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Frequently Asked Questions
about the Master of Arts in History
Department of History
Sam Houston
State University
1. In order to complete
the degree, must students meet any residency requirements
at the campus in Huntsville,
Texas?
No. All courses can be
taken on-line. Students can complete the degree without ever visiting the
campus.
2. Is the degree
accredited?
Yes. The degree has been
formally approved and accredited by the Texas State University System, the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools (the gold standard of accreditation).
3. How much does each
course cost?
The fees change from year
to year and are set by the Texas State University System. To view SHSU
Tuition and Fees information, please go to the SHSU Cashier's Office homepage or
contact their office for more information.
4. Is a thesis required?
No. There is a non-thesis
option. Before writing a thesis, students must secure the approval of the
department chair. (See the Thesis/Non-Thesis Option discussion on the Degree Requirements
page.)
5. Are there time limits
for completion of the degree?
Yes. A Master of Arts
degree at Sam Houston State
University must be completed
in a seven-year period between the time the first class is taken and the
awarding of the degree. Under certain circumstances, extensions can be given.
6. How many on-line
courses can be taken at one-time?
Three on-line graduate
courses are considered a full-time load. In other words, a student taking
three on-line courses should expect to spend 30-40 hours per week to complete
them. Most students take one course at a time. Occasionally, a student will
take two courses, but most find that a very daunting proposition, especially
if they are working at full-time careers.
7. Can students begin and
finish a course on their own time-table?
No. Courses follow the
semester calendar. The 2003-2004 Sam Houston State University calendar is available
in the university catalogue on the university website. See the SAM Info page.
8. How do on-line courses
work?
The courses vary from
professor to professor. Some are very sophisticated requiring interactive
dialogue, chat rooms, and access to other on-line collections. Other classes
are very self-contained and work more like an e-mail correspondence course
between student and professor. All courses, however, are writing intensive.
9. What are the grading standards?
Unlike
undergraduate work, graduate school recognizes only A, B, C and F. Note that a grade of C is not considered
average or acceptable. In fact,
recording two C’s is reason for expulsion from the program. In all cases, communicate with professors
to understand their expectations clearly prior to submitting work.
10. What happens if my
professional career requires frequent travel or frequent relocations?
As long as a student can
access the internet, course work can be completed. For students whose own
career demands prevent them from completing a course, we can give a grade of
IP (in progress), which allows an extended period to finish the requirements.
This is especially useful for military personnel.
11. Graduation
It is the responsibility
of the student to apply for graduation the semester before he or she
expects to graduate. Information about the application process can be
obtained from the Registrar’s
Office. The university also requires that a student be enrolled in at
least one class during his or her semester of graduation.
12. Can students with
limited academic backgrounds in history be admitted to the program?
Yes, under certain
circumstances. We require the equivalent of an undergraduate minor (at least
18 semester credit hours) or major in history. In assessing eligibility, we
will take into account undergraduate courses taken from other departments if
the course had a history focus, such as art history, constitutional law, US
foreign policy, and musicology.
13. Although I already
have earned a graduate degree, do I still have to take the GRE to be
admitted?
Yes.
14. I have attended many
universities/colleges, sometimes only for one course. Do you need transcripts
from each of them?
Yes. We require
transcripts from every university
or college you have attended, regardless of the number of courses taken at
each institution.
15. I have earned
graduate credit at another university. How much can I transfer?
SHSU will normally accept
up to six hours of graduate history transfer credit. Under certain
circumstances more hours can be accepted with the approval of the department
chair.
16. I took a break from
the program last spring semester. Do I need to resubmit a full application to
continue taking classes?
Yes. If a student is
returning after not taking any classes during a long semester, Fall or
Spring, they must submit a new application and they must abide by the
application deadlines. Those deadlines are: Fall - Aug. 1, Spring - Dec. 1,
Summer I - May 15, Summer II - June 15.
Click here to return to the SHSU Online Master of Arts in
History Homepage
Last update:
Summer 2006
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