C A L I F O R N I A   S T A T E   U N I V E R S I T Y   B A K E R S F I E L D 2001-2003 Catalog

Department Office:  Faculty Towers, 304F
(661) 664-3079
(661) 665-6906 (fax)
email:  jstenehjem@csub.edu
http://www.csubak.edu/GradStudies/Hist.html

Program Coordinator:  Miriam Raub Vivian
Faculty Towers, 304A
(661) 664-2230
email:  mvivian@csub.edu

Program Description

Pursuing a graduate degree in history should be enriching both personally and professionally, equipping the individual with a deeper understanding of the past as well as providing an appreciation of the complexities of the present. From a professional perspective it opens the door to a number of careers. A Master of Arts degree in History is usually a requirement for teaching at community colleges, and it provides an excellent foundation for teaching the history/social science framework at the high school level. Students completing the MA program will have developed critical, analytical, and writing skills which are of value in various fields. They will have received what is widely considered an excellent preparation for careers in public relations, journalism, law, politics, and the civil service. For those considering pursuing a Ph.D. in history, and eventually teaching at the university level, the MA program gives students a taste of what is involved and prepares them for doctoral work. Although the program does not require knowledge of a foreign language, students are strongly encouraged to develop a reading ability in a language other than English.

The MA program in History at CSUB offers two options or tracks: examinations or a thesis (see "Program Tracks" below).

Application Process and Admission

Persons seeking a Master of Arts degree in History must first apply for graduate study to the university Office of Admissions. Applications are available in the History Department office, as well the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Admission to graduate study by the university does not constitute acceptance into the History MA Program. It does, however, permit students to take courses as unclassified post-baccalaureate students and to begin the process leading to classification (see "Classification" below).

Upon admission to the university, students must immediately notify the History Department Graduate Coordinator of their intention to pursue the MA degree. The Graduate Coordinator will familiarize the student with the requirements and timetable of the MA Program. It is the student’s responsibility, in consultation with the appropriate faculty members, to choose a graduate mentor, an MA track, fields of study, and to organize a thesis or examination committee.

Selection of the Faculty Mentor – Selection of a graduate mentor is an important first step in the MA program. The mentor will ordinarily represent the primary field of study in the exam track and the specialist reader in the thesis track (see "Program Tracks" below). The mentor advises and guides students during the period of graduate study, and responds to any misgivings students may have while in the program. Students have a responsibility to schedule regular meetings with their mentor. Since this relationship is crucial in helping students get through graduate school, they need to choose a member of the department with whom they can have a close rapport and whose specialty is nearest their own scholarly interests.

Committee Selection – Each MA student in History must have a committee, either to provide examinations or to read and guide the thesis. The Graduate Coordinator and Faculty Mentor can provide assistance in forming an MA committee.

Academic Advising – It is essential that MA students stay in contact with the Graduate Coordinator and especially their mentors, so the department can provide current information to help the student move expeditiously through the program.

Program Requirements

Program Tracks – There are two tracks leading to an MA degree in History: the examination track and the thesis track. Both tracks require 45 units of course work and HIST 697 (1-5 units) or HIST 698 (1-5 units), for a total of 46 to 50 units. HIST 697 and HIST 698 are graded ona credit, no-credit basis. Graduate students are encouraged to earn as many units as possible in 500- or 600-level courses. A maximum of 20 units, however, may be earned in 400-level courses. Graduate credit in a 400-level course requires submission of a "Petition for Graduate Credit," signed by the instructor, faculty mentor and Graduate Coordinator, indicating what additional work is required for graduate credit to be awarded.

Once students decide on a track, they should secure the appropriate Concentration Outline form from the History Department office. This form, which will be kept in individual students’ files, will list the Faculty Mentor and committee members, as well as coursework leading to the MA degree.

Examination Track

Students interested in teaching at the high school or community college level are advised to follow this track. It is generally completed faster than the thesis track and provides students with a broad base of knowledge and bibliography which will be of significant value to them when they are preparing courses in their teaching career.

Students select the examination track at the time of application for classification. Students must designate one primary field and two secondary fields. Any field listed in the following section may serve as a secondary field, but only those marked "P" may serve as primary fields.

Examination Fields:

• American History: Colonial to Reconstruction (P)

• American History: Since Reconstruction (P)

• Ancient Mediterranean

• Medieval Europe

• Early Modern Europe

• Modern Europe Since 1789 (P)

• Latin America

• Modern China

 

Examination Committee – The examination committee will help students determine the courses they need in order to prepare for MA exams. The committee will also conduct both written and oral examinations and will be comprised of the faculty members responsible for each of the three fields. The members will compose the written examination questions for their respective fields, grade them, and submit the results to the member responsible for the primary field. The following grades will be used in both written and oral examinations: Honors, Pass, or Fail.

Written Examinations – Students are required to take a three-hour examination in the primary field and a two-hour examination in each of the two secondary fields. The exams are scheduled over several days and offered twice a year in the Fall and Spring Quarters. (Note: No student shall be permitted to take an examination in a field in which he or she has not had formal course work.) Any failed examination may be repeated once.

Oral Examination – After passing each of the written examinations, students will undergo a 90-minute oral examination. The faculty member responsible for the primary field will preside. The oral examination may be repeated once, if necessary.

Thesis Track

Students are reminded that a good master’s thesis is a significant piece of written work, usually requiring research in primary sources. Since primary sources are scarce on this campus, the choice of thesis topics is severely limited, and students need to assure the Department Graduate Committee that source material necessary to the topic is available. The thesis topic should be selected at the time of classification in order to insure the maximum amount of time for completion.

Course Work – Since department graduate offerings are designed with the examination track student in mind, it is expected that thesis track students will earn many of the required units in individual study courses. Such courses shall be specifically designed in consultation with the mentor to emphasize research techniques and to prepare the student for writing the thesis.

Thesis Proposal – Students should meet with their mentors and discuss in detail their subject, the elements of a thesis, and the sources to be examined before submission of the thesis proposal. The thesis proposal, accompanied by chapter descriptions and a bibliography, shall be submitted to the mentor no later than one quarter before enrolling in HIST 697. The names of the thesis committee members should be submitted at the same time.

Thesis Committee – The thesis committee shall consist of three faculty readers: the mentor or specialist reader and two others. If the thesis topic involves expertise in another discipline, one reader may be chosen from that discipline with the approval of the mentor and the Department Graduate Committee. The thesis committee will judge whether or not the thesis is a sound piece of research and insure that it meets the standards of the profession in terms of originality, scholarship, and written English.

Admission Requirements

The following criteria must be met for admission to post-baccalaureate study:

1. A baccalaureate degree;

2. An overall 2.5 GPA in the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units) of the last two years of college or university coursework;

3. Good academic standing at the last college or university attended.

 

The History MA program at CSUB does NOT require the GRE exam.

Classification

There are four classifications for students in the History graduate program:

Post-Baccalaureate/Unclassified Standing – Students accepted by the university for post-baccalaureate study may take History courses with approval from the instructor. These courses may be taken solely for personal pleasure or as a means of establishing a record in the History Department that will lead to classified standing.

Conditionally Classified Standing – Students may seek to be conditionally classified (a requirement for financial aid) by consulting with the History Graduate Coordinator and demonstrating a commitment to work toward a History MA.

Classified Standing – This is accorded to graduate students in History when they have satisfied the following criteria:

1. Submission to the Department Graduate Coordinator of an application for classification, which must be approved by the Department Graduate Committee;

2. Completion of an undergraduate history major or its equivalent. (Note: the History Department may require an unclassified student to take undergraduate history courses if, in the opinion of the Graduate Coordinator and Department Graduate Committee, such work is necessary to prepare the student for graduate work in history. This will most likely be the case when students hold degrees in disciplines other than history.);

3. A 3.25 grade point average in all upper-division and graduate history courses;

4. Completion of a minimum of 15 quarter units in graduate residence, 10 of which must be earned in HIST 501 and HIST 503. The remaining 5 units may be earned in a 500-level graduate course or a 400-level course taken for graduate credit. (Note: no more than 15 units of credit taken prior to advancement to classified standing may be applied to the 46 to 50 unit total required for the MA);

5. Submission of a paper written for a graduate course.

6. Successful completion of History 300 or its equivalent. Students may waive this requirement by passing the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement exam administered by the English Department.

 

Advanced to Candidacy – Classified students who have maintained a 3.25 GPA will be advanced to candidacy in the term in which they intend to graduate.

Course Requirements

Students seeking a History MA must complete 45 units of coursework. Two of these courses must be HIST 501 (Historiography) and HIST 503 (Research Methods).

Transfer Credit

Graduate courses from other institutions will be considered by the Graduate Coordinator and the Department Graduate Committee.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Note: Enrollment in graduate seminars is at the discretion of the instructor.

 

HIST 501 Historiography (5)

The development of history as a distinct discipline, and the themes and approaches used by historians.

HIST 503 Historical Research Methods (5)

Introduction and practice in the use of primary sources, including review of various historical methodologies and techniques of research design. Students will gain experience in the development of research proposals and in the use and verification of different types of historical evidence.

HIST 525 Reading Seminar in European History (5)

Reading in selected topics to be announced each quarter. May be repeated if subject matter is different.

HIST 535 Reading Seminar in Asian History (5)

Reading in selected topics to be announced each quarter. May be repeated if subject matter is different.

HIST 555 Reading Seminar in American History (5)

Reading in selected topics to be announced each quarter. May be repeated if subject matter is different.

HIST 565 Reading Seminar in Mexican History and Chicano History (5)

Reading in selected topics to be announced each quarter. Special emphasis on materials suitable for prospective teachers. May be repeated if topic is different.

HIST 602 Research Seminar in European History (5)

Research in selected topics to be announced each quarter. May be repeated if subject matter is different.

HIST 608 Research Seminar in American History (5)

Research in selected topics to be announced each quarter. May be repeated if subject matter is different.

HIST 697 Master’s Thesis (1-5)

May be repeated to a maximum of 5 quarter units.

HIST 698 Comprehensive Examination (1-5)

May be repeated to a maximum of 5 quarter units.

HIST 699 Individual Study (1-5)

Admission with consent of department chair.