World History Track
This supplement is designed for students selecting world history as a primary field. It is to be used in conjunction with the History Department's Graduate Guidelines and the Graduate School Policies and Procedures. Only additions to and exceptions from the traditional graduate program in history are included below.
World history is a methodological field based around the study of global problems, events, patterns, or issues. Students of world history will master both a primary area of research and a thematic issue that locates the area in its larger global context. The world history program also provides specific training and mentoring in the teaching of world history at the college level.
Master of Arts Program
Checklist: M.A. in History, World History Track
Program Requirements: The M.A. track generally consists of 32 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. Students must fulfill the requirements in the regular M.A. track but must also take the following courses:
- History 570 (World History Theory and Methods)
- History 571 (Topics in World History)
History 570 and History 571 will serve as the field course requirements. The student must secure approval for the thesis topic from the major professor and the coordinator of world history.
Ph.D. Program
Checklist: Ph.D. in History, World History Track
Program Requirements: The Ph.D. track consists of 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. These hours must include the following for preparation of a primary field in world history:
- History 570 (World History Theory and Methods)
- History 571 (Topics in World History)
Students will also prepare 2 secondary fields, one in a regional area of concentration and the other in thematic global issues.
Primary Field: The preliminary exam in the primary field will be prepared by the coordinator of world history and the major professor. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the methodologies, historiographical issues, problems, and approaches that characterize the discipline of world history.
Regional Secondary Field: For one of the 2 secondary fields, students are expected to master a regional area of concentration, chosen from among the following:
- United States
- Early Europe
- Early Modern Europe
- Modern Europe
- Latin America
- Middle East
- Modern East Asia
- South Asia
- Africa
- Atlantic World
- Pacific Rim
- Ancient World
Thematic Secondary Field: The other secondary field will focus on an inter-regional thematic issue, approved by the coordinator of world history and chosen from among the following topical areas:
- Gender
- Environment
- Imperialism
- Warfare/Military
- Race
- Migration/Immigration
- Class
- Religion
- Cultural Memory Systems
Additional thematic issues can be approved by the coordinator of world history when appropriate.
The student's committee will consist of the coordinator, the major professor, and at least one additional professor from each secondary field.
Research: Dissertations for the primary field in world history must explore a thematic global pattern or issue and must be approved by the major professor and the coordinator. The coordinator must be a member of the doctoral committee.
Training for Teaching World History at the College Level: Students in world history should T.A. both sections of World Civilizations at WSU. In conjunction with History 595, world history students will complete pedagogical training, such as lecturing and designing syllabi, determined by the coordinator of world history.
World History as a Secondary Field: Students who wish to pursue world history as a secondary field must take History 570 (World History Theory and Methods) and History 571 (Topics in World History).
A final reading list will be determined by the coordinator of world history, the professor taken for History 570, and the student. Preliminary examinations will be written by the coordinator of world history and the professor taken for History 570. Students will also receive pedagogical training in the teaching of world history in conjunction with History 595.