The History Department offers two M.A. options: thesis, or Plan A, and non-thesis, or Plan B. The specific features and requirements of each are discussed below.

M.A. Committee – M.A. committees consist of three faculty members, including the student’s faculty advisor.  Students should work with their advisor and the DGS to form the MA examining committee.

Thesis/Non-Thesis – Students may choose either the thesis option (Plan A) or the non-thesis option (Plan B).  The different requirements are described below.

Plan A - Thesis – Under the thesis option, a student must:

• Complete at least 24 semester credit hours of graduate course work with a standing of 3.0 (B) or higher
• Take at least fifteen hours at the 600 or 700 level; students in U.S. history must take any two of five readings courses 630-634; students in modern European history must take History 628, the colloquium in modern Europe
• Take History 606
• Take at least one 700-level research seminar
• Take at least two-thirds of the credit hours in Department of History courses
• Take at least two-thirds of the credit hours in regular courses (i.e. not independent study courses)
• Write an M.A. thesis and pass an oral examination over the thesis and coursework

Plan B – Non-Thesis – Under the non-thesis option, a student must:

• complete 36 hours of graduate work with a standing of 3.0 (B) or better;
• take a minimum of 21 hours from courses at the 600 and 700 level; students in U. S. must take any two of the five readings courses 630-634; students in modern European history must take History 628, the colloquium in modern Europe;
• take two 700-level research seminars;
• submit three papers to an examining committee of which at least two must be research papers that demonstrate competence in historical research and writing (the M.A. advisor must approve the papers in advance of scheduling the oral examination);
• pass an oral examination at which the M.A. committee will examine the student over the papers and the student’s course work.

M.A. Planning & Progress Sheet – Before completion of the second semester of graduate study, students must complete a “Master’s Degree Planning and Progress” form in consultation with their advisor.  Copies of this form, which may be amended, shall be deposited with the advisor, the graduate staff assistant, and the student.

M.A. Thesis – Students writing an M.A. thesis must arrive at a topic acceptable to the M.A. advisor.  The thesis might be an expansion of a paper for a research seminar.  In addition, the thesis:

• Should be based on primary research
• Should demonstrate the ability of the student to pursue historical research
• Should be written in clear, well-organized prose
• Should be about 50 to 100 pages in length.

The thesis will be prepared under the supervision of the advisor, and once an acceptable draft has been completed, it should be submitted to the other two members of the M.A. committee for comments and suggestions.  Once approved by the committee, the final printed copy of the thesis must adhere to the Graduate School rules.  These are explained the guide “Instructions for the Preparation of a Master’s Thesis” or at http://www.rgs.uky.edu/gs/thesdissprep.html.

M.A. Research Papers – At least two of the three papers a student submits for the non-thesis option must be research papers of about 20-30 pages in length and based on primary materials.  They must include scholarly endnotes or footnotes and a formal bibliography.  Usually, the student will submit the papers written in the 700-level research seminars.  (All three papers must have been written for courses counted toward the M.A. degree while in the UK Department of History.)

M.A. Examination – The oral examination for the M.A. degree may be scheduled only if the student has satisfied the language requirement, if all required coursework has been completed, and if the student is not carrying an Incomplete grade.  The Graduate School prohibits scheduling an M.A. examination for any student with an incomplete.

Procedure for Receiving the M.A. – File a degree application within thirty days after the beginning of the semester in which the degree will be taken (fifteen days for the summer session).  The appropriate forms are available at the Graduate School and must be signed by the Director of Graduate Studies.