History

OFFICE: Room 5016, Humanities and Social Sciences Bldg., Muir College
(858) 534-1996
history@ucsd.edu
http://historyweb.ucsd.edu

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 student’s 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 of emphasis are as follows: Africa (HIAF), East Asia (HIEA), Europe (HIEU), Near East (HINE), Latin America (HILA), History of Science (HISC), United States (HIUS); as well as the following three thematic fields: Gender and Sexuality; Race, Ethnicity, and Migration; and War, Revolution, and Social Change. A list of courses approved for the thematic fields is available in the department office or on its Web site, http://historyweb.ucsd.edu.

The department also administers the following special research and instructional units; Chinese Studies; Judaic Studies; and the Committee on Area and Ethnic Studies and Research (CAESAR), which includes African Studies, Classical Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, Japanese Studies, Middle East Studies, Russian and Soviet Studies.

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:

1. A three-quarter lower-division sequence.
2. Twelve four-unit upper-division courses, which must include the following distribution of courses:
   1. 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.)
   2. Five courses in other fields within the department.
   3. Three of the twelve courses must focus on the period before 1800. These courses are indicated by the symbol (+).
   4. 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	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 student’s academic work. Interested candidates should complete the application form (available in the Department of History office) by the second Friday of May.

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 student’s 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:

1. Six quarter-courses in one of the major fields offered by the department.
2. Three quarter-courses in a field other than the primary one.
3. Three of these nine quarter courses must be colloquia.
4. HITO 196. Colloquium in History;
5. HITO 194 and 195. History Honors—Honors 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 UCSD’s 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://historyweb.ucsd.edu. EAP is detailed in the Educational Abroad Program of the UCSD General Catalog, or visit http://programsabroad.ucsd.edu. 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 Master’s Program

The Department of History offers master’s 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 applicant’s 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. Master’s 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 master’s 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 university’s 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:

1. A two-quarter research seminar, to be selected from HIGR 230, 231, or 232.
2. 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 student’s graduate adviser.
3. Two courses in preindustrial Europe, 1450–1750: HIGR 200, 220, and 221 may be counted for this requirement.
4. 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).
5. One course in a discipline other than history, if relevant to the student’s program.

Area of Concentration: History of Science

The master’s 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:

1. Two courses in science in early modern Europe.
2. Two courses in science since 1750.
3. A two-quarter research seminar.
4. 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:

1. HILA 267, 268, 269.
2. Three graduate courses in Latin American history.
3. 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:

1. HIGR 265A-B-C. The Literature of American History. These colloquia are required of all entering graduate students in American history.
2. A two-quarter research seminar.
3. Two courses in a single topical field chosen from African-American history, Atlantic 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.
4. Two additional courses chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser. These courses may be in a related field outside the department.
5. 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, Middle Eastern history, and United States history.

Admission is based on the applicant’s 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 student’s 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, Latin American history, and Middle Eastern 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 student’s 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:

1. Major Fields
   1. The history of Israel in the biblical period.
   2. The history of the Jewish people in antiquity.
2. First Minor
   1. One of the fields listed above not chosen as the major field.
   2. Greek and Roman history.
   3. The Middle East before Islam (western Asia and northeastern Africa from the sixth century b.c.e. to the seventh century c.e.)
3. Second Minor
   1. A field of history outside of ancient history.
   2. A related discipline, offered through another department.
4. Language Requirements
   1. 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.
   2. 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 student’s particular interests and the requirement will be satisfied by departmental examination.
   3. The second and sometimes third language not elected under (2) may be required if necessary for the student’s research. Additional languages, such as Akkadian, Aramaic, Egyptian, Ugaritic, Phoenician, and middle and modern Hebrew, may be required as necessary for the student’s research. The required level of competence will be set as appropriate to the student’s 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:

1. Major Fields
   1. Modern China
   2. Modern Japan
2. Minor Fields
   For students majoring in Chinese history, students will be expected to pass three minor fields in order to broaden each student’s perspective on East Asian history:
   1. Premodern Chinese history.
   2. Modern Japanese history.
   3. A history field outside of East Asia, or a discipline outside of history.
      
      For students majoring in Japanese history:
1. A field in history.
2. A related field offered through another department. Note: One of the minor fields must not focus exclusively on East Asia.
3. 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 student’s 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:

1. Major Fields
   1. Modern Europe, with a specialty in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, diplomatic history, economic history, intellectual history, or social history.
   2. Early modern Europe, with a specialty in the cultural, economic, or social history of one region.
2. First Minor
   Any of the following fields may be selected provided that the study concentrates on a chronological period outside the major.
   1. Classical Greece and Rome
   2. Medieval Europe
   3. Early modern Europe
   4. Modern Europe
   5. A national history
3. Second Minor
   1. The history of a geographic area outside of Western Europe
   2. History of science
   3. Women’s history
   4. A related discipline, offered through another department.
4. 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).

1. Major Fields
   1. Science in early modern Europe.
   2. Science in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
   3. Science in the twentieth century.
   4. Another field of comparable breadth, defined in consultation with the major field adviser.
2. First and Second Minor Fields (Any two of the following may be selected, in consultation with the major field adviser.)
   1. Science Studies (mandatory for students in the Science Studies program).
   2. Any of the other fields offered by the department, provided that it offers general historical understanding of the same period as the major field.
   3. A field of history of science not chosen as the major field.
   4. A second field of history, provided that it concentrates on a period or region other than that chosen for the first minor field.
   5. A related discipline, offered through another department. Note: this field may be in the physical or life sciences.
3. 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 student’s special area of interest, will be a comprehensive examination covering the whole field of Latin American history.

1. Major Fields
   1. The national period of Latin America, with a specialty in the Andean Republics, Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, or the Southern Cone countries.
   2. Colonial Latin America, with an emphasis on one major region.
2. First Minor
   The student should select either the national period or the colonial period as a chronological supplement to the major.
3. Second Minor
   1. The history of another geographic area outside Latin America and the Caribbean.
   2. An area of discipline, offered through another department, related to the student’s dissertation or preparation for university teaching.
4. 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. Middle Eastern History

The objective of the doctoral program in Middle Eastern history is to achieve broad expertise in the modern history of the Middle East and to develop a special focus in the history of the late Ottoman Empire or its successor states.

1. Major Fields
1. Late Ottoman history (approximately 1780 to 1920).
2. Colonial and national period of the post-Ottoman Middle East with a specialty in the Arab East, Turkey, Egypt, etc.
2. Minor Fields
   Any two of the following:
1. The field of Middle Eastern history not chosen as a major field (see above).
2. The modern history of a geographic area outside of the Middle East (ordinarily in European history).
3. 3. A related geographical or topical field (e.g., medieval Middle East, Iran, gender studies ) offered through another department.
3. Language Requirements
   Students must possess a sound foundation in reading Arabic or Turkish (Ottoman Turkish or modern Turkish) as a requirement for admission to the program. Reading competence in two languages in addition to English are required before advancement to candidacy: the regional language Arabic or Turkish (above), and a modern European language (other than English) related to the major field of specialization.

VI. UNITED STATES HISTORY

1. Major Fields
   1. United States History.
2. First Minor
   1. One of the following topical fields:
      African-American history, Atlantic 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.
3. Second Minor
   1. A geographic area outside the United States in either the premodern or modern period.
   2. A related discipline offered through another department.
4. Language Requirement
   Competency in one language in addition to English before advancement to candidacy is required.
5. Third Year Seminar
   U.S. History students in their third year of study will be required to complete HIGR 271, New Research Directions in U.S. History, in both the winter and spring quarters.

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 department’s 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 master’s 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 department’s 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, Middle Eastern, 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 student’s major field adviser. Students may satisfy the foreign language requirement in one of the following ways:

1. By completing, with a grade of B– or better in each term, a two-year language sequence from the student’s 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.
2. By completing, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term, a two-year, lower-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee.
3. By completing, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term, a one-year, upper-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee.
4. 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

1. 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 student’s 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 student’s 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 40–70 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 professor’s 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.
   
   
2. 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 student’s 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 student’s 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 student’s prospectus, lasts approximately two to three hours. Students in United States history only will defend their dissertation prospectus before the examination committee at a separate meeting no later than two months after passing the major field exam.
   
   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 master’s 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 per quarter 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 student’s 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, 85 percent of the department’s Ph.D. graduates received positions as tenure-track assistant professors at colleges and universities around the country. The remaining 15 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.