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Preface

The Department of History at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University provides graduate training leading to the Master of Arts (MA). The Handbook of Graduate Studies in History describes the rules, procedures, and standards of the department and the Graduate School and is intended for the use of both students and their advisers. It supplements but does not supplant the Graduate School's guidebooks: The ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú Bulletin, Graduate Edition and A Handbook for Graduate Students and Faculty, which have precedence over this Handbook.  The Graduate School's Handbook is published annually and contains the latest changes in academic regulations and policies affecting graduate education at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú.

The department's Handbook should answer most questions about its graduate programs, but students and faculty should not hesitate to ask for clarification and information from the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and other members of the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC).

University Statement Asserting Respect for Human Diversity

ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University is a community dedicated to intellectual engagement.  Our campuses consist of students, faculty, and staff from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.  By living, working, studying, and teaching, we bring our unique viewpoints and life experiences together for the benefit of all.  This inclusive learning environment, based upon an atmosphere of mutual respect and positive engagement, invites all campus citizens to explore how they think about knowledge, about themselves, and about how they see themselves in relation to others.  Our intellectual and social development and daily educational interactions, whether co-curricular or classroom related, are greatly enriched by our acceptance of one another as members of the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University community.  Through valuing our own diversity and the diversity of others, we seek to learn from one another, foster a sense of shared experience, and commit to making the University the intellectual home of us all.

We recognize that we must uphold and abide by university policies and procedures protecting individual rights and guiding democratic engagement.  Any actions disregarding these policies and procedures, particularly those resulting in discrimination, harassment, or bigoted acts, will be challenged swiftly and collectively.  All who work, live, study, and teach in the ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú community must be committed to these principles of mutual respect and positive engagement, which are an integral part of ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú's focus, goals, and mission.

Faculty Advisor and Graduate Committee

As soon as possible, and preferably by the beginning of Semester I, the entering student should consult the DGS about prospects for appointment of an advisor, the choice of module, and the choice of Examination or Thesis/Project option (see below).

The advisor's responsibility is to guide the student through the remainder of her or his graduate program and, typically, to chair the student's graduate committee.  The advisor will be selected on the basis of the student's areas of interest and the prospective advisor's willingness to serve.  If significant aspects of the student's program changes, a new advisor may be appointed by the DGS.

The student's graduate advisor, in consultation with the DGS and the student, will select and chair a graduate committee of at least three qualified faculty who advise the student throughout the program and evaluate the thesis/project and its defense, or the written and oral final examinations.

The chair of the student's committee is usually the main advisor, and must have Level A standing in the Graduate School.  Other members of the committee must have at least Level B standing.  One member of the committee may be from outside the History Department.  For questions about the current standing of specific faculty, see the DGS.

Thesis/Project Option

This option entails either a written thesis, or some other final project in the form of a museum exhibit, website, documentary, or other innovative presentation of extensive research based on primary and secondary sources.  In any case the project must have a clear and prominent written component.

In preparation for the thesis/project, in Semester II the student and the advisor constitute a faculty committee to supervise the work, and the student submits a signed MA Program/Committee Form to the DGS, as well as the research prospectus to the faculty committee.  With the committee's approval, the DGS forwards the prospectus to the GSC for final approval.  The prospectus should be a description of the thesis/project and should include statements of goals, historiographical significance, theoretical approach, and originality.  It must also include a tentative outline and a bibliography (and/or discussion of the sources available).  Excluding the bibliography and title page, the thesis/project prospectus should be a least 5 pages in length, but this is ultimately a matter to be determined by the student and committee in consultation.  Students are encouraged to examine copies of recent prospectuses on file in the department office.

Six semester hours of course credit in HST 700 are required to complete the thesis or project, with an oral examination (defense) upon completion.  The department strongly encourages students and their advisors to plan students' schedules so as to allow them to take all six Thesis/Project Hours in Semester IV, or their final semester of full-time enrollment.

The written thesis typically will consist of a minimum of 50 double-spaced pages or the equivalent.  The project is expected to include a considerable written component, the content and dimensions of which are to be determined by the student and committee in consultation.  In preparing the written component of the thesis/project, the student should follow The Chicago Manual of Style and the Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Guide.

The oral defense of the thesis or the project consists of a one-hour (minimum) oral presentation and discussion of the completed thesis/project before the members of the student's committee.  The date set for the defense must take into account (1) the department's requirement that the final draft of the thesis/project must be submitted to the faculty committee at least three weeks before the scheduled defense date; (2) an indeterminate time interval needed after the defense to make any revisions requested by members of the faculty committee, and (3) the Graduate School's deadline for approval and electronic submission of theses/projects (deadline dates are published on the Graduate School website).

Written components of the thesis/project must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically with specific formatting.  Students are strongly encouraged to consult the Graduate School's website for detailed information on formatting requirements.  Failure to submit the thesis with proper formatting can lead to delays in awarding the degree.

Notes:

• Students in both the Thesis/Project and Examination options are required to produce a prospectus of the final product in HST 602 during Semester II.
• Students pursuing the Thesis/Project Option must take HST 700 in the final regular semester before the intended defense date.
• Oral examination (defense) is required for both the thesis/project and examinations.
• The Chicago Manual of Style is the preferred departmental style for all work submitted by students.

Examination Option

This option entails research and writing roughly equivalent in amount to that carried out by students in the Thesis/Project Option, culminating in comprehensive written and oral final examinations in three related areas, one in the major field and two in minor fields.

In preparation for the examinations, in Semester II the student and the advisor constitute a faculty committee to supervise the work, and the student submits a prospectus to the committee and, with their approval, to the DGS for approval by the graduate studies committee.  The prospectus should include a description of the student's one major field and two minor fields, a plan of historiographical study, a statement of goals, historiographical justifications for the work, and a series of questions to be addressed in the major and minor fields.  It must also include a tentative reading list in the form of a bibliography (including discussion of the sources available), and be accompanied by the MA Program/Committee Form completed with signatures.  Excluding the bibliography and title page, the examination prospectus should be at least 5 page in length, but this is ultimately a matter to be determined by the students and committee in consultation.  Students are encouraged to examine copies of recent prospectuses on file in the department office.

Six semester hours of course credit in HST 730 are required to prepare for the examinations, with written and oral examinations in the major field and the two minor fields administered upon completion.  The department strongly encourages students and their advisors to plan students' schedules so as to allow them to take all six examination hours in Semester IV, or their final semester of full-time enrollment.

In the written examinations, students will write and submit historiographical essays answering questions posed by the committee members in the major field and each of the minor fields.  The essays will typically consist of a total of at least 50 double-spaced pages, and should follow The Chicago Manual of Style.  The committee chair will decide and inform the student by the beginning of the semester in which the exams will be taken whether the written exams will be proctored, take-home, or a combination of both types.  Together these essays will serve as the basis for the oral examination.

The oral examination consists of a one-hour (minimum) oral presentation and discussion of the written essays before the members of the student's committee.  The date set for the defense must take into account the student's desired date of graduation.  Unlike the Thesis/Project Option, there are no Graduate School submission deadlines applicable to the Examination Option.  Written components of the examinations have no formatting constraints besides those imposed by the committee and department, and they are not submitted to the Graduate School.

Notes:

• Students in both the Thesis/Project and Examination options are required to produce a prospectus of the final product in HST 602 during Semester II.
• Students pursuing the Examination Option must take HST 730 in the final regular semester before the intended examination date.
• Oral examination (defense) is required for both the thesis/project and examinations.
• The Chicago Manual of Style is the preferred departmental style for all work submitted by students.

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Typical MA Student's Schedule

Semester I
HST 601 Historical Methods (3)
HST 677 Independent Study (3)
One other course (3)

Semester II
HST 602 History and Theories (3)
HST 603 Research Seminar I (3)
One other course (3).  Typically, this will be a course in a module.

Submit Program/Committee form.
Complete Thesis/Project prospectus by the end of the semester.

Semester III
HST 604 Research Seminar II (3)
One Module course (3 or 4 credits)
One other course (3)

One chapter (thesis) or written portion (project) due by the end of the semester.

Semester IV
HST 700 Thesis/Project or HST 730 Examination Hours (6)
One Module course (3 or 4 credits)

Thesis/project defense or Examination

Deadlines and Time-to-Degree

The Graduate School requires that the final examination or defense take place within five years of first registration in the MA program.

Application for graduation is a requirement that all students must complete before the receive their degrees.  The deadlines to apply for graduation can be found on the Graduate School website under Student Resources.  Students who are finishing incompletes, who have transfer work pending, or who will be depositing a thesis should still submit the application for graduation by the appropriate deadline.

Upon successful completion of the thesis defense or oral examination, the department files the "Certificate for Awarding the Master's Degree" form, which must be received by the Graduate School at least 10 business days before the official certification of the degree.  For students pursuing the Thesis/Project Option, there are additional university deadlines for submission of the thesis.  The student is responsible for meeting the deadlines set by the Graduate School for submitting the thesis for final format check, and for depositing the thesis electronically (uploading OhilLINK); see the Graduate School website under Student Resources.

Petitions

University policies governing graduate education may be modified or waived by petition.  Petitions must be submitted in a timely manner, and must be approved first by the GSC and then by the University Graduate Council.

Within the department, students may be able to tailor the department's rules, requirements and procedures to fit their individual needs and interests, by consulting with their advisors and petitioning the GSC.  Please see the DGS in advance of any petition.

Credit Hours and Grade Standards

Graduate Credit Hours

All courses numbered 500 and above count for graduate credit.  A full time student may register for a minimum of 9 credit hours and maximum of 15 each semester.

Grade Standards

Students must maintain a grade average of 3.0.  Courses in which a student earns a grade of B minus or lower will not count in fulfillment of core grraduate requirements, including colloquia.  Courses with C grades or lower will not be applicable to the minimum total credit hour requirements.  Normally a student who receives 6 semester hours of C grades will not be eligible for future Graduate Assistantships and will be asked to withdraw from the program.

A departmental rule encourages professors to assign the grade of F to students who take an Incomplete grade and then fail to complete required course work by the end of the 6th week of the following semester.  Petitions to waive this deadline must be submitted in ample time to the GSC.  Students should be aware that Incompletes not completed in a timely fashion jeopardize the eligibility of current or prospective holders of Graduate Assistantships at the time they apply for renewal or award of an assistantship.  No student with an Incomplete may proceed to the thesis defense or degree examinations.

Incompletes are figured into the student's grade point average as Fs.  As a result, multiple Incompletes are an especially serious problem in that they cause the GPA to fall below the 3.0 required in order to take a graduate degree.  If a student's GPA falls below a 3.0 for two consecutive semesters because of Incompletes on the record, the student may not register for additional graduate courses.  Exceptions may be made for legitimate reason (e.g., a continuing medical problem of a serious nature), but must be obtained by formal petition to the GSC.

Dismissal

Grounds for dismissal from the graduate programs are:  a GPA below the minimum; more than six hours of C grades or lower; cheating, including plagiarism; violation of department or Graduate School deadlines; or proven cases of turpitude affecting professional life (tried before the appropriate University disciplinary board).  Students holding stipends must remain in good standing in the program; failure to meet departmental or graduate school deadlines may jeopardize a student's Graduate Assistant standing or the possibility of holding a Graduate Assistantship in the future.

Plagiarism

Use of someone else's words as if they were one's own is plagiarism.  The minimum penalty for plagiarism is a failing grade for the paper or examination.  Other penalties that may be imposed are failure for the course and dismissal from the program.

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Additional Funding Available to Graduate Students

Summer Assistantships (for Students Admitted Prior to Fall 2023)

Summer Graduate Scholarships are available to students who were regular Graduate Assistants during the preceding academic year.  Students must meet a number of academic requirements and have registered on time throughout the year.  Summer Graduate Scholarships pay a stipend and include remission of all fees except a part of the general fee.  Eligible Graduate Assistants in the Department of History will be recommended for summer funding when, in the assessment of the DGS in consultation with their advisor, the individual is making adequate progress on the thesis/project or examination topic.  In order to receive a summer scholarship, students must be registered for summer course hours by May 1st.  Apply through the Graduate School.  No duties beyond registered course work under the supervision of a faculty  member are required in the summer terms.

Departmental Funds

The department and Graduate School provide funds to support graduate education. The department maintains a fund to help graduate students attend conferences or travel for their research. Applications are accepted for use of these funds twice a year, once in autumn and once in spring semester. To apply, submit a proposal to the DGS, with the approval of the advisor, an explanation of the purpose of the travel and how it relates to the degree program, a projected budget, indication of any other funds received or applied for, and (for conferences) proof that the paper, poster, or panel has been accepted for presentation.  The GSC makes awards based on the merit of the applications and the availability of funds.  Deadlines for departmental funding requests are September 15th and February 15th.

Funds from the department for travel do not normally exceed: $150 for local or graduate student conference presentation; $300 for other conference presentations in the U.S.; $500 for international conference presentation; $150 for local research; $300 for research elsewhere in the U.S.; $500 for research outside the U.S. Money is not generally available to attend conferences when the student does not give a presentation.

Once the department has approved an application, the student may apply for additional funds from the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Association.

Graduate School and Graduate Student Association Travel Funds

The Graduate School Travel Fund and the Graduate Student Association Travel Fund provide financial support to students who are presenting a paper, poster, or panel at an academic conference.  To qualify for funds, students must show proof that their paper, poster, or panel has been accepted for presentation and they must receive funding from their home department.  Applications to the two funds (individually or in combination) are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed once a month.  Applications must be submitted within 60 days of travel to be considered for funding.  Individuals may request Graduate School funding once a year, and GSA funding twice a year.  The application is on the Graduate School's website, Student Resources, Forms and Publications.  (NOTE:  Graduate students in the department are eligible for these funds only if the department's student representatives consistently attend Graduate Student Association meetings.)

Graduate Achievement Fund

The Graduate School administers a fund used to recognize significant achievement in any research or creative activity that has been recognized by some external (to the home department) organization.  Awards do not normally exceed $300.  Deadlines and application procedures are on the Graduate School's website, Student Resources, Forms and Publications.

Graduate School Research Support

The Graduate School will entertain requests for unusual expenses associated with a student's research for the master's degree.  There is no application form; students must briefly describe their research project and explain why these expenses are necessary.  A tentative budget must be included.  Students also must have the endorsement of their adviser or the DGS; endorsement should be included with the request for funding.  Awards will not exceed $300 for master's students, and will often be less, depending on the demand.  Deadlines to apply for this award are around November 1 and April 1 of each academic year.  See the Graduate School's website, Student Resources, Tuition and Funding, Financial Awards.

Center for Teaching Excellence (CELTUA)

The Center offers programs to enhance the effectiveness of graduate students as teachers, including the Graduate Student Teaching Enhancement Program (GSTEP) and the Certificate in College Teaching.  See their website for information.

Graduate Studies Committee

The graduate program in History is administered by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), who chairs the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) and implements the policies adopted by the History Department, the GSC, and the Graduate School.  The DGS and faculty members of the GSC are appointed by the department Chair in consultation with the department Advisory Committee.  In addition, two graduate student representatives also serve on the GSC.  The resident graduate students elect representatives, one from each year/class, at the start of each academic year.  The graduate student representatives participate in GSC meetings, and must also consistently attend meetings of the university Graduate Student Association in order for students in the department to be eligible for GSA travel funding.

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

• Convenes meetings of the GSC
• Supervises students pursuing graduate degrees of the department
• Approves and registers topics or subjects of all MA theses
• Reports to the department at least once each semester at a regularly scheduled department meeting

The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC)

• Meets when necessary to consider matters that fall under its charge; meetings are to be preceded by an agenda and minutes filed.
• Drafts and recommends to the department (or that part of the department designated by the Graduate School) rules, regulations, and procedures for the graduate program.
• Passes on all graduate-level courses and recommends course and curriculum programs and requirements to the department.
• Has charge of graduate student recruitment.
• Screens applications for admission to graduate study.
• Receives applications for graduate assistantships, scholarships, and other grants and appointments to assist graduate students in history, and selects and recommends the recipients of such grants and appointments to the department Chair.
• Conducts graduate program assessment.
• Has charge of placement and career development activities for graduate students.

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