Master of Arts with a Major in History

The University of North Georgia (UNG) offers a 30 credit hour Master of Arts with a major in History. The program is designed to prepare students whose knowledge of history can be used in the public information sector, the secondary educational and two-year college level, or in pursuit of a degree beyond the Master of Arts with a major in History. The MA in History degree is not just for those aspiring to become historians or teachers. The program provides students with skills designed to help them advance in a wide variety of career choices. Graduates will master the analytical tools for making ethical and intelligent decisions in the global environment.

For additional program information, call the Master of Arts with a major in History program, Department of History, Anthropology, & Philosophy, 706-864-1903, or write to the Master of Arts with a major in History, Department of History, Anthropology, & Philosophy, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566.

Graduate Admissions Procedures

Application materials may be obtained from Graduate Admissions or from the UNG website. Applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee. Admission requirements are listed below. When all application materials have been received by Graduate Admissions, the applicant will be notified, and a copy of all materials will be forwarded to the program.  After review, notification will be sent from the History program to the applicant verifying acceptance or denial.

Students who are admitted but do not enroll within three semesters of acceptance must reapply to the program by submitting to Graduate Admissions a new application for readmission. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three semesters must also reapply to the program by submitting to Graduate Admissions a new application for readmission (see Leaves of Absence for more details). All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at UNG become the property of the university and will not be returned.

MA Admission Requirements

The following documents must be received prior to admission.

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended. International transcripts must have a course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Official evaluations must include certification that the applicant’s course work and degrees earned are equivalent to course work and degrees earned from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) and include a cumulative grade point average.
4. Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

Students will be admitted into the History program fall semesters only on a selective and competitive basis.

Regular Admission

To qualify for regular admission, individuals must:

1. Hold an earned baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) with at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
2. Have majored in anthropology, history, international affairs, philosophy, political science, or other appropriate fields. Students may be required to take some core history courses at the undergraduate level for preparation for graduate study.
3. Submit three letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors or other references able to comment on the applicant’s writing ability and potential for successful graduate study.
4. Include a writing sample, such as a research paper that displays the applicant’s analytical abilities and work with primary and secondary sources.
5. Include a personal statement, up to two pages, commenting on your area of historical interest, preference for the thesis or non-thesis track, your preparation for graduate study, and educational/career goals. 

The meeting of all admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Final admission is a competitive process that takes all aspects of a student’s record into account. 

Provisional Admission

A student may be granted provisional admission when regular admission is not granted. The individual must:

1. Hold an earned baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) with at least a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (4.0 scale) calculated in accordance with Graduate Admissions procedures.
2. Have majored in anthropology, history, international affairs, philosophy, political science, or other appropriate fields. Students may be required to take core history courses at the undergraduate level for preparation for graduate study.
3. Submit three letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors or other references able to comment on the applicant’s writing ability and potential for successful graduate study.
4. Include a writing sample, such as a research paper that displays the applicant’s analytical abilities and work with primary and secondary sources.
5. Include a 1-2 page personal statement commenting on your area of historical interest, preference for the thesis or non-thesis track, your preparation for graduate study, and educational/career goals.

A student admitted provisionally may register for no more than nine semester hours of graduate credit while enrolled with this status. The number of hours a provisional student may enroll will be determined in consultation with the History program coordinator. Student status will be reviewed to determine eligibility for regular admission following the completion of one semester. Additional courses may be required to be completed prior to a student’s reclassification. Provisionally admitted students who earn a grade of C or lower in any graduate-level History course taken during the provisional period will not be allowed to continue in the History program. A student who has been removed because of a deficient grade may reapply to the program after a period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter of appeal addressed to the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters and a new application for readmission.

Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for financial aid. 

Non-Degree Admission

An individual who is interested in taking graduate courses in History, but who does not want to pursue a graduate degree, may apply for admission as a non-degree graduate student. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the History program coordinator before enrolling in courses and may register for no more than nine semester hours of graduate credit while in this status. An individual must hold at least an earned baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) and submit the following documents prior to admission:

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended. International transcripts must have a course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) and include a cumulative graduate point average.
4. Two completed UNG recommendation forms.
5. Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

A non-degree student who earns a grade of C or lower in any graduate course taken while holding a non-degree status will not be allowed to further enroll in coursework in the History program. A student removed because of a deficient grade may reapply to the program after a period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter of appeal addressed to the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters and a new application for readmission.

A non-degree student wishing to apply for admission to the History degree program must notify the History program coordinator, submit a new application to Graduate Admissions, and meet all program admission requirements for the program. All elective credits to be applied toward a degree must be approved by the History program coordinator.

Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid. 

Transient Student Admission

An individual currently enrolled at an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog) as a graduate student in good standing may apply to UNG as a transient student. Permission to take courses does not indicate or imply subsequent admission into the Master of Arts with a major in History program. Transient admission is for one semester only and for a maximum of six semester hours a semester. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the History program coordinator before enrolling in courses. The program coordinator may require the applicant to submit a transcript of previous college work to verify adequate prerequisite knowledge. Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received prior to admission.

1. Graduate Admissions application.
2. Non-refundable application fee.
3. Letter of good standing or transient permission form documenting that the student is not on academic probation or suspension or on disciplinary suspension at his or her home institution. The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and should indicate the course(s) the student is being allowed to take at UNG.
4. Official transcript from the home institution in order to verify adequate prerequisite knowledge/skills may be required by the program coordinator.
5. Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

An individual who wishes to return to UNG as a transient student for a subsequent semester must apply to Graduate Admissions for readmission.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

A candidate whose application is denied has the right to appeal the decision. The appeal must be made in written form to the Master of Arts in History, Department of History, Anthropology, & Philosophy, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal. An applicant whose appeal is accepted will be admitted as a provisional student. Provisional students are not eligible for financial aid. A student may not appeal for regular admission status.

MA Transfer Residency Requirement

To be awarded a Master of Arts with a major in History degree, students must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours applicable to the degree in residence, unless UNG has an official transfer of graduate credits agreement for History in place with another institution. In addition, no more than 6 semester hours of transfer credit may be applied toward meeting the MA requirements. All course requirements, including transfer credit, must be completed within a continuous six-year period. The History program coordinator and the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters must approve all transfer credit. Transfer credit will not be given for any course in which a grade of C or lower was earned. To apply for transfer credit, a student must complete the transfer of graduate credit form (myUNG password required) and submit the form to the History program coordinator for approval.

MA Academic Policies

Incomplete Grades

The MA History program adheres to the uniform grading system in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog. Incompletes must be finished by the beginning of the second semester after which the Incomplete was awarded. No degree will be conferred on a student who has an unresolved Incomplete grade remaining on his/her transcript. 

Repeated Courses

Graduate courses may not be repeated in an attempt to improve an earlier grade. 

Academic Standing Policy

Graduate History students whose academic performance is unsatisfactory will be subject to the following:

1. Probation – A student will be placed on probation if a student’s overall cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0.

No student may be a candidate for the degree while on probation due to a cumulative grade point average below 3.0. Probation will be removed when the student’s overall GPA is 3.0 or higher. 

2. Suspension – A student will be placed on suspension for any of the following reasons:
   1. The student earns more than two grades of C.
   2. The student earns a grade below a C.
   3. The student has already served three consecutive semesters on academic probation.

No student may enroll in graduate courses at UNG while on suspension. Courses taken at another institution during the period of suspension will be not recognized for transfer credit. A student may reapply after a suspension period of three semesters from the date the student was removed by submitting to Graduate Admissions a letter of appeal presenting a rationale for readmission addressed to the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters and History program coordinator and a new application for readmission. The student will be readmitted only upon approval of the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters and the History program coordinator.  If readmitted, the student will have the same grade requirements for progress. Readmission will not be considered for students who have received four grades C or lower (including U’s).

Academic and Professional Integrity Policy

At the end of each semester, the program faculty or History program coordinator may intervene to establish a plan of action for any student in the program whose competency is in question for reasons including unprofessional, disruptive, or unethical behavior in the classroom or applied setting. The plan will be signed by the student and the History program coordinator with copies forwarded to the Dean of the College of Arts & Letters. 

Academic Integrity

The University of North Georgia recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic functioning of the university. UNG graduate students are expected to uphold the university regulations addressed in the Student Code of Conduct, Article 3, Rule 2.

Professional Integrity

The Master of Arts with a major in History program adheres to the university’s definition of professional integrity as described in the Academic Information  section of the Graduate Catalog.

Policy on Plagiarism

The History faculty will use a combination of methods to detect plagiarism in the program including turnitin.com and Google searches, among others. Any student engaging in plagiarism will be immediately removed from the program. A student removed from the program for issues of plagiarism will be banned from ever reentering the program. Students dismissed from the program may appeal following the appeal process provided in the front section of the Graduate Catalog.

Time Limit, Residence Requirement

All work must be completed within a continuous six-year period. It is expected that the student will complete the program with reasonable continuity. Students called into military service, stricken by serious illness, or the like may apply for an extension of time. Students who have been absent from a program for 18 months will reenter under the Graduate Catalog that is currently in effect.

Part-Time Status

In exceptional circumstances, students may carry less than the usual credit load. Students should notify their major professor and the History program coordinator. 

Leaves of Absence

Should circumstances warrant, students may apply for a leave of absence by submitting a petition to the History program coordinator accompanied by a letter of support from their major advisor. If a student fails to register for any fall or spring semester without having the History program coordinator’s permission to take a leave of absence, the Department of History & Philosophy may drop him/her from the History program. Students so dropped who wish to reenter the History program must apply to Graduate Admissions for readmission to the program. Students who have not been enrolled for three consecutive semesters must also apply to Graduate Admissions for readmission to the program.

MA Degree Requirements

Graduation requirements for the Master of Arts with a major in History include:

1. Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours (9 semester hours of core courses, 15-18 semester hours of advanced courses, and 3-6 semester hours of thesis/capstone courses).
2. Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 with no more than two courses with a grade of C.
3. Completion of at least 24 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence with no more than 6 semester hours of transfer credit.
4. Completion of all degree-related course requirements, including transfer credit, within a continuous six-year period.
5. Students are required to file their plan of study with the Registrar’s Office prior to earning 24 semester hours.
6. Students on the thesis track must fulfill the language requirement prior to beginning their thesis.
7. Students on the non-thesis track must complete the Capstone Seminar.

Language Requirement for Thesis Option Only

All candidates for the Master of Arts with a major in History must demonstrate competency in one language in addition to English. 

The language competency requirement is met by taking a translation examination administered by the department before the student can advance to the thesis-writing stage or attempt the MA history competency exams. The language exam will be a translation of at least 500 words to be completed in two hours with a dictionary allowed. The translation exam may be attempted three times. 

If a student has completed four semesters of a foreign language, or the equivalent, within the last five years at a university or community college, the student is eligible to take the translation exam with no further coursework. For a non-European language, the student should consult with his/her primary professor concerning the minimum skill level to qualify for the translation exam.

If a student’s foreign language hours are more than five years old, the student must take a competency exam. If the student successfully places at the level of a fourth semester in the language, the student is eligible to take the translation exam.

In order to pass the translation examination, a student may find it necessary to take language courses at UNG or another institution. These courses never count toward the degree requirements for the MA.