History
OFFICE: Room 5016, Humanities and Social Sciences Bldg., Muir College
(858) 534-1996
history@ucsd.edu
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/history
Professors
Courses
The Undergraduate Program
Whereas other subjects may make us smarter for next time,
said the great historian of the Renaissance, Jakob Burckhardt, the
study of history makes us wiser forever. This major is, moreover,
an excellent preparation for a number of rewarding careers in university
and college teaching and research, law, government, diplomacy, international
business, education, and even medicine. At the crossroads of the humanities,
the arts, and the social sciences, history is the study of human experience
as it has unfolded over the ages. As an academic discipline it presents
a unique gateway both to the richness of our cultural heritage and to
the immense variety of world civilizations.
Students wishing to declare a major in history should first consult
with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. After determining the students
likely field of emphasis, the student should then select an appropriate
faculty adviser. All undergraduate majors are strongly encouraged to
consult with the faculty adviser at least once each quarter. Any difficulties
in the advising procedure or in registration formalities should be reported
to the director of Undergraduate Studies.
Department fields are as follows: Africa (HIAF), East Asia (HIEA),
Europe (HIEU), Near East (HINE), Latin America (HILA), History of Science
(HISC), and U.S. History (HIUS). In carrying on its work, the department
also administers the following special research and instructional units:
Chinese Studies; the Committee on Area and Ethnic Studies and Research
(CAESAR), which includes Classical Studies, German Studies, Italian
Studies, Japanese Studies, Middle East Studies, Russian Soviet Studies,
Judaic Studies; and Science Studies. As well as the following three
thematic fields: Gender and Sexuality; Race, Ethnicity, and Migration;
and War, Revolution, and Social Change.
The department is fortunate in having the research and professional
activities of its faculty supported by the Laura and John Galbraith
Faculty Development Fund.
Basic requirements for the major are as follows:
- A three-quarter lower-division sequence.
- Twelve four-unit upper-division courses, which must include the
following distribution of courses:
- Seven courses in a field of emphasis. (In certain cases, with
approval of the academic adviser, two of these courses may be
in a neighboring discipline.)
- Five courses in other fields within the department.
- Three of the twelve courses must focus on the period before
1800. These courses are indicated by the symbol (+).
- At least one of the twelve courses must be a colloquium in which
students would be required to write a substantial term paper.
Colloquia are those courses with numbers between 160 and 190,
or others approved by the undergraduate adviser. Note: The colloquium
does not have to be in the major field of emphasis.
*Requirement 2d applies only to students entering UCSD after September
1, 1998.
Students majoring in history will normally take at least eight of their
twelve upper-division history courses at UCSD. Exceptions to this rule
may be made for transfer students and for students participating in
the EAP/OAP program.
In special cases, upon approval of the director of Undergraduate Studies,
students may devise a field of emphasis (e.g., economic, legal, or social
history) other than those designated above. Special independent study
courses, such as HITO 197, HITO 198, and HITO 199, are available for
students. These courses are especially recommended for those students
interested in the Honors Program and in Graduate study.
With the exception of 199 courses, all work in the major must be taken
for a letter grade. Of the twelve upper-division courses required in
the major, no more than two may be History 199 credits. (Exceptions
to these rules may be allowed upon petition to the director of Undergraduate
Studies.)
Lower-division sequences may be selected from the following:
HILD 2 A-B-C
|
United States History
|
HILD 7 ABC
|
Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.A.
|
HILD 10-11-12-13
|
East Asia
|
Students may also satisfy the lower-division requirement for the major
by completing the Revelle College Humanities Sequence or the Fifth College
Sequence, Making of the Modern World. Students entering
with AP credit in history may waive part of the lower-division requirement.
Transfer students, after consulting with the director of Undergraduate
Studies, may petition to substitute a two-semester or three-quarter
survey from another school for the department s lower-division
requirement.
Established in 1983, the Armin Rappaport Memorial Fund endows an annual
prize for the outstanding graduating student in the major. The recipient
of the award is announced at every June Commencement.
The Honors Program
The department offers a special program for outstanding students. The
Honors Program is especially recommended for those students interested
in pursuing graduate study in history or allied fields. It is also a
particularly effective preparation for professional careers. Candidates
for history honors are chosen during the spring quarter from among juniors
in history who have taken at least four upper-division courses in the
department. Juniors with a 3.5 GPA in history (3.0 overall) are eligible
to apply. Admission to the program is based on the students academic
work. Interested candidates should complete the application form (available
in the Department of History office) prior to May 10.
In addition to regular course work in the department, the honors program
consists of a colloquium in historiography offered in the fall quarter
of the senior year and a program of independent study leading to the
completion of an honors essay on a topic of the students choice.
During the fall quarter of the senior year, candidates select a topic
and begin preliminary work on the honors essay in consultation with
a major field adviser (HITO 194). During the winter quarter the student
pursues a course of independent study devoted to the completion of the
honors essay (HITO 195). The award of history honors is based on satisfactory
completion of the colloquium in history and the honors essay. Students
are expected to maintain an average of 3.5 or better in all work taken
within the department. Honors candidates must include at least three
colloquia in their regular course work.
Candidates for history honors should organize their work as follows:
- Six quarter-courses in one of the major fields offered by the department.
- Three quarter-courses in a field other than the primary one.
- Three of these nine quarter courses must be colloquia.
- HITO 196. Colloquium in History;
- HITO 194 and 195. History HonorsHonors Essay.
Minors in History
Effective winter quarter 1998, the minor consists of at least seven
courses, five of which must be upper-division. Although there is no
specific distribution requirement, the courses should be selected to
constitute a coherent curriculum. No more than two upper-division courses
applied to a minor may be taken for Pass/No Pass. Prospective minors
in history should consult with an undergraduate adviser for approval
of their program.
Education Abroad Program
Students are encouraged to participate in the UC Education Abroad Program
(EAP) of UCSDs Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP), while still making
progress toward completing their major. Students considering this option
should discuss their plans with the departmental Educational Abroad faculty
adviser before going abroad, and courses taken abroad must be approved
by the department. (For more information on departmental procedures for
study aboard see undergraduate program http://history.ucsd.edu.
EAP is detailed in the Educational Abroad Program of the UCSD General
Catalog, or visit http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/icenter.
Financial aid is applicable to study abroad, and study abroad scholarships
are available. Interested students should contact the Programs Abroad
Office in the International Center.
The Graduate Program
The Masters Program
The Department of History offers masters degrees in the fields
of Chinese studies, modern European history (1500 to the present), history
of science, Latin American history, and United States history. The department
also provides the opportunity for students to design special M.A. programs
in areas such as African history, medieval European history, and Judaic
studies. In consultation with an appropriate faculty member, students
may petition the department for approval for a special MA
Admission is based on the applicants undergraduate preparation;
previous graduate work, if any, three letters of recommendation; one
or two papers (preferably written for history courses); and scores from
the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE subject exam in history
is not required. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is
required for foreign applicants. A minimum score of 550 for the paper-based
test or a score of 213 for the computer-based test is required on the
TOEFL.
The minimum grade-point average for admission is 3.0 with a higher
average in history and related subjects. While proficiency in a foreign
language is not an absolute requirement for admission (except in Latin
American history, where a reading knowledge of Spanish is required),
prospective applicants are strongly urged to begin study of a foreign
language appropriate to the proposed area of concentration as early
as possible in their academic career. With very few exceptions, students
are expected to begin their programs in the fall quarter. Refer to the
online application for filing deadline. Masters students ordinarily
do not receive financial aid from the department or the university except
when funds are not utilized for support of Ph.D. candidates.
For online application visit: http://www.ogsr.ucsd.edu/
General Requirements
Candidates for the masters degree are expected to finish the
program in one academic year of full-time study or two years of part-time
work. The program requires completion of thirty-six units, of which
at least twenty units must be in colloquia, conjoined courses, directed
readings, and seminars. In addition to course requirements, students
must pass a comprehensive oral examination. Students in European or
Latin American history and in certain special areas must demonstrate
reading knowledge of at least one foreign language relevant to their
course work.
Area of Concentration: Chinese Studies
Chinese studies is an interdisciplinary program that allows the graduate
student interested in China to take advantage of the universitys
offerings in various departments to build a coordinated graduate program
leading to an M.A. degree in history. Although the program is offered
under the auspices of the Department of History, the student selects
courses in the Departments of Anthropology, Linguistics, Literature,
Political Science, and Sociology, as well as History.
Area of Concentration: Europe
Candidates for the M.A. degree in European history pursue a program concentrating
on the history of modern Europe. The program provides background in
earlier European history in order to place modern Europe in perspective.
Some training in a discipline other than history is also recommended.
The requirement of nine courses (thirty-six units) is normally distributed
as follows:
- A two-quarter research seminar, to be selected from HIGR 230, 231,
or 232.
- Three one-quarter courses concerning the historical literature
about central problems in European history: HIGR 200, 220, 221, and
222 are the preferred options. If any of them are not scheduled for
the year, other graduate-level colloquia may be substituted with approval
of the students graduate adviser.
- Two courses in preindustrial Europe, 14501750: HIGR 200,
220, and 221 may be counted for this requirement.
- Two courses in industrial Europe since 1750: HIGR 221 and 222 may
be counted for this requirement, as well as appropriate graduate level
colloquia.
Note: HIGR 221 may NOT be used for both (3) and (4).
- One course in a discipline other than history, if relevant to the
students program.
Area of Concentration: History of Science
The masters program in history of science provides a broad background
in preparation for a variety of careers related to science and technology,
business, journalism, education, government, or for more advanced degree
work. The nine courses (thirty-six units) required are normally distributed
as follows:
- Two courses in science in early modern Europe.
- Two courses in science since 1750.
- A two-quarter research seminar.
- The remaining courses are chosen in consultation with the faculty
in history of science. For students whose previous training has been
mainly scientific, these will include courses in historical fields
other than the history of science. For students who already have historical
training, they may include one or more courses related to the sciences.
Area of Concentration: Latin America
This program offers the student a general preparation in the history
of Latin America. Students will have the opportunity to specialize in
national or colonial periods and can emphasize work in one country.
Advanced work in another discipline related to Latin America may also
be included in the program. Thirty-six units normally should be distributed
as follows:
- HIGR 245A-B-C.
- Three graduate courses in Latin American history.
- Three other courses related to Latin America in history or in other
disciplines.
Area of Concentration: United States
This area of concentration offers the M.A. candidate a broad grounding
in the literature of American history from the colonial period to the
present. In addition to a shared core of courses, students specialize
in a topical field of their own choosing. Training in a related discipline
outside of history is encouraged. The requirement of nine courses (thirty-six
units) is ordinarily distributed as follows:
- HIGR 265A-B-C. The Literature of American History. These colloquia
are required of all entering graduate students in American history.
- A two-quarter research seminar.
- Two courses in a single topical field chosen from African-American
history, history of the borderlands and Southwest, Chicano history,
economic history, legal and constitutional history, political history,
social and cultural history, history of the South, history of the
West, or history of women and gender.
- Two additional courses chosen in consultation with the students
adviser. These courses may be in a related field outside the department.
- At least six of the nine courses must be colloquia or graduate-level
courses. Students may take conjoined courses, directed readings, research
seminars, or the 265 series to meet this requirement.
Ph.D. Program
Admission
The Department of History offers the doctor of philosophy degree in
the fields of ancient history, East Asian history, European history,
history of science, Latin American history, and United States history.
Admission is based on the applicants undergraduate preparation;
previous graduate work, if any; three letters of recommendation; one
or two papers (preferably written for history courses); and scores from
the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE subject exam in history
is not required. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is
required for foreign applicants. A minimum score of 550 for the paper-based
test or a score of 213 for the computer-based test is required on the
TOEFL.
The minimum grade-point average for admission is 3.0 with a higher
average in history and related subjects. In most areas of concentration,
knowledge of at least two foreign languages will be required during
a students academic career. In general, applicants are expected
to have a reading knowledge of the languages most appropriate to their
major field at the time of admission. Thus, students in ancient history,
East Asian history, European history, history of science, and Latin
American history should have a working knowledge of one foreign language
at the time of admission. With very few exceptions, students are expected
to begin their programs in the fall quarter. Refer to the online application
for filing deadline.
For online application visit: http://www.ogsr.ucsd.edu/
Fields of Study
During the first year of residence each student, after consulting with
a graduate adviser in the area of concentration, selects one major field
of study and two minor fields. Within a major field the student should
indicate a special interest from which the dissertation may develop.
The first minor is ordinarily a supplementary field within the students
area of concentration, while the second minor is a complementary field
outside the area of concentration. The basic programs of study are as
follows:
I. ANCIENT HISTORY
Students in ancient history will be expected to demonstrate a broad
mastery of the entire field, with special concentration as follows:
- Major Fields
- The ancient Near East, with emphasis on the civilization of
the northwest Semitic peoples during the Bronze and early Iron
Ages.
- The history of Israel in the biblical period.
- The history of the Jewish people in antiquity.
- First Minor
- One of the fields listed above not chosen as the major field.
- Greek and Roman history.
- The Middle East before Islam (western Asia and northeastern
Africa from the sixth century b.c.e. to the seventh century c.e.)
- Second Minor
- A field of history outside of ancient history.
- A related discipline, offered through another department.
- Language Requirements
- All students will be expected to demonstrate a reading knowledge
of two modern foreign languages, usually French and German. This
requirement may be satisfied by any of the means recognized by
the department.
- All students will be expected to demonstrate a reading knowledge
of at least one and usually two of the three following ancient
languages: Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. The languages will be chosen
as appropriate to the students particular interests and
the requirement will be satisfied by departmental examination.
- The second and sometimes third language not elected under (2)
may be required if necessary for the students research.
Additional languages, such as Akkadian, Aramaic, Egyptian, Ugaritic,
Phoenician, and middle and modern Hebrew, may be required as necessary
for the students research. The required level of competence
will be set as appropriate to the students needs and the
requirement will be satisfied by departmental examination.
II. EAST ASIAN HISTORY
Students in East Asian history will be expected to demonstrate a broad
competence in the entire field, with special concentration as follows:
- Major Fields
- Modern China
- Modern Japan
- Minor Fields
For students majoring in Chinese history, students will be expected
to pass three minor fields in order to broaden each students
perspective on East Asian history:
- Premodern Chinese history.
- Modern Japanese history.
- A history field outside of East Asia, or a discipline outside
of history.
For students majoring in Japanese history:
- A field in history.
- A related field offered through another department. Note: One
of the minor fields must not focus exclusively on East Asia.
- Language Requirements
For students majoring in Chinese history: students must demonstrate
a reading knowledge of Chinese and a reading knowledge of a second
foreign language related to the students research interests.
For students majoring in Japanese history: students must demonstrate
a reading and speaking knowledge of Japanese. Depending on specialization,
reading knowledge of a second foreign language might be necessary.
III. EUROPEAN HISTORY
The graduate program in European history is designed to achieve a dual
objective: to encourage a broad mastery of historical methods and literature
in various fields, as well as to develop a special focus of research
within a single area or epoch. The distribution of offerings is as follows:
- Major Fields
- Modern Europe, with a specialty in Britain, France, Germany,
Italy, Spain, diplomatic history, economic history, intellectual
history, or social history.
- Early modern Europe, with a specialty in the cultural, economic,
or social history of one region.
- First Minor
Any of the following fields may be selected provided that the study
concentrates on a chronological period outside the major.
- Classical Greece and Rome
- Medieval Europe
- Early modern Europe
- Modern Europe
- A national history
- Second Minor
- The history of a geographic area outside of Western Europe
- History of science
- Womens history
- A related discipline, offered through another department.
- D. Language Requirements
The department requires Ph.D. Candidates in European history to demonstrate
competency in two languages in addition to English before advancement
to candidacy.
IV. HISTORY OF SCIENCE
Note: Students should indicate whether they are also applicants for
admission to the interdepartmental program in Science Studies (history,
philosophy, and sociology of science).
- Major Fields
- Science in early modern Europe.
- Science in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
- Science in the twentieth century.
- Another field of comparable breadth, defined in consultation
with the major field adviser.
- First and Second Minor Fields (Any two of the following may be
selected, in consultation with the major field adviser.)
- Science Studies (mandatory for students in the Science Studies
program).
- Any of the other fields offered by the department, provided
that it offers general historical understanding of the same period
as the major field.
- A field of history of science not chosen as the major field.
- A second field of history, provided that it concentrates on
a period or region other than that chosen for the first minor
field.
- A related discipline, offered through another department. Note:
this field may be in the physical or life sciences.
- Language Requirements
Competency in one or two languages in addition to English before advancement
to candidacy is required. The requirement will vary depending on chosen
major field.
V. LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY
Doctoral candidates in Latin American history are expected to gain
a broad chronological and geographical mastery of the field as a whole.
The oral examination in the major field, while concentrating on the
students special area of interest, will be a comprehensive examination
covering the whole field of Latin American history.
- Major Fields
- The national period of Latin America, with a specialty in the
Andean Republics, Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, or the Southern
Cone countries.
- Colonial Latin America, with an emphasis on one major region.
- First Minor
The student should select either the national period or the colonial
period as a chronological supplement to the major.
- Second Minor
- The history of another geographic area outside Latin America
and the Caribbean.
- An area of discipline, offered through another department,
related to the students dissertation or preparation for
university teaching.
- Language Requirement
Competency in two languages in addition to English before advancement
to candidacy is required. Normally the first of these will be Spanish.
The second may be Portuguese or another European or non-European language,
including an indigenous language of the Americas.
VI. UNITED STATES HISTORY
- Major Fields
- Colonial and National period to 1877.
- Modern America, 1877 to the present.
- First Minor
- One of the above fields not chosen as the major field.
- One of the following topical fields:
African-American history, history of the borderlands and Southwest,
Chicano history, economic history, legal and constitutional history,
political history, social and cultural history, history of the
South, history of the West, or history of women and gender.
- Second Minor
- A geographic area outside the United States in either the premodern
or modern period.
- A related discipline offered through another department.
- Language Requirement
Competency in one language in addition to English before advancement
to candidacy is required.
VII. DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM
Students who wish to earn both the Ph.D. in history from UCSD and the
Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law must apply to and
be independently accepted into both programs under each of the campus
standards and procedures.
Students pursuing the dual degree program will normally alternate years
at each institution, in a manner agreed on by the students advisers
and appropriate committees. Thus, for example, a student may spend his
or her first year at Cal Western, his or her second year at UCSD, and
so on through the program. At least one year at each institution must
be completed by the end of three years.
Each institution will accept a small number of course credits from
the other institution to satisfy its degree requirements. Cal Western
remains on a semester system, while UCSD continues on a quarter system.
With the exception of the historiography and research seminars and subject
to approval by a faculty adviser and the graduate committee, the Department
of History will accept for credit up to two classes from Cal Western.
VIII. OTHER FIELDS
Students may be admitted to graduate study leading to the Ph.D. In
fields other than those listed above upon the recommendation of an appropriate
faculty member. In such cases, a special program of study appropriate
to the field will be devised by the major field adviser, subject to
the approval of the departments graduate committee.
Note: The department also offers graduate work in African history.
When appropriate, students may select a minor field in this area.
Ph.D. Course Work
A normal full-time program consists of 12 units per quarter. Ph.D.
students are expected to complete at least one of the following minimum
formal courses of study prior to their qualifying examination: (1) two
two-quarter research seminars, three one-quarter historiography courses
in their major field and five other courses (which may be a combination
of colloquia, conjoined courses, or directed readings); or (2) three
two-quarter research seminars (not necessarily in the same field), three
one-quarter historiography courses in their major field, and three other
courses (which may be a combination of colloquia, conjoined courses,
or directed readings). Students are encouraged to take their first research
seminar in their major field during the initial year of graduate study.
A maximum of four units per quarter may be taken in teaching assistantships.
Part-time Study
Students who enroll in fewer than twelve graduate or upper-division
units per quarter are considered part-time students. Part-time study
may be pursued in several masters programs and a few Ph.D. programs
at UCSD. Approval for individual students to enroll on a part-time basis
may be given for reasons of occupation, family responsibilities, or
health. Individuals who are interested in part-time study and meet the
above qualifications should see the departments graduate coordinator.
Part-time students must satisfy the same admission requirements as
full-time students and are eligible, at the discretion of the department,
for 25 percent time teaching or research assistantships. Students who
are approved by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research for enrollment
in a program of half-time study or less (maximum of six units) may be
eligible for a reduction in fees. All other students pay the same fees
as full-time students.
Ph.D. and M.A. Language Requirements
Ph.D. Candidates in Chinese, European, and Latin American history must
demonstrate competency in two foreign languages. Ph.D. Candidates in
history of science, Japanese, and United States history, as well as
M.A. candidates in European and Latin American history, must demonstrate
competency in one foreign language. Ph.D. Candidates in ancient history
require two modern foreign languages as well as the relevant ancient
languages. Additional languages appropriate to the special field of
study as well as language requirements for a candidate in a field other
than those already mentioned may be required by the Graduate Committee
in consultation with the students major field adviser. Students
may satisfy the foreign language requirement in one of the following
ways:
- By completing, with a grade of B or better in each term, a
two-year language sequence from the students undergraduate institution.
Such a sequence must have been completed within two years of the time
the request is made to the Graduate Committee for certification of
competency.
- By completing, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term, a two-year,
lower-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee.
- By completing, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term, a one-year,
upper-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee.
- By passing a translation examination administered by a departmental
faculty member who is proficient in the language. (This is the only
option available for Chinese and Japanese.)
Students are urged to complete at least one foreign language examination
by the end of the first year of study and must do so by the beginning
of their third year. Failure to meet this requirement is grounds for
denial of financial support. No student may take the oral qualifying
examination before completing all language requirements.
Ph.D. Examinations
- Minor Fields
Ph.D. Candidates are strongly encouraged to take at least one minor
field examination by the end of fall quarter of their second year
and to complete all examinations by the end of their third year. Generally,
the department recognizes two types of minor fields. The most common
minor field is a teaching field. That is, passing a minor field in
an area certifies, on a students record and resume, that the
student has mastered the literature and the major issues in a field
sufficient to qualify the student to teach in that area. (An example
would be a minor field in modern Japanese history for an East Asian
history student specializing in modern China; or medieval history
for a Europeanist.) A second type of minor field is designed to familiarize
a student with a range of theoretical and comparative issues which
will be useful in the formulation of a dissertation topic and future
research in the students major field. (An example might be Latin
American history for a student working in United States ethnic history;
or sociology for a student in any field.) For a minor field taken
outside the department, the minor field adviser (not the student or
major field adviser) determines the level of expertise sufficient
to warrant certification in that field.
Reading lists are negotiated between students and their minor field
adviser, but, as a guideline, they should include about 50 titles
with 4070 titles representing a reasonable range. The reading
list is agreed upon, at least three months in advance, by the student
and faculty member administering the minor field examination. The
list is intended to establish what will be expected of the student
and to prevent confusion over the material to be covered. Most minor
fields include a written examination; these may be in the form of
a three-hour departmental exam or a twenty-four hour take-home exam
at the administering professors discretion. (Minor field examinations
in East Asian history will be oral; those in history of science may
be either written or oral.) The professor composes and grades the
written examination.
Students who fail a minor field examination may petition the Graduate
Committee for permission to sit for the examination again at any time
during the following two quarters, as long as pre-candidacy time limits
are not exceeded. A second failure results automatically in dismissal
from the program.
- Oral Qualifying Examination and Candidacy
Students are normally expected to take their qualifying examination
no later than the spring of their third year of study (except as otherwise
specified by the individual fields), and are required to do so in
four years. Students must fulfill all course work, minor field, and
language requirements before taking their qualifying examination.
The qualifying examination is an oral test in the students major
field of study, conducted by at least five examiners: three of whom
must be members of the Department of History and two from a discipline
outside the department (at least one examiner must be a tenured faculty
member). Or, four examiners from the Department of History (with one
member outside the students field group), and with at least
one tenured faculty member from a discipline outside the department.
Students should consult with their adviser about the composition of
the examining committee well before their examination. The examination
committee also serves as the dissertation committee. The membership
of the committee must be approved by the Department Chair and ultimately
the Dean of graduate studies. The date of the examination is determined
by consultation between the candidate and the examining committee.
In addition to the major field book list, it is required that students
also submit a dissertation prospectus to the committee before the
oral examination. The examination, which will include a discussion
of the students prospectus, lasts approximately two to three
hours.
Should a candidate fail the examination, the examining committee will
consult with the student to clarify weaknesses in preparation for
taking the examination a second time. If a second oral examination
is warranted, the department requires that it should be taken no later
than one quarter after the first examination. If the candidate fails
the oral examination a second time, his or her candidacy will be terminated.
An M.A. degree may also be awarded to continuing Ph.D. Students upon
successfully passing the oral qualifying examination. The M.A. is not
automatically awarded; students must apply in advance to receive the
degree. Note: Students who wish to receive an M.A. degree as part of
the Ph.D. program must apply for masters degree candidacy during
the first two weeks of the quarter in which they expect to receive
the degree. Please see the graduate coordinator regarding this application.
The various requirements noted above apply to students who have done
no previous graduate work in history. If a candidate has completed
some graduate work before entering UCSD, there may be appropriate
adjustments in course work, as approved by general petition to the
Graduate Committee. Nevertheless, all candidates are required to meet
language requirements, pass field examinations, as well as complete
and defend a dissertation.
Dissertation
After completing all relevant examinations and language requirements,
the student is expected to write a dissertation under the supervision
of his or her faculty adviser and the doctoral committee. The Department
of History has established the following guidelines for dissertation
work. The dissertation should:
- represent an original and significant contribution to knowledge.
- be based upon primary research.
- clearly demonstrate the capacity of the student to pursue independent
historical research.
- Be written in clear and coherent prose.
Decisions concerning the scope of the dissertation and its length will
depend upon the nature of the problem and the documentation. The department
assumes that most students will have completed their research and writing
by the end of their sixth year of study. The scope and length of the
dissertation should therefore be such that a complete project can be
executed in no more than three years. Whatever the scope or length of
the dissertation it should be capable of further development for publication
as a series of articles in scholarly journals, or as a book.
Departmental Ph.D. Time Limit Policies
Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of four years. Total
university support cannot exceed seven years. Total registered time
at UCSD cannot exceed eight years.
Opportunities for Teaching
Undergraduate teaching, for which graduate teaching assistants earn
regular academic credit, is an integral part of the graduate program
at UCSD. To prepare for an academic career, the Ph.D. candidate is encouraged
to assist in courses offered by the department ordinarily as a course
reader (grader) or teaching assistant. A maximum of four units may be
taken in undergraduate teaching. When such an opportunity is not available,
a student may teach in various programs outside the department.
The department considers experience in teaching an important part of
a graduate students professional training. Based upon financial
aid forms that graduate students complete during the previous winter
quarter, the Graduate Committee assigns History Department teaching
assistantships and recommends teaching assistantships outside of the
department for the upcoming academic year.
Students must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 in order
to receive academic employment on campus.
Financial Support
Upon recommendation of the department, several types of financial aid
are available to graduate students: full or partial remission of fees
and tuition, fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships,
readerships, and travel grants. Graduate students are eligible for one
or a combination of the six forms of financial support.
Fellowships and research assistantships are granted by the Office of
Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR) upon the recommendation of the
department. Teaching assistants are appointed by the department upon
the recommendation of the graduate committee and by the college writing
programs. Readers are appointed by the department upon the recommendation
of the professor whose course requires such assistance. At the discretion
of the department, half-time graduate students are eligible for 25 percent
TAships or GSRships.
For a small number of outstanding incoming students, the department
will award a four year package of guaranteed funding which would include
two years of a fellowship and two years of employment as a teaching
assistant.
Departmental policy has been to seek seven years of support for students
in the program. In recent years all students needing support have received
either fellowships, or teaching assistant, research assistant positions.
To the extent that resources are insufficient to meet the need, the
department, on the advice of the graduate committee, will rank students
using a combined criterion of academic performance and financial need.
Graduate students must maintain a minimum grade-point average of
3.0 to be considered for any type of financial aid. Financial support
is not renewed automatically but is approved by the department on a
yearly basis.
The Office of Graduate Studies and Research grants partial remission
of fees for nine quarters after advancement to candidacy (normative
time) if the student is advanced to candidacy by the end of the
third year. (If the student delays advancement, the amount of normative
time is reduced accordingly.) Upon expiration of normative time the
student must complete the dissertation or resume full payment of fees.
Job Placement
In recent years, 75 percent of the departments Ph.D. graduates
received positions as tenure-track assistant professors at colleges
and universities around the country. The remaining 25 percent are currently
administrators, visiting scholars, lecturers, or postdoctoral fellows
at various educational institutions. Experience indicates that many
from this latter group will eventually get professional appointments.
History
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