DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

Chair: Clarence L. Mohr (251) 460-6210

Graduate Coordinator: Richmond Brown

Professors: Brandon, Holmes (Emeritus), Mahan (Emeritus), Mohr, Thomason

Associate Professors: Brown, Hannum, Houston, Macaluso, McKiven, Monheit, Nigota, Rogers

Assistant Professors: Brazy, Hamilton, Kozelsky, Miller

Instructor: Faust

Department of History web site http://www.southalabama.edu/history

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

Knowledge and awareness of history and society are important ingredients of a liberal education. The Department of History offers general courses for all students, a major and a minor in history, and preparation for students who plan to continue study at the graduate level, to teach history, or to enter related fields.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN HISTORY

A minimum of 36 semester hours in History, including HY 101, 102, 135, 136, one course in African (HY 362), or Asian (HY 103, 104, 366, 367, 368, 461), or Latin American History (HY 228, 321, 323, 325, 326, 429), and 21 semester hours of electives. These electives must include a minimum of fifteen semester hours in courses numbered 300 or above taken at this University, of which six semester hours must be in courses at the 400 level. Majors should seek as broad an acquaintance with the varieties of historical experience as possible. A strong major program should include upper-level courses numbered 300 or above in the history of Europe, the United States, Latin America, and non-Western societies. Students pursuing a degree in History also must have a minor in another discipline.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORY MAJORS

General Education Requirements for History are specified on page 46 (College of Arts and Sciences section). Note that Area IV requirements are partially satisfied and Sequence Requirement fully satisfied by the major requirements specified above.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN HISTORY

A minimum of 21 semester hours in History. Students must complete a six hour sequence in either Western Civilization (101 and 102) or US History (135 and 136) and 15 semester hours of electives, of which nine semester hours must be taken in courses numbered 300 or above at this University.

HONORS IN HISTORY

To be awarded Honors in History, a student must:

a)	complete the standard requirements for a major in History
b)	have a 3.5 overall GPA (University requirement)
c)	have a 3.5 History GPA (Department requirement)
d)	receive agreement of a member of the History Department to serve as mentor
e)	receive permission of the Department Chair to undertake this program
f)	complete a Senior Honor Paper (HY 499), with a grade of "B" or "A", in addition to the standard history requirements. HY 499: Senior Honors Paper (six semester hours credit) may be counted toward three hours of the 36 required for a major and toward three hours of the six 400-level hours required for the major. Thus, the student receiving honors in history will be required a total of 39 hours in history instead of 36 (In HY 499, the student will normally take three hours in Fall Semester for research and three in Spring for writing, though occasionally this may be spread out over a longer period. A final committee of three or more faculty, which may include a representative of the University Honors Program, will conduct an oral defense)

NOTE: 1) one need not be receiving University Honors to obtain Honors in History; 2) a certificate will be awarded and a notation will be placed on the student’s transcript

GRADUATE STUDIES

The Master of Arts degree in History is designed to meet the varied needs of students. There are two study tracks or plans for completion of the degree: thesis, non-thesis.

Normally, those who wish to enter a Ph.D. program, law school, or certain positions in archives, government, and community college teaching positions pursue the thesis option. Other students pursuing positions where a thesis is not needed often study in the non-thesis track.

For further information on the M.A. program, see the departmental booklet Graduate Program in History.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

Students are admitted each semester. In addition to Graduate School requirements, all applicants must submit GRE scores, a statement of purpose for undertaking graduate work in History and provide three letters of recommendation directly to the Office of Admissions. The following criteria supplement Graduate School criteria (see Categories of Admission).

REGULAR ADMISSION

1.	At least twenty-one semester hours of college work in history approved by the Graduate Committee of the Department of History.
2.	An average of “B” (3.0) or better in the junior- and senior-level history courses presented in fulfillment of requirement 1.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

Applicants whose undergraduate preparation in history does not meet the Graduate History Committee’s full approval may, at the discretion of the Committee and under the regulations of the Graduate School, be admitted provisionally and may be required to make up deficiencies in undergraduate course work in addition to fulfilling the regular degree requirements listed as follows.

To qualify for Regular Standing, a Provisional Admission student must satisfy the general requirements of this Bulletin and achieve a grade of “A” or “B” in nine consecutive semester hours of acceptable graduate course work.

NON-DEGREE STUDENTS

Students holding baccalaureate degrees from accredited institutions of higher education who are not interested in earning an MA degree, or who are not yet ready to apply for Regular Admission may enroll in a Non-Degree status. A suitable background for the courses to be taken is expected. Non-Degree students may enroll only in courses offered at specific times and places. They may not enroll in directed studies courses.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

A limited number of assistantships are awarded to incoming and returning graduate students on a competitive basis. Assistantships include a tuition waiver and a stipend, for which students are asked to work 20 hours a week, usually as teaching assistants, in public history, or assisting in the University Archives. Applications for each academic year are due in the department no later than March 15.

REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE

All candidates for the Master of Arts degree in History, regardless of which of the two tracks they are following, must complete the following requirements:

•	A minimum of 33 credit hours with grade of “A” or “B”.
•	A minimum of 20 credit hours completed at the University of South Alabama.
•	A maximum of 12 credit hours of 400-level courses, 400-level work taken for graduate credit will require extra work beyond what is expected of undergraduates.
•	Take at least 21 credit hours at the 500 level, not all of which must be history courses.
•	Complete HY 530 American Historiography.
•	Complete HY 540 Modern European Historiography.
•	Complete one of the following research seminars: HY 581 or HY 586 (HY 546, HY 553 or HY 578 may be substituted, if a research paper is completed).
•	Choose two of the following fields and complete 12 credit hours in each: American History European History Topical Fields

Note: A grade of “C” or below is not considered a passing grade by the Department of History. Students receiving such a grade in a required course must repeat the course.

The remaining requirements are dictated by the track under which students choose to study:

Non-Thesis

•	Complete comprehensive examinations in two fields, one in American and one in European History (see list of fields above).
•	Complete HY 597 Professional Studies: Directed Field Research or HY 592 The Teaching of History.

Thesis

•	Complete a comprehensive examination in one field (see list of fields on previous page) other than the thesis field.
•	Complete six credit hours of HY 599 Thesis.
•	Submit an approved thesis prospectus.
•	Formally defend their thesis. (Students must be enrolled in at least one hour of HY 599 when they defend.)
•	Submit an approved thesis in accordance with Graduate School regulations.

MA in History with Class A Teaching Certification

This is also know as the “Strength in Subject Matter Program.” Only students who hold a valid Class B Teaching Certificate are eligible. Normally this applies to students with a B.A. in Education at a university or college in Alabama. Questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the Dean’s Office of the College of Education.

Students in this track may pursue the thesis or non-thesis option. In either case they must meet all requirements outlined above, with the following exception:

•	A Survey of Special Education course (either SPE 400 or SPE 500), if not previously completed.

DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL HISTORY (HY) COURSES

College of Arts and Sciences