The Graduate Program - Regulations
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Admissions
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Advisory Committees
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Course Requirements
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Residence Requirements
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Programs of Study / Ph.D. Candidacy
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Languages / Special Skills
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Grades
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Comprehensive Exams
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Prospectus
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Theses / Dissertations
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Time Limits
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Exceptions
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Teaching Assistants
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Sample Programs of Study
A. ADMISSIONS
A complete application for admission to the graduate program in history
consists of the application form itself, transcripts of all previous
academic work, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and three
letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty members or others who
can judge an applicant's potential for advanced study. JANUARY 15 is the
deadline for applicants seeking to begin study in the fall semester;
OCTOBER 15 is the deadline for spring semester admissions. The
department's Graduate Committee makes all decisions regarding
admissions. A master's applicant normally will have achieved a "B"
average (3.0 grade-point average) or better as an undergraduate, with a
major or at least a substantial concentration in history, and have
scored 500 or better on the verbal section of the Graduate Record
Examination (with preferably a combined verbal and quantitative score of
1100 and an analytical essay score of 4.5 or higher). For admission to
the doctoral program, applicants should complete the MA degree, document
a record of solid accomplishment at the master's level, and offer the
promise of superior achievement at the doctoral level. In determining
admission to the graduate program, the Graduate Committee weighs an
applicant's grade-point average, GRE scores, letters of recommendation,
interest in a field of history for which there is supporting graduate
faculty, and degree of previous exposure to history.
In certain cases, the Graduate Committee may recommend conditional or
provisional admission. Conditional admission is appropriate for
applicants who show evidence of promise despite previous academic
performance below what is normally expected for regular admission.
Conditional status normally is removed after the completion of the first
nine credit hours of course work with a grade of B or better.
Provisional admission normally applies to those applicants who show
promise but are lacking a key component of their application, such as
Graduate Record Examination scores or a late letter of reference. Once
the missing component is received and deemed acceptable, the provision
is removed. Provisional admission also is appropriate for those who have
had little or no formal preparation in history but nevertheless show
promise of success in the program. In such a case, provisional status
would be removed after the completion of a series of courses specified
at the time of admission designed to compensate for the lack of previous
exposure to history.
In selecting students for the graduate program in History, the Graduate
Committee gives special consideration to students coming from
non-traditional academic backgrounds, including those for whom English
is not their native language. Such students will be judged by their
interest in scholarship and their potential for graduate work.
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B. ADVISORY COMMITTEES
The Graduate Coordinator will act as the advisor to all students
admitted into the graduate program in History. Once a student decides
upon a field of concentration, the Graduate Coordinator will assist the
student in the selection of an appropriate advisor.
Preferably no later than the end of the second semester, each graduate
student, in consultation with the major advisor, must work out a PROGRAM
OF STUDY and select the remaining members of the Advisory Committee.
Normally, M.A. candidates are advised by three History Department
faculty members, while Ph.D. candidates are advised by a five-person
committee: three members representing the student's major field in
history, one member from a minor field in history, and one member from a
related discipline outside of history. A student's Advisory Committee
serves as the examining board for all required written and oral
examinations.
All changes in major advisors or members of the Advisory Committee are
arranged through the Graduate Coordinator and all major advisors are
responsible for reporting to the Graduate Coordinator any administrative
actions concerning graduate students they advise.
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C. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
M.A. students, in conjunction with a major advisor, select a) a field of
concentration from American, Canadian-American, European, Far Eastern,
or Latin-American history, or Historic Archaeology, or b) a topic of
concentration such as Technology,
Environmental, International, or Women's history. Students are
permitted a maximum of two 550 readings courses and two 400-level
courses in their field or topic of concentration. Ordinarily the
remainder of the student's course work will be taken in graduate level
seminars primarily offered in the three fields of concentration.
A. THESIS OPTION: Students following this option must complete
30 credit hours of course work. All candidates are required to take HTY
647 (3 credit hours), usually in their first semester. Students in
American History or Canadian-American History must take either HTY 507
or HTY 508. Students in European history must take HTY 611 and two of
the following three courses: HTY 517, HTY 518, HTY 519. Up to six credit hours may consist of HTY 699 Thesis. At
least 12 additional credit hours must be from 500- or 600- level
graduate courses. Students will take at least one 500 or 600- level
History course outside of their concentration fields. Up to 6
credit hours may be taken from 400-level courses in which students will
be expected to do substantially more work than undergraduates. After
completion of the thesis, the student defends it in an oral examination.
The thesis itself must demonstrate the M.A. candidate's ability to
conduct original research, to organize and analyze historical data, and
to write thoughtful and polished historical prose. It should incorporate
information derived from primary sources and illuminate a well-defined
historical problem chosen in consultation with the student's major
advisor. Though a Master's thesis will rarely provide absolutely new or
original information, at least the reasoning should be original. It
should be more substantial than a term paper but considerably less than
a book or Ph.D. thesis; 75-125 pages will be an appropriate length in
most cases. The thesis must conform to the Graduate School's regulations
regarding form and style, and normally it should be completed by the end
of the second year of full-time graduate study.
B. NON-THESIS OPTION: Students following this option must
complete 30 credit hours of course work. At least 18 credit hours must
be taken at the graduate level, including HTY 647 and two other
600-level seminars. Students in American or Canadian-American
history must take either HTY 507 or HTY 508. Students in European
history must take HTY 611 and two of the follwoing three courses: HTY
517, HTY 518, HTY 519. Students will take at least one 500 or 600-level
History course outside of their concentration fields. Up to 6 credit hours may be taken from 400-level
courses in which students will be expected to do substantially more work
than undergraduates. Non-thesis M.A. students must pass a comprehensive
oral examination on all of the course work constituting their required
30 credits.
Ph.D. students normally will have earned an M.A. degree in History or
its equivalent. However, worthy applicants with M.A. degrees in other
fields but with little or no previous training in history may seek
provisional admission to the Ph.D. program, in which case they will be
asked to complete a series of upper-division undergraduate courses in
history before actually beginning their graduate work (a typical
provision for someone with no previous training in history might be five
upper-division undergraduate courses, of which at least two should be in
North American history and at least two in non-North American history).
Students nearing completion of an M.A. in history at the University of
Maine who wish to be admitted to the Ph.D. program may apply in writing
to the Graduate Coordinator, obtain written recommendations from the
members of their M.A. Advisory Committee, and receive the approval of
the Graduate Committee. It is also possible to file a new application
through the Graduate School.
Assuming regular admission (i.e., with no outstanding
provisions), Ph.D. students, in conjunction with a major advisor, select
a) a field of concentration such as American or Canadian-American, or
International history, b) a
minor field or area of concentration such as American, European, Far Eastern,
Latin-American, African, or Canadian history, and c) a related
discipline. Students may choose to focus on topics within the
minor history field. Students concentrating in United States history may
not offer Canadian-American history as their minor history field and
vice-versa.
Ph.D. students are required to take at least 12 credit hours of 500 or
600 level courses beyond the M.A. level (or after the removal of any
provisions), not including HTY 647 (3 credit hours). HTY 647 is required
of all Ph.D. students unless it or an equivalent was part of their M.A.
work. HTY 507 and 508 are required of all Ph.D. students in American
History. Students in Canadian-American history must take either HTY 507
OR 508. Normally, students must complete course work in their fields of
expertise with each of their committee members. Ph.D. students will take at least one graduate seminar in the minor field, be expected
to demonstrate an ability to teach the survey course(s) in the minor
field, and specialize in some depth in a particular period, nation, or
type of history within the minor field. The program of course work is to
be determined by the major advisor in consultation with the student.
HTY 550 is a directed readings course arranged between an individual
student and professor in order to prepare the student for comprehensive
exams, to provide background readings for thesis research, or to allow
for the in-depth study of a subject not normally offered in the
department. Credit arranged.
The format and content of HTY 550 are determined through negotiations
between the individual professor and student. After establishing the
general topic of the course, the student will compile a bibliography
subject to approval and/or modification by the professor. Professor and
student also will agree upon a timetable for regularly scheduled
meetings. HTY 550 will normally include a writing component to be
negotiated and agreed upon in writing by the professor and student. The
reading requirements of a 3-credit HTY 550 should be equivalent to
readings assigned in a 3-credit 500-level seminar. The bibliography,
writing assignment(s), and timetable will constitute the syllabus for
the course and a copy of this syllabus will be placed in the student's
file.
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D. RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS
M.A. students will normally spend at least one year in residence. A
minimum of twelve credit hours taken as a full-time student will
establish residency and can be achieved in the following manners: by the
completion of twelve credit hours in one semester or in one summer, or
by the completion of a minimum of six credit hours in each of two
semesters or six credit hours in each of two summer sessions.
Ph.D. students must be in residence for at least two consecutive
academic years beyond the baccalaureate. Students entering the doctoral
program with an M.A. from another university must register for at least
one academic year of study at the University of Maine. Under special
circumstances it may be possible for candidates to take course work on
other University of Maine System campuses participating in cooperative
programs with the University of Maine.
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E. PROGRAMS OF STUDY AND ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY
M.A. students must submit a "Program of Study" form and Ph.D. students
must submit a "Program of Study and Research" form to the Graduate
School by the time they complete their first twelve credit hours or
before their third registration, whichever comes first. A "Request for
Change in Program" form should be filed with the Graduate School
whenever a student wishes to alter an approved program of study.
A student will apply for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree
after completing the comprehensive examination, meeting all other
program requirements such as language proficiency and the dissertation
prospectus. The application for candidacy, signed by the student's
advisor and the Graduate Coordinator, normally should be submitted to
the Graduate School within one month after successful completion of the
dissertation prospectus.
All projects utilizing oral histories are included under the Health and
Human Services policies governing research on human subjects and
therefore subject to Institutional Research Board (IRB) review. "All
graduate students in History who are making use of oral histories or any
other research involving human subjects first must seek approval from
the IRB." Contact the Office of Research and sponsored Programs or the
Graduate Coordinator for details.
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F. LANGUAGES AND SPECIAL SKILLS
The History Department regards mastery of a second language as an
important component of a graduate student’s training. Candidates for
both the master's degree and doctorate must demonstrate proficiency in
at least one language other than their native language. An M.A.
candidate should fulfill the language requirement no later than the last
semester in which the M.A. thesis is defended. A Ph.D. candidate should
fulfill the language requirement no later than the semester in which the
comprehensive examinations are taken.
Graduate students in history may fulfill the language requirement in one
of two ways:
1. Course work: Students demonstrate that they have completed
an intermediate university-level language course (specifically the
second semester of the second year or equivalent) with a B average or
better.
2. Examination: Students take a test given either by the History
Department or the Department of Modern Languages and Classics. This
examination should exhibit the student’s ability to utilize the
secondary historical literature written in that language. Students
taking this exam must demonstrate an overall understanding of the
author’s interpretation and an adequate grasp of the most fundamental
arguments.
Students should determine an appropriate language and requirement option
with the assistance of the members of their Advisory Committee. The
Chair of the Advisory Committee will help set an appropriate standard of
competency for the student in light of the candidate’s areas of
expertise and research interests. Students and the Chairs of their
Advisory Committees should advise the Graduate Coordinator of their
decisions in this matter during the first year of graduate study.
Historic Archaeology students are exempted from the language
requirement.
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G. GRADES
Graduate students must earn grades of at least B in all courses that are
part of the program of study. No credit will be given for a C grade
except in extraordinary cases and then only with the approval of the
Department Graduate Committee. A student who receives more than two
grades of C or lower while enrolled as a graduate student in the
Department of History will be dropped from the graduate program. This
does not apply to courses taken to fulfill a language or skill
requirement. No graduate students will be allowed to graduate with an
incomplete grade.
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H. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS
M.A. students who follow the Non-Thesis Option take an oral
comprehensive examination at the end of the semester in which the
candidate completes the thirtieth credit hour of required course work;
non-Thesis students must demonstrate an ability to integrate material
from their various seminar courses and readings in a coherent manner in
their oral examinations. M.A. students who follow the Thesis Option are
not required to take a comprehensive examination but must defend their
theses in an oral examination--see SECTION X, THESES AND DISSERTATIONS.
Ph.D. students take their comprehensive examinations after the
completion of their course and language requirements. Candidates are
examined by their five-person Advisory Committees.
The comprehensive examination will consist of 3 written exams of 4 hours
each. For American history students, 2 must be in the major field or all
3 can be in the major field. For students in the Canadian program, 2
exams will be on Canadian history and 1 on U.S. history. The three exams
are to be taken within one week, with the oral exam to follow within a
brief period of time, usually the next week. The chair of the committee
will consult with the faculty members as well as the student to
determine the form of the exam.
The written exams in American history will focus on the specific fields
in American history that the candidate has prepared with each of the
advisors. They will not particularly focus on the material from HTY 507
and 508. When appropriate, the reading lists for the specific fields may
include material from HTY 507 and 508. The reading lists for each field
should be approximately 20-25 books or the equivalent in books and
articles.
The exams will be given on the honor system. Students may use computers,
but are not permitted to consult books or notes. They may have access to
a copy of their reading lists.
The oral portion of the exam will focus primarily on those fields not
covered by written exams. The oral exam should last approximately 2 and
a half hours, with most of the time and attention devoted to those
fields.
The exams will be evaluated in their entirety and by the entire
committee. Students will be told whether they have passed or failed at
the completion of all portions of the exam. Each member of the committee
should read each of the written exams and participate in the oral exam.
At the conclusion of the oral exam, the committee will deliberate the
outcome. One member can demand that the student retake any portion of
the exam, either oral or written. If two members are not satisfied with
the student's work, the student will be considered to have failed the
entire exam and will be eligible to retake it after a period of six
months. A candidate will have only two opportunities to pass the written
and oral comprehensive examinations.
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I. PROSPECTUS
Ph.D. students will submit a dissertation prospectus to their
dissertation advisory committee within six months of successfully
completing their comprehensive exams. This requirement aims to provide
adequate guidance for graduate students writing dissertations, to ensure
momentum in a student's program of study, and to provide students with a
working document from which they can develop grant proposals and
communicate the content of their work to the scholarly community at
large.
Students should work closely with their dissertation advisory committee
chairs to develop a prospectus. In general, the prospectus should
include a statement of thesis, a discussion of methodology and sources,
a brief review of the relevant secondary literature, a tentative project
outline, and a bibliography. The prospectus should be no longer than 8
to 10 pages (excluding bibliography) and should be typed, double-spaced
with standard margins.
Students will defend the prospectus orally to their dissertation
advisory committee, and the committee chair will communicate the results
of that defense in writing to the graduate committee and coordinator.
The graduate coordinator will place a copy of the approved prospectus in
the individual student's file and recently approved prospectuses will be
kept in the History Department Office for reference. A student whose
prospectus is not approved will be permitted to submit a revised
prospectus that responds to the advisory committee's comments within six
months. Students must apply in writing to their committee chair to
extend the deadline for submission of the prospectus. The chair will
forward a copy of the extension request to the graduate committee and
coordinator.
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J. THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
Before a thesis or dissertation is typed or printed in final form, it
must be defended before the student's Advisory Committee. A thesis or
dissertation will be considered ready for defense only after all members
of the student's Advisory Committee have had a chance to read it and
have signed the Tentative Thesis Acceptance Form. Normally, requests for
tentative acceptance should be made at least three weeks prior to the
last date for thesis or dissertation defense in a given semester. A copy
of the thesis or dissertation and the signed Tentative Thesis Acceptance
Form must be delivered to the Graduate School no later than 24 hours
prior to the defense.
A notice of the defense date will be circulated to all History
Department faculty and graduate students at least one week prior to the
defense, along with an abstract of the thesis or dissertation.
The Advisory Committee will evaluate the M.A. or Ph.D. candidate's
thesis or dissertation in a two-part oral examination. During the first
part, which anyone may attend, the candidate will present the themes and
arguments of the thesis or dissertation. After visitors have been
excused, the content, methodology, and form of the thesis or
dissertation will be examined by the Advisory Committee (and other
members of the graduate faculty if they wish to participate). A majority
of the Advisory Committee will decide, by paper ballot, whether the
candidate's thesis/dissertation and oral examination are satisfactory.
The Graduate School's regulations concerning thesis or dissertation
format and the forms and conventions accepted in the historical
profession must be followed throughout. In exceptional cases, a
dissertation may be written in French if approved by the Advisory
Committee.
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K. TIME LIMITS
All work for the M.A. degree must be completed within six years of the
first registration for work towards the degree. Ph.D. students must be
admitted to candidacy within four years from registration for the first
work presented for the degree. All work for a doctoral degree must be
completed within four years from admission to candidacy.
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L. EXCEPTIONS
Students may petition for exceptions to the requirements. Petitions
must be submitted in writing and approved by the student's advisor, the
student's Advisory Committee, the Graduate Committee, and the Chairman
of the Department, before exceptions will be granted.
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Appendix 1: Teaching Assistants
Selection
Graduate students already in the program (including those wishing
renewal) request in writing to the Graduate Coordinator by February 1
that they wish to apply for a teaching assistantship (T.A.); prospective
students should check the appropriate space on the application form. In
making its T.A. selections, the Graduate Committee looks at such
quantitative indicators as GRE scores and GPAs; considers letters of
recommendation for outside applicants and the views of University of
Maine faculty with whom inside applicants have worked; tries to balance
the desire to accommodate good students already in the program with the
need to attract new students; generally favors Ph.D. students over MA
Students, except where program needs intervene (e.g., HTY 105-106
sections requires students with some European History background); and
considers the interests of the undergraduate student population by
favoring candidates who will be effective in the classroom.
Time Limits
Students in the MA program normally will be eligible for up to two years
of funding from teaching assistantships. If M.A. candidates receive a
teaching assistantship in the second year of their program work,
however, they may hold that T.A. position for only that year, rather
than two. Students in the Ph.D. program normally will be eligible for up
to three years of funding from teaching assistantships. There is no
guarantee that students holding teaching assistantships at the MA level
will retain them if they move into the Ph.D. program; they will be
placed in the same pool as other applicants in the Ph.D. program. The
Graduate Committee may make exceptions for the benefit of the
Department.
Assignments
The Graduate Coordinator shall be responsible for assignment of
qualified T.A.'s to individual instructors and courses. Assignment shall
be made with the best interests of the Department, teaching assistants,
and students in mind.
Workload
The primary responsibility of the T.A. is within the instructional
program of the History Department. In addition, there is an orientation
session for all new T.A.'s early in the fall semester and there may be
occasional sessions of T.A.'s and their instructors to discuss teaching
problems. Research and personal services are not part of the T.A.
workload.
Evaluation
A T.A.'s performance as a teacher will be guided and evaluated by the
individual faculty member. Reappointment will be based, in part, on the
written report at the end of each semester by the faculty member and,
where applicable, student evaluations of the T.A.
Grievances
The Chairman of the Department shall define channels for T.A. redress of
grievances.
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Appendix 2: Sample Programs of Study
Two-Year Thesis M.A. Program
Year 1
Fall Semester
A. Courses: HTY 647 and HTY 500 or 600 level
B. Meet with Graduate Coordinator regularly to consider general area of
thesis topic.
C. Consider with Graduate Coordinator how you plan to fulfill language
requirement.
Spring Semester
A. Courses: HTY 500 or 600 level; HTY 500 or 600 level (outside of
concentration)
B. Select advisor and M.A. committee. Meet with them to choose thesis
topic and research design.
Attempt to use seminar courses for start of thesis research.
C. Take language examination if necessary.
Summer Semester
A. Course: HTY 500 or 400 level
B. Conduct thesis research.
Year 2
Fall Semester
A. Courses: Combination of two courses at 500 or 600 level
B. Meet regularly with advisor on progress of thesis and have at least
one chapter in draft for advisor to read by
end of semester.
Spring Semester
A. Course: HTY 699 (6 hours)
B. Meet regularly with advisor and submit chapter drafts. Complete
thesis and defend in oral examination.
Four-Year Ph.D. Program
Year 1
Fall Semester
A. Courses: HTY 647; HTY 500 level
B. Meet with Graduate Coordinator or advisor regularly to consider
course work and comprehensives.
Spring Semester
A. Courses: HTY 600 level; HTY 500 level; HTY 500 or 600 level (outside
of concentration)
B. Investigate possible dissertation topics. Form Ph.D. committee and
submit Program of Study.
Year 2
Fall Semester
A. Courses: HTY 500 or 600 level; graduate course in field outside of
History
B. Read for comprehensives.
Spring Semester
A. Read for comprehensives. Consult with advisory committee members
regarding written and oral exams.
B. Take comprehensive examination.
Year 3
Fall Semester
A. Develop research design for dissertation.
B. Present and defend prospectus
Spring Semester
Research and write dissertation.
Year 4
Fall Semester
Research and write dissertation. Submit draft chapters to advisor.
Spring Semester
Present and defend dissertation.
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APPENDIX 3: Guidelines for M.A. Thesis Option in European History
HTY 647
HTY 611
Two of the following three courses: HTY 517, HTY 518, HTY 519
One HTY 550
A maximum of two 400 level courses
One 500 or 600 level seminar in a field outside European history
HTY 699 (6 hours)
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