Masters Program Guidelines
Introduction
This online manual lists the requirements and guidelines for graduate study in history at The University of Toledo. All students and faculty should familiarize themselves with the program; faculty advisors need to keep the hardcopy version of this manual nearby for ready reference. While the compilers of Guidelines for Graduate Study have attempted to provide a thorough description of the graduate program, individual cases may arise which will require special consideration. The manual does not serve as a substitute for required conferences between students and the Director of Graduate Studies or the close supervision of a student's course of study by his/her individual advisor. New students who have not previously enrolled for graduate work at The University of Toledo should direct questions about their program to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History, The University of Toledo, Toledo OH 43606-3390. Continuing graduate students may consult with either their individual advisor or the Director of Graduate Studies. The graduate committee will waive the requirements listed in these guidelines only in the most exceptional circumstances.
Students should note that the Graduate School of The University of Toledo sets minimum requirements for application, matriculation and degree programs. Individual departments, including the history department, may set higher standards or make additional requirements; thus students should read this entire manual with care.
General
The student may earn the M.A. degree either by completing (a) 30 graduate credits, including a thesis, of which 6 credits may, with the approval of the student's advisory committee, be taken outside the department; or (b) 36 graduate credits without a thesis, of which 10 credits may, with the approval of the student's committee, be taken outside the department. The choice between (a) and (b) will lie with the student and his/her committee and will be made by the end of the first year of study. A student who lacks the necessary foreign language(s) for original research in his/her chosen field must take program (b). The M.A. student must maintain a B (3.0) average in all graduate work. Each candidate for the M.A. degree must also successfully complete the following: (a) one course in historiography and (b) two seminars.
Early in each student's program (i.e., no later than the beginning of the second semester of enrollment), the student, with the approval of the director of graduate studies and the faculty member(s) in the student's areas of interest, will choose an individual advisor and committee. If the student's research interest changes substantially over time, his/her advisory committee may need to be changed. In such cases, the student should consult the director of graduate studies.
Students in areas outside of United States history may be required to demonstrate competency in a foreign language before pursuing a master's degree. This requirement will be determined by the advisor and director of graduate studies.
Thesis Program
Students who plan to pursue doctoral degrees should enroll in the thesis program. The thesis program will conclude with an oral defense of the thesis, conducted by the student's committee.
Students in the master's thesis program may enroll in more than the six thesis hours, but only six thesis hours will count towards the 30 credit hours needed for the degree.
When a student completes a master's degree, the thesis committee shall make a written recommendation to the department graduate committee concerning whether or not the student should be encouraged to seek admission to the doctoral program. Students completing the M.A. degree who desire to continue their study at the doctoral level must formally apply to the Graduate School and to the department of history for admission to the Ph.D. program.
Persons holding master's degrees who desire to take additional graduate courses may apply for admission to a non-degree, post-M.A. program. Students in this category may take up to 20 additional graduate hours beyond the M.A. requirements. Admission to this non-degree status in no way guarantees later admission to the doctoral program.
M.A. Thesis
The Master of Arts thesis consists of an original historical work that demonstrates the student's competency with historical research materials and methodology. Length of the thesis may vary from about seventy-five to two hundred pages, depending upon the nature of the topic. The Chicago Manual of Style is the department's guide for theses. In addition, the thesis must carefully follow the Graduate School's Handbook for Preparation of Graduate Dissertations, Projects and Theses, which provides detailed directions for title page, margins, paper weight, and related matters.
Students planning to complete requirements for the M.A. with thesis must file a Notice of Thesis and an Assurances of Compliance form no later than one semester before the expected semester of graduation.
Before a student is allowed to defend his/her thesis, the advisory committee must vote to approve the thesis, conditional on a satisfactory defense. After this approval, students must, at least two weeks prior to the submission of the final version of the thesis to the Graduate School, defend their thesis before their committee. The thesis will be graded according to the grade scale in this manual. The defense normally lasts about an hour. Only under exceptional circumstances will the graduate committee consider a waiver of the defense.
In order to graduate in a given semester, students must deliver final copies of their theses to the Graduate School no later than one week prior to commencement. Students must adhere to the Graduate School's timetable and guide on preparing the final draft of the thesis; failure to do so may delay receipt of the degree. Students must also submit one copy of their thesis to the department for its library.
Non-Thesis Program
The non-thesis program will conclude with the successful completion of a half-day written exam. The exam, composed by the student's committee and graded according to the scale on page 11, will cover the geographical, chronological or comparative topics emphasized in the student's program.
Should the student fail the exam, he/she may, with the approval of the examining committee and the department graduate committee, retake the examination only once, and then no sooner than one semester after the failure. A second failure will result in dismissal from the program. Students who attempt the non-thesis program for the M.A. and who fail the exam will not be permitted to enroll in the thesis program.
Additional Requirements
At least 18 credit hours must be earned in the major subject area, and 6 of these hours, exclusive of the thesis, must be in 6990-level courses.
Students may register for independent study courses (6990) only if they have taken the 3000 or 4000/5000-level course (or the comparable course at another institution) that relates to the readings, or have the written permission of the instructor. With the instructor's permission, a readings course may be taken in conjunction with the 5000-level lecture course.
For credit toward the M.A. degree, it is possible to transfer up to 10 credit hours of coursework from other universities. A student who elects to take a second master's degree may use up to 12 credit hours from the first master's if the coursework is appropriate to the student's program. Students must submit a written request to the director of graduate studies, demonstrating how the courses apply to their M.A. program at The University of Toledo.
Requirements for the Master of Arts and Education Degree
The Master of Arts and Education degree in history requires at least 21 hours of graduate credit in history within the total of 36 hours presented for the dgree, including historiography and a seminar. The successful completion of a half-day written exam concludes the history portion of the program. The exam, composed by the student's committee and graded according to the scale in this manual, will cover the geographical, chronological, or comparative topics emphasized in the student's program.
The final project consists of a major work of research that has practical application. M.A.E. students who wish to complete their final project in the department of history, will, inconsultation with the director of graduate studies, identify a major advisor during the semester prior to completion of the project. During the semester that the project will be undertaken, the student will register for 3 credit hours of 6990, with the major advisor, under the title "Master Project: [title of project]." Early in the semester a notice of project and assurance of compliance form must be filed with the graduate school. A copy of the project is due in the graduate school by the deadline that the graduate school requires. All projects must conform to the guidelines set forth by the graduate school.
The students who complete their final project in the department of history do not have to take a half-day written exam.
Thesis Credit
Graduate students are not permitted to take thesis and dissertation credits (HIST 6960) unless they have completed all necessary coursework. Exceptions to this rule may be made by the Graduate Committee in cases of extraordinary circumstances. In order to enforce this rule, the Provost’s office will require the signature of the Chair to register for HIST 6960. The Chair will, in turn, consult and obtain the approval of each student’s advising professor before authorizing this registration.
The grade of “PR” will be used for thesis credit (HIST 6960). In all other cases of graduate work that is not completed in a single semester, the grade of “IN” shall be used.
Requirements for Graduation (M.A.)
1. All grades of I must be removed before the student takes the oral or written examinations for the master's degree.
2. A Plan of Study for the Master's Degree, Notice of Thesis, and Assurances of Compliance forms (see appendix) must be on file by the third semester of study. Forms may be picked up from the history department, the Graduate School or the director of graduate studies.
3. Before graduation, any changes in the approved Plan of Study must be filed with the Graduate School, either with a Plan of Study Course Substitution form (see appendix) or a revised Plan of Study for the Master's Degree form.
4. Students must have earned a 3.0 grade-point average.
5. The credit applied toward the master's degree must have been earned within the period of six years immediately before the time the degree is awarded.
6. All departmental requirements, such as seminar work, historiography, oral or written examinations, and thesis, must be completed.
7. Students must complete an Application for Graduate Degree form (see appendix) by the deadline at the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Forms may be obtained from the Graduate School.
Grade Scale
A (4.00) excellent
A- (3.67) very good
B+ (3.33) good
B (3.00) satisfactory
B- (2.67) lowest passing grade
C+ to D- (2.33-1.33) unsatisfactory; failing grade
F (0.00) only in cases of academic dishonesty
These grades conform to the 4.0 scale and the descriptions found in the catalogs of The University of Toledo. Letter grades will be converted to the 4.0 scale and averaged. The lowest passing grade for exams is a B- (2.67) after the grades are totaled and averaged.
Sample Timetable for Graduation
Fulltime M.A. Program (funded)
Year One – Fall Semester
Meet with director of graduate studies to go over program requirements
12 hours of course work including one seminar and one historiography
Year One – Spring Semester
12 hours of course work including one seminar
Meet with director of graduate studies to choose advisory committee
Year Two – Fall Semester
12 hours of independent study and thesis (or additional course work for non-thesis
degree)
Submit a thesis prospectus to the advisor and committee members
File a Notice of Thesis and Assurances of Compliance form in Graduate School
File a Plan of Study for the Master’s Degree form in Graduate School
Year Two – Spring Semester
12 hours of independent study (non-thesis degree) or thesis
File an Application for Graduate Degree form in Graduate School
File the defended thesis in the Graduate School one month prior to graduation
(Or take comprehensive exams for non-thesis degree)
For further M.A. program information contact Dr. William J. O'Neal, Director of Graduate Studies, at the address or email below.
Dr. William J. O'Neal
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH 43606
419-530-2242
william.oneal@utoledo.edu