M.A. Program FAQs
With whom do I advise?
Until you have selected a major professor, you will work with a temporary advisor appointed by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). If you are an incoming student, you must consult with your temporary advisor before registering for fall classes.
With the guidance of your temporary advisor and the DGS, you will select a major professor under whose guidance you will complete your graduate study. You should meet and talk with the professor about your interests before asking him or her to serve as your advisor. You must select a permanent advisor by November 1 of your first semester at UTK. You will consult with your permanent advisor concerning registration for the spring semester. In some cases, your temporary advisor may become your permanent advisor.
If you do not have a permanent advisor by November 1, please consult the DGS. When you have selected a permanent advisor, see the graduate program secretary to complete the appropriate form.
What are the 500 level reading seminars intended to do?
These courses, numbered 515 through 585, consist mainly of readings in secondary sources on a variety of topics. These seminars comprise the majority of our graduate offerings. The amount of reading and the amount and nature of writing assignments vary, as does the scope of the seminar. However, the focus of each seminar is broad enough so that a student who has completed three or four of these courses within a field will be well on the way to being prepared for examination in that field.
What are the 600 level research seminars intended to do?
These seminars, numbered 631 through 658, involve work in primary historical sources culminating in a scholarly paper. Since the purpose of the course is to develop research skills, the topic of the seminar may be as broad or narrow as the professor believes desirable.
Note: First-semester M.A. students are strongly discouraged from taking 600 level courses.
What is History 521 and when should I take it?
This is a directed readings course designed to fill gaps left after completing your other course work. History 521 is required of all M.A. students and normally is taken no earlier than the semester preceding the M.A. examination. History 521 is graded Satisfactory/No Credit. Enrollment in 521 requires the consent of your major professor and the DGS. You must contact the graduate program secretary before registering for this course to complete a consent form.
What is History 593 and how is it used?
History 593 is an independent readings course that is more similar to the 500 level readings seminars than to History 521. It is graded A through F. It may meet as frequently as, and assign work equal to, the reading seminars. In rare cases, the teaching professor and the DGS may permit a graduate student to enroll in an upper division undergraduate course under the 593 rubric. See Graduate Catalog.
Before enrolling in 593, you must obtain written consent from the DGS and the Department Head. Permission for 593 is given under extreme circumstances only. You must contact the graduate program secretary before registering for this course to complete a consent form.
How many hours are required to be a full-time student?
If you do not have an assistantship, a full load is 9 hours per semester. If you have an assistantship, a full load is 6 hours per semester.
What grades are required to remain in good standing?
To remain in good standing, you must maintain at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). If you hold an assistantship, you must maintain at least a 3.25 GPA. If you receive two grades lower than a "B" from two faculty members in any given year, you will be dropped from the graduate program in History.
How does the department define grades?
A = excellent, B+ = very good, B = good, C+ = between undistinguished and good, C = undistinguished (failure to maintain an acceptable level of graduate work; failure to complete course assignments on time), D = poor (may not be used to satisfy degree requirements), F = very poor (may not be used to satisfy degree requirements).
S/NC = satisfactory/no credit (used only in History 521 and 621; has no impact on the GPA; satisfactory is equivalent to "B" work).
P/NP = progress/no progress (used for History 500 and 600; denotes progress or no progress toward completion of thesis or dissertation; does not affect the GPA).
I = Incomplete. An incomplete is issued only when a student suffers an unusual circumstance late in the semester. Failure to complete assignments on time is not a valid reason to receive an incomplete. The student must have at least a B average in the class to receive an incomplete. Before the professor can assign a grade of I, he or she must compose a "contract" with the student in question. This document will clearly explain the reason for the incomplete and clearly explain the work to be done to remove the I. The document will also include a timetable for the completion of the work. It must be signed by the professor and the student, and a copy must be forwarded to the History Department Head. If the work is not completed within one semester (with summer counting as a semester), the incomplete automatically converts to a grade of F.
What are the distribution requirements for the MA?
Thesis track: History 510, History 521, at least one 600 level research seminar, History 500 (thesis—6 hours required), and additional course hours normally in the field of concentration. Total hours for the thesis-track MA: 24 course hours, plus 6 thesis hours. There is no foreign language requirement.
Non-thesis track: History 510, History 521, at least one 600 level research seminar, and such additional course hours as are necessary to reach the final total of 30 hours for the non-thesis MA. At least 6 hours must be completed in each of two fields of concentration, one of which will be designated as the primary field. There is no foreign language requirement.
What are the MA fields?
There are seven fields:
- United States – from colonial era to the present.
- Premodern Europe – from ancient Greece through the mid-18th century.
- Modern Europe – from the mid-18th century to the present.
- Asia – includes the Middle East as well as all Asia.
- Medieval Mediterranean Basin
- Latin America
- Africa
May I take course hours outside of the History Department?
Yes, you may take as many as 9 hours outside the History department. Generally, however, this is not recommended for our students. You must have the written consent of your advisor and the DGS prior to enrolling in courses outside of the department. You must contact the graduate program secretary in advance of registering for such courses to complete a consent form.
May I count graduate credits earned at another institution?
You may count up to 9 hours of graduate credits earned outside UTK (with the grade of B or higher) if those hours were not used to earn a degree at that institution and if you do not take additional hours from outside the History Department at UTK. Please consult the DGS for advisement on this matter.
How and when am I admitted to candidacy?
After you have completed 9 hours of course work in History with a 3.0 GPA, you need to apply for admission to M.A. candidacy. The appropriate form can be found at the graduate school Web site at http://web.utk.edu/~gsinfo/acforms.htm. This Web site gives instructions on how to complete the form. The Admission to Candidacy form must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than the end of the semester prior to the semester you intend to graduate. Please give the graduate program secretary a copy for your file.
How is my committee established and what does it do?
Under the direction of your major professor, you should establish your committee no later than the end of your second semester. The committee consists of your major professor and two, or occasionally three, additional professors in the department. If you are writing a thesis, the members of your committee will advise you on your research, read and evaluate your thesis, and administer your 2-hour oral exam. If you are not writing a thesis, your committee will prepare and administer your 2-hour written exam and your 1-hour oral exam. When you have selected a committee, please see the graduate program secretary to complete the appropriate form.
What is the scope of the thesis, and how do I select a topic?
The thesis carries 6 hours of credit, which is the same as two research seminars. Therefore, your thesis should approximate the length of two research seminar papers—about 50 pages of text (footnotes and bibliography are additional).
You will select your thesis topic under the direction of your major professor, keeping in mind time and page constraints.
If I write a thesis, what form does the M.A. examination take?
The examination consists of a two-hour oral examination which includes questions on your field and your thesis. You should allow three to four weeks for your committee to read and evaluate your thesis.
There are only two possible grades, Pass and Fail. The examination grade is awarded at the conclusion of the examination based on the committee's assessment of your performance.
If I do not write a thesis, what form does the M.A. examination take?
If you do not write a thesis, you will have a single examination in your primary field, consisting of a two-hour written portion followed within one week by a one-hour oral portion. If you are the only person being examined in your field, your M.A. committee will compose the written portion of the examination. If two or more students are being examined in the same field during a semester, the Department Head will appoint a three-professor committee to draft the written portion of the M.A. examination in that field. All candidates will take the written portion of the examination at the same time and schedule their one-hour oral exam with their individual committees. Evaluation of your written exam will be conducted by your M.A. committee. The M.A. examination may occur at a mutually agreed upon time during the semester.
There are only two possible grades, Pass and Fail. Separate grades are not given for the written and oral parts of the examination and you do not "pass" the written before taking the oral. The examination grade is awarded at the conclusion of the oral portion of the examination based on the committee's assessment of your performance on both the written and oral portions. You are immediately informed of the committee's decision.
When am I required to take the M.A. examination and how is it scheduled?
You must take the examination no later than the semester following the semester in which you completed 30 graduate hours, provided that you have fulfilled the distribution requirements for the M.A. and have a 3.0 GPA. (Summer sessions are not considered semesters when making these calculations.) Any variation from this schedule requires a letter in the file, with consent from your major professor and the DGS.
If you are taking the thesis exam, it can be scheduled when your committee approves your thesis (please keep in mind the time needed for faculty to read it). If you are taking the non-thesis exam, you and your committee should agree on an exam date, unless another M.A. student in the same field is also taking the exam. In this case, the appointed committee will decide on an exam date. You are responsible for working with your committee to schedule the exam.
See the graduate school Web site, http://web.utk.edu/~gsinfo, for deadline dates. It is very important that you follow the graduate school deadlines when scheduling your exam. If you take your exam after the published deadline, you will have to register for the next semester.
When taking either the thesis or non-thesis exam, please contact the graduate program secretary when an exam date has been scheduled, so she can process the necessary paperwork.
Note: M.A. examinations are not given during the summer semester.
May I take the examination before I have completed 30 hours?
Yes. You may take the examination during the same semester you are completing the final courses for your degree. If you pass your examination but fail to complete the courses satisfactorily, you must complete the required course(s) in the next semester (excluding summer). If you do not, you will be required to repeat your M.A. examination.
What happens if I fail my M.A. examination?
If you fail your M.A. examination (either thesis or non-thesis), your committee will explain where your work was unsatisfactory and help you prepare to take your examination again the following semester (excluding summer). If you fail the M.A. examination twice, you will be dropped from the program.
How long should it take me to finish my M.A. degree?
If you take 6 hours per semester, including the summer, you can finish in two academic years. If you take 9 hours per semester, including the summer, you can finish in one and a half academic years. The Graduate School, however, allows 6 calendar years from time of enrollment to completion of the degree.
Is there Departmental financial support for my research?
The Bernadotte Schmitt Graduate Research Fund helps pay for travel, lodging, and other expenses arising out of your thesis research. Funds are awarded during the fall and spring semesters. You will receive information on this in your departmental mailbox each semester.
Is there Departmental financial support for my travel to professional conferences?
Under certain circumstances, the Department will help pay for graduate students' travel to professional conferences. Funding is limited to students who are presenting a paper at a conference; no funds will be granted for travel to job interviews.
Students applying for Departmental travel funds must also apply for University graduate student travel funds. The Department's application deadlines are the same as the University's, as listed in the Graduate Catalogue.
Factors considered by the Department in funding travel to conferences include the applicant's performance as a graduate student, the significance of the conference, the number of previously funded applications from the applicant and amounts awarded, and the availability of Departmental funds.
What determines whether my assistantship will be renewed?
If you have a Departmental assistantship, its renewal from semester to semester is not automatic; it is instead contingent on your performance as a graduate student. Assistantships are very competitive, and the Department awards them only to the best students.
In determining renewal, the Department will take into consideration not just your teaching (or your research, if you have a research assistantship), but also your progress in the graduate program, your scholarly potential, and other factors. Maintaining a good GPA in your course work is essential to renewal, as is satisfactory performance as a teacher or researcher. It is also important for you to maintain close contact with your graduate advisor—you should meet with him or her at least once every semester (preferably more often) to discuss your progress. It is also expected that you will work well with your colleagues, professors, and students and that you will attend the presentations of speakers invited by the Department.
First-year students should keep in mind that their renewal will be based entirely on their performance during their first semester in the graduate program. It is therefore very important that new students exert their maximum effort to succeed from their first day in the program. New students should be especially conscientious about staying in touch with their advisor.
Upon beginning graduate school you should immediately start compiling a professional dossier, and you should keep your dossier up to date as you progress through the graduate program. Having such a dossier is very helpful when you reapply for your assistantship and later when you are preparing a vita and applying for jobs.
One last reminder: when applying for a renewal of your assistantship, be sure to have your advisor submit a letter of recommendation. It is not sufficient to have a recommendation only from the faculty member(s) for whom you have worked as an assistant or from whom you have taken courses.
How do I go from M.A. to the doctoral program?
After you pass your M.A. examination, your committee will decide whether you have demonstrated the analytical and conceptual skills necessary for work in the doctoral program. A letter reflecting that decision will be placed in your file and a copy given to you.
If you are recommended by your committee to our Ph.D. program, and wish to apply, you must complete a "Request for Change of Graduate Program" form through the Graduate School. The Graduate School will then send your file to the History Department for evaluation. Admission requires the recommendation of the DGS, who will be guided by the recommendation of the M.A. examining committee. You must complete the change of program form before you can enroll in Ph.D. courses.