Judith Herb College of Arts, Social Sciences and Education

The deadline for fall semester admission with funding to the graduate program in History is January 30th. All materials are submitted through the College of Graduate Studies.

Admissions

To learn more about the process of applying for a graduate degree in history, continue scrolling down.

Explore the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees. 

How to Apply to the Graduate Program in History

Go to the College of Graduate Studies website and apply online. The Department of History will receive the materials from College of Graduate Studies once your application is complete.

Upload the following

• A cover letter with current contact information 
• Curriculum vitae
• Official copies of your transcripts
• Writing sample (research paper or chapter of thesis)
• Statement of research interests
• 3 letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to comment on your qualifications for graduate study

Note: For your statement of research interests, be sure that your objectives match the research fields of the Department of History faculty. Please consult the department and faculty websites for information on our research and teaching fields, or contact individual faculty members directly about the areas of study you wish to pursue.

Our major fields of graduate study include

• United States History
• East Asian History
• Latin American History
• African History
• Modern Europe

Funding/Assistantships The University of Toledo also offers funding packages for both master’s and doctoral students on a competitive basis. If you are interested in a graduate assistantship, please indicate that in your statement of research interests.

Graduate assistantships include a full tuition-waiver for up to 9  credit hours per semester and an annual stipend awarded by the graduate committee in the Department of History.

Graduate assistants are required by the Graduate School to take a minimum of 9 credit hours of graduate work each semester. A full-time assistantship requires students to complete approximately 20 clock hours of work per week. Students who are awarded assistantships typically receive two years of funding for the M.A. degree and five years of funding for the Ph.D. degree.

**To be considered for funding, applications must be completed by January 30.**

Admission to the Graduate Program in History

criteria for admission to the College of Graduate Studies

• A baccalaureate or professional degree earned from a department of approved standing and granted by an accredited college or university.
• A 2.7 cumulative grade-point average for all previous academic work.
• Prerequisite academic work which gives evidence that the applicant should be able to pursue effectively the graduate work in the department in which specialization is desired.

You must take the GRE only if required by the College of Graduate Studies. You will be notified if this is the case.

Department of History guidelines for admission by Degree

Master of Arts in History

• The Department of History requires substantial undergraduate preparation in history (“substantial” means between 18 and 30 credit hours).
• The Department of History generally considers candidates with a grade point average (GPA) at or above 3.0.

Provisional Status: In some cases, applicants with fewer than 18 hours of coursework in history, or with a GPA lower than the departmental norm, may be admitted on a “provisional” status. The director of graduate studies will serve as the student’s interim advisor. A maximum of 9 credit hours can be applied toward the degree program. At the conclusion of the first semester, or when prompted by the director of graduate studies, the Graduate Committee will review the student’s progress and vote on regular admission to the program. (A Status Change Request must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.)

Doctorate in History

• The Department of History welcomes applicants who have earned a Master’s degree in a subject other than history but who have had a substantial preparation in history. However, preference is given to applicants whose Master’s program in history included the completion of a thesis.
• The Department of History generally considers applicants who have earned a 3.0 or higher GPA in their previous graduate work.
• Students seeking admission to the Ph.D. program in history are expected to have completed four semesters of undergraduate study in one language.
• If you received your Master’s degree from The University of Toledo, you must formally apply to the College of Graduate Studies and to the Department of History for admission to the doctoral program. Include in your application a written recommendation from your thesis committee, addressed to the Department of History Graduate Committee regarding your aptitude for doctoral study.

International Students

In addition to the specific criteria listed above, the College of Graduate Studies also requires that international students have their credentials evaluated by one of three approved services. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must provide proof of English language proficiency. See How To Apply for more information. 

 All international students must also demonstrate that they have adequate financial resources for their graduate education before they can be admitted. In addition, they are required to have health and accident insurance at the time of registration. 

*Visit the College of Graduate Studies web page to learn about international student admission requirements. 

Additional Information

Special Status (Non-degree-seeking)

Spring admissions to the College of Graduate Studies are considered non-degree-seeking students in the department of history. This status is not admission to the graduate program in history. All applications, including those of special status students, are reviewed by the department’s graduate committee in February.

Also, persons who hold a Master’s degree (in any field) may be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies under a special student status and allowed to take additional graduate courses. This status is not an admission to the graduate program in history. If a special-status student applies at a later date to the Ph.D. program in history, only 9 credit hours may be counted toward degree requirements, and this determination is at the discretion of the Graduate Committee.

Transfer Credits

It is possible to transfer up to 6 hours of coursework from an accredited university toward the fulfillment of the requirements of a Master’s degree, and up to 9 hours of coursework toward a doctoral degree. However, transfer credits may not include seminars. A student who elects to take a second Master’s degree may apply up to 12 credit hours from the first Master’s (including seminars) if the coursework is appropriate to the student’s new program.

If you wish to transfer credits, you should submit a written request to the director of graduate studies after your acceptance into the program. The request should include syllabi from the original courses and a statement of how the courses apply to your Master’s or doctoral program at the University of Toledo. The department will then make its recommendation to the College of Graduate Studies.

Note: All graduate credits requested for transfer must carry a grade of B or higher.

Questions

If you have any questions about the graduate level history program at The University of Toledo or the information on this webpage, contact Dr. Kristen Geaman, Director of Graduate Studies. Her contact information is below.

Dr. Kristen Geaman
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of History
The University of Toledo
2801 W. Bancroft St., MS 970
Toledo, OH 43606 
Phone 419.530.4719
Email kristen.geaman@utoledo.edu