Program: History [HIS] M.A. - SUNY Cortland - Modern Campus Catalog™

2008-2009 Graduate Catalog

Apr 06, 2025

Career Potential

Public historian (museum, archives)
Librarian
History teacher
Business positions
Graduate or law schools

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the requirements for admission to a degree program as stated in this catalog, the applicant for enrollment in the program leading to a Master of Arts in History should present the following:

A resume.
A letter of application including educational and professional goals.
Intermediate competency in a foreign language. This requirement may be met concurrently with graduate study.
A minimum of 24 hours of approved undergraduate history courses. Under special conditions this requirement may be reduced.
At least a 3.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 scale, in undergraduate history courses.
At least a 2.75 grade point average in all undergraduate courses.
Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a history instructor.
Approval by the History Department’s Graduate Committee.

Program Requirements

Students must take a concentration of at least nine hours in United States history, European history, or non-Western history (Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America).

The department also requires six hours of course work outside the concentration. In addition to the program requirements stated below, students must either write a master’s thesis or take a written comprehensive exam based on course work and mastery of the content and historical literature in the concentration or in a combination of the concentration and a secondary field.

Other requirements for the award of the degree may be determined by the History Department and must be ascertained by the student in consultation with a department graduate advisor.

Course Requirements

A. Historiography:

Any 600-level course except:

HIS 650 - Readings in History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 660 - Seminar in American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 661 - Seminar in European History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 662 - Seminar in Russian History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 663 - Seminar in Latin American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 664 - Seminar in African History (3 cr. hr.)

B. Approved courses in concentration:

Nine credit hours and Approved courses outside concentration: Six credit hours
Choose from:

Appropriate special topics courses – 529 and 629–may be included under U.S., Europe or non-Western

United States:

HIS 509 - Issues in New York State History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 523 - Issues in History of the American West (3 cr. hr)
HIS 524 - Issues in 19th Century U.S. History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 525 - Issues in the United States Civil War (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 528 - Issues in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 530 - Issues in African-American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 545 - Issues in Women’s History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 550 - Issues in Early-American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 621 - Historiography of U.S. Women (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 635 - Historiography of the American Revolution (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 646 - Issues in American Labor and Working-Class History (3 cr. hr.)

European:

HIS 532 - Issues in European History since 1500 (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 538 - Teaching About Nazi Germany and the Holocaust (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 640 - Historiography of the French Revolution (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 645 - Law and Society in Russia and the Soviet Union (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 648 - History and Philosophy of History (3 cr. hr.)

Non-Western:

HIS 531 - Issues in African History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 533 - Issues in Asian History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 630 - Colloquium on Modern China (3 cr. hr.)

C. Research Seminar in area of concentration: Three credit hours

and
Research Seminar outside area of concentration: Three credit hours
Select from the following:

HIS 660 - Seminar in American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 661 - Seminar in European History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 662 - Seminar in Russian History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 663 - Seminar in Latin American History (3 cr. hr.)
HIS 664 - Seminar in African History (3 cr. hr.)

D. Approved electives in history or related field: Six credit hours

HIS or other advisor-approved courses at the 500 and 600 level

Total Credit Hours Required: 30