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The History Department accepts students who wish to pursue two graduate degrees: the MA and the PhD.

Masters students must complete a program of either 30 or 32 credits and write a substantial research paper (either a formal thesis or a nonthesis paper). Although it is possible to complete the MA degree in three semesters, it is generally a two-year program. (Particularly strong UF undergraduates may apply for the 4-1 program, enabling them to begin taking graduate courses before completing the batchelor’s degree.) Doctoral students complete a more extensive series of coursework, culminating in Qualifying Examinations in their major and minor fields. They then proceed to write and defend a dissertation. The length of this doctoral program varies substantially from student to student. Some students complete their degree in four or five years, others take considerably longer.

See the Graduate Handbook for a detailed discussion of the 4-1 program and for summaries of the curricular requirements for the MA and PhD programs.

Applicants may apply for either degree program. Applicants who do not wish to be admitted into the doctoral program should select “terminal masters” on the application form. Students who are accepted into the doctoral program without a masters degree work towards their MA on the way to the PhD.

Should a prospective applicant apply for the masters program or the doctoral program? In many cases the decision is clear. Some students are quite sure that they wish to pursue the doctorate in history at UF (and in many of those cases the applicant already has an MA from another institution). Other students are equally sure that they only want a terminal masters. For those who are less certain about which path to pursue, the best advice is to consult with prospective advisors about the options. Here are a few observations to assist in that decision:

The history department does not fund terminal MA students. Successful applicants to the doctoral program (even those who arrive with no MA) are considered for various fellowships and assistantships.
The department does not have separate admission standards for the MA and PhD programs, but in practice a student who we do not think is ready to be accepted into the PhD program might still be deemed a solid MA candidate. We routinely accept MA candidates who we think might turn out to be excellent doctoral students, but whose record is not quite strong enough to merit immediate entrance into the doctoral program. In some cases it makes sense for a student to begin his or her graduate training at UF before moving on to a different institution for doctoral work.
In curricular terms, there is very little difference between the MA program and the first two years of the PhD program. We do not have separate MA and PhD classes. The chief difference is that students in the terminal MA program have fewer required courses. In practice, many of our MA students take precisely the same courses as their colleagues in the doctoral program.
It is not at all unusual for a student who is enrolled in the MA program to apply for entrance into the doctoral program.
All successful applicants to either the MA or the PhD program must have a major advisor. That is, as part of the admissions process a member of the faculty must step forward and declare a willingness to work with the applicant. With that in mind, prospective applicants should consult with potential advisors about which program would be most appropriate.