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History Department Masters Theses Collection

Theses from 2024 2024.

'Our Sacred Rights': The Southern Baptist Convention and the Rhetoric of Oppression, 1845 and Present Day , Katlyn Durand, History

Theses from 2023 2023

Memories of Hope and Loss: “kerhi maa ne bhagat singh jameya” , Sheher Bano, History

Quṭb al‐Dīn al‐Shīrāzī and His Political, Religious, and Intellectual Networks , Carina Dreyer, History

Imagining the “Day of Reckoning”: American Jewish Performance Activism during the Holocaust , Maya C. Gonzalez, History

Cut Out of Place: The Geography and Legacy of Otto Ege's Broken Books , Melanie R. Meadors, History

Theses from 2022 2022

Heavy Metal in Medieval Europe , Sean M. Klimmek, History

Historic Houses and the Food Movement: Casey Farm and Coastal Growers' Market , Allison L. Smith, History

Theses from 2021 2021

“A Constant Surveillance”: The New York State Police and the Student Peace Movement, 1965-1973 , Seth Kershner, History

Theses from 2020 2020

Our Souls are Already Cared For: Indigenous Reactions to Religious Colonialism in Seventeenth-Century New England, New France, and New Mexico , Gail Coughlin, History

The Art of Not Seeing: The Immigration and Naturalization Service’s Failed Search for Nazi Collaborators in the United States, 1945-1979 , Jeffrey Davis, History

Treating the Revolution: Health Care and Solidarity in El Salvador and Nicaragua in the 1980s , Brittany McWilliams, History

Theses from 2019 2019

Interpreting Access: A History of Accessibility and Disability Representations in the National Park Service , Perri Meldon, History

“Nothing Material Occurred”: The Maritime Captures That Caused Then Outlasted the United States’ Quasi War with France , Emma Zeig, History

Unsettling East Jersey: Borders of Violence in the Proprietary Era, 1666-1719 , Amelia Zurcher, History

Theses from 2018 2018

Wanderers of Empire: The Tropical Tramp in Latin America, 1870-1930 , Jack Werner, History

Theses from 2017 2017

The Economy of Evangelism in the Colonial American South , Julia Carroll, History

Springing Forth Anew: Progress, Preservation, and Park-Building at Roger Williams National Memorial , Sara E. Patton, History

Conformity and Digression: Change of Narrative in a Chinese Peasant's Personal Writing , Danping Wang, History

Theses from 2016 2016

"The Fate Which Takes Us:" Benjamin F. Beall and Jefferson County, (West) Virginia in the Civil War Era , Matthew Coletti, History

Theses from 2015 2015

Araguaia: Maoist Uprising and Military Counterinsurgency in the Brazilian Amazon, 1967-1975 , Thamyris F. T. Almeida, History

"Who's Hiring the Indochinese Worker? Your Competition, Probably": Work, Welfare Dependency, and Southeast Asian Refugee Resettlement in Lowell, Massachusetts, 1975-1985 , Janelle Bourgeois, History

AN EERIE JUNGLE FILLED WITH DRAGONFLIES, SNIPER BULLETS AND GHOSTS: CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF VIETNAM AND THE VIETNAMESE THROUGH THE EYES OF AMERICAN TROOPS , Matthew M. Herrera, History

Combating Slavery and Colonization: Student Abolitionism and the Politics of Antislavery in Higher Education, 1833-1841 , Michael E. Jirik, History

Theses from 2014 2014

Against The Odds: Accounting For The Survival Of The Berkshire Athenaeum , John Dickson, History

Motives of Humanity: Saint-Domingan Refugees and the Limits of Sympathetic Ideology in Philadelphia , Jonathan Earl Dusenbury, History

The City of Minas: The Founding of Belo Horizonte, Brazil and Modernity in the First Republic, 1889-1897 , Daniel Lee McDonald, History

Mishoonash in Southern New England: Construction and Use of Dugout Canoes in a Multicultural Context , Jacob M. Orcutt, History

The Politics of Psychiatric Experience , Shuko Tamao, History

Commodore Perry's Expedition, 1852-4: Layered Experiences and Perceptions of the U.S., Japan, and the Kingdom of Ryukyu , Erika Tomoyose, History

Theses from 2013 2013

The Regional Influences on Religious Thought and Practice: A Case Study in Mormonism’s Dietary Reforms , Samuel Alonzo Dodge, History

Henry Thoreau's Debt to Society: A Micro Literary History , Laura J. Dwiggins, History

Colonial Role Models: The Influence of British and Afrikaner Relations on German South-West African Treatment of African Peoples , Natalie J. Geeza, History

From Main to High: Consumers, Class, and the Spatial Reorientation of an Industrial City , Jonathan Haeber, History

The Terrorist Doppelganger: Somoza and the Sandinistas , Thomas A. Hohenstein, History

The Third Reich in East German Film: Defa, Memory, and the Foundational Narrative of the German Democratic Republic , Jaimie Kicklighter, History

Nationalism and the Public Sphere: Tracing the Development of Nineteenth-Century Latin American Identities , Lisa Ponce, History

Theses from 2012 2012

Citizens and Criminals: Mass Incarceration, "Prison Neighbors," and Fear-Based Organizing in 1980s Rural Pennsylvania , Erika Arthur, History

The Praxis of Horst Hoheisel: the Countermonument in an Expanded Field , Juan Felipe Hernandez, History

Si Se Puede: The United Farm Workers, Civil Rights, and the Struggle for Justice in the Fields , Roneva C. Keel, History

Good News , Eesha Williams, History

Theses from 2011 2011

"Super Successful People": Robert Schuller, Suburban Exclusion, and the Demise of the New Deal Political Order , Richard Anderson, History

SCAR'd Times: Maine's Prisoners' Rights Movement, 1971-1976 , Daniel S. Chard, History

Intellectuals and Local Reforms in Late Qing Wuxi: 1897-1904 , Lei Duan, History

An End to the “Vichy/Algeria Syndrome”?: Negotiating Traumatic Pasts in the French Republic , Justin W. Silvestri, History

The Politics of Labor Militancy in Minneapolis, 1934-1938 , Kristoffer Smemo, History

Eugenothenics: The Literary Connection Between Domesticity and Eugenics , Caleb J. true, History

Theses from 2010 2010

"Flying is Changing Women!": Women Popularizers of Commercial Aviation and the Renegotiation of Traditional Gender and Technological Boundaries in the 1920s-30s , Emily K. Gibson, History

Bolivia's Coca Headache: The Agroyungas Program, Inflation, Campesinos, Coca and Capitalism In Bolivia , John D. Roberts, History

Theses from 2009 2009

For Love or Money: Labor Rights and Citizenship for Working Women of 1930s Oaxaca, Mexico , Sandra K. Haley, History

A New Vision of Local History Narrative: Writing History in Cummington, Massachusetts , Stephanie Pasternak, History

Drawing Defeat: Caricaturing War, Race, and Gender in Fin de Siglo Spain , Joel C. Webb, History

Theses from 2008 2008

Reconstructing Molly Welsh: Race, Memory and the Story of Benjamin Banneker's Grandmother , Sandra W. Perot, History

Theses from 2007 2007

"Somebody understood us" :: Nancy Macdonald and the Spanish Refugee Aid/ , Marta H. Healey, History

Abandoning nature :: European philosophy and the triumph of equal temperament/ , Noel David Hudson, History

American workers, American empire :: Morrison I. Swift, Boston, Massachusetts and the making of working-class imperial citizenship, 1890-1920/ , Justin Frederick Jackson, History

Men of the meanest sort :: military leadership and war in the New England colonies, 1690-1775/ , Seanegan P. Sculley, History

Theses from 2005 2005

"This place is not meant for recreation. It is meant for inspiration" :: the legacies of Clara Endicott Sears/ , Megan M. Kennedy, History

Theses from 2004 2004

Woodrow Wilson's conversion experience :: the President, the woman suffrage movement, and the extent of executive influence , Beth A. Behn, History

Hardball diplomacy and ping-pong politics: Cuban baseball, Chinese table tennis, and the diplomatic use of sport during the Cold War , Matthew J. Noyes, History

Theses from 2000 2000

John F. Kennedy, the development of counterinsurgency doctrine and American intervention in Laos, 1961-1963 , Daniel C. Koprowski, History

Theses from 1998 1998

Eadric Streona :: a critical biography/ , Terry Lee Locy, History

Theses from 1997 1997

Sectionalism and national consciousness in the early Republic :: the case of New England Federalists, 1800-1815/ , Denis A. Kozlov, History

Theses from 1996 1996

A stabilizing influence :: the "war of the dictionaries," 1848-1861/ , James F. Leach, History

I ain't got no home in this world anymore: sharecroppers, tenant farmers, and the Southern Tenant Farmer's Union , James D. Ross, History

Theses from 1995 1995

Marching through hell :: the British soldier in the First World War's East African campaign/ , Taylor Harper, History

The daughters of rural Massachusetts :: women and autonomy, 1800-1860/ , Glendyne R. Wergland, History

Theses from 1994 1994

Law and public life in thirteenth century Montpellier/ , Charles E. Bashaw, History

Into the hornet's nest :: how shall they hear without a preacher/ , Jean Sherlock, History

Theses from 1993 1993

The committees of correspondence, inspection and safety in old Hampshire County, Massachusetts, during the American Revolution/ , Carolyn D. Hertz, History

Theses from 1992 1992

The education of a field marshal :: Wellington in India and Iberia/ , David G. Cotter, History

"Webs of significance" :: Italian textile labor and the fabric of society, 1750-1850/ , Dorothy M. Dumont, History

Aspects in creating a gentleman :: education and the Grand Tour in eighteenth-century England/ , Lisa C. Mangiafico, History

Theses from 1991 1991

American Catholicism and the political origins of the Cold War/ , Thomas M. Moriarty, History

The ass worship controversy/ , Robert E. Ravens-seger, History

The development of local religious tolerance in Massachusetts Bay Colony/ , Andrew Leonard Sweet, History

Theses from 1990 1990

Bucking the tide :: Charles Phelps and the Vermont land grant controversies, 1750-1789/ , Peter E. Dow, History

Populism and the Guatemalan revolution :: politics and power in transition, May 1944-March 1945/ , Todd R. Little, History

Theses from 1988 1988

Very special circumstances :: women's colleges and women's friendships at the turn of the century/ , Rosalind S. Cuomo, History

Charlemagne and kingship :: the responsibility of absolute power/ , Jane Swotchak Ourand, History

Chinese political movements and historiography on American history/ , Wenjun Xing, History

Theses from 1984 1984

The distorting image : women and advertising, 1900-1960/ , Judith A. Freeman, History

Amherst soldiers in the American Revolution/ , Martha N. Noblick, History

Theses from 1983 1983

Genealogy and social history :: the early settlement of Lebanon, Connecticutt, as a case study. , Robert Charles Anderson, History

Theses from 1982 1982

Morphology of the 1980 Massachusetts business elite. , David P. Perlman, History

Theses from 1981 1981

The way that good folks do: Junior Achievement and corporate culture. , Edwin Gabler, History

Theses from 1978 1978

Lindomania or the Penny Press observed :: a study of the 1850 New York press in action. , Janet Lehrman Brown, History

Signal: a study in Geman propaganda of the Second World War. , Jeffrey Alan Hanson, History

Theses from 1977 1977

The status of West Indian immigrants in Panama from 1850-1941. , Sadith Esther Paz B., History

The Peace of Nicias/ , Milo Milton Williams, History

Theses from 1976 1976

The British War Office ;: from the Crimean War to Cardwell, 1855-1868. , Paul H. Harpin, History

The Santa Cruz strikes: a case study in labor relations in the Yrigoyen era/ , Robert Nelson Landback, History

An examination of the laws of William the Conqueror. , Steven D. Sargent, History

Farmer's daughter, innkeeper's daughter, minister's daughter ;: young women of the early republic. , Thomas Paul Smith, History

Theses from 1975 1975

Aufbau-Reconstruction and the Americanization of German-Jewish immigrants 1934-1944. , Dorothee Schneider, History

Theses from 1974 1974

Anglo-American blood sports, 1776-1889: a study of changing morals. , Jack William Berryman, History

Theses from 1973 1973

Between a crown and a gibbet: Benjamin F. Butler and the early war years. , David M. Nellis, History

Theses from 1972 1972

Imperial looting and the case of Benin. , Mary Lou Ratté, History

Theses from 1971 1971

The attitudes of the American business community to the Soviet Union, 1917-1933. , Patricia J. Behenna, History

Religious conversion in Tlaxcala, 1520-1550. , Edmund C. Hands, History

The early career of Pliny Earle: A founder of American Psychiatry , Constance M. Mcgovern, History

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Home > USC Columbia > Arts and Sciences > History > History Theses and Dissertations

History Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Cashing the Check of Democracy The American Revolution and Citizenship in the Black Freedom Struggle 1960-1970 , Zachary Earle Clary

“All the Rights of Native Cherokees”: The Appearance of Black People in Cherokee Society , Ayanna Goines

“We Are Created Inferior to Men”: Leveraging Horsemanship to Reinforce Gender Expectations, 1830-1861 , Gabrielle Marie McCoy

The Widened Hearthstone Urban Playgrounds as the Infrastructure of Public Mothering, 1900-1930 , Alexandra Miller

Piratical Transportation: Highlighting Silences in Carolina’s Enslavement and Exportation of Native Americans , Jordan Stenger

Lunatics, Liberals and Bloodthirsty Haters: The South in the 1972 Presidential Election , Thomas Clayton Strebeck

In Her Possession and Keeping Revolutionary War Widows and the Politics of Family Archives, 1820–1850 , Riley Kathryn Sutherland

Colored Lawyer, Topeka: The Legend and Legacy of Elisa Scott , Jeffery Scott Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The Presbyterian Exception? The Illegal Education of Enslaved Blacks by South Carolina Presbyterian Churches, 1834-1865 , Margaret Bates

Roy Acuff, Democratic Candidate , Henry Luther Capps III

Before the Storm: Youth Hockey in North Carolina Ahead of the NHL’s Arrival , Sarai ShareI Dai

Flying Saucer of the Smokies: The Debate Over National Park Architecture and Wilderness Values in Clingmans Dome Observation Tower , Michelle Fieser

“I Like a Fight”: Margaret Sanger and the First Birth Control Clinic in the United States , Rebecca Linnea Hall

Who Has the Right to Reproduce? Forced Sterilization in South Carolina in the Early Twentieth Century , Kathryn Pownall

Sex (Work) And the City: Sex Work in Columbia, South Carolina, 1860-1880 , Presley McKalyn Ramey

Resurrecting a Nation Through Silk and Diplomacy: American Material Culture and Foreign Relations During the Reconstruction Era , Paige Weaver

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Building a New (Deal) Identity The Evolution of Italian-American Political Culture and Ideology, 1910–1940 , Ryan J. Antonucci

“It Seemed Like Reaching for the Moon:” Southside Virginia’s Civil Rights Struggle Against The Virginia Way, 1951-1964 , Emily A. Martin Cochran

“We are Going to be Reckoned With”: The South Carolina UDC and the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum, 1986-2000 , Caitlin Cutrona

Enslaved Rebellion and Abolitionist Imperialism in Britain’s Atlantic World, 1807-1884 , Lewis Eliot

Religion, Senses, and Remembrance: Brooklyn’s Sumter Club in Postbellum Charleston, S.C. , Michael Edward Scott Emett

Praying Soldiers: Experiencing Religion as a Revolutionary War Soldier Fighting for Independence , Roberto Oscar Flores de Apodaca

Engraved in Prejudice: How Currency Displayed the Mindset of the South , Holly Johnson Floyd

The Governor’s Guards: Militia, Politics, Social Networking, and Manhood in Columbia, South Carolina, 1843-1874 , Justin Harwell

Patients’ Rights, Patients’ Politics: Jewish Activists of the U.S. Women’s Health Movement, 1969-1990 , Jillian Michele Hinderliter

Joshua Gordon’s Witchcraft Book and The Transformation of the Upcountry of South Carolina , E. Zoie Horecny

“The Once and Future Audubon:” The History of the Audubon Ballroom and the Movement to Save It , William Maclane Hull

A Culture of Control: Progressive Era Eugenics in South Carolina as a Continuation of Created White Supremacy , Hannah Nicole Patton

Shaping a Queer South: The Evolution of Activism From 1960-2000 , A. Kamau Pope

The Robber Barons of Show Business: Traveling Amusements And The Development of the American Entertainment Industry, 1870- 1920 , Madeline Steiner

Charlotte's Glory Road: The History of NASCAR in the Queen City , Hannah Thompson

Foxy Ladies and Badass Super Agents: Legacies of 1970s Blaxploitation Spy and Detective Heroines , Carlie Nicole Todd

Media Combat: The Great War and the Transformation of American Culture , Andrew Steed Walgren

“Hungering and Thirsting” for Education: Education, Presbyterians, and African Americans in the South, 1880-1920 , Rachel Marie Young

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Gendering Secession: Women and Politics in South Carolina, 1859- 1861 , Melissa DeVelvis

The Chasquis of Liberty: Revolutionary Messengers in the Bolivian Independence Era, 1808-1825 , Caleb Garret Wittum

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Learning Church: Catechisms and Lay Participation in Early New England Congregationalism , Roberto O. Flores de Apodaca

Useful Beauty: Tiffany Favrile, Carnival Glass, and Consumerism at the Turn of the Twentieth Century , Chelsea Grayburn

Restoring America: Historic Preservation and the New Deal , Stephanie E. Gray

For the Common Man: An Analysis of the United States Space and Rocket Center , Patrice R. Green

Made to Be Forgotten: The Chevalier DE Saint-Sauveur & the Franco-American Alliance , Katelynn Hatton

Leaders in the Making: Higher Education, Student Activism, and the Black Freedom Struggle in South Carolina, 1925-1975 , Ramon M. Jackson

Exclusive Dining: Immigration and Restaurants in Chicago during the Era of Chinese Exclusion, 1893-1933 , Samuel C. King

Complicating the Narrative: Using Jim's Story to Interpret Enslavement, Leasing, and Resistance at Duke Homestead , Jennifer Melton

“Unknown and Unlamented”: Loyalist Women in Nova Scotia from Exile to Repatriation, 1775-1800 , G. Patrick O’Brien

Raising America Racist: How 1920’s Klanswomen Used Education to Implement Systemic Racism , Kathleen Borchard Schoen

Learning the Land: Indians, Settlers, and Slaves in the Southern Borderlands, 1500-1850 , William Cane West

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Beyond Preservation: Reconstructing Sites Of Slavery, Reconstruction, And Segregation , Charlotte Adams

Reading Material: Personal Libraries And The Cultivation Of Identity In Revolutionary South Carolina , Gabriella Angeloni

Politics and the Built Environment: Civic Structures of Eighteenth Century Williamsburg, Virginia and Charles Town, South Carolina , Paul Bartow

The Lost Ones: The Cold War State, Child Welfare Systems, And The Battles Over The Rosenberg Children , Megan Bennett

“Catering To The Local Trade”: Jewish-Owned Grocery Stores In Columbia, South Carolina , Olivia Brown

If This Be Sin: Gladys Bentley And The Performance Of Identity , Moira Mahoney Church

“I Hope They Fire Me:” Black Teachers In The Fight For Equal Education, 1910-1970 , Candace Cunningham

Constructing Scientific Knowledge: The Understanding of the Slow Virus, 1898-1976 , Burke Hood Dial

Ayatollahs And Embryos: Science, Politics, And Religion In Post-Revolutionary Iran , M Sadegh Foghani

Of Cannonades and Battle Cries: Aurality, The Battle of The Alamo, and Memory , Michelle E. Herbelin

Anti-Sabbatarianism in Antebellum America: The Christian Quarrel over the Sanctity of Sunday , Kathryn Kaslow

A Divisive Community: Race, Nation, And Loyalty In Santo Domingo, 1822 – 1844 , Antony Wayne Keane-Dawes

“Remember Them Not for How They Died”: American Memory and the Challenger Accident , Elizabeth F. Koele

Garagecraft: Tinkering In The American Garage , Katherine Erica McFadden

Black Power And Neighborhood Organizing In Minneapolis, Minnesota: The Way Community Center, 1966-1971 , Sarah Jayne Paulsen

The Popular Education Question in Antebellum South Carolina, 1800-1860 , Brian A. Robinson

Perks Of Perkins: Understanding Where Magic And Religion Meet For An Early Modern English Theologian , Kyle Sanders

Black Men, Red Coats: The Carolina Corps, Race, and Society in the Revolutionary British Atlantic , Gary Sellick

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Skin Deep: African American Women and the Building of Beauty Culture in South Carolina , Catherine Davenport

Funding South Carolina’s Monuments: The Growth of the Corporate Person in Monument Financing , Justin Curry Davis

Sex and the State: Sexual Politics in South Carolina in the 1970s , Jennifer Holman Gunter

Within the House of Bondage: Constructing and Negotiating the Plantation Landscape in the British Atlantic World, 1670-1820 , Erin M. Holmes

Odor and Power in the Americas: Olfactory Consciousness from Columbus to Emancipation , Andrew Kettler

From Rice Fields to Duck Marshes: Sport Hunters and Environmental Change on the South Carolina Coast, 1890–1950 , Matthew Allen Lockhart

Potential Republicans: Reconstruction Printers of Columbia, South Carolina , John Lustrea

Lamps, Maps, Mud-Machines, and Signal Flags: Science, Technology, and Commerce in the Early United States , James Russell Risk

Rebirth of the House Museum: Commemorating Reconstruction at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home , Jennifer Whitmer Taylor

Buy for the Sake of your Baby: Guardian Consumerism in Twentieth Century America , Mark VanDriel

Environmental Negotiations Cherokee Power in the Arkansas Valley, 1812-1828 , Cane West

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

A Call To Every Citizen: The South Carolina State Council Of Defense And World War I , Allison Baker

National Register Nomination for the Waikiki Village Motel , Jane W. Campbell

“Antagonistic Describes the Scene:” Local News Portrayals of the New Left and the Escalation of Protest at the University of South Carolina, 1970 , Alyssa Jordan Constad

Ahead of Their Time: Black Teachers and Their Community in the Immediate Post- Brown Years , Candace Cunningham

Deserts Will Bloom: Atomic Agriculture And The Promise Of Radioactive Redemption , Chris Fite

Restoring the Dock Street Theatre: Cultural Production in New-Deal Era Charleston, South Carolina , Stephanie E. Gray

In Search Of Granby: A Colonial Village Of South Carolina , Kathryn F. Keenan

Preserving The Architectural Legacy Of Lyles, Bissett, Carlisle & Wolff, 1948-1976 , Casey Lee

Looking for Remnants of Rice Cultivation at Manchester State Forest Through the Use of LIDAR , Sarah Anne Moore

Uncle Sam’s Jungle: Recreation, Imagination, And The Caribbean National Forest , Will Garrett Mundhenke

G.I. Joe v. Jim Crow: Legal Battles Over Off-Base School Segregation Of Military Children In The American South, 1962-1964 , Randall George Owens

Radioactive Dixie: A History of Nuclear Power and Nuclear Waste in the American South, 1950-1990 , Caroline Rose Peyton

A Culture Of Commodification: Hemispheric And Intercolonial Migrations In The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, 1660-1807 , Neal D. Polhemus

Rediscovering Camden: The Preservation of a Revolutionary War Battlefield , Gary Sellick

The “Forgotten Man” of Washington: the Pershing Memorial and the Battle over Military Memorialization , Andrew S. Walgren

Proslavery Thinking In Antebellum South Carolina: Higher Education, Transatlantic Encounters, And The Life Of The Mind , Jamie Diane Wilson

Colonialism Unraveling: Race, Religion, And National Belonging In Santo Domingo During The Age Of Revolutions , Charlton W. Yingling

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

"Very Many More Men than Women": A Study of the Social Implications of Diagnostics at the South Carolina State Hospital , Clara Elizabeth Bertagnolli

Forgotten Science of Bird Eggs: The Life Cycle of Oology at the Smithsonian Institution , Katherine Nicole Crosby

Shifting Authority at the Confederate Relic Room, 1960-1986 , Kristie L. DaFoe

Boundary Stones: Morbid Concretions and the Chemistry of Early Nineteenth Century Medicine , Edward Allen Driggers Jr.

Main Street, America: Histories of I-95 , Mark T. Evans

National Register Nomination for St. James the Greater Catholic Mission , Diana Garnett

They Held Their Fists Up: The Myth of the Violent Black Panther and the Making of the Angola 3 , Holly Genovese

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M.A. Thesis: What is it and what does it need to do?

The purpose of a M.A. thesis is to demonstrate a student’s capacity to develop an original historical argument based on original research . Given the significant amount of work and effort that—beyond classwork—goes into completing and defending a thesis, students on the thesis track should seriously consider why is it that they want to write a thesis and discuss their reasons (and their intellectual and professional trajectory more broadly) with the History or Public History advisor early on, preferably during their first year in the program. Students should start thinking about possible topics and committee members (one chair and two readers) early on as well.

The Thesis “Pipeline” Students generally start developing their thesis topic during the third semester, as they enroll in the General Research Seminar (GRS) and Thesis A (see the Graduate Student Handbook for details). In consultation with the instructor of record and the History or Public History general advisors, they will select a paper advisor for the course, knowledgeable in the student’s field, who will very likely fulfill the role of thesis director and committee chair for the student after the GRS. During the Seminar, students will be working on research, methodology, and historiography which will serve as the basis of the thesis. To get credit for Thesis A, moreover, students will have to defend a thesis proposal (5-8 pages) before a committee, which will recommend that the student continues with the project or switches to the Comps track.

Scope Students must be able to assess the value of their source base—which can include textual primary sources, material culture, the built environment, oral interviews and oral histories, digital media, musical examples, and visual images—demonstrating the ability to critically evaluate and engage with several archival and non-archival sources. Students then must place their research into conversation with the existing literature on the topic. They must show their ability to summarize the recent historiographical trends on the subject, and then must illustrate the ways that their research contributes to, contends with, or challenges current trends. In other words, the original research needs to be put into a larger intellectual framework. This framing involves the skill to utilize the research of other scholars to help build students’ argument and analysis. Since the historical profession is built on acknowledging the contributions of other scholars, it is vital that the M.A. thesis integrate existing scholarship throughout the thesis.

Another feature of a thesis is that, although the thesis can be structured chronologically or thematically, the argument must address change over time . To effectively do this, the M.A. student must first set up the historical context, thereby establishing the “problem” that will be solved. Lastly, an M.A. thesis must comply with the academic conventions of historical writing . This includes using the Chicago/Turabian citation method, offering a clear and effective organization, and writing in a clear, concise, and readable style.

Public History students must incorporate a Public History component in their thesis. Types of components are categorized and described, with accompanying examples, in a separate guide.

Format M.A. History theses are typically comprised of an Introduction (~10 pages), 2-3 chapters (~20-25 pages each) organized chronologically or thematically, and a conclusion (~10 pages). To form an idea of the Department’s expectations, students are encouraged to peruse previous theses at the library’s website . Students are also encouraged to consult the Graduate College Guide to Preparing and Submitting a Thesis BEFORE beginning the writing process, as the guide provides templates with the proper formatting that will make the final submission a much easier endeavor.

Alternatively, and with the approval of the thesis committee and/or the History or Public History advisor, preferably before taking Thesis B (see the Graduate Student Handbook for details), students can opt for an article-length thesis, which will include a 9000-to-12,000-word standalone article chapter of publishable quality and, to satisfy Graduate College requirements, a thorough introduction chapter and a comprehensive conclusion chapter. Students considering a Ph.D. in History are particularly encouraged to discuss this option with their advisors, for an article chapter would provide a strong writing sample, which will enhance the student’s chances of gaining admission. In consultation with the thesis committee, students working on an article-length thesis should identify suitable publication venues and keep their scope and formatting guidelines in mind during the writing process, so that they can submit their work for consideration after the defense.

As with all M.A. History theses, the committee is the sole arbiter of the quality, scope, and length of all parts of the document.

Ver. 01/15/21

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Home > CLA > HISTORY > HISTORY_THESES

History Masters Theses Collection

This collection contains open access and campus access Masters theses, made possible through Graduate Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The full content of open access theses is available to all, although some files may have embargoes placed on them and will be made available as soon as possible. The full content of campus access theses is only available to those either on the UMass Boston campus or with a UMass Boston campus username and password. Click on the "Off-Campus UMass Boston Users" link on the record page to download Campus Access publications. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this thesis through resources like Proquest Dissertations & Theses Global or through Interlibrary Loan.

Theses from 2023 2023

Margaret Cross Norton in Context: Norton’s Portrayal in American Archival Theory, the Social Conditions of Her Time and the Evolution of Presidential Libraries in the United States , Marie H. Bowen

Culture Wars: North Carolina, Representation, and the Vote on the Federal Constitution of 1787 , Maria A. Carlson

George Boardman Weston's Grand Tour: Travel Writing and its Impact on Nineteenth-Century Americans , Joshua Tyler Clark

“Each Heart Alone Knoweth Its Own Bitterness”: The Jackson Family in Clarke County, Virginia, from Enslavement to Jim Crow , Melanie E. Garvey

Deconstructing Reconstruction: The Portrayal of The Reconstruction Era in High School History Textbooks , Eleanor Katari

Radical Routes: The Formation of the Boston School Bus Drivers Union Local 8751 , Maci Mark

Limitations & Liberation: Republican Motherhood and Female Advancement in Nineteenth Century America , Hannah Russell

The Armenian Genocide as Presented by the American Press , Grace A. Wargovich

Theses from 2022 2022

Northeastern Pennsylvania's Forgotten Labor Massacre: Analysis pf the English Language Record of the Lattimer Massacre , Jamie C. Costello

Shadow of the Vietnam War on the Senate Persian Gulf Debate of 1991 , Austin DiBari

Popular Memory, Silence, and Trust: A Mother and Son’s Relationship to School in the Shadow of the Prince Edward County Closures , Rory S. Dunn

The Arrows, The Shield: Mapping, Identity, and Tradition in Colonial Cempoala, Mexico , Savvas Papadopoulos

The Unsung Influence of the National Day of Mourning: A Study of Indigenous Activism, Race, and Memory , Erika T. Tauer

The Role of the Catholic Church’s Teachings on Slavery and Secession Affecting Allegiances During the American Civil War , David J. Thompson

Theses from 2021 2021

Celebrating Chinese American Veterans: Commemoration and America's Collective Memory Of War , Kevin Lee

Community in a Time of Crisis: How the People of Provincetown, Massachusetts Worked to Combat the HIV/AIDS Epidemic , Danielle Maria Lisbon

Uncommon Ground: Pawtucket-Pennacook Strategic Land Exchange in Native Spaces and Colonized Places of Essex County and Massachusetts Bay in the Seventeenth Century , Kristine Malpica

The Decline of the Massachusetts Know-Nothing Party: The Impact of Slavery and Temperance in 1855 , Alexander Rodrigues

The Boston Black United Front and Community-Centered Alternatives to the Carceral State , Joseph W. Sikowitz

Theses from 2020 2020

Operation Nickel Grass: Richard Nixon and the Yom Kippur War , Luke George Bergquist

Essential Labor: Marginalized People in the American Whaling Industry, Southeastern Massachusetts , Brielle E. Berical

A Dogged Resolve: The Doctrine and Decline of Mormon Plural Marriage, 1841-1890 , Jaclyn Thornock Gadd

The Hyde Park Thought Club: Pioneers in the Women’s Club Movement -- A Case Study 1868 – 1902 , Patrice A. Gattozzi

The Ghosts of Empires Past: The Red Army Faction’s Violent Relationship with Cold War Neo-Imperialism, 1969-1974 , Renee Danielle Jean

Reassessing the Factors that Led to the Evacuation of Japanese in World War Two , Mark S. Lewis

Black Masters; The Ownership of Slaves by Free People of Color in the Antebellum South 1780-1861 , Michael O. Magbagbeola

"To Have and Enjoy": Seating in Boston's Early Anglican Churches, 1686-1732 , Erica Jill McAvoy

Scholars, Spinners and Economies of Scale: Public Education on Exhibit in the Textile Era in New Bedford, Massachusetts , Arthur P. Motta Jr.

Beyond the Big Top: The Legacy of John Ringling and the American Circus , Casey L. Nemec

“Even if it Means Our Battles to Date are Meaningless” The Anime Gundam Wing and Postwar History, Memory, and Identity in Japan , Genevieve R. Peterson

"Full of Light and Fire": John Brown in Springfield , Louis J. Rocco Jr.

The Psychogram , Nathaniel M. Sullivan

Washed Away: Native American Representation in Oklahoma Museums and High Schools, 2000 – 2020 , Catherine E. Thompson

Theses from 2019 2019

Revelation and Concealment; The Words and World of Omar ibn Said , David Gabriel Babaian

Anabasis Aquilonos: The Interplay of Exemplarity and Scientific Historiography in B.H. Liddell Hart’s A Greater than Napoleon: Scipio Africanus , Daniel T. Barbre

The Language of the Herodians: An Analysis of Herodian Material Culture , Alexander J. D'Amore

Theses from 2018 2018

The Charge of Deserting Their Sphere: The Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society and Women’s Place in the Abolitionist Movement , Megan Irene Brady

Competing Goals: The Boston Teachers Union and the Boston Busing Crisis , Matthew R. Clark

"The Right to Play" The Establishment of Playgrounds in the American City , Kyle James Fritch

Good Girls Gone Bad: Interpreting the White Slavery Scare As A Response To Changing Women's Roles in the Progressive Era , Rachael Gorski

Innocent Victors: Atomic Identity at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee , Kathryn Leann Harris

William Monroe Trotter and His Contributions to the Early Civil Rights Movement , Katherine N. Jahl

Lapidary Medicine in Early Modern Spain , Dana L. Marquis

A Seemingly Insurmountable Problem: Carl Stokes and the Failure of Cleveland Now! , David M. Rainey

The Creation of the OSS And Anglo American Intelligence Co-Operation In Yugoslavia: A Case Study In Diverging Agendas , Christopher J. Royack

Luis V. Manrara & the Truth About Cuba Committee, Inc.: A Microhistory on the Effect of Socio-Economic Advantages and Politics on Early Cuban Acculturation within American Society , Francis E. Tansey

“Wicked and Illegal Traffic”: Newspaper Portrayal of Nigerian Women in the Cannabis Trade (circa 1970 – 1980) , Edet A. Thomas

Theses from 2017 2017

Mendez V. Westminister (1945): A Case that Brought Race to Center Stage , Samantha R. Albert

A Light in the Darkness: Constructing a View of Victorian Gynecological Surgery through Examination of Medical Treatises , Mandy M. Jimenez

Riot and Resurgence: The Antebellum African American Community of Providence, Rhode Island , Christopher J. Martin

Reverend James D. Eaton and Congregationalist Missionary Education in Revolutionary Mexico , Lucas A. Mihalich

Indian, Black, Mustee, and Music: Race, Identity, and Culture in Native Communities During the Age of Whaling , Tara M. Munro

Expendable: Eight Soldiers From Massachusetts Regiments Executed For Desertion During the United States Civil War , Stephen F. Ragon

Theses from 2016 2016

Exploring Reconstruction in the Territory of New Mexico , Krystle Eugley Beaubrun

'For the Sake of the Salvation of our Souls': An Analysis of Hildegard of Bingen's Authority and Reformist Theology in Relation to the Founding of Mount St. Rupert , Alexandra G. Borkowski

Rebuilding the City on a Hill: The Currents of New England Sectionalism and Liberal Christianity in Garrisonian Abolitionism , Zachary Boutin

'For the Benefit of Mankind': Franklin Roosevelt's Development of Trusteeship for the Postwar World , Tasnin R. Chowdhury

Run Aground: Cultural Transformation in Southeastern Massachusetts' Aquatic Spaces, 1637-1711 , Jonathan Dennis Green

In Freedom's Cause: An Exploration of Suffragette and Chartist Militancy in Britain , Ashley Kennedy-MacDougall

Countdown to Martial Law: The U.S-Philippine Relationship, 1969-1972 , Joven G. Maranan

He was a Camera: Christopher Isherwood, Weimar Germany, and Transationalism in the American Gay Rights Movement , Kristof R. Nelson

Somewhere Between Exploitation and Partnership: English and Native Alliances Surrounding the Raids on Deerfield and King William’s War , Caitlyn J. Remmes

The Barbadoes Family and the Pursuit of African-American Equality in 19th Century America , Robert J. Shaw

Theses from 2015 2015

Traitor or Pioneer: John Brown Russwurm and the African Colonization Movement , Brian J. Barker

A Queen's Legacy: The Lives of Elizabeth Woodville and Jacquetta of Luxembourg , Heather E. Bump

We're Just Like You: Strategies of Gay Activism against the Religious Right, Politics and Conservatism, and the AIDS Crisis , William G. Burton

Gay Outlaws: The Alpine County Project Reconsidered , Jacob D. Carter

George Loney Wallace and the Wrentham State School: 1906-1930 , Lindsay Fulton

Charles Francis Adams: A Study on the Crucial Role of Adams in Maintaining British Neutrality During the American Civil War , Jonathan S. McIsaac

The Massachusetts Bay Circuit , Corey W. Medeiros

É Para Sair de Portugal a Todos os Custos! The Policia Repressiva de Emigração Clandestina (1896-1911) and the Politics of Azorean Emigration to the United States , Sonia Patricia da Silva Pacheco

The Integration of African Americans in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Massachusetts , Caitlin E. Pinkham

Anti-Catholicism and Gender Norms: Reassessing the Charlestown Convent Riot, 1834 , Daniel S. Sousa

Theses from 2014 2014

Crowning a Florentine Princeps in a New Rome: The Civic Humanism of Leonardo Bruni and the Rise of Cosimo de' Medici, "Pater Patriae" , Jason F. Amato

The Transvaal Constitution and Responsible Government: How Churchill influenced Apartheid , Christopher H. Beckvold

"Tenacious of Their Lands": Fortifying the District of Mashpee, 1834-1842 , Nicole Alexis Breault

Assent and You Are Sane: "John Brown Was Right" , Jermain S. Corbin

Saving the "Original Paradise": Health Tourism, Tropical Disease, and the Problem of Cuba in the American Imperial Imagination, 1848-98 , Liana DeMarco

Panthersprung: The Vital Inheritance of the Agadir Crisis , Patrick E. Doerr

Lusitania: An Examination of Captaincy and Seamanship in the Face of Disaster , Robert J. Goulding

“So Succeeded by a Kind Providence”: Communities of Color in Eighteenth Century Boston , Eric M. Hanson Plass

Constructing A Vernacular Narrative: Communal Memory of Boston's West End , Eleanor Martinez Proctor

Theses from 2013 2013

Generations Apart: Cultural Revolution Memory and China's Post-80's Generation on the Chinese Internet , Vincent R. Capone

Once Lords and Emperors: Chivalry and the Making of Clerical Masculinity in High Medieval Normandy , Charles S. Carroll

Fort Devens: Civil Rights Unrest and African-American Identity in a Northern Military Camp during World War I and World War II , Janine Hubai

The Hidden Experience: Untold Stories of Immigrant Agency During the Settlement House Movement in Boston , Deirdre L. Kutt

General Von Seeckt and Sino-German Cooperation , Yue Lan

"Our Brothers In This Country": Captivity and Kinship in the Colonial Northeast , Steven C. Moore

The Teacher Revolt: Militancy, Grassroots Mobilization, and Local Autonomy in the National Education Association and the Massachusetts Teachers Association (1960-1980) , Jamie A. Rinaldi

Germs, Pigs and Silver: King Philip's War and the Deconstruction of the Middle Ground In New England , Benjamin M. Roine

Men of Uncommon Substance: Sailor Literature and American Identity in Antebellum America, 1805 - 1840 , Pete Sprayregen

Technology Transfer and Diffusion in the Context of Globalization: A Study of a Critical Decade in the Ottoman Empire through the Experiences of Henry Eckford, 1830-1840 , Gulumhan Huma Yildirim

Theses from 2012 2012

The Forgotten Children: The Educational Demographics of an Austrian Diocese 1848-1852 , Mathew Richard Boyeson

Gaetano Salvemini: A Lesson in Thought and Action , Michael Christopher DiClemente

The Cultural Assault on the Female Gender during the Weimar Years , Jaime Alexandra Gaudet

Immigrants as Americanizers: The Americanization Movement of the Early Twentieth Century , Alexis Claire Hanley

Union Army Doctrine: The Role of the Artillery During the Campaign for Vicksburg , Stephanie A. Peacock

Botticelli's La Primavera: Painting the Cosmos of Human Ideals , Leatha Eleni Tzioumis

Women Under National Socialism: The Case Study of Melita Maschmann , Lynda Maureen Willett

Theses from 2011 2011

Diplomatic and Military Objectives and Their Impact on Operation Olympic: The Invasion of Kyushu, Japan, November 1st, 1945 , John Joseph Favara

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Department of History

Yale history dissertations.

During the late 1800’s, only a trickle of dissertations were submitted annually, but today, the department averages about 25 per year. See who some of those intrepid scholars were and what they wrote about by clicking on any of the years listed below.

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How to Research and Write a Compelling History Thesis

The Importance of Research for Writing a History Thesis

Just as history is more than a collection of facts about past events, an effective history thesis goes beyond simply sharing recorded information. Writing a compelling history thesis requires making an argument about a historical fact and, then, researching and providing a well-crafted defense for that position.

With so many sources available—some of which may provide conflicting findings—how should a student research and write a history thesis? How can a student create a thesis that’s both compelling and supports a position that academic editors describe as “concise, contentious, and coherent”?

Key steps in how to write a history thesis include evaluating source materials, developing a strong thesis statement, and building historical knowledge.

Compelling theses provide context about historical events. This context, according to the reference website ThoughtCo., refers to the social, religious, economic, and political conditions during an occurrence that “enable us to interpret and analyze works or events of the past, or even the future, rather than merely judge them by contemporary standards”.

The context supports the main point of a thesis, called the thesis statement, by providing an interpretive and analytical framework of the facts, instead of simply stating them. Research uncovers the evidence necessary to make the case for that thesis statement.

To gather evidence that contributes to a deeper understanding of a given historical topic, students should reference both primary and secondary sources of research.

Primary Sources

Primary sources are firsthand accounts of events in history, according to Professor David Ulbrich, director of Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program. These sources provide information not only about what happened and how it happened but also why it happened.

Primary sources can include letters, diaries, photos, and videos as well as material objects such as “spent artillery shells, architectural features, cemetery headstones, chemical analysis of substances, shards of bowls or bottles, farming implements, or earth or environmental features or factors,” Ulbrich says. “The author of the thesis can tell how people lived, for example, by the ways they arranged their material lives.”

Primary research sources are the building blocks to help us better understand and appreciate history. It is critical to find as many primary sources from as many perspectives as possible. Researching these firsthand accounts can provide evidence that helps answer those “what”, “how”, and “why” questions about the past, Ulbrich says.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are materials—such as books, articles, essays, and documentaries—gathered and interpreted by other researchers. These sources often provide updates and evaluation of the thesis topic or viewpoints that support the theories presented in the thesis.

Primary and secondary sources are complementary types of research that form a convincing foundation for a thesis’ main points.

How to Write a History Thesis

What are the steps to write a history thesis? The process of developing a thesis that provides a thorough analysis of a historical event—and presents academically defensible arguments related to that analysis—includes the following:

1. Gather and Analyze Sources

When collecting sources to use in a thesis, students should analyze them to ensure they demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the materials. A student should evaluate the attributes of sources such as their origin and point-of-view.

An array of primary and secondary sources can help provide a thorough understanding of a historical event, although some of those sources may include conflicting views and details. In those cases, the American Historical Association says, it’s up to the thesis author to determine which source reflects the appropriate point-of-view.

2. Develop a Thesis Statement

To create a thesis statement, a student should establish a specific idea or theory that makes the main point about a historical event. Scribbr, an editing website, recommends starting with a working thesis, asking the question the thesis intends to answer, and, then, writing the answer.

The final version of a thesis statement might be argumentative, for example, taking a side in a debate. Or it might be expository, explaining a historical situation. In addition to being concise and coherent, a thesis statement should be contentious, meaning it requires evidence to support it.

3. Create an Outline

Developing a thesis requires an outline of the content that will support the thesis statement. Students should keep in mind the following key steps in creating their outline:

• Note major points.
• Categorize ideas supported by the theories.
• Arrange points according to the importance and a timeline of events addressed by the thesis.
• Create effective headings and subheadings.
• Format the outline.

4. Organize Information

Thesis authors should ensure their content follows a logical order. This may entail coding resource materials to help match them to the appropriate theories while organizing the information. A thesis typically contains the following elements.

• Abstract —Overview of the thesis.
• Introduction —Summary of the thesis’ main points.
• Literature review —Explanation of the gap in previous research addressed by this thesis.
• Methods —Outline how the author reviewed the research and why materials were selected.
• Results —Description of the research findings.
• Discussion —Analysis of the research.
• Conclusion —Statements about what the student learned.

5. Write the Thesis

Online writing guide Paperpile recommends that students start with the literature review when writing the thesis. Developing this section first will help the author gain a more complete understanding of the thesis’ source materials. Writing the abstract last can give the student a thorough picture of the work the abstract should describe.

The discussion portion of the thesis typically is the longest since it’s here that the writer will explain the limitations of the work, offer explanations of any unexpected results, and cite remaining questions about the topic.

In writing the thesis, the author should keep in mind that the document will require multiple changes and drafts—perhaps even new insights. A student should gather feedback from a professor and colleagues to ensure their thesis is clear and effective before finalizing the draft.      

6. Prepare to Defend the Thesis

A committee will evaluate the student’s defense of the thesis’ theories. Students should prepare to defend their thesis by considering answers to questions posed by the committee. Additionally, students should develop a plan for addressing questions to which they may not have a ready answer, understanding the evaluation likely will consider how the author handles that challenge.

Developing Skills to Write a Compelling History Thesis

When looking for direction on how to write a history thesis, Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program can provide the needed skills and knowledge. The program’s tracks and several courses—taken as core classes or as electives in multiple concentrations—can provide a strong foundation for thesis work.

Master of Arts in History Tracks

In the Norwich online Master of Arts in History program, respected scholars help students improve their historical insight, research, writing, analytical, and presentation skills. They teach the following program tracks.

• Public History —Focuses on the preservation and interpretation of historic documents and artifacts for purposes of public observation.
• American History —Emphasizes the exploration and interpretation of key events associated with U.S. history.
• World History —Prepares students to develop an in-depth understanding of world history from various eras.
• Legal and Constitutional History —Provides a thorough study of the foundational legal and constitutional elements in the U.S. and Europe.

Master of Arts in History Courses

Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program enables students to customize studies based on career goals and personal interests through the following courses:

• Introduction to History and Historiography —Covers the core concepts of history-based study and research methodology, highlighting how these concepts are essential to developing an effective history thesis.
• Directed Readings in History —Highlights different ways to use sources that chronicle American history to assist in researching and writing a thorough and complete history thesis.
• Race, Gender, and U.S. Constitution —Explores key U.S. Supreme Court decisions relating to national race and gender relations and rights, providing a deeper context to develop compelling history theses.
• Archival Studies —Breaks down the importance of systematically overseeing archival materials, highlighting how to build historical context to better educate and engage with the public.

Start Your Path Toward Writing a Compelling History Thesis

For over two centuries, Norwich University has played a vital role in history as America’s first private military college and the birthplace of the ROTC. As such, the university is uniquely positioned to lead students through a comprehensive analysis of the major developments, events, and figures of the past.

Explore Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program. Start your path toward writing a compelling history thesis and taking your talents further.

Writing History: An Introductory Guide to How History Is Produced , American Historical Association     How to Write a Thesis Statement , Scribbr     The Importance of Historic Context in Analysis and Interpretation , ThoughtCo.     7 Reasons Why Research Is Important , Owlcation     Primary and Secondary Sources , Scribbr     Secondary Sources in Research , ThoughtCo.     Analysis of Sources , History Skills     Research Paper Outline , Scribbr     How to Structure a Thesis , Paperpile     Writing Your Final Draft , History Skills     How to Prepare an Excellent Thesis Defense , Paperpile

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Department of History

College of arts, humanities, and social sciences, recent ma graduates and thesis topics.

Brianna Baker, “A Monument to Negro Womanhood:” The Women of the National Training School for Women and Girls, 1879-1961 Advisor: Michelle Scott

George Lewis, “Oh Lord I want to be in that number:” Identity & Jazz Tourism in New Orleans. Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2023

Julie Kim, My Kungomo, An Independent “Modern Girl”:  Family Stories From the Japanese Occupation of Korea and World War II Advisor:  Meredith Oyen

SPRING 2023

Austen Edelenbos, Remembering Sacrifice: Veterans of the United States Colored Troops and the Battlefield of Civil War Memory Advisor:  Anne S. Rubin

Garrett Freas, Uncommon Ground: The Image and Reality of the Congress of Racial Equality’s Interracialism During the Long Civil Rights Movement Advisor:  G. Derek Musgrove

Michael Morris, “Leave Her Johnny Leave Her:” The Cold War and the Decline of American Shipbuilding Advisor:  Christy Chapin

Nolan Varee, “More Enduring Structures” The Social and Economic Transformation of Pennsylvania Advisor:  Anne S. Rubin

Nikki Vietz, “Putting on the Posh:” Retail, Crime, Gender, Class, and the Forty Elephants in 19th and 20th Century London Advisor:  Amy Froide

Corey Fitzpatrick , “Is that a Bird or a Plane in the Distance? No, it’s Superman”: Metropolis, Illinois and the Hope in Becoming a Destination as Superman’s Hometown. Advisor:  Melissa Blair

Rogers, Samantha,   Daily Life and the Landscape of Two Maryland Industrial Schools for Girls, 1916-1989. Advisor:  Melissa Blair

SUMMER 2022 Debold, Beth, “According to my True Meaning.”  Emotions & Will-Makers in Southern Britain, 1660-1690. Advisor:  Amy Froide Gasparino-Rodriguez, Fernanda, The Emergency Committee to Aid Latin American Scholars (ECALAS):  Liberal Academics and the Contradictions of Cold War Foreign Policy in Latin America Advisor:  Marjoleine Kars Peterson, Zachary, “The Group is a ‘Fraternal Order’ and Not a Labor Union”.  The 1974 Baltimore Police Strike and the Conservative Turn in Police Labor Union Organizing. Advisor:  Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2022 Hannah Balik, Eating, Public Space, and Identity in Jewish Baltimore, 1900-1930 Advisor: Melissa Blair Jeff Cooley, Charismatic Leaders of the First Crusade: The Use of Preaching and Miraculous Events in Motivating the Crusaders to Take “The Holy Land.” Advisor: Susan McDonough Noah Jaques, Facts Do Not Speak for Themselves: The Challenges to Historical Empiricism and Their Impact on the Teaching of Historical Methodology Advisor: Daniel Ritschel

FALL 2021 Domonique Flowers, “The Reckoning of Republican Allies”: The Collaborative Political Efforts Between Black and White Republican Leaders in Post-Reconstruction Baltimore. Advisor: Michelle Scott Jessica Riley, Louisville’s Black Laborers of the Campbell Tobacco Company, 1915-1930 Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2021 Eric Burroughs , “Let No Irreverent Hand Change It”: The Interpretation of Slavery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 1853 to Present. Advisor: Denise Meringolo Pat Brynes, Renaissance Records: The Communities and Material Culture Behind the Revival of Vinyl Records from the 1980’s to 2010’s. Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2021 Ana Ilic-Hein , “Themes of Othering in Croatian and Serbian History Textbooks in the 1950’s” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Chris Ragen , “Atomic City: Las Vegas and the Downwinders Advisor:  Andrew Nolan Bria Warren, “Swift and Certain Vengeance”: Lynching Rhetoric in Maryland Newspapers, 1954-1900 Advisor:  Anne Rubin

SUMMER 2020 Saul Espinal-Acosta , Goal!  Americans Embrace the Beautiful Game: How the Upper White Middle Class’ Acceptance of Soccer Affected Minority Communities from the 1980s-2000s Advisor: Andrew Nolan

SPRING 2020 Andrew Arvizu , Historical Simulations and the Mechanics of Conquest Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Morgan Miller , “A Town Within a Forest”: The Walking Tour of Washington Grove, 1873-Present Advisor: Denise Meringolo Kevin Muhitch, “We are the First to Unabashedly Go Out and Ask for a Prison”:  De-industrialization and the Politics of Prison Siting in Maryland, 1975-1996 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Finny Rocca , Sexuality, Socialism & Sandals: Studying the Obsolescence of Uranian Epistemology, 1867-1933 Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Zachariah Tucker , Quarantined and Sequestered:  Tattoo Charlie’s and Tattoo Regulation in Baltimore, 1938-1970 Advisor: Melissa Blair

SUMMER 2019 David Cunningham , Taming the Desert: Fasting, Reform, and the Search for God Advisor: Susan McDonough Francis Ku , The Price of Dependence: The Deleterious Effects of the Kuomingtang’s Reliance on the United States Aid, 1941-1949 Advisor: Nianshen Song

SPRING 2019 Kayla Piechowiak , An Exhibit of Women, By Women, But for Women?: The Limits of Interpretation at the Smithsonian Advisor: Denise Meringolo Jordan Ritchie , Underwood and Underwood Company: Early Twentieth Century Pioneers of American Photojournalism Advisor: Denise Meringolo Camilla Azucena Sandoval , “What White Nonsense is this?”  Investigating the Seldom Seen or Heard Stories of Latinxs in the National Register of Historic Places. Advisor: Melissa Blair Maayan Rosen , Mistresses of the Press: The Roles of Women in Print Houses in 17th Century England Advisor: Amy Froide

FALL 2018 Heather Crandall , Astronomy’s Great Debate Over the Size of the Universe: Scientists’ and Historians’ Changing Assessments Advisor: Joseph Tatarewicz Alan Gibson ,   Reciprocity Matters During the Civil War: Canadian Raw Goods and the Union Supply Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Marshal Golden , The Life and Times of John Graham Chambers: Sports and Commercialization of Leisure in Victorian Britain Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Samantha Parker , The First Sexual Revolution:  A Comparative Study of Premarital Pregnancy Rates in Maryland and Massachusetts, 1700-1810 Advisor: Terry Bouton

SUMMER 2018 Laina Miller,  Singing Songs and Carrying Candles: The Development of Ashkenazi Jewish Marriage Customs and Rituals from Talmudic and Christian Sources, C. 850-1300 CE Advisor: Susan McDonough Zachary Utz ,   Re-Thinking “The American Dream of Integration” in Suburbia: Race, Class and Resegregation in Randallstown, 1956-2003 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2018 Jason Aglietti , The Religion the Revolution Forgot: The Persecution of the Maryland Quakers During the American Revolution Advisor: Terry Bouton Sudaba Lezgiyeva , Without a Country: A Stateless Armenian Refugees in the USSR and Russia, 1987-2003 Advisor: Kate Brown Susan Philpott , Pride, Inc.: Black Power and Black Capital in Washington, D.C. Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

FALL 2017 Heidi Carbaugh,  “Mappipng Prostitution in Gilded Age Baltimore” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Sherry Ryan,  “Farms at Gettysburg” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2017 Tucker Foltz , “Freedom and Total Loss:  Tensions, Identity Formation and the Back-To-The Land Movement in 1970’s Vermont Advisor: Denise Meringolo Sydney Jenkins , “The Arabbers: A History of Baltimore Street Peddlers From 1945 to the Present” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Georgia Ladd , “Remembering Dixie in a Border State: Reunion and Reconciliation in Post-Civil War Maryland” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Robin Martin,  “Encounters Through Encroachment: 17th and 18th Century Interactions on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” Advisor: Melissa Blair Molly Ricks , “Buried Memories: The Evolving Symbolic Significance of Black and White Burial Grounds at Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpelier ” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Stephanie Smith , “The Canadian Bicentennial of the War of 1812: The Problem of Techumseh” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Laquanda Walters Cooper , “Every Evidence of Our Progress”: The North Carolina Negro State Fairs, 1879-1907 Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2017 Kelly Daughtridge , “Defining Their Past to Immortalize Their Future: Women’s Monuments in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide Katherine Fusick , “Ladies in Rebellion: Women of the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite Risings” Advisor: Amy Froide Andrew Holter,  “The Vanguard is Never Caught Napping: Informants and Police Inside the Black Panthers in Baltimore, 1968-1972” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Sarah Huston , “The Lives of Enslaved and Free Black Children in Baltimore Under Apprenticeship Laws, 1790-1840” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Jennifer Montooth , “Bridges to Dignity”: Roy Innis, Conservative Black Power, and the Transformation of CORE, 1968-1998 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Chelsea Mueller , “Ink, Mirrors, and Capes: How Comic Books Mirrored Societal Events in American Culture From 1954-1990” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

FALL 2016 Joshua Fertig , “Bars on the Golden Door: Post WWII Security Screenings and Their Administrations” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

SUMMER 2016 Celso Baldivieso , “Irradiating Eden: The El Verde Experiment and the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Prospecting in Latin America, 1954-1970” Advisor: Kate Brown

SPRING 2016 Michael Bealefeld , “The Peculiar Fidelity of the Old Line State” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Jacob Benson , “City Architect, County Architect” Advisor: Melissa Blair Conor Donan , “The Streets of Baltimore-The Irish in Baltimore City” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Tyler Peterson , “Bridging the Gap: Culture and Politics in Sino-American Normalization” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Allyson Schuele , “Marrying Down: A Strategy for Aristocratic Widows in Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide Michael Stone ,”Understanding the Uprising” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Coleburn Volman , “Child of Man? Child of God?: Adolescence and the Ambiguity of Parenthood in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide

FALL 2015 Elizabeth Cusick , “Anarchist Heaven:  Barcelona 1936-1937.” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Aiden J. Faust , “Neighborhood Matters:  What Baltimore Learned from the War on Poverty.” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Aunaleah Gelles , “Commemorating the Defense of Baltimore, 1815-2015.” Advisor: Denise Meringolo

SUMMER 2015 Genevieve White , “Gone With Only Memory Left”: The Wartime Memoir of Emily Raine Williams Advisor: Meredith Oyen Nichole Zang , “Holy Temples to Dark Rooms: The origins of Baltimore’s Juvenile Reform Movement of the 19th Century” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SPRING 2015 Jessica E. Deane , “Glory Stands Beside Our Grief:  The Maryland Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s Commemoration and Memorial Efforts in Baltimore” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Talbot A. Kuhn , “Maryland and the Moderate Conundrum:  Free Black Policy in an Antebellum Border State” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

FALL 2014 Susan Chumley , “The United States Air Force Band:  Musical Ambassadors on a Cold War Stage” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Sarah Hammersley , “The Family Bond: Benevolent Black Slaveholding in Early National Maryland” Advisor: Terry Bouton Heather M. Steven , “The Use of Gender During the E. G. Wharton Trial” Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2014 Megan C. Maxwell , “Black Faces in Blue Uniforms:  Integrating the Baltimore Police Department, 1920-1950” Advisor: Michelle Scott Nancy Watts , “The History of Kindergarten in Baltimore City, Maryland” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Zachary Garceau ,” Johnny Unitas: Baltimore’s Cold Warrior” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2014 Christopher Brown , “The Writing on the Walls and Other Places: American Civil War Graffiti” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Katherine Dufresne , “Images and Reality: War Brides and Media Representation” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Steve Flint , “The Vietnam War: Communist Mass Mobilization at the Local Level” Advisor: Ka-che Yip Courtney Hobson , “A Mother’s Inheritance: Women, Interracial Identity, and Emancipation in Maryland, 1664-1820″ Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Jacob Hutton ,”The Other Side of the Riots” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Colin Leach , “Waiting for Supertrain: Trains, Technocracy, and the Great Society” Advisor: Christy Chapin Caitlin McGeeve r, “’That Which is Spirit is Spirit’: Male and Female Quaker Perspectives in Political Context” Advisor: Amy Froide David Warner , “Executive Privilege and the Spirit of Republicanism in the Washington Administration” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars

FALL 2013 Shae Adams,  “Identity in Black and White: Indian Boarding School Postcards” Advisor: Terry Bouton Dorothy Alexander,  “Hilltop:  A Historic African-American Community” Advisor: Denise Meringolo William J. Carroll,  “Beer Wars:  The Fight for Independent Brewing in Baltimore” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Theresa Donnelly,  “George Washington’s Laboring Women:  The Work and Lives of the Enslaved Female Field Workers at Mount Vernon, 1785-1787” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Karl Dotterweich,  “’And the Hand of the Lord Was With Them’:  The Effects of Planters’ Socioeconomic Status on the Capital Trials of Enslaved Africans in Colonial Maryland, 1729-1775” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Gary McMullin,  “Country First:  African Colonization and the Role of Southern Unionists, 1817-1862” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2013 Christy Gretsinger , “Oblivion: An Analysis of the Decline of Feminism Within the Owenite Movement” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel James Reaves , “Making Down: The Life of a Pullman Porter” Advisor: Denise Meringolo John J. Soos , “Jacob Beser: The Forgotten Hiroshima and Nagasaki Crewmember and the Construction of Atomic Memory” Advisor: Joe Tatarewitz

SPRING 2013 Mia Brown , “Lyndon Johnson and the Race for Peace: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty” Advisor: Joseph Tatarewicz Dominique L. Covino ,  “‘In Great Danger of Perishing Through Poverty’: Kinship, Charity and Public Poor Relief in Somerset County, Maryland, 1665-1760” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Jenny Lee Hansen , “Genocide: What Genocide?” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Elizabeth Pente  – “Death for Dishonor in Danville” Advisor: Michelle Scott Johanna Schein  – “Heeding Hetch Hetchy: A Public History Project” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Amy Zanoni  – “‘Working on Many Levels’: A History of Second-Wave Feminism in Baltimore” Advisor: Michelle Scott

FALL 2012 Brigette N. Cascio , “The More Personal Civil War: The Impact of the Civil War on Marriages” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Meghan Colabella , “Beyond its Southern Border: An Examination of U.S. Immigration Policies (IRLA) and Mexican Migration” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

SUMMER 2012 Kellian Kennedy , “The Civil Rights and Social Justice Movement in Baltimore, Maryland” Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2012 Vicki Heath ,” Harris’ List as a Source for the Diverse and Entrepreneurial Nature of Prostitution in Eighteenth-Century London” Advisor: Amy Froide Jessica Keene , “Elite Women’s Protestant Networks in Mid-Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide Owen Lourie , “A Revolution Without Change:  The Limited Effects of Suffrage Reform in Maryland, 1803-1813” Advisor: Terry Bouton Trisha Okine , “Real vs Real:  How the Concept of Authenticity Has Influenced Hip Hop” Advisor: Michelle Scott Douglas Oppenheimer , “America’s Revolutionary War” Advisor: Terry Bouton Tarin Rudloff , “Regulating Identities:  Governing Women’s Appearance in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide Allison Seylor , “In Defense of Slavery:  An Exploration of Queen Anne’s County Slave Owners, 1820-1840” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Andrew Young , “Lexington’s Grandsons:  The Northern Response to the Pratt Street Riots” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2011 Erin Estep , “A Chesapeake Childhood:  Childhood in the Colonial Chesapeake” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Laura Rice , “The Experience of an Enlisted U.S. Army Soldier During and After the Punitive Expedition and World War I:  Thomas F. Cunningham, A Case Study” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Coleen Walter , “Conserving Memory:  The Civilian Conservation Corps in Western Maryland” Advisor: Kriste Lindenmeyer

SPRING 2011 Bailey Ball , “Never Again:  The Impulse to Commemorate the Holocaust in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the British Imperial War Museum” Advisor: Rebecca Boehling Bethany Bemis , “The People’s House?  Public Access to the White House” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Daniel Burge , “Manifest or Murky? A Reexamination of the Popularity of Manifest Destiny in the Antebellum Era” Advisor: Terry Bouton Martin Cullen , “Nation Building and Insurgency in Southeast Asia” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Teresa Foster , “The Passengers of the Ship Gilbert in 1721:  British Female Convict Transportation From London to Annapolis” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars James Furgol , “An Analysis of Discourse and Disagreement:  The British and American Medical Associations Following WWII” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Jacob Levin , “Blacks and Jews in the Black Power Movement and its Subsequent Scholarship” Advisor: Michelle Scott Laura Marshallsay , “WAC Voices:  The Transition of the Women’s Army Corps to the Integrated Army, 1973-1978” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Homira Pashai , “For the Sake of Power, Prestige or Oil:  Did Cooperation Among the Governments of the United States and Great Britain Contribute to the 1953 Coup of Iran?” Advisor: Kriste Lindenmeyer James Risk , “Ship to Shore:  Infrastructure and the Growth of American Seaports” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Carol Van Natta , “Slavery and Free Black Labor in Northern Maryland, 1762 to 1864: Rethinking the Focus at Hampton National Historic Site” Advisor: Denise Meringolo

FALL 2010 Peter Bunten , “A Vigil Strange:  The Civil War and the Creation of Memory in Ulster and Greene Counties, New York” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Jessica Ding , “Political Prophecy in Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide

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History Master's Thesis Prospectus & Defense

• M.A. Thesis Prospectus Approval Form [PDF]
• Arrangements for the Oral Examination on the Dissertation/Defense Form [PDF] (CAS #7)
• Report of the Oral Thesis Examination/Dissertation Defense [PDF] (CAS #8)
• Graduate College Thesis and Dissertation Services

Students who select the thesis option must write a prospectus (or proposal) for their thesis. Doing so requires close consultation with the adviser. Students should establish a three-member thesis committee, which will read the prospectus and, eventually, the thesis itself. Usually, the committee consists of the adviser and two other faculty members in the department. If appropriate to the subject of the thesis, one faculty member from outside the History Department can serve on the thesis committee. Each member of the thesis committee must approve the prospectus in writing. An oral defense of the prospectus is not required. Once the prospectus is approved, the student should file the approval form with the department's graduate office. The student should secure approval of the prospectus no later than the end of the second semester of full-time study.

Students must defend the thesis in an oral examination. Students should arrange a date and time for the defense with each member of the committee and complete the Arrangements for the Oral Examination on the Dissertation/Defense Form [PDF] (CAS #7). Please note that the forms are grouped by college. This form must be filed with the History Department Graduate Office at least 14 days prior to the defense.

Each member of the committee must receive a draft copy of the thesis at least two weeks before the defense. There is another form to complete to report the results of the student's thesis defense: Report of the Oral Thesis Examination Form [PDF]  (CAS #8). Students should bring a copy of this form to their defense. Each member of the thesis committee must sign it. Once they have done so, please submit the form to the department's graduate office. The office will place a copy in the student's folder and send the original to the College of Arts & Sciences and the Thesis and Dissertation Services office.

In order to schedule a defense of their thesis, students must have completed the language requirement (if any) and all coursework required for the degree and have removed from their record any grades of PR (Progress) or I (Incomplete) in all courses required to graduate (other than thesis hours).

During the semester in which students plan to graduate, they must meet university deadlines for defending their M.A. thesis and submitting the final copy. Early in the semester they must apply to graduate through the Registrar's Office and pay a fee of approximately $50. There are deadlines for arranging one's defense, holding the defense, and submitting the final copy of one's thesis. See Graduate College deadlines .

The deadlines for the completion of graduate degrees are university requirements. The History Department cannot change them. Please also note that an M.A. candidate must be enrolled for at least one credit hour during the semester in which he or she graduates.

How to Write a Master's Thesis: A Guide to Planning Your Thesis, Pursuing It, and Avoiding Pitfalls

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Part 1: Initial Considerations

Who needs to write a master’s thesis.

Thesis writing is one of the more daunting challenges of higher education. That being said, not all master's students have to write a thesis. For example, fields that place a stronger emphasis on applied knowledge, such as nursing, business, and education, tend to have projects and exams to test students on the skills and abilities associated with those fields. Conversely, in disciplines that require in-depth research or highly polished creative abilities, students are usually expected to prove their understanding and independence with a thesis.

What's Your Goal?

Do you want to write a thesis? The process is a long one, often spanning years. It's best to know exactly what you want before you begin. Many people are motivated by career goals. For example, hiring managers may see a master's degree as proof that the candidate is an expert within their field and can lead, motivate, and demonstrate initiative for themselves and others. Others dream of earning their doctorate, and they see a master's degree as a stepping stone toward their Ph.D .

No matter what your desired goal is, you should have one before you start your thesis. With your goal in mind, your work will have a purpose, which will allow you to measure your progress more easily.

Major Types of Theses

Once you've carefully researched or even enrolled in a master's program—a feat that involves its own planning and resources —you should know if you are expected to produce a quantitative (which occurs in many math and science programs), qualitative (which occurs in many humanities programs), or creative (which occurs in many creative writing, music, or fine arts programs) thesis.

Time and Energy Considerations

Advanced degrees are notoriously time and energy consuming. If you have a job, thesis writing will become your second job. If you have a family, they will need to know that your thesis will take a great deal of your attention, energy, and focus.

Your studies should not consume you, but they also should not take a back seat to everything else. You will be expected to attend classes, conduct research, source relevant literature, and schedule meetings with various people as you pursue your master's, so it's important to let those you care about know what's going on.

As a general note, most master's programs expect students to finish within a two-year period but are willing to grant extra time if requested, especially if that time is needed to deal with unexpected life events (more on those later).

Part 2: Form an Initial Thesis Question, and Find a Supervisor

When to begin forming your initial thesis question.

Some fields, such as history, may require you to have already formed your thesis question and to have used it to create a statement of intent (outlining the nature of your research) prior to applying to a master’s program. Others may require this information only after you've been accepted. Most of the time, you will be expected to come up with your topic yourself. However, in some disciplines, your supervisor may assign a general research topic to you.

Overall, requirements vary immensely from program to program, so it's best to confirm the exact requirements of your specific program.

What to Say to Your Supervisor

You will have a supervisor during your master's studies. Have you identified who that person will be? If yes, have you introduced yourself via email or phone and obtained information on the processes and procedures that are in place for your master's program? Once you've established contact, request an in-person meeting with him or her, and take a page of questions along with you. Your questions might include:

• Is there a research subject you can recommend in my field?
• I would like to pursue [target research subject] for my thesis. Can you help me narrow my focus?
• Can you give me an example of a properly formatted thesis proposal for my program?

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help (to a Degree)

Procedures and expectations vary from program to program, and your supervisor is there to help remove doubt and provide encouragement so you can follow the right path when you embark on writing your thesis. Since your supervisor has almost certainly worked with other graduate students (and was one at some point), take advantage of their experience, and ask questions to put your mind at ease about how to write a master’s thesis.

That being said, do not rely too heavily on your supervisor. As a graduate student, you are also expected to be able to work independently. Proving your independent initiative and capacity is part of what will earn you your master's degree.

Part 3: Revise Your Thesis

Read everything you can get your hands on.

Whether you have a question or need to create one, your next step is simple and applies to all kinds of theses: read.

Seek Out Knowledge or Research Gaps

Read everything you can that relates to the question or the field you are studying. The only way you will be able to determine where you can go is to see where everyone else has been. After you have read some published material, you will start to spot gaps in current research or notice things that could be developed further with an alternative approach. Things that are known but not understood or understood but not explained clearly or consistently are great potential thesis subjects. Addressing something already known from a new perspective or with a different style could also be a potentially valuable project. Whichever way you choose to do it, keep in mind that your project should make a valuable contribution to your field.

Talk with Experts in Your Field (and Don't Be Afraid to Revise Your Thesis)

To help narrow down your thesis topic, talk to your supervisor. Your supervisor will have an idea of what is current in your field and what can be left alone because others are already working on it. Additionally, the school you are attending will have programs and faculty with particular areas of interest within your chosen field.

On a similar note, don't be surprised if your thesis question changes as you study. Other students and researchers are out there, and as they publish, what you are working on can change. You might also discover that your question is too vague, not substantial enough, or even no longer relevant. Do not lose heart! Take what you know and adjust the question to address these concerns as they arise. The freedom to adapt is part of the power you hold as a graduate student.

Part 4: Select a Proposal Committee

What proposal committees are and why they're useful.

When you have a solid question or set of questions, draft a proposal.

You'll need an original stance and a clear justification for asking, and answering, your thesis question. To ensure this, a committee will review your thesis proposal. Thankfully, that committee will consist of people assigned by your supervisor or department head or handpicked by you. These people will be experts who understand your field of study and will do everything in their power to ensure that you are pursuing something worthwhile. And yes, it is okay to put your supervisor on your committee. Some programs even require that your supervisor be on your committee.

Just remember that the committee will expect you to schedule meetings with them, present your proposal, respond to any questions they might have for you, and ultimately present your findings and thesis when all the work is done. Choose those who are willing to support you, give constructive feedback, and help address issues with your proposal. And don't forget to give your proposal a good, thorough edit and proofread before you present it.

How to Prepare for Committee Meetings

Be ready for committee meetings with synopses of your material for committee members, answers for expected questions, and a calm attitude. To prepare for those meetings, sit in on proposal and thesis defenses so you can watch how other graduate students handle them and see what your committee might ask of you. You can even hold rehearsals with friends and fellow students acting as your committee to help you build confidence for your presentation.

Part 5: Write Your Thesis

What to do once your proposal is approved.

After you have written your thesis proposal and received feedback from your committee, the fun part starts: doing the work. This is where you will take your proposal and carry it out. If you drafted a qualitative or quantitative proposal, your experimentation or will begin here. If you wrote a creative proposal, you will now start working on your material. Your proposal should be strong enough to give you direction when you perform your experiments, conduct interviews, or craft your work. Take note that you will have to check in with your supervisor from time to time to give progress updates.

Thesis Writing: It's Important to Pace Yourself and Take Breaks

Do not expect the work to go quickly. You will need to pace yourself and make sure you record your progress meticulously. You can always discard information you don't need, but you cannot go back and grab a crucial fact that you can't quite remember. When in doubt, write it down. When drawing from a source, always create a citation for the information to save your future self time and stress. In the same sense, you may also find journaling to be a helpful process.

Additionally, take breaks and allow yourself to step away from your thesis, even if you're having fun (and especially if you're not). Ideally, your proposal should have milestones in it— points where you can stop and assess what you've already completed and what's left to do. When you reach a milestone, celebrate. Take a day off and relax. Better yet, give yourself a week's vacation! The rest will help you regain your focus and ensure that you function at your best.

How to Become More Comfortable with Presenting Your Work

Once you start reaching your milestones, you should be able to start sharing what you have. Just about everyone in a graduate program has experience giving a presentation at the front of the class, attending a seminar, or watching an interview. If you haven't (or even if you have), look for conferences and clubs that will give you the opportunity to learn about presenting your work and become comfortable with the idea of public speaking. The more you practice talking about what you are studying, the more comfortable you'll be with the information, which will make your committee defenses and other official meetings easier.

Published authors can be called upon to present at conferences, and if your thesis is strong, you may receive an email or a phone call asking if you would share your findings onstage.

Presenting at conferences is also a great way to boost your CV and network within your field. Make presenting part of your education, and it will become something you look forward to instead of fear.

What to Do If Your Relationship with Your Supervisor Sours

A small aside: If it isn't already obvious, you will be communicating extensively with others as you pursue your thesis. That also means that others will need to communicate with you, and if you've been noticing things getting quiet, you will need to be the one to speak up. Your supervisor should speak to you at least once a term and preferably once a week in the more active parts of your research and writing. If you give written work to your supervisor, you should have feedback within three weeks.

If your supervisor does not provide feedback, frequently misses appointments, or is consistently discouraging of your work, contact your graduate program advisor and ask for a new supervisor. The relationship with your supervisor is crucial to your success, especially if she or he is on your committee, and while your supervisor does not have to be friendly, there should at least be professional respect between you.

What to Do If a Crisis Strikes

If something happens in your life that disrupts everything (e.g., emotional strain, the birth of a child, or the death of a family member), ask for help. You are a human being, and personal lives can and do change without warning. Do not wait until you are falling apart before asking for help, either. Learn what resources exist for crises before you have one, so you can head off trauma before it hits. That being said, if you get blindsided, don't refuse help. Seek it out, and take the time you need to recover. Your degree is supposed to help you become a stronger and smarter person, not break you.

Part 6: Polish and Defend Your Master's Thesis

How to write a master’s thesis: the final stages.

After your work is done and everything is written down, you will have to give your thesis a good, thorough polishing. This is where you will have to organize the information, draft it into a paper format with an abstract, and abbreviate things to help meet your word-count limit. This is also where your final editing and proofreading passes will occur, after which you will face your final hurdle: presenting your thesis defense to your committee. If they approve your thesis, then congratulations! You are now a master of your chosen field.

Conclusion and Parting Thoughts

Remember that you do not (and should not) have to learn how to write a master’s thesis on your own. Thesis writing is collaborative, as is practically any kind of research.

While you will be expected to develop your thesis using your own initiative, pursue it with your own ambition, and complete it with your own abilities, you will also be expected to use all available resources to do so. The purpose of a master's thesis is to help you develop your own independent abilities, ensuring that you can drive your own career forward without constantly looking to others to provide direction. Leaders get master's degrees. That's why many business professionals in leadership roles have graduate degree initials after their last names. If you already have the skills necessary to motivate yourself, lead others, and drive change, you may only need your master's as an acknowledgement of your abilities. If you do not, but you apply yourself carefully and thoroughly to the pursuit of your thesis, you should come away from your studies with those skills in place.

A final thought regarding collaboration: all theses have a section for acknowledgements. Be sure to say thank you to those who helped you become a master. One day, someone might be doing the same for you.

Image source: Falkenpost/Pixabay.com 

We’re Masters at Master’s Theses! Make Yours Shine.

Let our expert academic editors perfect your writing, or get a free sample, about the author.

A Scribendi in-house editor, Anthony is happily putting his BA in English from Western University to good use with thoughtful feedback and incisive editing. An avid reader and gamer, he can be found during his off hours enjoying narrative-driven games and obscure and amusing texts, as well as cooking for his family.

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Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers

The Harvard University Archives ’ collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University’s history.

Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research institution as well as the development of numerous academic fields. They are also an important source of biographical information, offering insight into the academic careers of the authors.

Spanning from the ‘theses and quaestiones’ of the 17th and 18th centuries to the current yearly output of student research, they include both the first Harvard Ph.D. dissertation (by William Byerly, Ph.D . 1873) and the dissertation of the first woman to earn a doctorate from Harvard ( Lorna Myrtle Hodgkinson , Ed.D. 1922).

Other highlights include:

• The collection of Mathematical theses, 1782-1839
• The 1895 Ph.D. dissertation of W.E.B. Du Bois, The suppression of the African slave trade in the United States, 1638-1871
• Ph.D. dissertations of astronomer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (Ph.D. 1925) and physicist John Hasbrouck Van Vleck (Ph.D. 1922)
• Undergraduate honors theses of novelist John Updike (A.B. 1954), filmmaker Terrence Malick (A.B. 1966),  and U.S. poet laureate Tracy Smith (A.B. 1994)
• Undergraduate prize papers and dissertations of philosophers Ralph Waldo Emerson (A.B. 1821), George Santayana (Ph.D. 1889), and W.V. Quine (Ph.D. 1932)
• Undergraduate honors theses of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (A.B. 1940) and Chief Justice John Roberts (A.B. 1976)

What does a prize-winning thesis look like?

If you're a Harvard undergraduate writing your own thesis, it can be helpful to review recent prize-winning theses. The Harvard University Archives has made available for digital lending all of the Thomas Hoopes Prize winners from the 2019-2021 academic years.

Accessing These Materials

How to access materials at the Harvard University Archives

How to find and request dissertations, in person or virtually

How to find and request undergraduate honors theses

How to find and request Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize papers

How to find and request Bowdoin Prize papers

• email: Email
• Phone number 617-495-2461

Related Collections

Harvard faculty personal and professional archives, harvard student life collections: arts, sports, politics and social life, access materials at the harvard university archives.

History Thesis Topics: List of 69 Outstanding Ideas

Unless you plan to go for a Ph.D. in history, a thesis will be the most significant academic writing of your life. It shows your in-depth knowledge of a subject, your ability to think logically, creatively, and originally. Besides, it’s a great way to demonstrate how good your writing is.

But finding an appropriate title for your thesis is a challenging task. You may feel unsure about any idea until you see the rest of them. So, what can help you?

A history thesis topics list, of course. In this article, you’ll consider a wide variety of ideas about historical events and figures. There are some tips on picking the right one for you. With a little explanation of the basics, you’ll differentiate the Bachelor’s thesis from the Master’s one in a second.

• ☝️ How to Choose?
• ⭐ Top-12 Thesis Ideas
• 🚀 American History
• ⚔️ European History
• 🎨 Art History
• 📚 MA Thesis Topics
• 🦉 MPhil Thesis Ideas
• 👨‍🏫 Thesis vs. Dissertation

☝ How to Choose a History Thesis Topic?

Before picking a topic about history, you have to understand what you’re looking for. Take into account that you’re going to spend plenty of time writing your thesis. So, you need to find an idea that engages you and is worthy of your time. Don’t go for a random history topic that you do not feel passionate about.

Searching for an idea, follow the tips below:

• Find a topic that interests you . You’ll most probably write your thesis for a whole semester or even longer. That’s why you should determine something that doesn’t bore easily. At least those countless hours in the library will be spent with pleasure. The more the idea challenges and intrigues you, the less you’ll procrastinate and suffer from writing. No one can tell you what to write about. Your advisor can help you specify the topic, but it is up to you what to write about.
• Look for a topic that creates a trajectory for further research . You may not pursue it later, but having an opportunity to do so is a significant advantage. If you decide to pursue a further degree, you will already be familiar with the topic well. Take a look at available works in a free essays database to get a clearer picture of what can be further explored.
• Find a professor who will become your thesis advisor . Bring some thesis ideas up and see what your instructor suggests. It’s a good thing to have several research topics in mind—the instructor can help you determine the best one.
• Think beyond the graduation date . Whether you are going to start a career or continue your studies, your thesis should help you in achieving your goals. What may your employer look for in your paper? What do you need to be successful in your job or further research? It’s good to approach the issue with some level of practicality. See if you can apply the skills and information you’ve acquired to your professional life.
• Strive for originality but stay within your studies context . Try to make your title unique to grasp attention and intrigue from the get-go. At the same time, don’t fall outside the scope of your field. Before picking a topic, do some research to understand the field deeper. This way, you’ll see what exactly you would like to address.
• Make sure your title fits the requirements . Open your university guidelines for the thesis work and find this out before anything else. Ask your thesis advisor as well to give you honest feedback.

⭐ Top-12 History Thesis Ideas

• Civil War — the role of women.
• The Watergate Scandal.
• Contemporary art history.
• The Napoleonic Wars.
• Causes of World War 2.
• Impact of the Black Plague.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis.
• Japanese-American conflict.
• The Vietnam anti-war protests.
• Origins of the Great Famine in Ireland.
• The French Revolution.
• The rule of Elizabeth I.

📝 History Thesis Topics for Bachelor’s Degree

Usually, American Universities don’t require students to write a Senior Thesis. However, you still have an option to choose one. You can write a thesis as a part of your program completion. It will take a lot of time, energy, and effort. But, in the end, you will be able to produce a prime piece of academic writing.

Strive to write anywhere from 60 to 100 pages. You will also dedicate a lot of time writing and polishing it afterward. Make sure to leave enough time for that too.

What’s the first step?

Look for a thesis advisor you know you will enjoy working with. Consider all the professors you’ve interacted with at your university and pick several. Approach them and see if they are accepting new students for thesis supervision.

Make sure to choose a history thesis paper topic that your advisor knows a lot about. At some point, you will become very knowledgeable about the history thesis topic you chose. It will be crucial to have someone who can direct you.

There are several reasons why you should consider writing a thesis for a Bachelor’s Degree in history:

• It provides you with essential experience in writing, researching, and brainstorming ideas. It can later help you in your academic or professional life.
• You can deeply understand a subject that interests you.
• You can improve your reading skills.
• If you have to use foreign sources, you can also increase your foreign language skills.

Are you still wondering what historical thesis ideas are appropriate? Then, this list is perfect for you.

🚀 American History Thesis Topics

• African American history in the United States : disfranchisement and segregation in 1890-1900
• Early American History and the lost colony of Roanoke
• The construction of race in American culture and history. It’s not a secret that race is a social construct. In American culture and history, it plays a critical role. In the thesis, you will have a chance to research the mechanisms through which the race was constructed. Movies, literary representations, articles, what else? It’s up to you to find out what can be relevant.
• World War 2 through personal letters and diaries . This thesis can be personal and will not leave people indifferent. Examination of diaries, notes, and personal accounts can be fascinating. You won’t be bored doing historical research. Maybe you even have some in your own family? Worth checking it out.
• Guilt over Slavery in the United States: a historical examination
• Gender equality in American education . A comparative study of Germany, Russia, The United States
• New York City and its historical geography. NYC is one of the captivating American cities. Writing a thesis about its historical geography is not an easy task. Gladly, you have tons of information available to you.

• Rocket Science as one of the most significant innovations of the 20th century
• Examining the Role of Privilege within the Ivy League Universities
• Role of American Public Health in a Post-9/11 World

⚔ European History Thesis Topics

• Formation and development of the European Union during the 20th century
• Feminist perspective on the representation of women in Roman Art
• Religion and Nation in Europe in the 19th century
• Construction of National Identity in Post-Soviet Latvia. What did contribute to developing a national identity of post-soviet Latvia? First of all, its independence and belonging to the European Union. In this thesis, talk about colonization and colonial identity. Consider the policies Latvian government implemented to build a Latvian character. What is it? What are the essential characteristics of it?
• Composition and religious hierarchy in The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci
• Representation of Jews in Late Medieval Period in Europe
• Problems of political leadership in Athens of 404-355 BCE
• The French Renaissance Court and its structural hierarchy. This topic is interesting yet complex. Its complexity comes not from the name but the nature of the French Renaissance Court. You need to have a clear idea of how the royal court is built and is operating. Find relevant historians of that time, and, hopefully, you can speak some French.
• Immigrational Politics of the United Kingdom. The problem of multiculturism at the beginning of 1960-1980.
• Orientalism or the Middle East through the prism of Western scholars in the XIX century. In this thesis, start by exploring the notion of Orientalism. Edward Said will be a good point of departure and one of the most fundamental works to cite and read. You can agree with his argument or disagree with it. Nevertheless, find the relevant evidence for your point of view.

🎨 Art History Thesis Topics

• Medicine in Ancient Rome with a focus on surgeries through paintings. This thesis topic is rich. Numerous Ancient Roman paintings depict surgeries and medical treatments. Find the most interesting ones and talk about innovations in medicine. What was the point of recording medical procedures in art? Truly a topic that can captivate anyone.
• Vincent Van Gogh: A phycological analysis of the artist’s last years . In this thesis, examine his artworks together with the personal letters. Look at the words he used, as well as the images he painted. You need it to comprehend what was happening in Vincent’s life in his last years. Some art therapists claim that the artist had bipolar disorder. Examine those views. However, be careful not to give any medical diagnosis yourself.

• Plato on Punishment and Vice: the notion of punishment in The Republic. You cannot get a degree without reading the most fundamental text of the Western Academy, The Republic . In this thesis, you should simply focus on the ideas of punishment and vice. Plato wrote a lot regarding the morals and the laws. Try to discern what exactly he meant. Extract his views regarding capital punishment and punitive justice.
• Modern Art in Europe, with a specific focus on Italy
• Trade in Medieval Europe with a focus on Africa through art
• The erotism of art of Ancient Rome
• Synthesis of sculpture and paintings in Spanish art of the 17th century
• Neoclassicism in French art of the 1900s-1910s
• Surrealism in Art as the quintessence between realism and hyper-realism

📋 History Thesis Topics for Master’s Degree

In the United States, to enter a graduate degree in history, a bachelor’s degree is required. Most of the time, students will have to submit several recommendation letters. Plus, they need GRE scores and writing samples. Add to this several essays explaining the purpose of going to university again, and there you have it.

It is common to have several completion requirements. They can include basic courses, language tests, and a master’s thesis at the end of the program. However, it depends on the department and the university.

Keep in mind that there are several credits that students should obtain to get a degree. It differs from university to university as well. In most of the programs throughout the United States, they are required to complete 30-32 credits to get an M.A. degree. This number usually corresponds to 8-9 classes.

If you are pursuing an M.A., you’re in luck. There is an excellent chance that you will be able to choose if you would like to write a thesis or not. If you are pursuing an M.Phil., then you will have to write your thesis because it’s a research degree.

No matter if you are pursuing an M.A. or an M.Phil., this historical thesis ideas can help you find a title:

📚 MA Thesis Topics in History

• Apotheosis of the Philippine Historical Political Tradition
• Kerala History: Syrian Christians in the region in the 18th century
• History of Modern India with a focus on women’s rights
• The history of theater in the American South and the main characteristics of the Southern Drama. This thesis includes a lot of aspects starting from playwriting in Charleston to drama in New Orleans. Then there are War Drama, Black Drama, etc. Try to find a good balance to fit all of the main characteristics of the Southern Drama and theater.
• New Deal and its impacts on events leading to the Great Depression
• Mistakes of the Soviet side in WW2. WWII was the deadliest military conflict of the 20th century. In this thesis, talk about the biggest mistakes the Red Army made during the war. Some of those can include signing to the Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler. Plus, there were anti-tank dogs and the Molovot-Ribbentrop Pact.

• Military strategies that allowed Napoleon to win crucial battles
• Mussolini & Hitler : connection along with its consequences for Italy
• Queen Victoria’s politics and the way it has changed British history
• The Development of Strategic Bombing Doctrine Between the World Wars
• Historical Creation of a Black Elite in the United States
• Through Imperial Eyes: Race and British Reactions to the American Slavery Question
• Gertrude Bell’s Influence in the Formation of Iraq. Gertrude Bell is a crucial figure in Islamic studies. She contributed a lot to the formation of Iraq. In this thesis, explore her unique contribution and approach to building a modern state of the country. She was highly trusted by British politicians and by Arab leaders.
• Baptist church history as a way to escape slavery

🦉 MPhil Thesis Topics in History

• Investigating the impact of WWI on trade blocks. A case study of the European Union
• Women in WWII: sexual objectification of women through magazines and advertisement. Women played an integral part in WWII. In this thesis, explore the role of sexual imagery in the advertising industry during the war.
• Sudan-American relationships in 1989-2000: US Foreign Policy and Genocide in Sudan
• Criticism of the war on drugs during the Ronald Reagan administration
• The political evolution of the Southern States during the Reconstruction Era
• Everest Expeditions in British Popular Culture, 1920-1960. Explore how Everest Expeditions were depicted in British movies. Analyze the subject via comics, journals, and visual art in the first part of the 20th century.
• Impact of Otto von Bismarck on German Liberalism

• Discrimination of German immigrants in the USA during WW2
• The Fourth International and the Spanish Civil War
• Political and economic aspects of the crisis in Venetian Diplomacy in the 1500s
• The connection between institutionalized racism and police violence in the United States. There are several dimensions to racism. In this thesis, look for a connection between structural racism and police violence in the US. Compare the numbers, look at the stories. See if this data exposes any hidden bias.
• An image of the Medieval Period in Post Modern Art
• A comparative analysis of the Four Quran English Translation. In this thesis, discuss why and how the Quran can be translated. Also, you should look at the four translations. Try to determine which one is the closest. To do that, you need to have an advanced level of Arabic.
• The psychological effect of war on American soldiers in Vietnam

👨‍🏫 Differences between a Thesis and Dissertation

Understanding the difference between a thesis and a dissertation is essential. Would you like to obtain a master’s and a doctoral degree? Then read attentively. In the United States, both thesis and dissertation are vital for this purpose.

The prominent differences that you have to realize are the following:

• A dissertation is required to graduate with a doctoral degree. A thesis is a culmination of a master’s program.
• A dissertation is written to add a new piece of knowledge to the field. A thesis is to show that you have enough knowledge about the field.
• A dissertation usually takes several semesters, sometimes even years, to complete. A thesis does not require this amount of time. It can be finished within months.
• A dissertation can be seen as an academic book. A master’s thesis is a long research paper.

Let’s see the main characteristics of a bachelor’s thesis, a master’s thesis, an MPhil’s thesis, and a dissertation:

• A Bachelor’s Thesis (honors thesis). It’s a research-based paper that allows undergraduate students to put their knowledge into practice. The paper is usually 40-60 pages long. It includes an introduction, main body, conclusion, and bibliography.
• A Master’s Thesis. It’s a piece of original scholarly work. A mater’s thesis is written under the close supervision of an academic advisor. It attempts to bring some fresh look or a new perspective to a field of study. The length of a master’s thesis can vary. Usually, it doesn’t go beyond 100 pages.
• An MPhil’s Thesis (Master of Philosophy). It’s a specific type of thesis. As it was stated earlier, most American Universities don’t grant this degree. A few schools give it under specific circumstances. Doctoral students should accomplish all the course work and pass their exams. Then, this degree can be granted to them. A more colloquial way to call this degree is “all but dissertation.” In other cases, this degree is granted to students who are doing their postgraduate research.
• A Dissertation. It’s a major piece of academic writing. It’s independent, shows critical and thinking ability. A dissertation is meant to illustrate academic knowledge, originality of work, and research skills. The length usually stays within 200-300 pages.

Any thesis or dissertation is a monumental work. Choose a topic that you are passionate about. Make sure it’s researchable and clear, but at the same time memorable. Spend time writing, proofreading, editing, and talking to your advisor about your ideas and academic goals.

Remember that it is okay to get frustrated and tired at times. If it happens to you, stop working for a bit and relax. Good luck and congratulations on your soon to be graduation! We hope this article was helpful. Share it with those who may need a history thesis topic or a piece of advice.

🔗 References

• MPhil in History: University of Oxford
• How to Pick a Masters Thesis Topic: Peter Campbell for Medium
• How Do I Choose A Thesis Topic: Grad School Hub
• Writing a Senior Thesis: Undergraduate Program, Department of History, Brandeis University
• The Bachelor’s Thesis, Bachelor EE: University of Twente
• Guidelines for the Preparation of Your Master’s Thesis: the Office of Graduate Studies and Research: University of Nebraska at Kearney
• Guidelines for Writing a Master’s Thesis for MA Degree: Jeremy Bailey, Susan Scarrow, University of Houston
• What is a dissertation? How it is different from an essay: The Royal Literary Fund
• What is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Dissertation: The Best Master’s Degrees
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Art History MA Thesis: Thesis

View examples of in-progress and completed theses from School students and alumni.

Before beginning work on a master’s thesis, the student must receive the Supervisory Committee's approval of a written proposal. The thesis may be an extension of a seminar paper, and it must demonstrate the student's ability to conduct rigorous research, indicate familiarity with bibliographical and reference materials, and show a capacity for the synthesis and critical evaluation of the material under consideration. A complete draft of the thesis approved by the Chair of the Supervisory Committee must be delivered to each member of the committee at least 30 days before the date of the Final Examination.

Supervisory Committees

Students should consult with the Graduate Program Coordinator and the faculty member of the field in which the student wishes to write a thesis to determine the appropriate chair of the Supervisory Committee. In consultation with the committee chair, the student forms a Supervisory Committee consisting of three faculty members, two of whom must be current members of the Art History faculty, including the committee chair. Adjunct or Emeritus faculty may serve on committees if the committee also includes two regular members of the Art History faculty. One or more members of the committee may be selected from a field other than art history if appropriate to the subject. The Supervisory Committee will be available for consultation with the student and will be responsible for final evaluation of the thesis. The Graduate School does not require notification of the membership of this committee. The committee chair shall keep written records concerning any formal agreements or stipulations regarding the student’s program of study and thesis.

Final Examination

The final examination is an oral defense of the candidate's thesis conducted by the Supervisory Committee. The Supervisory Committee must certify the results of the final examination. At the final examination, the graduate student and at least one Art History faculty member from their committee (or a substitute from the Art History faculty, if necessary) should be physically present when any members participate through audio or electronic conferencing.

Degree Application

Students must apply online to the Graduate School for a master’s degree in the quarter in which they expect to graduate; check the Graduate School website for deadlines . The filing of the online application (warrant) is the responsibility solely of the student, who must be registered for the quarter in which the degree is expected. Master's degree applications are valid for one quarter only; if requirements for the degree are not completed during this quarter the student must file a new application. The thesis must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School by the last day of final examinations of the quarter in which degree requirements are completed. Students will need to apply online in MyGrad for their degree updates and forms and to schedule their defense date. The application for graduation must be completed at least three weeks prior to the defense. The Master’s Supervisory Committee Approval Form and the warrant, generated by the online application, need to be submitted with original ink signatures of all committee members; when this is not possible, email approvals are permitted by the Graduate School. For further instructions, see the Graduate School website .

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History M.A. Program Advising Sheet

Download a printable copy of this form:

Student Name      ______________________________________      Cohort Year _________________  

Field  _______________________________     Advisor Name ________________________________                                        

Foreign language requirement (as required by field of study)

Language  ___________________  Method of Completion  _________________  Semester Completed  _________                       

Coursework (30 credit hours)

Required:                                                                              Semester             Grade                           Credit

History 7900 (3 credit hours)                                           ________________  _______________  _________________     

Additional 7000-level courses (excluding 7193) (12 credit hours)

     History 7                                                                          ________________  _______________  _________________   

     History 7                                                                          ________________  _______________  _________________     

     History 7                                                                          ________________  _______________  _________________    

Other elective courses to complete the credit hour requirement: 

     Courses numbered at the 5000-level or higher

     Up to 6 credit hours of History 6193 or 7193

     6999, 3 credit hours, repeatable once, a total of 6 credit hours (for those pursuing the MA- Thesis option only)

     Up to 12 credit hours (3 courses) outside of the History Department (at the 4000-level or higher)

     ________________________________________________      ________________  _______________  _________________

Students may petition the Director of Graduate Studies for an increased limit in 6999/6193/7193 credit hours if necessary.

The Master’s Examination:

Advisor Name:  ___________________________________________________________                                                                          

Second Examiner Name:  __________________________________________________                                                                       

Date:  ___________________________________________________________________        

Decision: Satisfactory  __________      Unsatisfactory  __________