The Department of History offers the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in the American, Asian, European, and Pacific fields. A field of World History is offered at the Ph.D. level only. All applicants for advanced degree programs in History are requested to supplement the application and transcripts required by the Graduate Division with letters of recommendation (two for the M.A., three for the Ph.D.), preferably from professors with whom the applicant has worked; a sample of written work such as a term paper, seminar paper, or M.A. thesis; and the General Test scores from the GRE. These supplementary items should be sent directly to the Department. Complete details on all graduate programs in History, as well as financial aid available to prospective students, are outlined in a Departmental brochure, available upon request from the Department in Sakamaki A-203, 2530 Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822.
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. The Department has a placement officer to assist graduates with career choices and in locating employment opportunities.
Courses for the graduate programs are to be selected from among the History courses listed in back of the Catalog and from graduate offerings in related disciplines as directed by the student’s supervisory committee. The consent of the instructor is required for admission to all courses numbered 600 and above. Courses numbered over 600, except HIST 602, may be repeated once for credit.
Intended candidates for the MA degree must present a minimum undergraduate preparation of 18 upper division credit hours in history or some closely allied field such as Asian Studies, American Studies, etc. Students who lack this preparation or who wish to undertake study in an area of history other than that of their undergraduate preparation must make up deficiencies either before or during graduate study. In the latter case the student will be admitted only conditionally, pending removal of the deficiencies.
The prospective MA candidate may select either Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis). Both plans require the intended candidate to give evidence of competence in a foreign language appropriate to the field of major interest. In addition, students in the United States or East Asia History area in either Plan A or Plan B must also meet seminar distribution requirements, which raise the minimum required 600-level work to 18 credit hours.
Plan A requires a minimum of 24 credit hours of graduate work, at least 15 of which must be in courses numbered 600 and above (including HIST 602), plus 6 credit hours of HIST 700 Thesis Research, a written thesis, and a final oral examination, which is a defense of the thesis.
Plan B requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work, at least 18 of which must be in courses numbered 600 and above (including HIST 602), comprehensive examinations in two fields of history, a final oral examination covering the two fields of History from the comprehensive examination, and a major research paper originating in a graduate seminar.
Intended candidates for the PhD degree are expected to possess the MA degree in History or its equivalent. The PhD candidate must demonstrate the capability of pursuing a successful career as a professional historian by showing initiative in historical research and by giving evidence of the ability to present findings both orally and in writing.
The candidate must prove competence by the acquisition of a broad background in general History, passing four comprehensive examinations in two broad geo-graphic areas of history and completing an original dissertation and a final oral examination. The candidate must also demonstrate a knowledge of at least two foreign languages related to the dissertation topic; for students of American or Hawaiian History an alternative requirement may, at the discretion of the doctoral committee, be substituted for one of the languages.