Doctoral Program Guidelines
Introduction
This manual lists the requirements and guidelines for graduate study in history at The University of Toledo. All students and faculty should familiarize themselves with the program; faculty advisors need to keep this manual nearby for ready reference. While the compilers of Guidelines for Graduate Study have attempted to provide a thorough description of the graduate program, individual cases may arise which will require special consideration. The manual does not serve as a substitute for required conferences between students and the director of graduate studies or the close supervision of a student’s course of study by his/her individual advisor. New students who have not previously enrolled for graduate work at The University of Toledo should direct questions about their program to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History, Mail Stop 503, The University of Toledo, Toledo OH 43606-3390. Continuing graduate students may consult with either their individual advisor or the director of graduate studies. The graduate committee will waive the requirements listed in these guidelines only in the most exceptional circumstances.
Students should note that the Graduate School of The University of Toledo sets minimum requirements for application, matriculation, and degree programs. Individual departments, including the history department, may set higher standards or make additional requirements; thus students should read this entire manual with care.
General
The Doctor of Philosophy degree in history requires a minimum of 62 hours beyond the master's degree (for which the student normally should have written a thesis), including 24 hours for the dissertation.[1] Doctoral students must complete a minimum of four seminars and a course in historiography, normally within their first two years of study.[2]
A special strength of the department’s doctoral program is its emphasis on training students in the methods of pedagogy. All full-time doctoral students must take Teaching History in College, preferably during the first semester of study.[3] The class is designed not only to teach students how to teach—including the use of instructional aids—but to provide them the opportunity to present lectures themselves and to review these with their fellow students and instructors.
Prior to registering for the first semester of study, new doctoral students will meet with the director of graduate studies to go over the program requirements. By the end of the first year, the student, with the approval of the director of graduate studies and the faculty member(s) in the student's areas of interest, will choose an advisor and examination committee. The advisor will usually become the student's dissertation director and will help select the dissertation committee. If the student's research interests change substantially over time, his/her advisory committee may need to be reconstituted. In such cases, the student should consult the director of graduate studies. Following completion of the comprehensive exams, the student will meet with the director of graduate studies to fill out the Doctoral Program Proposal and the Application for Admission to Candidacy.[1]Generally, this entails a minimum of 38 hours of coursework beyond the M.A. A student in a doctoral program is required to spend a minimum of two consecutive semesters in full-time study at the university. The distribution of the balance of the time depends on the requirements of the particular program. Work toward the doctoral degree must be completed within a period of seven calendar years from the time the student was first admitted to the Graduate School for the purpose of pursuing the Ph.D. program. In exceptional cases, such as foreign students, the graduate committee may waive the M.A. requirement. Students with an M.A. in a closely related subject like philosophy or literature may be admitted, provided their work shows substantial preparation in history.
[2]Two seminars taken at UT for the M.A. degree will count toward this requirement. Each student must take a course in historiography, unless such a course was completed at the M.A. level.
[3]The same course, taken at the master’s level at UT, will count toward the requirement.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students seeking admission to the Ph.D. program in history are expected to have completed four semesters of undergraduate study in one language. All students must demonstrate language competency by the end of their first year of study as described below.
· Successful completion of a foreign language exam, normally administered by the department of foreign languages.
or
· Successful completion, with a grade of B or better, of one foreign language course, numbered 3000 or higher, conducted in the language, in the case of modern languages.
A student’s advisor, in consultation with the director of graduate studies, may require the student to demonstrate proficiency in additional language(s) according to the student’s program of study. Such students must demonstrate competency in the language(s) prior to advancing to candidacy.General Fields
The student must prepare one general field. Candidates in American history will be tested over the entire general field, while those students in other areas will be tested over one of the designated sub-fields.
Topical Major and Minor Areas
In addition to being tested in the general field, the student must stand for examination in one major area of concentration within the general field, and one minor area outside of the general field. The major area will be that in which the student will write the dissertation and in which the student has taken course and seminar work. A minimum of 24 hours of coursework in the major area and of 10 hours in the minor area is required. The specialized areas that follow reflect some of the current and past strengths of our faculty and may change over time. Additional areas in the history of specific countries or topics may be developed with the approval of the director of graduate studies.
The one-day major area exam will be taken after the student passes the general field exam, and usually will be administered by the student's individual advisor and those faculty members with special competency in the area.
Following the major area exam, the student will take a one-day exam over the minor area of study. With the approval of the minor field advisor, the student may petition the graduate committee for an alternative form of minor field competency testing.
Ph.D. Examinations and Evaluation
The scheduling of the doctoral examination must be approved in writing by the student's advisor and the director of graduate studies.
1. Students must complete the foreign language requirement, take all required coursework, and remove grades of I (incomplete) before taking their general exams.
2. Students must stand for examination, written and oral, over the selected general field of study. The general examination will consist of two parts: Part One, the written exam, to be taken over a two-day period, and Part Two, the oral exam, covering the general field of study. The department chairperson will designate the week in fall semester and the week in spring semester for the examination. The student’s advisor will schedule the exact days of examination during these periods
It is strongly advised that students take the exams in their second year of doctoral study, but no later than the first semester of the third academic year of doctoral enrollment. Students must complete all Ph.D. exams by the end of the third year of full-time work on the Ph.D. degree. Failure to meet this requirement will result in loss of any graduate assistantship held by the student.
3. The examination procedure for doctoral students is closely tied to the student's advisory committee. The examining committee, which is appointed by the director of graduate studies after consultation with the individual advisor and others, will consist of the student's advisor and two additional professors from the major area of study, selected to give a breadth of historical coverage to the committee. One professor from the minor area will complete the committee. Examination committees will ordinarily consist of at least four members.
While the committee is free to solicit examination questions from all faculty members, it will be up to the committee to select general exam questions and to grade the examination. Professors in the major field will grade the general area and major area examinations, while professors from the minor area will grade the exams for that area.
The general field exam will offer a range of questions covering the entire general field. Any member of the department may inspect exam questions and answers. The graduate committee and the director of graduate studies must endorse exam results.
4. The general examination committees will use the following grading scale:
A (4.00) excellent
A- (3.67) very good
B+ (3.33) good
B (3.00) satisfactory
B- (2.67) lowest passing grade
C+ to D- (2.33-1.33) unsatisfactory; failing grade
F (0.00) only in cases of academic dishonesty
These grades conform to the 4.0 scale and the descriptions found in the catalogs of The University of Toledo. Letter grades will be converted to the 4.0 scale and averaged. The lowest passing grade for the examination is a B- (2.67) after the grades are totaled and averaged.
5. Doctoral students must pass both parts of the general field exam before being tested in the major and minor areas. The latter exams must be completed by the end of the first full semester (not counting summer semesters) following the general exams.
6. A student who fails the general field, the outside minor, or the major examination may retake the respective exam with the permission of the examining committee and the department graduate committee. A second failure will result in the student's dismissal from the program. Dismissal will result in the forfeiture of any graduate assistantship that a student holds with the history department.
Students who fail the general examinations and are dismissed from the program can petition the history department for the awarding of a terminal Master of Arts degree in history.
7. A special academic discipline committee will investigate any alleged cases of academic dishonesty, taking special care to follow due process. The committee will be constituted of the department's graduate committee in consultation with the chairperson and the director of graduate studies, who will chair the committee. Any student found by the committee to have committed academic dishonesty will be dismissed from the university and forfeit any assistantship immediately.
8. The director of graduate studies will keep a record of each student’s progress toward completion of the degree. Students are expected to meet with the director of graduate studies at least once each year to discuss their progress in the program. The director of graduate studies will keep students’ individual advisors apprised of any problems.
Transfer of Credits
Graduate work completed during residence in other accredited institutions may be offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements (other than residence) for a doctoral degree when the work is of acceptable quality and appropriate to the student's program. Application for transfer of credit must be made to the director of graduate studies. The department will then make its recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School.
A student may obtain advance approval from the advisor to take coursework elsewhere while enrolled at the university. The student must apply for transfer of credit as soon as the credits have been earned.
Coursework Outside the Department
The student’s committee may require additional coursework or readings in a department other than history—for example, economics, political science, sociology, geography, English, or philosophy. The student will not be examined in the related area, but must satisfy the committee as to the quantity and quality of such work. A member of the staff or the associated department may participate in the general oral examination.
Residence Requirements and Time Limitation
Two consecutive semesters of full-time work must be completed at the university in order to fulfill the residence requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Under exceptional circumstances this requirement may be met by three consecutive full-time summer enrollments. In the doctoral programs a maximum study period of seven years is allowed between matriculation and completion of all requirements for the degree.
Minimum Continuous Enrollment
Graduate students who have completed their coursework and are working on their project, thesis, or dissertation and/or are using university facilities and services (e.g., the library, health services, laboratories, or consult with faculty, apply for graduation) must register for a minimum of one graduate credit hour each semester.
Dissertation
Students who pass all examinations, including required examinations in foreign
language(s), will be officially admitted as candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree (Cand. Phil.; commonly known as “ABD”). Students may not enroll in 8960 (Dissertation Hours) courses until they have passed all exams.
The dissertation is the heart of the Ph.D. degree. Each student must complete an acceptable dissertation based on primary research. The length of the dissertation is normally between two hundred and four hundred pages. A dissertation prospectus may be required by a dissertation advisor before the student begins a dissertation.
The student must request, in writing, a member of the department to act as his/her dissertation advisor. The professor must advise the student of his/her decision in writing, with a copy to the director of graduate studies. Normally, the individual advisor of the student's program will become the dissertation advisor.
In consultation with his/her dissertation advisor, the student should choose a dissertation committee. The committee will consist of at least three additional readers, one of whom must be outside The University of Toledo's history department. Committee members will vote on the acceptability of the dissertation and will submit a grade for it.
The Chicago Manual of Style is the departmental guide for theses, dissertations, and other formal papers prepared in the department. In addition, students must carefully follow the Graduate School's Handbook for Preparation of Graduate Dissertations, Projects, and Theses, which provides detailed directions for title page, margins, paper weight, and related matters.
Students working on doctoral dissertations must file a Notice of Thesis and an Assurances of Compliance form no later than one semester before the expected semester of graduation. They should also file a Doctoral Dissertation List form with the American Historical Association. Forms are available from the director of graduate studies and the Graduate School.
Ph. D. students are not permitted to take dissertation credit (HIST 8960) unless they have completed all necessary coursework and passed their general exams. Exceptions to this rule may be made by the Graduate Committee in case of extraordinary circumstances. In order to enforce this rule, the Provost’s office will require the signature of the Chair to register for HIST 8960. The Chair will, in turn, consult and obtain the approval of each student’s advising professor before authorizing this registration.
The grade of “PR” will be used for dissertation credit (HIST 8960). In all other cases of graduate work that is not completed in a single semester, the grade of “IN” shall be used.
Academic Grievance Procedure
A graduate student with an academic grievance should take the following steps, in the order given:
1. Discuss the problem with the professor involved.
2. If no resolution can be achieved, the student should present his/her grievance to the director of graduate studies and then to the chairperson of the department.
3. If the problem is still not resolved, the student should see the dean of the college.
4. Present the grievance to the Graduate School.
5. Make final appeal to the Committee on Academic Standing of the Graduate Council; its decision shall be binding on all parties involved in the grievance.
Note: Graduate students must file the grievance against the instructor, with a copy to the department chair, no later than one semester after the occurrence of the incident. If students desire to proceed to the next level of appeal, they must file within one month of the last rendered decision until final resolution of the grievance.Requirements for Graduation (Ph.D.)
1. A Doctoral Program Proposal and an Assurances of Compliance form must be on file before graduation. Forms may be picked up from the history department, the Graduate School or from the director of graduate studies. Before graduation, any changes to a student's approved Doctoral Program Proposal must be filed with the graduate school, either with a Plan of Study Course Substitution form or a revised Doctoral Program Proposal form.
2. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average. All departmental requirements, such as seminar work, historiography, oral examination and dissertation, must be completed.
3. In order to graduate in a given semester, final copies of dissertations should be delivered to the Graduate School not later than one month prior to commencement. (Refer to the Graduate School's guidelines.) The title of the dissertation must be filed no later than one semester before the expected date of graduation.
4. Students must complete an Application for Graduate Degree form (see appendix) by the deadline, which is at the beginning of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Forms may be obtained from the Graduate School.
5. All decisions concerning programs, selection of advisors, requirement waivers and related matters shall be in writing, with copies to the student, the student's advisor and the director of graduate studies.Sample Timetable for Graduation
Fulltime Ph.D. Program (funded)
Year One – Fall Semester
Meet with director of graduate studies to go over program requirements
12 hours of course work including one Seminar, Teaching History in College, and
Historiography
Year One – Spring Semester
12 hours of course work including at least one Seminar and Historiography (if needed)
Complete foreign language requirement
Meet with director of graduate studies to choose exam committee and fields of study
Year Two – Fall Semester
12 hours of course work including at least one Seminar, Teaching History in College (if
needed), and Historiography (if needed)
Begin general exam preparation with major advisor
Year Two – Spring Semester
12 hours of course work including a Seminar (if needed)
Take general field exam (if coursework is completed)
Year Three – Fall Semester
12 hours independent study
Finish general field, major and minor field exams
Meet with director of graduate studies to fill out Doctoral Program Proposal and
Application to Advance to Candidacy
Year Three – Spring Semester
12 hours dissertation credit
Submit a dissertation prospectus to major advisor
Meet with dissertation advisor to decide on committee and give copies of the
prospectus to each member
Year Four – Fall Semester
12 hours dissertation credit
File a Notice of Thesis and Assurances of Compliance form in Graduate School
Year Four – Spring Semester
12 hours dissertation credit
File an Application for Graduate Degree form in Graduate School
File the defended dissertation in the Grad School one month prior to graduation
Policy on Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Among the aims of education are the acquisition of knowledge and development of the skills necessary for success as an educator or in another profession. Activities inconsistent with these aims will not be permitted. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes academic dishonesty; if students are uncertain, for example, about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating they should seek the instructor’s advice.
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
1. Plagiarism, that is, representing the words, ideas or information of another person as one’s one and not offering proper documentation.
2. Giving or receiving, prior to an examination, any unauthorized information concerning the content of that examination.
3. Referring to or displaying any unauthorized materials inside or outside of the examination room during the course of an examination.
4. Communicating during an examination in any manner with any unauthorized person concerning the examination or any part of it.
5. Giving or receiving substantive aid during the course of an examination.
6. Commencing an examination before the stipulated time or continuing to work on an examination after the announced conclusion of the examination period.
7. Taking, converting, concealing, defacing, damaging or destroying any property related to the preparation or completion of assignments, research or examination.
8. Submitting the same written work to fulfill the requirements for more than one course.
[The Department considers academic dishonesty at any level to be an extremely serious offense. At the graduate level, academic dishonesty becomes even more serious. It will normally result in immediate dismissal from the program and loss of assistantship.]
Instructions for Taking Foreign Language Examinations for Candidate of Graduate Degrees at The University of Toledo
1. Preparation. Graduate students who feel they need special preparation for the foreign language examination may consult the Department of Foreign Languages for appropriate methods of preparation. Periodically, Language for Reading Knowledge courses, numbered 5210 and 5220 in various languages, are offered for non- language majors and are recommended for the purpose of preparing students who have insufficient language training.
2. Preliminary Procedures. Graduate students should first complete an Application Form for the Foreign Language Examination in the Office of the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the week of the examination (that is, by the end of the fourth week in a regular semester and the second week of a summer session). Since these tests are administered by the Department of Foreign Languages, appropriate material must be approved well in advance by that department. Graduate students, often in consultation with their advisors, select material of at least 40 pages in length and bring it to the department in Room 5230-D, University Hall, for approval. Please avoid works of fiction and similar works commonly translated into English as well as texts with large numbers of graphs, pictures or diagrams. Usually it takes two or three days to secure approval of the examination material.
3. Examination Procedures. Each examination will consist of a written translation of 600 to 900 words (from the 40 pages of approved text) to be completed within a three-hour period. Students must indicate in the translations an ability to read the foreign language accurately and to express themselves in correct English. Demonstration of a proper language structure is more important than an incoherent running of otherwise correct vocabulary. The use of a dictionary (to be supplied by the candidate) will be permitted.
4. Time and Place of Examination. The graduate student should consult with the Department of Foreign Languages concerning Time and Place of the Examination.
5. Grading and Notification. The Foreign Language examination is not graded on a traditional letter basis; it is simply passed or failed. Approximately one week after the examination is taken, the Department of Foreign Languages will notify the Graduate School and the candidate's advisor of the results of the examination. Students who fail may repeat the foreign language examination in a subsequent semester, but not more than a total of three times in a single language. No fee is charged for the first examination; however, a fee of $15.00 will be charged for each repeat examination in the same language.
For further doctoral program information, contact Dr. William J. O'Neal, Director of Graduate Studies, at the address or email below.
Dr. William J. O'Neal
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of History
University of Toledo
Toledo, OH 43606
Phone: 419-530-2242
Email: william.oneal@utoledo.edu