History, MA

Note: This program has been approved to be delivered by distance education enabling students to meet a minimum of 50% of degree requirements online, effective Fall 2021. Please see the Addendum to Catalog .

Graduate Program Director/Coordinator: M. Todd Bennett (Brewster 319-A; 252-328-1033; bennettm@ecu.edu)

The History, MA offers five areas of concentration: American history, Atlantic World history, European history, military history, and public history. The student is required to take a minimum of 24 s.h. in one of these areas to which the historiography course, the seminar, and the thesis will contribute 12 s.h. of credit. The concentration in public history requires successful completion of an internship in lieu of the seminar. The student must also take a total of 6 s.h. of related history coursework outside the area of concentration.

Minimum degree requirement is 30 s.h. of credit as follows:

1. Core courses - 9 s.h.

HIST 6900 - Historiography: Introduction to Research
HIST 7000 - Thesis
Note: An oral comprehensive examination will be a component of the thesis defense. Candidates will be required to demonstrate a knowledge of their field of concentration as well as establish how their thesis contributes to that field of study.

2. Seminar or internship - 3 s.h.

American history, Atlantic World history, European history, and military history concentrations:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

Public history concentration:

Select 3 s.h. from the following:

3. Area of concentration - 12 s.h.

(American, European, Military, Atlantic World, or Public History)

4. Related history coursework outside area of concentration - 6 s.h.

Note: At the recommendation of the advisor and director of graduate studies, and with the approval of the chair of the Department of History, students may be able to take the 6 s.h. outside the Department of History. Please see the director of graduate studies for more information about this option.

5. Research skills requirement

Students fulfill the research skills requirement by successfully completing one of the following:

Satisfactory demonstration of reading knowledge in a foreign language or successfully completing FORL 6000 - Foreign Language for Reading Knowledge
Successful completion of HIST 5950 - Introduction to Quantitative History and HIST 5951 - Directed Readings and Research in Quantitative History

Note: If HIST 5950, HIST 5951 are used to satisfy the research skills requirement, they may not be counted toward the 30 s.h. requirement for the degree. Students who intend to pursue a PhD program are strongly advised to fulfill the foreign language requirement.