(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 7917 -HIST 7930 ). Students in American history will take HIST 7904 , HIST 7951 , HIST 7952 , 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.