Graduate Info Sheet
M.A. in History- WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
FIELDS OF STUDY
- National, Continental, or Regional studies
- Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, or Modern periods
- Comparative History (see graduate faculty area of specialization)
- Archives and Records Management
Graduate Teaching Assistantship (TA) Deadlines
Date for receipt of graduate teaching assistantship applications is April 1, for all program specializations. Contact the Graduate School for application forms.
M.A. HISTORY, THESIS AND NON-THESIS
For further information, contact departmental office, Bond Hall 364, (360) 650-3429.
Prerequisites
Admission to graduate status and to graduate courses requires completion of an undergraduate major in history or the permission of the department. Applicants must also complete the General section of the Graduate Record Examination prior to admission to the program.
Program Options
The department offers two programs Option I (thesis) and Option II (non-thesis):
Option I (Thesis): Basic Requirements
- Hist 505 (4)
- Hist 690a,b,c [thesis] (12)
- A written thesis prospectus is a prerequisite for 690b registration
- Three courses in a primary field and two in a secondary field
- Elective courses (13)
- 45 total credits
Option II (Non-Thesis): Basic Requirements
- Hist 505 (4)
- Four reading seminars* (16)
- Three courses in one field and three courses in another with no more than one 400 level course in each area (maximum 10 credits at the 400 level)
- Submission of three revised graduate seminar papers to a committee of three department faculty no later than week seven of the final term of study. Proposed revisions to be arranged with that committee no later than week seven in the term prior to the final term of study.
- 48 total credits
*Reading and writing Seminars: Reading seminars revolve around reading and discussion of special topics; shorter written exercises such as exploratory or bibliographical essays may be assigned, but not major papers. Writing seminars are extensions of reading seminars in which students write major research papers based on previous preparation in a reading seminar.
Fields of Study
Fields of study fall into four broad areas: (1) National, continental, or regional studies;
(2) Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, or Modern periods; (3) Comparative History; and (4) Archives and Record Management. Students who choose Option I are required to complete at least three courses in a primary field and two courses in a secondary field, those fields to be determined in consultation with the graduate advisor and thesis committee chair. Students who chose Option II are required to complete at least three courses in one field and three in another with no more than one 400 level course in each as determined in consultation with the graduate advisor.
Electives
To complete a program in either Option I or II, electives may be chosen, in consultation with the graduate adviser from other seminars, readings courses, 400-level undergraduate courses (maximum of 10 credits) or Hist 500 (in rare cases, only with permission of the graduate adviser).
Language Requirement
The foreign language requirement may be met in one of two ways: by taking an examination approved or administered by the department; or by earning a B grade or higher in the last course of a second-year language program. Courses graded on a pass/no pass basis would not qualify for satisfying the language requirement. Tests and course work taken before entry into the graduate program may be counted if taken within five years of acceptance into the graduate program, or, where appropriate and with departmental permission, a demonstrated competence in mathematics, statistics, or appropriate computer programs/processes, as determined by adviser.
ADMISSION TO GRAD SCHOOL AT WESTERN
Admission is granted by the Graduate School of Western Washington University with the concurrence of the department or program unit in which the student will pursue graduate study. The Graduate School informs applicants of the decision made on their applications. Application forms are available from the Graduate School. A non-refundable application fee of $35 (subject to change) is charged for each application submitted, whether initial application, or request to defer, change to another quarter of admission, or transfer into another WWU graduate program. A non-refundable application fee of $100 (subject to change) is charged for each application submitted for an off-campus self-supporting graduate program. This applies to the initial application and each request to transfer into another off-campus self-supporting WWU graduate program. The fee also applies if the student enrolls in self-supporting courses. Admission to the Graduate School is limited to a single graduate program (see University Graduation Requirements section of this catalog for further discussion). Graduate School deadline dates are as follows, although many programs have earlier specific deadline dates and do not admit for all quarters (see discussion under specific programs):
Initial application with all supporting materials (see below) must be received in the Graduate School Office by June 1 for fall, October 1 for winter, February 1 for spring and May 1 for summer. International students should refer to the section below pertaining to international applicants for deadlines.
Official test scores must be received by August 1 for fall, November 1 for winter, March 1 for spring and June 1 for summer.
NOTE: The requirements and procedures listed below demand lead time. Applicants are urged to submit all necessary materials as early as possible before the beginning of the term for which admission is requested or by the earlier, program-specific deadline dates. Faculty review of application materials is unlikely during periods that the University is not in session.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Full Admission
A four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or an equivalent degree from a foreign university. The degree must be appropriate to the masters study intended. Two recent, official transcripts from each college or university attended (no exceptions) must accompany the application in a sealed envelope prepared by the Registrar of each institution.
A 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in the last
90-quarter or 60-semester hours of study. In order for post-baccalaureate credit to be included in the GPA computation, the course work must be upper division. Post-baccalaureate course work at community colleges will not be included in the GPA used for admission. Applicants with advanced degrees from accredited institutions are considered to have met GPA requirements.
Three current letters of reference from professors in the applicants undergraduate major field, or from professors of post-baccalaureate courses, or from others able to make an appropriate assessment of the applicants academic or professional competence. (Forms available from Graduate School.) The letters must accompany the application; if confidential, they must be received in sealed envelopes, with the signature of the referee across the seal. The MBA program requires a resume in lieu of references.
Favorable review and recommendation of applications by the graduate faculty in the program to which application is made.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other test scores. Applicants to programs through the Woodring College of Education and the MEd programs offered in Art and SciEd/Natural Science Education may submit scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller
Analogies Test (MAT). Applicants with advanced degrees applying to the MS-Environmental Science program and the MEd programs in Adult Education, Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education, and Exceptional Children do not need to submit scores. MBA applicants must provide the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), not the GRE, within the MBA program deadlines. Scores must be received in the Graduate School office by the program-specific deadline date; if no program-specific deadline date, then by the deadlines established by the Graduate School.
Materials submitted in support of an application will not be returned, forwarded, or copied at the request of the applicant. Materials are used only for the WWU Graduate School admissions and TA selection process.
Applicants are advised to plan for the paper/pencil GRE four to six months prior to the program deadline date. Registration for the paper/pencil GRE must be made approximately six weeks in advance of the test; scores are reported to the Graduate School office approximately six weeks after the test.
The GRE is also offered by computer and the GMAT is available only by computer. The computer-based test (CBT) substantially shortens the time frame for both registration and score reporting.
The MAT generally is offered monthly through the Western Washington University Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing (OIAT), (360) 650-3080.
Contact Educational Testing Service in Princeton, N.J. at (609) 771-7670 for further information about the GRE testing program. The GRE bulletin is also available at the Graduate School and Western's OIAT, (360) 650-3080. For information about the GMAT, contact 1-800-462-8669.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS
Graduate assistantships are available in limited number in nearly all graduate programs. Graduate assistants must meet or exceed all criteria for maintaining graduate status and make satisfactory progress toward the degree. Graduate students are limited to no more than the equivalent of six full-time quarters of service as graduate teaching assistants.
These assistantships are competitive. Duties vary according to the department and program, the needs of the program faculty and the students' graduate plan of study. A full-time assistantship does not allow for additional salary or employment from the University. Information about assistantships can be obtained from the Graduate School. To apply, submit the graduate assistantship application to the Graduate School. Some programs have specific due dates; see individual program description.
TA's are required to be enrolled full time (see later section on Academic Load for details). Graduate students also are eligible for several types of financial aid; information can be obtained from the University's Office of Student Financial Resources.
If you have questions not answered here, contact the Graduate School office.