Requirements for Admission
General admission requirements to the graduate programs in the arts and sciences are observed. Eighteen undergraduate credits in History, a 3.0 average, and satisfactory GRE scores are required, as well as two letters of recommendation.
Requirements for the Degree
A reading knowledge of one language is required, to be determined by a written examination. The choice of language must have the approval of the graduate adviser. The student is required to pass an examination in one field of history chosen from the following: ancient, medieval, early modern (to 1815), modern Western European (from 1789), British, Eastern European, American, Latin American, Jewish, East Asian, African, or Middle Eastern history. The examinations are given twice a year, in September and February. Students who fail the examination twice will be dropped from the program but may write to the Graduate Committee, Department of History, asking to be allowed to take the examination a third time.
After completion of all other requirements, the candidate for the degree must present a satisfactory master’ s essay prepared in conjunction with the thesis seminar (HIST 77900 ), approved by two faculty scholars in the appropriate field of history and the graduate adviser. Guidelines for the writing of the master’ s essay are available from the graduate adviser online and in the History Department office. Students may not register for the thesis seminar (HIST 77900 ) until they have passed the written comprehensive.
Each candidate must complete an approved program of study of at least 30 credits, including the thesis seminar with a B average.
Courses other than those in the Department of History at Hunter College may be credited toward the 30 credits with the approval of the graduate adviser, but they may in no case exceed 9 credits. At least 6 credits in a field of history other than the area of concentration must be taken and passed with a grade of B or better.
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