Note: The UNT history department makes two important distinctions in the master’s program: thesis option or non-thesis option and MA or MS. Students should consult with their graduate committee when considering whether the thesis or non-thesis option best fits their academic goals and intellectual development. The distinction between a History MA and a History MS is that students earning an MA must demonstrate reading proficiency in a foreign language relevant to the student’s major research focus. Students usually accomplish this by taking at least 12 undergraduate hours of a foreign language with a 2.7 GPA or by passing a proficiency exam administered by UNT’s Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures or similar accredited program. This requirement must be met before defending the thesis or sitting for oral exams. Students earning an MS do not have to demonstrate reading knowledge of a foreign language.

History major (thesis option), 33 hours

1. A graduate major in history with the thesis option consists of 27 hours of graduate work in history (including the required Fundamentals of Historical Scholarship class and at least two research seminars) and 6 hours of thesis credit. The 27 hours may be selected from any courses offered by the department as long as they include the two seminar and historical bibliography as noted in the above requirements; the 6 hours of thesis credit may be utilized to write on any topic approved by the student’s advisory committee.
2. If a student wishes to have a minor field outside of the Department of History, the student may substitute 6 hours in a related field for 6 hours of graduate course work in history. This must first be approved by the student’s major professor and the department’s Director of Graduate Studies.
3. A candidate for this degree must successfully complete an oral examination on the course work and the thesis.

History major (non-thesis option), 33 hours

1. A student selecting this option must take two research seminars in history and the required historical bibliography class. The remaining 24 hours may all be in history or may include a minor up to 6 hours in a related field approved by the department’s Director of Graduate Studies.
2. A candidate for this degree must successfully complete an oral examination on their course work.
3. A History MS does not require a student to demonstrate reading knowledge of a foreign language.