Guidelines for Preparing Master's Theses in Arts & Sciences

The MA Thesis in History

The MA thesis in history, written under the supervision of a full-time faculty member in the history department, will be a 10,000 word piece of historical scholarship based on primary and secondary sources. The thesis is taken as the tenth and final course in the program (HIST 77900; Thesis Seminar). The ninth course, which is intended to prepare MA students for writing the thesis, is typically an independent study class directed by the faculty member who will serve as the thesis adviser (HIST 77800; Individual Tutorial Research Project). The thesis adviser will set the requirements for the ninth (thesis preparation) class. In consultation with the thesis adviser and the graduate adviser, MA students will need to find a suitable second reader for the thesis. The second reader is typically, though not always, a faculty member in the history department. It is possible to have a faculty member from outside the history department serve as a second reader. The second reader is generally selected early in the semester during which the student has begun writing the thesis (i.e., while taking the tenth course).

The requirements for master's theses submitted within the School of Arts and Sciences may be found HERE.  Candidates should check with the History Department graduate advisor for information about any additional requirements specific to their degree program.

If you have an questions about master's theses, please contact the History Department graduate advisor (Professor Karen Kern) or the Dean's Office, School of Arts and Sciences, at (212) 772-5121.