Graduate Program in History:Admission:Criteria

General Admissions Criteria

Grade Point Average

We recommend that applicants have an undergraduate grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Foreign Language

Once in our graduate program, all students are required to master at least one foreign language. The amount of language preparation that students should list on their applications varies according to the field ( U.S. , European, Asian, etc.) and degree (M.A., Ph.D.). Graduate Admissions Committee members will be looking for appropriate linguistic background and skill, so be sure that your application lists your language training.

Undergraduate Degree

We expect that all applicants will have substantial undergraduate course work in history.

Degree Requirements

Applicants with B.A. degrees can apply to either the M.A. program or the Ph.D. program.

Applicants intending to take a terminal M.A. degree or to apply to another Ph.D. program after completing the M.A. at Oregon should apply to the M.A. program.

Applicants intending to complete the Ph.D. program at the University of Oregon may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. Because of limited funding, however, we will be able to offer admission directly to the Ph.D. program to only a few such applicants. Applicants with B.A. degrees who apply directly to the Ph.D. program will automatically be considered for admission to the M.A. program should they not be admitted to the Ph.D. program. Applying to the Ph.D. program will not hinder an applicant's chances of being accepted into the M.A. program.

Students who apply to the Ph.D. program but who are admitted to the M.A. program remain eligible to apply to the Ph.D. program in subsequent admissions cycles.

Students with B.A. degrees who are admitted to the Ph.D. program must complete the M.A. requirements within two years and are subject to the Graduate School's requirement to complete the Ph.D. requirements seven years from the time of admission.

Applicants with M.A. degrees should apply directly to the Ph.D. program. In unusual cases, such as those of applicants who have an M.A. in a field other than history, contact the Director of Graduate Studies before submitting your application. Applicants with M.A. degrees who are accepted into the Ph.D. program must complete the Ph.D. requirements within seven years.

Graduate Requirements Evaluation (GRE)

The general GRE test is a mandatory entrance requirement for all applicants. However it is not necessary to take the subject exam.