Completion of MA

1. Advisor

Applicants should feel free to contact any faculty member for advice and help during the application process.  They should begin to explore the intellectual interests of each faculty member with the goal of choosing an appropriate person to serve as an advisor during the students' tenure in the department. This decision does not have to be thought of as permanent in any way, but should be made as early in the application process as possible.  If an applicant does not identify an advisor, the DGS will appoint a provisional advisor.

2. The Core Courses and the Completion of the M.A.

*****The  new graduate curriculum effective for the entering class of 2010 click here.

Incoming students who have not completed an M.A. elsewhere are expected to complete

History 700 (introduction to the discipline)

History 900 (introduction to research)

Two‑semester field survey courses (History 711-716 required for some fields; elective for others)

History 901 or other 900‑level research seminar

History 993 (thesis credit‑must be taken for MA but is not counted for PhD)

Four elective courses (may be in other fields/departments and should be considered in relation to completing doctoral requirements)    

The student should consult with his or her faculty advisor when choosing which courses to take. The requirements are set out in more detail below. 

Occasionally a student may have a compelling reason to substitute a reading course or a course from outside of the department for a program requirement.  Substitutions must be approved in advance by the Director of Graduate Studies and the student=s advisor. 

3. First Year Evaluation

At the end of a student's first year in the graduate program at UNC‑CH (whether or not entering with the M.A.), the student's advisor will prepare a one‑page report on progress made. This report should incorporate evaluation of work in courses during both semesters, discussions of performance at the spring field meeting and, when relevant, evaluations of performance as a Teaching Assistant or Apprentice Teacher. The purpose of the report is to give students an overall sense of their performance ‑‑ their strengths, their prospects, and, in particular, the specific areas in which they should concentrate on improving in the future. 

Upon completion of the report, the advisor should pass it to the field convenor who will co‑sign the report, indicating that the report express the consensus of the field concerning the student's performance. The field convenor should then pass the report to the DGS who will read, sign, and place the original in the student's file. A copy of the report will then be given to the student. After receipt of the report, it is highly recommended that the advisee schedule a meeting with the advisor to discuss it, especially if concerns are expressed about a student's performance. (Students should, of course, feel free to discuss their performance and prospects with their advisor at any time.)

Students should receive these reports well before the start of their second year.

4. Creating your M.A. Committee

Before the end of the third semester of graduate study, the student, in consultation with his or her advisor, will select a three member M.A. committee.  Members of the committee must be UNC-CH faculty members or graduate faculty at another university.  A faculty representative from one or more departments at UNC-CH, other than History, may be added to the committee of three when his or her interests or competencies are relevant to the student's program of study.  To formally constitute the committee, complete the form and submit it to the Graduate Coordinator. 

5. The M.A. Essay

The M.A. thesis should demonstrate that the student can handle the primary source material of the field, has a working knowledge of the secondary literature, and can present the results of research in a coherent, well‑written essay. The length of the thesis will be determined by the nature of the material and topic, but it should generally be article length (in the range of 40‑60 pages) and of publishable quality. 

6.  M.A. Defense

The culminating step in earning the M.A. degree is an oral examination usually lasting an hour to an hour and a half. The committee, which, as described above, should be composed of three faculty members selected by the student and the thesis director and including the thesis director as chair, examines the candidate on the thesis. Because participation of faculty via telephone or other media can be expensive, intellectually unsatisfactory, and inconvenient for staff, all three members of the committee should be physically present if at all possible.  Well in advance of the exam, the student should consult with the thesis director on the nature of the examination and secure from the Graduate Secretary the formal application to take the exam. The application should be turned into the secretary's office three weeks prior to the exam.  The student should also schedule a room with the Graduate Secretary once the time and date of defense have been established.  The student is responsible for completing the Application for Graduation by the required deadline.  This form and deadline can be found on the Graduate School's webpage. The committee is responsible for determining whether the thesis and the oral examination are of passing quality. 

7. Time to Degree for M.A.

All M.A. degree requirements are to be met by the end of the fourth semester in residence. The student who has not completed the M.A. work by this time is ineligible for departmental financial assistance. This time limit on coursework may be waived by the Director of Graduate Studies on petition from the student showing valid cause, but he or she will not be eligible for further aid until all degree requirements are met.