordingly.

* Students concentrating in Europe to 1650 may substitute a history elective for one of the Reading Seminars.

Dual Degree Program in History (MA) and the School of Library & Information Sciences (MLIS)

The department, in conjunction with the School of Library & Information Science, also offers a dual degree program in which a student can earn a Master of Arts degree in history and a Master of Library Science & Information degree simultaneously with the completion of 64 hours. A separate application to the School of Library & Information Science is necessary.

The basic requirements for the dual degree program are the same for the regular non-thesis MA program in the Department of History and the MLIS program in the School of Library & Information Science. The dual degree program, however, has been designed to allow the student to complete the 36 credit hours for the MA and the 40 credit hours of the MLIS by completing a total of only 64 hours.

Elective courses in the School of Library & Information Sciences eligible for credit for the history MA degree: LIS 7200 , LIS 7201 , LIS 7202 , LIS 7203 , and LIS 7700 .

Elective courses in the Department of History eligible for credit for the MLIS degree: Any two three-hour graduate courses at the 7000-level in the Department of History.