Graduate Studies

Advising and Policies

Pursuing a graduate degree in History is highly rewarding, but it can also be challenging.  Our students are faced with meeting the demands of a rigorous academic workload, while at the same time in many cases juggling a teaching assistantship as well as other professional and/or personal commitments.  Our faculty members fully appreciate this, and we are committed to providing students with the advising and support that they need to successfully complete their degrees. 

All graduate students are required to meet regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies to review their course options and their progress toward the degree.  Masters students are also required to consult with the faculty members on their examination committees prior to their MA exams to verify their preparation.  Doctoral students are expected to consult regularly with their individual advisor as well as the members of their comprehensive examination committee and, once they have been admitted to PhD candidacy, with the faculty who will be reading and critiquing their thesis. 

Graduate students within the Department should familiarize themselves with the requirements for the MA and PhD degrees by consulting the Graduate History Handbook. Students should also be aware of the Department’s policies on academic misconduct. If you have any questions concerning department requirements or procedures, contact the Director of Graduate Studies.