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History is the study of change and continuity in human society
over time. Drawing upon concepts and methods from many disciplines,
history provides perspective on the human condition, both
past and present. The discipline of history develops skills
in evaluating evidence, organizing information, clarifying
and structuring concepts, and writing narratives and analysis.
In addition, the study of history lays a foundation upon which
one may develop a rich cultural, social and intellectual life.
Majoring in history is an excellent way to move into specialized
study in areas such as business, foreign service, law, library
and information science, medicine, politics, and teaching.
 The
Department of History at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
(UHM) offers graduate programs leading to the MA and the PhD.
Students may specialize in American, Asian, European or Pacific
history. PhD students may also specialize in world history.
The MA is the first graduate degree in history and a prerequisite
for admission to most PhD programs. The MA curriculum provides
students with broad, general knowledge of particular areas
of history, and enhances students' research and writing skills.
Students who pursue the MA as a terminal degree typically
intend to teach in a high school or community college; to
seek a professional degree in another field such as law or
library science; or to work in government or business as applied
researchers, archivists or historians. The PhD curriculum
provides professional preparation for a teaching and research
career in academia. Successful PhD candidates acquire a thorough
knowledge of several areas of history, and develop research
skills that enable them to produce writings of publishable
quality.
The university's library system provides a major resource
for the study of Asian and Pacific history. The library's
general collections include substantial ranges of research
materials on Asian, Pacific Islands, and American history.
In addition, the library holds several special collections
including the U.S. Government Documents Collection, an Asia
Collection, a Hawaiian and Pacific Collection, and the Charlot
Collection. The U.S. Government Documents Collection has been
an official depository since 1909. The Asia Collection contains
several hundred thousand volumes and more than 27,000 reels
of microfilm. More than half of the volumes are in Asian languages.
The collection has been a depository for Public Law 480 materials
for South Asia since 1961, and for Indonesia since 1964.
Beyond the university's library system, students will find
the word's richest archival holdings on the history of Hawai'i
and the Pacific Islands in the Hawai'i War Records Depository,
the Archives of the State of Hawai'i, the Bernice P. Bishop
Museum, and the collections of the Mission Children's Society
and the Hawaiian Historical Society.
The department has a placement officer to assist graduates
with career choices and in locating employment opportunities.
Recipients of advanced degrees in history have undertaken
careers as teachers of history and social studies in secondary
schools, community colleges, colleges and universities. In
addition, the study of history provides an excellent background
for alternative careers in museology, library and archival
work, government service, historical preservation, business
and marketing research, and allied research fields.
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MA Degree Requirements
Students may select either Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis).
- Plan A requires 30 credits (including six credits of thesis
research), a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
- Plan B requires 30 credits, written exams in the chosen
fields, and a final exam.
- Both plans require demonstrated proficiency in a foreign
language.
PhD Degree Requirements
The PhD program requires the following:
- completion of course work for a regular MA program in
history,
- additional appropriate course work to prepare for the
comprehensive exams,
- proficiency in two foreign languages (or in some cases
one language and an appropriate program of study in historical
theory and methodology),
- comprehensive exams in four fields of history,
- dissertation,
- final oral exam / defense of dissertation.
Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/hist.htm.
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