Texas A&M University

                          Department of History

                Graduate Program Brochure

Welcome to the Department of History’s graduate program. Our department, like Texas A&M University, is large, diverse, and in the midst of a transformation. We currently have some 50 tenured or tenure track faculty. In the past few years our department’s scholars have published significant books and won such national awards as a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, an American Philosophical Society Fellowship, and a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. We have enjoyed great success in placing doctoral graduates in tenure-track jobs at four-year universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, as well as in government service, and public history positions. The following information will acquaint you with departmental guidelines and procedures.
 

General Information | Administration of Graduate Program | Procedures for Successful Completion | Graduate Degrees  | Assistantships, Fellowships and Financial Aid | Contact Us 

1. Student Responsibilities

Each student must take responsibility for learning the degree requirements set forth by the Department of History and Texas A&M University. Students shall: a) know specific degree requirements as established by the University and the history department; b) acquaint themselves with the Texas A&M University Student Rules (available on the website student-rules.tamu.edu); c) enroll in appropriate course work to complete their degree; d) maintain the appropriate standards to continue in graduate studies. Meeting deadlines for submitting required forms and the fulfillment of all course obligations remain the student’s responsibility solely.

2. Graduate Catalog

All graduate students should obtain a copy of the Texas A&M University Graduate Catalog. The catalog provides a comprehensive overview of the University regulations and requirements governing all graduate students enrolled at Texas A&M University (TAMU). You can purchase a copy in the MSC Bookstore, or refer to the catalog in the office of the Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

A minimum of 24 semester credit hours of history is required for admission to the history department’s graduate program, including 12 hours of upper level undergraduate courses. Students cannot officially enter the doctoral program until they have completed their MA degree.

All graduate students enrolled at TAMU must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (B average based on a 4.0 scale) for all courses listed on their degree plan. Students at TAMU receive grades of A, B, C, D, or F for their course work. In graduate school, a "C" or below denotes poor academic performance.

During the fall and spring semesters, a graduate student may register for a maximum of 17 hours. The dean’s office in the College of Liberal Arts can approve and register a student for up to 18 hours a semester. A request to register for more than 18 hours should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies on the Petition for Waivers or Exceptions to University Requirements and must include the course and section number. A graduate student may register for a maximum of 6 hours during the summer. For more summer hours, follow the process outlined above.

The residency requirement for a graduate degree at TAMU ensures that students have an opportunity to benefit from the advantages of a university environment. Students who enter graduate school with a baccalaureate degree must spend one academic year plus one semester in resident study at TAMU. Students who hold a master’s degree when they enter the doctoral program must spend one academic year in resident study. Doctoral candidates must spend at least one year and one semester in residence at TAMU. One academic year may include two adjacent regular semesters or one regular semester and one adjacent 10-week summer semester. Students must enroll in a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester to satisfy the residency requirement.

TAMU requires continuous registration during the fall and spring semesters for students who have completed their course work other than 691 research hours. (Note, you do not have to register in the summer sessions.) The continuous registration requirement may be satisfied by registering either In Absentia or In Residence. If you register In Absentia, you will not be able to use the TAMU facilities (including the library). See the graduate catalog for full details on registering In Absentia. Registering In Residence gives you full access to TAMU resources. Students who do not remain in continuous enrollment will be blocked from registration, and will not be allowed to take their exams. They also create tremendous grief for the department, because we have to re-enroll you. In short, please remember to register each semester until you finish your degree.

TAMU offers a number of optional Graduate Certification programs that students may complete as their minor field. These programs take an interdisciplinary approach to graduate study. The Graduate Catalog has general information regarding the certificate programs. An example of different Graduate Certificate Programs relevant to history students include: Certificate in Historic Preservation, the Women’s Studies Certificate, and The Bush School Certificate in Advanced International Affairs.

The Department Head manages the history department. All department officers, including the Director of Graduate Studies, report to the department head. In this capacity, the DH oversees the graduate program all graduate students. The department head provides the final approval for all the degree plans, theses, and dissertations completed by the history graduate students, as well as finalizing all graduate student assistantship and teaching assignments. The Associate Department Head helps coordinate plans and policies with the Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Director of Graduate Studies. The Associate Department Head has the authority to sign graduate student forms (such as the degree plan) when the Department Head is away. Dr. Walter Buenger currently serves as the Department Head and Dr. David Vaught currently serves as Associate Department Head.

The Director of Graduate Studies supervises the graduate program. The DGS chairs the Graduate Committee, supervises admissions, awards assistantships, allocates work assignments for grading assistants, and recommends graduate teaching assistants to the department head. The Director of Graduate Studies also oversees the third semester review of all graduate students. The DGS will provide non-academic advising to PhD candidates. Dr. Walter Kamphoefner currently serves as Director of Graduate Studies.

The Associate Director of Graduate Studies assists the director with all aspects of maintaining the graduate program. The Associate Director will have responsibility for keeping current on the progress of the graduate students, as well as the applicants to the program. All forms related to completing your degree must go through the Associate Director before they go to the department head. The ADGS will provide resources for graduate students interested in applying for grants and fellowships from organizations outside of TAMU. The ADGS also provides non-academic advising to MA candidates. Dr. David Hudson currently serves as Associate Director of Graduate Studies.

The department head selects up to 6 members of the faculty to serve on the department’s Graduate Committee. The committee assists in the admissions of new graduate students, reviews proposals for new graduate courses, and recommends any policy changes to the department’s faculty. The Graduate Committee also monitors the core curriculum from year to year, and makes any recommendations to the department for revising the courses offered to graduate students. The committee also participates in the Third Semester Review of enrolled graduate students. Each year the graduate students elect one representative to the Graduate Committee. The graduate student on the committee acts as a voting member and reports to the graduate students on the committee’s deliberations.

1. Advisory Committee

Both masters and doctoral students will select an advisory committee. These scholars accept responsibility for guiding and directing the student’s course of study. The advisory committee counsels the graduate student on academic matters, approves the student’s proposed degree plan, administers all exams, and reviews the final thesis or dissertation prepared by the student. MA candidates will have no fewer than three members on their committee; PhD students, four or more. In both cases, at least one member of the committee must represent a department other than history, and hold an advanced degree in a subject other than history.

The graduate student’s main advisor serves as chair of the advisory committee. The chair most directly supervises the student’s research, and has responsibility for calling all meetings of the committee. The student and his/her chair will choose the other members of the committee, subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

TAMU requires all graduate students to file an approved degree plan with the Office of Graduate Studies. The history department requires students to complete this plan before the beginning of the third semester of course work. MA students must have an approved degree plan on file once they have registered for 20 hours; for PhD students, 66 hours. Students who do not fulfill this obligation will have their records ‘blocked’ and will not be able to register for further course work. The degree plan lists the courses the student plans to take during his/her tenure at TAMU, and the department expects the plan to reflect sufficient breadth in historical studies. This would include a geographical and/or temporal diversity in choosing course work and your fields of study. For American historians specifically, this means inclusion of a field outside the North American continent. We recommend students work closely with the chair of their advisory committee in developing the degree plan. Please be advised that the Department Head reserves the right to reject any degree plan that does not demonstrate sufficient breadth. Students moving from the MA to the PhD program will submit a separate plan for each degree. No course may be listed on both degree plans. All members of the student’s advisory committee, as well as the Associate Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Head, will sign the plan. Students are advised to work closely with the chair of their advisory committee in developing the degree plan. The final degree plan must meet all requirements of the history department and the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS). To access a Degree Plan form, go to: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentDegreePlans.htm

History graduate students undergo a Third Semester Review during their second year of course work. Faculty members, selected by the history department’s Graduate Committee, will examine the students’ progress in both their course work and, if they have an assistantship, fulfillment of TA duties. If the student’s progress is deemed unsatisfactory at this review, the department will notify the student, his/her designated advisor, and the Director of Graduate Studies in writing. Unsatisfactory progress may include insufficient course work, too many incomplete courses, or deficiencies as a grader or in fulfilling assigned assistantship duties. Any course grade of "C" merits a serious warning. Two "C"s in courses listed on a student’s degree plan will result in non-renewal of an assistantship and could result in a recommendation that the student not continue graduate studies.

The graduate program concentrates on four main areas of scholarship: diplomatic and military history, modern European history, United States history, and comparative border studies. The latter emphasis draws on the department’s strengths in gender and women’s history, the history of Texas and the American Southwest, African and African-American history, Mexican and Mexican-American history, and the history of the Atlantic World. The department requires all graduate students to take Historiography (HIST 628). Students who specialize in United States history, including students studying American diplomatic or military history, will enroll in two reading seminars (HIST 631 and HIST 632). Europeanists are required to complete HIST 643 and HIST 644. Students preparing for PhD candidacy must take HIST 629, Professional Development. These courses will help prepare the students for their comprehensive exams and the rigors of the academy. The department strongly encourages all students to take at least one semester of Comparative Border Studies (HIST 678).

The history department offers two basic types of seminars for graduate students. "Reading" seminars emphasize a thorough review of the secondary sources in a particular period or subject. "Research" seminars help students produce an original paper that they can present at a professional meeting, or incorporate into the final MA thesis or PhD dissertation. The professor teaching the course will indicate whether the seminar will focus primarily on research, directed readings, or some combination of both.

Under the close supervision of a faculty member, graduate students may enroll in HIST 685, a directed readings course. Students use "the 685" to help prepare for their written and oral examinations, or for concentrated studies relevant to their specialized field of inquiry. The actual thesis or dissertation research takes place under the designation of HIST 691, research hours, supervised by a faculty member, generally the student’s chair. The department requires students to fulfill most of their course obligations in the formal seminars. The history department does not allow any student to list more than two HIST 685 courses on his/her degree plan. Non-thesis MA candidates may not include any research hours on their degree plan. MA candidates following the Thesis option may not list more than 6 hours of HIST 691 on their degree plan.

History graduate students may not list more than 6 hours of undergraduate history courses at the 300 and 400 levels on their degree plan. The professors teaching the course usually require additional reading and writing, at a higher performance level, from the graduate students. You should clarify all these requirements with the instructor in writing before the course begins.

MA candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language. Doctoral candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages, except for doctoral candidates in American History who, with the approval of the student’s committee chair, may satisfy the requirement with one foreign language.  Students may receive one language credit for each of the following: a) providing an undergraduate transcript indicating the student earned a B or better in two college-level language courses at 200 level or above; b) by passing an Educational Testing Services language examination scoring in the 80^th percentile or above; c) passing a language exam administered by the Department of Modern Languages, Department of Hispanic Studies, or other appropriate language department at TAMU; d) while at TAMU, enrolling in, and passing, two sequential undergraduate foreign language courses beyond the introductory level; e) passing one of TAMU’s foreign language classes specifically designed for graduate students (such as FREN 601 - Introduction to Scientific French). These language courses cannot be listed as a course towards your final credit on your degree plan, but should be listed in the Prerequisites portion of the form.

With the approval of a student’s committee chair, students requiring two languages may  fulfill the second one by completing History 630 (Quantitative Methods) and an additional course in statistics or another computer methods research course in this or another department.  Students may not take either the final MA or the PhD comprehensive examinations until completing the appropriate language requirement.

Graduate study in history leads to the Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. Graduate students select their primary field of study. Besides this major field, graduate students also select a minor field within the discipline. The minor field helps students bolster both their professional and personal development as future scholars, as well as their ability to teach different college subjects. Students may select any area of study offered by the history department for their minor field. Finally, PhD candidates select an "outside field" offered by another department at TAMU. This "outside" field can include one of the interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Programs offered by the University (see Graduate Certificate Program, above), or any other discipline offered by the university. The student asks a faculty member from this outside field to serve on the advisory committee. Although MA candidates do not need to take an outside field, they must have someone from outside the department, who does not have a PhD in history, on their committee.

Students enrolling in the MA program will complete a minimum of thirty semester hours in course work. An MA candidate who does not already have credit for a modern foreign language (see "Foreign Language Requirement" above) must complete the foreign language requirement before receiving his/her MA degree. The history department offers two paths to complete the Master of Arts degree in history, a thesis or a non-thesis option.

The thesis option for an MA degree requires twenty-four hours of course work and up to six hours of research (HIST 691). Of the twenty-four hours of course work, students enroll in at least fifteen hours in their major area of concentration and six in the minor field.

At the end of their formal course work, students taking this option will produce an MA thesis, generally at least 100 pages in length. Students writing an MA thesis will base their research in primary source material. The thesis should make an original contribution to historical scholarship. Students writing a thesis will also enroll in HIST 691, or research hours. All students who choose the thesis option will prepare a thesis proposal for approval by their advisory committee. This proposal must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies at least 15 working days prior scheduling the thesis defense. This form is available at: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/pdf/Prop.doc.

Students should consult the Thesis Manual as they write the thesis, to ensure they follow all TAMU rules regarding formatting. For thesis guidelines, refer to the Thesis Manual at: thesis.tamu.edu. 

The student’s committee will approve the thesis during a formal "defense." (See "Examinations" below for specific forms and procedures regarding your thesis defense.) The graduate student’s advisory committee approves the thesis by signing the Thesis Proposal Approval Form. To access this form, go to: thesis.tamu.edu/document/approval_form/Approval_Form(MS-MA).pdf.

After receiving committee approval, students must submit their thesis to the TAMU Thesis office. The process for the thesis submission is outlined at the Thesis Office website: thesis.tamu.edu.

The university has strict rules regarding the format of all theses and dissertations, so please follow the instructions of the thesis office. After making the necessary corrections, you will upload one copy as a single PDF file (follow the instructions in the Thesis Manual.) The staff in the thesis office will review the draft again and suggest more corrections if necessary. After correcting the manuscript and resubmitting the PDF file, you will receive notice that your thesis has been approved.

2. Non-Thesis Option

Under this plan students may substitute twelve semester hours of additional graduate level courses for the MA thesis, for at least 36 hours of formal instruction. The history department encourages students taking this path to take at least one extra course in the discipline represented by their "outside" committee member. Students enroll in no fewer than twenty-one or more then twenty-seven semester hours in their major area of concentration and no fewer than nine, or more than fifteen, semester hours in their minor area of study.

All candidates for the MA degree must pass a final exam. Students following the thesis option take an oral exam, or thesis defense, administered by the advisory committee. Generally this exam focuses on the student’s thesis, but the committee has broad discretion to query the student on any topic relevant to his/her studies. Students must submit a Request for Final Examination form to the Office of Graduate Studies before they take their exam(s). For a copy of this form, go to: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentExams.htm.

Students choosing the non-thesis option will take both an oral and written exam. These exams test their competency in their chosen area of specialization, as well as their minor field of study. The chair of the student’s advisory committee supervises the exam, and the advisory committee administers it. The student’s committee has authority to tailor the MA exam to the individual, as they deem appropriate. As noted above, students must submit a Request for Final Examination form to the Office of Graduate Studies before they take their exam(s). For a copy of this form, go to: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentExams.htm.

The chair of the committee is responsible for submitting the Report of Final Examination once the student has completed the exam. This form must be submitted to OGS whether you are a thesis or non-thesis MA candidate. The Office of Graduate Studies sends this form directly to the chair – the student does not see or handle this form unless asked to by the chair. However, it is acceptable to remind your chair to submit it.

The history department does not encourage students to stop their formal instruction with a "terminal" MA. However, completing an MA offers no assurance of admission to the doctoral program. The chair of a student’s advisory committee will help the student determine the best course for his/her future. If the student applies to the PhD program the recommendation of all members of the advisory committee will be carefully considered. Students who decide to continue their graduate studies at TAMU must submit a Letter of Intent to the Office of Graduate Studies. This form can be found at: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/pdf/LetterOfIntent.pdf.
 

In order to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree, candidates must master the historical literature in their chosen subject. In addition, the PhD candidate must demonstrate an ability to undertake historical research, show a sufficient background to teach, and create an original work of scholarship. Admission to the graduate program does not guarantee that a student will receive a PhD. Only those who qualify for candidacy will have the opportunity to complete the degree.

To complete a PhD, graduate students must take a minimum of 64 hours of course work and research. Students will outline their courses on a degree plan (see Degree Plan above). The student’s advisory committee will review and approve the student’s course selections. The degree plan then goes to the Associate Director of Graduate Studies who ensures the student has fulfilled all the requirements outlined by the history department. The Associate Director then forwards the plan onto the Department Head. Every graduate student must work closely with the chair of the committee in developing a degree plan. The student will complete at least thirty semester hours of formal course work divided into three areas of concentration: 18 hours in the student’s major field of study, 6 hours in a minor field, and 6 hours in the outside field. Students may not take more than 3 research hours (691) before they take their Comprehensive Examinations. Doctoral candidates must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages (see "Foreign Language Requirement" above.) The history department does not allow any student to list more than 2 HIST 685 courses on his/her degree plan.

All doctoral students must pass a series of comprehensive examinations. The exams will occur no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the formal course work listed on the degree plan. The student’s advisory committee will create a unique examination for each student, and the composition of the exam is entirely at the discretion of the committee. Although each exam is different, the Office of Graduate Studies requires the department to incorporate these common elements: a) the student must show a mastery of a specialty field; b) the student must display proficiency in the chosen minor field; c) each comprehensive exam must comprise a written and oral component; d) the chair of the advisory committee has final approval over all aspects of the examinations.

Each member of the advisory committee takes responsibility for administering a portion of the exam in his/her field of expertise. The written part of the examination will cover all fields of study listed in the student’s degree plan, including the "outside" field. Each member of the advisory committee is responsible for administering a written examination in his or her particular field, unless he or she chooses to waive participation in this part of the examination. Committee members representing the outside field may also waive participation in the written exams, pending approval of the committee chair.

After a student has passed the written examinations, the student’s chair schedules an oral examination. This exam will cover all areas of the student’s chosen major, minor, and outside fields. Although committee members supervising the student’s minor or outside field may waive participation in the written exams, they must take part in the oral exams. Some committees may use this opportunity to review the student’s dissertation proposal more thoroughly. Satisfactory completion of both the written and oral examinations will result in a recommendation that the graduate student advance to candidacy for the PhD. If a student fails any of the written or oral comprehensive examinations, a majority vote of the student’s advisory committee will determine whether the student may retake the failed examinations. The committee will also recommend whether or not the department should continue providing an assistantship for the student. If funding continues, the student must take, and pass, the comprehensive exams within one semester or lose his/her assistantship. Students may not retake any examination more than once. Students must submit two forms to the Office of Graduate Studies after passing these exams: the Preliminary Exam Checklist and the Report of the Preliminary Exam. These two forms are available at the same link: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/CurrentExams.htm

Before beginning work on the dissertation, PhD candidates prepare a dissertation proposal. Each student works closely with the advisory committee, particularly the chair, in writing the proposal. Besides narrowing the focus of research, the student needs to discuss with the committee members his/her possible research techniques, relevant research collections, travel requirements, financial considerations, and possible sources of funding. No faculty member may be removed from the committee unless he or she fully concurs, however at this time, a student may reconstitute his/her advisory committee to take advantage of the research expertise of other faculty members. No committee members may be added to the committee once the dissertation proposal has been submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies. All the committee members will sign the Proposal Title Page for Thesis, Dissertation, or Record of Study form to indicate their approval of the dissertation proposal. For a copy of this form, go to: http://ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/tCurrentOtherStudentForms.htm

The dissertation will demonstrate the student’s ability to both perform independent research and prepare an original work of scholarship. The student’s advisory committee will judge the academic merit of the dissertation. All members of the advisory committee, as well as the Department Head, must approve the dissertation before the student submits it to the Office of Graduate Studies. In addition, the student must prepare the manuscript in a format acceptable to the TAMU thesis office. Download the Thesis Manual (located at thesis.tamu.edu) as you are writing your dissertation, to ensure compliance with the TAMU formatting rules. All PhD candidates are advised to meet regularly with their chair while working on their dissertation.

Once PhD candidates complete their dissertations they take their final examination, known as the dissertation defense. You must submit a Request for Permission and Announcement of Final Examination form to OGS at least 10 working days before the examination date. This form is located at: ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentExams.htm.

The entire advisory committee participates. This oral exam will focus on the dissertation. Again, the committee has great discretion in developing the exam, but in general they will ask the candidate specific questions about his/her topic, sources, and research methods. This exam also provides an opportunity for the committee to voice any concerns about the candidate’s dissertation, and make suggestions for improvement. All members of the committee must verify that the student passed this oral exam by signing a Report of the Final Exam and the Dissertation Approval Form located at: thesis.tamu.edu/document/approval_form/Approval_Form(PhD-EdD).pdf.

The chair of the committee is responsible for submitting the Report of Final Examination once the student has completed the exam. The Office of Graduate Studies sends this form directly to the chair – the student does not see or handle this form unless asked to by the chair. It is acceptable for you to remind your chair to complete and submit this form.

Once the committee has approved your dissertation, you should review a draft with the staff in the Thesis Office. The university has strict rules regarding the format of all theses and dissertations, so please follow the instructions of the thesis office. After you have made the necessary corrections, upload one copy as a single PDF file to the Thesis Office (follow the instructions in the Thesis Manual.) The staff in the thesis office will review the draft again and suggest more corrections if necessary. Once you make the needed corrections, and resubmit the PDF file, you will receive notice that your dissertation has been approved.

Students have ten consecutive calendar years to complete all requirements for doctoral degrees. After passing their comprehensive exam, students have four calendar years to finish their dissertation. Students forfeit their tuition waiver if they enroll in more than 99 hours of course work at TAMU.

The Office of Graduate Studies provides a brief summary of the information above, including a list of the necessary forms and the links to websites where you may access these forms at ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentStepsDoctoral.htm

The Department of History awards a limited number of graduate assistantships on a competitive basis. The department generally awards assistantships to MA candidates for two years; three years for doctoral candidates. To maintain the assistantship, students must have a GPR above 3.0, earn no grade lower than a "B" in course work listed on the degree plan, and adequately perform the duties assigned (see "Duties of Graduate Assistants" below). The department may extend an assistantship beyond the foregoing limits at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies. All assistantships and fellowships include a monthly stipend as well as a full tuition waiver.

The department awards two types of assistantships: Graduate Assistantship Teaching (GAT) or Graduate Assistant Lecturer (GAL). The department expects all recipients of full graduate assistantships to devote 20 hours per week to these duties. A GAT’s responsibilities may include the following: grading tests, quizzes and final examinations; taking class attendance; serving as a teaching assistant as required by the supervising professor; attendance at lectures; library research for staff or department; checking bibliographies and book order requests; preparing seating charts; recording grades; and proctoring examinations. GATs who have finished their course work may lead discussion sections for a history survey class, and assume primary responsibility for grading and administering exams for all the students enrolled in those sections. The professor to whom the student is assigned will review the work of the student assistant at the end of each semester and share the review with the student assistant, as well as with the Director of Graduate Studies. TAMU requires all graduate assistants to carry a course load of nine credit hours.

The department may assign PhD candidates who have completed their course work and passed their comprehensive examinations to an Assistant Lecturer position. GALs assume responsibility for all aspects of a history survey course, including lecturing and grading, giving PhD candidates valuable experience in fulfilling the duties of a university professor. TAMU history PhDs have shown great success in securing college level positions after graduation because of this familiarity with the university classroom. Graduate lecturers must enroll in at least one credit hour for each semester they receive their assistantship.

The history department offers a number of grants to allow graduate students to attend conferences and travel to other institutions for research. In addition, the Center for Humanities Research also offers fellowships and research and travel grants to select graduate students. These awards are highly competitive. Students should consult with the chair of their advisory committee before applying for them.

The OGS and the College of Liberal Arts offer a limited number of highly competitive fellowships to promising graduate students. The history department nominates candidates for the fellowships. In addition to these opportunities, the department encourages PhD students to seek travel and research funding for the dissertation early in the program. The Associate Director of Graduate Studies assists graduate students in identifying opportunities for grants and fellowships awarded by institutions outside of TAMU. These awards may provide travel grants, conference attendance, or full-time fellowships that allow the student to concentrate on a specific research topic. PhD candidates may apply through the department for National Endowment for the Humanities Dissertation Grants in the fall. The College of Liberal Arts selects ten nominees from the humanities and forwards their applications to NEH.

Checklists for completing the MA and PhD degrees have been provided as Appendices. Please print a copy and use it as you progress through the program.

Appendices I - Master's Degree

Appendices II - Doctoral Degree

For further information about the graduate program, please contact Dr. Walter Kamphoefner (waltkamp@tamu.edu), Director of Graduate Studies, or Dr. David Hudson (david-hudson@tamu.edu) Associate Director of Graduate Studies.