IUPUI Campus Bulletin 2010-2012

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Graduate Programs

Admissions

History

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 (B) and a minimum grade point average of a 3.0 (B) in the student’s undergraduate major (an undergraduate major in History is not required, but applicants without such a background may be required to take additional course work in history at the undergraduate level as a condition for acceptance in the program).
• Appropriate level of achievement on the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE).
• Three letters of recommendation.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the degree per se.  However, those students who will incorporate foreign language documents and scholarship in their graduate work (especially those concentrating in European history) will be expected to translate non-English sources.  They must thus demonstrate an appropriate level of competence in the relevant language before they begin work on their thesis.  The Director of Graduate Studies and the student’s advisor may require the student to take additional coursework.

All students concentrating in European history should expect to demonstrate competence in a foreign language, ideally upon application to the program.  (Competence is defined as two years of undergraduate course work with a grade of B or better in the final semester, or demonstration of an equivalent reading proficiency in an approved foreign language exam.)  Students considering the possibility of going on for a PhD should recognize that competence in at least one and sometimes two foreign languages is often a requirement in history doctoral programs.

Application Advice

1. Allow time to schedule and study for the GRE.  It takes at least two weeks for your writing scores to get to the department.  We pay most attention to the verbal and analytical writing portions of the exam.
2. Get letters of recommendation from people who can speak most directly to your ability to do graduate work in history.  Try to have at least two letters from history professors or professors who have taught you in upper-level liberal arts courses.
3. Ask a professor to help you revise your personal statement or statement of purpose.  Use it to show us who you are and why you want to come to our program specifically. Identify your chosen area of concentration (U.S., European, or Public History). Explaining how our faculty and program support your own research interests and career goals is a good idea.  Avoid phrases and ideas that could be interpreted as trite or cliché as well as broad generalizations; be concrete, specific, direct.  We want to learn about your experiences doing history and to see you thinking like a historian.  If you have any potential weak spots in your application, spend a sentence explaining them.  Similarly, identify positive things (awards, publications, etc) that set you apart.  If you are interested in being considered for financial support (fellowships, internships, assistantships), say this at the beginning of your statement. If you plan to concentrate in European history or use foreign language sources in your research, describe your foreign language training. Finally, proofread carefully.  Aim for a length of about 500 words.
4. We do not need a writing sample.
5. If you think you don’t have enough history background for graduate work yet, have been out of school for a long time, or have a low undergraduate GPA, think about taking some courses with us as a Graduate Non Degree student before you apply.  It’s a good way for us to get to know each other and for you to supplement your application.  Contact the Director of Graduate Studies if you are interested in this or have any questions about the application process.

Application Instructions

APPLY ONLINE

NOTE: You must apply online via the link above. Cost to apply is $60.

Please be sure to choose "History" as your Academic Program (but be sure to indicate in the first paragraph of your personal statement your intended area of concentration i.e. Public History, U.S. History, European History).

READ ALL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE YOU APPLY.

Application Deadlines

FALL: Applicants seeking full department consideration for financial support (i.e. those seeking an internship, TA position, or fellowship) must submit their COMPLETED application by February 1 (NOTE: all required documentation must be submitted before this deadline). All other Fall applicants must submit COMPLETED applications before the April 15 deadline. We will not consider incomplete applications.

SPRING: For people interested in starting in January, completed applications are due by October 15.

Required Documentation

1. Three (3) letters of recommendation
2. One (1) original copy of all transcripts
3. GRE scores from ETS
4. Personal Statement

1) Your three letters of recommendation should be from individuals familiar with your academic abilities and potential. Each recommender should submit their letter online (follow the directions in the online application for how to add your recommenders). If for some reason, a recommender cannot submit their letter online, they must send a hard copy letter directly to the address below. 

2) Your official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities (documenting each course taken and all degrees awarded) must be mailed directly from each university to the address below.

3) The Department of History must also receive your official scores from the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) (we do not require the History Specialty Exam). Results should be submitted to IUPUI (school code: 1325) and the History Department (code: 2799 or similar) in order for the department to view your results. For more information about the GRE revised General Test, please visit the ETS website.

4) A 300-500 word "Statement of Purpose" regarding your current goals, plans for your professional career, and reasons for selecting this field of study must be included. YOU MUST indicate in the first paragraph of this statement your intended area of concentration (i.e. Public History, U.S. History, European History) and if you want to be considered for a fellowship, teaching assistantship, or internship. 

Mailing Address
History Department
Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI 
Graduate Admissions
425 University Blvd. CA-504L
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Questions?
History Department Graduate Office
317-274-5840
history@iupui.edu

Graduate Non-Degree Program

Students whose applications are not complete, or who want to "test the waters" prior to submitting an application, may take a limited number of graduate courses as graduate non-degree (GND) students. With the approval of the departmental Director of Graduate Studies a maximum of eleven (11) credit hours earned as a graduate non-degree student may be recommended to the Dean of the Graduate School to be applied to history department degree requirements after the student is accepted into the M.A. program. Consult with the department’s Director of Graduate Studies about appropriate courses.