MA in HISTORY
History Department
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
The Master of Arts in History is designed for K-12 teachers who wish to pursue professional development through coursework designed to enhance their knowledge of current issues in the field of their choice in U. S. history, California history, and various area-studies regions related to the teaching of World History. This program also prepares candidates to pursue the Ph D degree at other institutions and those who may want to teach at the community college level.
I. GENERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The degree requirements consist of:
1. A minimum of 25 units of 500 or 600 level courses
2. A maximum of 20 units of 300 and 400 level courses (12 units in History, 8
units in social science or humanities. Teachers and potential teachers are
encouraged to enroll in GED 550, GED 650, and or GED 690).
3. Total: at least 45 quarter units of course work.
4. An option of either Comprehensive Examinations or a Master’s Thesis.
II. ADMISSIONS DEADLINES
Students admitted every quarter. Apply at least three months ahead of the quarter in which you intend to start, except for Fall when the deadline for application is April 15th and May 15th for all supporting material. Please refer to the following Cal Poly web-sites for precise dates and deadlines, as well as other useful information on graduate studies at Cal Poly Pomona
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/admissions/grad_deadlines.asp
and
http://www.csupomona.edu/~research/
III. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
1. The applicant must hold a B. A. degree in either history or in other disciplines from an accredited college or university;
2. The applicant must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.00 in
history, social science, fine arts, and humanities course work;
3. The applicant must submit an essay (1-2 pages) with the application explaining why he/she wishes to pursue a graduate degree and describing his/her post-baccalaureate work experience and plans for the future;
4. The applicant must submit three letters of recommendation from professors or
supervisors. K-12 teachers can submit letters from school principals and two colleagues as well. The letters may be copies, but they must be signed and on company or school letterhead;
5. The applicant must receive a positive recommendation from the
History Department Coordinator of the Graduate Program and the History Department Graduate Committee.
Conditional admission is granted to K-12 teachers who hold BA degrees in disciplines other than history and all applicants who show potential but do not satisfy one or another of the admission requirements. The applicant then may demonstrate an aptitude for graduate study either by submitting test scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), including the achievement test in history (This is a requirement only if one wants to pursue the PhD degree), or by submitting more letters of recommendation and other relevant documents indicating that preparation for graduate study in history was achieved in other ways. Additional courses in history will be required for those who majored in other disciplines, which may lengthen the time of degree completion. The maximum requirement to remove such conditional status is 10 upper division courses in history. The final number will be decided according to the applicant's academic record.
The preferred method of application is electronically at:
http://www.csumentor.edu
More helpful information on how to apply could be found at http://www.csupomona.edu/~research/graduatestudies/apply.htm
Students may also obtain hard copy applications from the Admissions Office on
the second floor of the CLA building.
Please note that the application and academic transcripts should be sent to the
Graduate Admissions Office, while the essay, the letters of
recommendation and other supporting documents/material should be sent directly to the Graduate Coordinator in the History Department.
IV. CURRENT COURSE OFFERINGS
HST 501: Advanced Methods: Research and writing techniques through the
completion of a research project under faculty supervision. Required of
students who did not have Cal Poly HST 300 or equivalent. Students who plan to write a thesis must take this course, especially in the year they plan to research and write the thesis. (Fall, 4 units)
HST 510: Teaching History: Investigation and evaluation of teaching and assessment methods in high school or college classrooms, includes internship or mentoring experience in teaching and classroom preparation. (4 units; prerequisite: graduate standing)
HST 540: Readings in Ancient World History: In-depth study and analysis of common
themes, issues, documents in ancient civilizations. (Fall, 4 units)
HST 541: Readings in the Middle Period of World History: In-depth study and analysis
of common themes, issues, documents in the middle period of world civilizations. (Winter, 4
units)
HST 542: Readings in Modern World History: In-depth study and analysis of common
themes, issue, documents in modern world civilizations. (Spring, 4 units)
HST 560: Readings in U. S. History: In-depth study and analysis of major themes,
issues, documents in U. S. history from Colonial times to the Civil War. (Fall, 4
units)
HST 561: Readings in U. S. History. In-depth study and analysis of major themes,
issues, documents in U. S. history after the Civil War. (Winter, 4 units)
HST 562 Readings in California history. Study and analysis of major themes and
issues in the history of California from the Spanish era to the present. (Spring, 4 units)
HST 570 Contemporary Historiography: Close reading and analysis of recent trends
in historiography— feminist and gender theory, cultural studies, postcolonial
studies, narratology, and post-modern and post-structuralist
approaches to history. (Winter, 4 units)
HST 600: Independent Study: Independent study of a particular subject under faculty
supervision. (All Quarters, 2 units, may be repeated. Only 4 units will count toward the
degree)
HST 650: Seminar in Theories of World History: Analysis of theories of universal,
comparative, and world history, especially the “world systems” theories of
Braudel, Wallerstein, Abu-Lughud, Gunder Frank and their critics.
Alternative approaches to the problem of world history. (Spring, 4 units)
HST 691: Seminar in History Topics: Focus on selected areas or topics of interest
(World or U. S., depending on Instructor) (All Quarters, 4 Units, may be repeated for
different topics)
HST 696: Master’s Thesis: Research and writing the MA thesis under faculty
supervision. (5 units)
HST 697: Comprehensive Exam preparation. Individual study for the comprehensive
examination. (1 unit)
HST 699: Non-credit course; student remains currently registered.
V. GENERAL SCHEDULE: (U. S. courses and World History courses are offered in alternate years. Please consult Cal Poly Pomona's quarterly Schedule of Classes for specific times and locations of course offerings)
FALL: 540, 560, 561
WINTER: 541, 561, 570
SPRING: 542, 562, 650, 696
VI. GRADUATE GUIDELINES
• PLAN FOR DEGREE COMPLETION: Upon completing 12 units, all graduate students must submit a graduate contract, choosing their principal academic advisor and declaring their plan for degree completion. Students must also submit a short prospectus (300-400 words, see form below) summarizing their intended topic of study, stating their intention to either write a Master’s Thesis or take a MA comprehensive exam to complete the degree. The prospectus must have the signature of the principle academic advisor.
By 24 units, all graduate students must form a graduate committee with two additional faculty members. For a list and description of departmental faculty, go to:
http://www.class.csupomona.edu/his/faculty.htm
1-MASTER’S THESIS: Students who opt for the thesis must submit a long prospectus (see form below) when they complete 24 units. In addition to the signature of the principle academic advisor, the long prospectus must have the signatures of 2 additional faculty members who agree to serve on the student’s committee.
2-MASTER’S EXAM: Within the completion of 12 units, students opting
to take the Master’s Exam must indicate, to their principal academic advisor, their
preference between the United States Track Exam and the World History
Track Exam. Students in U. S. history will take a comprehensive exam in U. S history in general and an exam in a topic of special Interest to the student. Those who are taking World History will take one comprehensive World History exam (in either Ancient/Medieval or Medieval/Modern) and one exam in a topic of special interest to the student.
Special Interest Topics will be developed in consultation with the student’s principal academic advisor. By 24 units, students must have two additional faculty members agree to serve on a committee to offer advice and to assess the exams.
Students taking the exam are expected to do so in the quarter they intend to graduate. Students must notify their principal academic advisor in the first week of their final quarter to set a date for the exam.
• PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE: Students are expected to demonstrate
consistent progress toward their degree. The Master’s Degree is designed to be
completed in 2 years for a full-time student, and proportionately more for part-time
students or those who must complete additional course work;
Students must pass the GWT (should be done in the first quarter of enrollment);
Students must petition for a graduation check;
Students must file to graduate in their final quarter;
Students must file a report of culminating experience at the successful conclusion of their program of study.
Students must file a petition for Leave of Absence if they plan to be away two or more consecutive quarters
For these and other administrative deadlines, please visit http://www.dsa.csupomona.edu/registrar/calendar.asp
Consult the Graduate Coordinator regarding all questions related to the program. All academic petitions must be signed by the Graduate Coordinator.
Petitions and forms could be found on-line at
http://www.dsa.csupomona.edu/registrar/Forms.asp
For general information on graduate studies and graduate forms and petitions, visit
http://www.csupomona.edu/~research/graduatestudies/index.htm
Department of History
California State Polytechnic University
Short Graduate Prospectus
To Be Filed in Department Office after 12 Units of Course Work
Date:
Student Name:
Graduate Courses Taken So Far:
Do You Plan to
Write a Master’s Thesis:
or
Take the MA Exams:
If Thesis, What General Topic (Period/Area/Subject) Are You Interested in (1-2
paragraphs)?
If Exams, What Fields Do You Intend to Take?
Have You Contacted Any Faculty Member to Be Your Main Advisor?
If So, Who?
Have You Contacted Any Faculty Member to Be Your Other Committee Members?
If So, Who?
Department of History
California State Polytechnic University
Long (Master’s Thesis) Graduate Prospectus
To Be Filed with Major Advisor and Department before Starting Thesis
Date:
Student Name:
Graduate Courses Taken:
Graduate Courses You Plan to Take:
Advising Committee:
Major Advisor: Signature:
Second Committee Member: Signature:
Third Committee Member: Signature:
Thesis Title (can be revised with consent of major advisor):
Summary of Project (background and significance of topic and your working thesis statement; 1-2 double-spaced pages):
Historiography on Your Topic (what have been the major secondary works—books and articles—on your topic broadly defined and what are the most interesting questions scholars in this area are debating currently; 2-3 pages):
Narrative of Your Proposed Project (events, people, institutions you plan to cover; 2-3 pages):
Research Methodology (Library or archival research and oral history interviews, etc; 1-2 pages):
Primary Sources (archival collections, interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, etc; 1-2 pages):
Tentative Work Plan (quarter by quarter explanation of what you plan to do, e.g., Fall 2007 to identify and collect archival materials, enroll in HST 600 for an independent reading course to study secondary literature related to thesis topic, and write the first 10 pages of thesis, Winter 2006 to enroll in HST 600 again to write 30 more pages, and Spring 2006 to complete a draft, have advisor and other committee review it, and then Revise, etc.; 1-2 page):
For more information please contact:
Mahmood Ibrahim
Graduate Coordinator
The History Department
Cal Poly Pomona
3801 West Temple Ave. Pomona, California 91768
(909) 869-3860 or (909) 869-3867. FAX (909) 869-4724
e-mail to mibrahim@csupomona.edu