The Graduate Program
The Department of History at the University of Maine offers a graduate
program leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of
Philosophy. It also offers a Master's degree in
Historical Archaeology in conjunction with the Department of
Anthropology.
Through a series of seminars, special topics courses, and individually
arranged tutorial sessions, students are brought into close working
relationships with the faculty and are allowed considerable flexibility
in designing their courses of study. At the master's level, students
pursue a course of study in one geographical area, such as America,
Asia, Canada, Europe, or Latin America, while doctoral students choose
American, Canadian-American, or International history as their major
focus. Within such regional frameworks, a number of topical approaches
are possible that reflect the research interests of the faculty. Because
faculty research interests converge in important ways, however, Maine's
graduate program in history offers a number of truly unique
opportunities for advanced study. One such convergence builds on the
strength of the Canadian-American program by focusing on the
Northeastern Borderlands Region of New England, the Atlantic Provinces,
and Quebec; within this regional framework, students can explore a wide
range of economic, environmental, political and social topics.
The University
The University of Maine is a major educational and research institution
with about 12,000 students and 650 faculty located in central Maine.
Founded in 1865, it opened its doors in 1868 as the land-grant
university of the state. Today, the Orono campus is the site of a
dynamic, modern university, encompassing eight colleges, the graduate
school, and a full range of other academic and non-academic programs.
The University of Maine offers excellent resources for graduate
students in history. Fogler Library contains nearly a million volumes,
6,700 periodical subscriptions and continuations, more than a million
microforms, and, as an official depository for both the U.S. and Canada,
nearly two million U.S. and Canadian federal government publications.
The Library's general collection contains substantial material in
Canadian, regional, maritime, women's, environmental, and anti-slavery
history, while specialized collections include Maine-related materials,
sound recordings and music scores, maps, manuscripts, Canadiana, patents,
and educational materials for teachers and students. Its on-line
catalog, Ursus, gives direct access to all library collections in the
University of Maine System, the state's major public libraries and the
Maine State Library and indirect access, via the internet, to on-line
catalogs at research institutions around the world. Graduate students in
history also have access to the folklore and oral history collections at
the University's Maine Folklife Center.
Degree Requirements
For the Master of Arts degree, candidates follow one of two options.
Under the Thesis Option, students complete at least thirty semester
hours of course work, six hours of which will be thesis credit. Students
must pass an oral examination on the completed thesis. Those selecting
the Non-Thesis Option take at least two graduate research seminars in
lieu of the thesis and must pass an oral examination upon completion of
their course work. All students at the master's level must demonstrate
competence in one foreign language. Doctoral candidates fulfill the
customary requirements of American graduate schools by completing
advanced course work beyond the master's level; passing a series of
comprehensive examinations; demonstrating competence in one foreign
language; and researching, writing, and defending a dissertation.
Admission and Financial Aid
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 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 and 4.5 or better on the analytical section of the
Graduate Record Examination. For admission to the doctoral program, an
applicant's record should document 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, students who fail to meet these minima may be granted
special admission, with regular status delayed until certain conditions
can be met.
All students applying for admission to the graduate program may also
apply for financial aid, in the form of various fellowships,
scholarships, or teaching assistantships, by marking the appropriate
places on the application form. Complete applications involving requests
for financial aid should be filed by January 15; those arriving after
that date may be considered for admission alone.
Further Information
Application forms, a Graduate School Bulletin, and information about
graduate study at Maine may be obtained by contacting the
Graduate
School, 5782 Winslow Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine
04469-5782. Telephone: 207-581-3218. Fax: 207-581-3232.
E-Mail: Graduate@maine.edu
For additional information about the graduate program in history,
contact Professor Richard Judd, Department of History, 5774 Stevens
Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5774. Telephone:
207-581-1910. E-Mail:
richard.judd@umit.maine.edu, Graduate Coordinator.
