University of Nebraska at Omaha
Department of History
Master of Arts
- To be considered for admission to the graduate program, every student must comply with the following four requirements:
- Complete 21 semester hours of work in history, including a course on historical research, with a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
- Earn an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale).
- Submit an essay of 250 to 500 words describing his or her interests in history and why he or she wishes to earn an M.A. degree.
- Have two letters of recommendation sent to the chair of the Graduate Program Committee. (Requirement "d" is waived for any student who has earned a B.A. or B.S. in history at UNO with an entire undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better).
- Complete 21 semester hours of work in history, including a course on historical research, with a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
- The Graduate Program Committee may choose to admit provisionally any student who does not meet all of the above requirements, with the understanding that all conditions for unconditional admission must be met before HIST 8010 or 9100 courses may be taken.
- Students who have taken no undergraduate course in historical research and writing must take History 3930 (Historical Research) during the first two semesters of their enrollment. This course, required of all undergraduate history majors at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, seeks to develop two skills essential to all historians: the ability to write clearly and to do critical and thorough research. Students who lack these skills may anticipate serious problems in their studies.
Interpretation of this requirement rests with the History Graduate Program Committee. Students who believe they have taken a comparable course or have acquired equivalent skills, should submit examples of their work which will enable the Graduate Program Committee to assess their proficiency.
- Every prospective student must obtain from the department of history the handout "Graduate Study in History." This presents information important to all students taking graduate work in history. All students are expected to be thoroughly familiar with the information and departmental policies.
M.A. Program with Thesis (30 hour program)
The 30 hour program includes 6 hours of thesis credit plus 24 credit hours in graduate courses. This program is especially recommended for students who wish to continue work toward a PhD and offers three options:- 24 hours of graduate courses in history, nine of which must be in History 9100. At least three of the remaining 15 hours must be in History 9100 or History 8010. No student's program, may include more than six hours of History 8010. Each MA student must complete at least one seminar which contains the word "historiography" within its title.
- 15 hours of approved graduate courses in history including nine hours of History 9100, plus nine approved hours of graduate course work in a related field which will constitute a minor. Permission to take a graduate minor must be obtained from the student's advisor. The department/school in which the minor is planned must be consulted to determine the student's eligibility to do graduate work in that department/school. At least twelve of the total of 24 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students (8_ _ 0).
- 15 hours of approved graduate courses in history including nine hours of History 9100, plus nine approved hours of graduate course work in ethnic, gender, urban, regional or other approved thematic study from two or more departments/schools other than the history department. Permission to take a thematic studies program must be obtained from the student's advisor and approved by the Graduate Program Committee. At least twelve of the total 24 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students
(8 _ _ 0).
Before completing 12 hours of graduate work, every student must investigate a prospective thesis topic, determine if adequate sources are available, and ascertain which faculty member will direct it. On or before completion of those 12 hours, the student must submit a thesis proposal of six to ten pages in which he or she describes the tentative topical and chronological scope of the subject and provides a research plan and a bibliography of essential primary and secondary material. This proposal must be prepared in consultation with the prospective thesis director.
M.A. Program without Thesis (36 hour program)
The 36 hour program offers two options:- 36 hours of graduate courses in history, at least half of which must be in courses open only to graduate students (8 _ _ 0). No student's program may include more than six hours of History 8010. Each MA student must complete at least one seminar which contains the word "historiography" within its title.
- 27 hours of history graduate courses, including at least nine hours of History 9100, plus nine hours of graduate course work in a related field which will constitute a minor. Permission to take such a minor shall be obtained from the student's advisor. The department/school in which the minor is planned must be consulted to determine the student's eligibility to do graduate work in that department/school. At least 18 of the total of 36 hours must be in courses open only to graduate students. No student's program may include more than six hours of History 8010.
Graduate Minor in History
To earn a graduate minor in history, a student must complete nine hours of graduate level history courses with a grade of "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better.Graduate Minor in Native American Studies
The minimum requirement for the graduate minor is 9 credits taken at the 8000 and/or 9000 levels. A student's program will be planned in consultation with the Native American Studies (NAS) Graduate Advisor who will hold Graduate Faculty status. This cross-disciplinary minor will include choices among approved graduate lecture classes, seminars and Directed Reading courses. Three hours of thesis can be counted toward the minimum requirements of 9 credits, but only if the Graduate Advisor and the thesis committee members agree that this is a Native American-related topic. Students must complete each course of their 9 credit minor with a grade of "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. No comprehensive exam will be required after completion of the three required courses for the minor. All courses added to the NAS graduate curriculum in the future, must first be approved by the Native American Studies faculty as a committee-of-the whole. NAS faculty will likewise work in concert with the individual departments/schools that offer relevant courses for the minor. Credit hours will be assigned to the home department of the individual instructor who teaches a specific course.
Course Attendance Requirement and Withdrawal Policy
- All History Department faculty may at their own discretion remove from any class any graduate student who misses three or more classes during a single semester.
- The History Department Graduate Program Committee may remove from the program any student who withdraws from three or more courses.