2009-2010 Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of the languages listed below for the major fields is required. If only two languages are listed for the field, students must demonstrate competence by passing examinations administered by the department, for certain fields, or by the appropriate language department. Students in U.S., Near Eastern and African history may use departmental examinations in French, Spanish, or German. Students in European history must take departmental translation examinations. In cases where the field deems it appropriate, coursework or alternate languages may be used to fulfill the language requirements, subject to the approval of the Departmental Foreign Language Examination Committee. For a third or fourth language, evidence of competence satisfactory to the chair of the doctoral committee is considered acceptable.

No oral qualifying examination for the Ph.D. degree may be scheduled until students have passed an examination in at least two foreign languages, except for students in U.S. history, who are required to demonstrate competency in only one foreign language.

African history: French and at least one other European or African language needed for the student's research and approved by the chair of the Ph.D. committee.

Ancient history: French, German, Latin, and Greek.

Ancient Near Eastern history: French, German, and two ancient languages, one of which should be either Akkadian, Egyptian, or Hebrew. The other ancient language may be Sumerian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, Greek, or Latin, depending on individual programs. It is expected that the ancient languages, with all attendant problems of philological and textual criticism, will normally constitute the fourth field of the doctoral examination.

Armenian history: Students must demonstrate a competency in Armenian, French, and at least one other language germane to the student's present and future research interesting and chosen in consultation with the student's faculty adviser.

Asian history: (a) India: two languages: Hindi; and either French, German, Spanish, Dutch or Portuguese, or any regional or classical language of India, or another one of the above noted Western European languages; (b) East Asia: (1) for the M.A. degree: two years of Chinese of Japanese; (2) for the Ph.D. degree in Chinese history: four years of Chinese and two years of Japanese. In certain cases, reading knowledge of French or German may also be required; Ph.D. degree in Japanese history: French, German or another pertinent language; four years of Japanese coursework (or its equivalent; demonstrated ability in specialized Japanese that will allow one to read source materials, e.g. coursework or its equivalent in Kanbun, sorobun, bungotai, Meiji documents). Admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. in the Chinese and Japanese fields requires the completion of a research seminar in the major field. Students are advised that successful completion of this seminar usually requires the equivalent of at least four years of superior college-level language work in Chinese or Japanese.

History of Christianity: German, elementary New Testament Greek, and a modern Romance language. For some specialties, medieval Latin and/or other languages may also be required. The choice of languages and the necessary level of proficiency must be approved by the committee chair.

European history (modern) and history of science: Either Dutch, French, German, Italian, or Spanish and a language needed for the students' research and approved by the Graduate and Curriculum Guidance Committee. Proficiency in foreign languages is to be determined by a departmental examination. British history: French and German, with the possibility of substitution. Russian history: Russian and German as well as French or another language deemed necessary by the instructor for the student's research.

Jewish history: Hebrew (modern or pre-modern) plus at least two additional languages necessary for conducting research in the student's area(s) of expertise or for engaging with relevant modern scholarship (e.g., Arabic, Aramaic, French, German, Greek, Ladino, Latin, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Yiddish) to be determined in consultation with the student's adviser.

Latin American history: Two of the following: Spanish, Portuguese, or special methodological studies.

Medieval history: All medievalists must have an excellent command of Latin, French, and German, as well as whatever other modern and medieval languages are necessary for their particular areas of research. Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination, students must have completed field requirements in these three languages. However, with permission of their adviser, another modern language may be substituted for French. Completion of these requirements may be met in one of the following ways: (1) Students may complete six quarters (or four semesters) of the language with a B or better; (2) Students may complete a Department of History examination in modern languages set by a member of the medieval field. All students taking this examination are given the same two passage to translate, one to be translated with the assistance of a dictionary and one without a dictionary. Satisfactory translation of both is necessary to pass the examination; (3) Students may complete language examinations set by the relevant language department (including the Latin examination given by the Department of Classic for its graduate students); (4) The Latin requirement can be satisfied by completion of two quarters of medieval Latin at the 100-series course level.

Near Eastern history: Students must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of their graduate adviser, competency in two Middle Eastern languages prior to advancement to candidacy. Students must also demonstrate competency in one European language other than English. These languages should be germane to the student's present and future research interests and are chosen in consultation with the student's adviser.

History of religions: French and German plus (in most cases) a classical or ancient language in the religious tradition of the specialization.

Southeast Asian history: Students must pass reading comprehension examinations in at least two relevant languages prior to advancement to candidacy. Competency is required in the language or the country or cultural area under study. The University offers Hindi, Sanskrit, Pali, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, and Indonesian, and also intensive summer courses in other South and Southeast Asian languages. Also required is a reading comprehension of at least one language other than English external to the region, normally chosen from Arabic, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Persian (for South Asia), or Chinese or Japanese (for Southeast Asia). With the approval of the student's adviser, the student may petition to have the second language chosen from the country or cultural area under study.

U.S. history: One modern foreign language to be fulfilled through a departmental examination.

Except in the fields of African, Asian, British, and U.S. history, reading knowledge of an appropriate language is usually required for admission to all graduate seminars.

Course Requirements

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must meet the special requirements for admission to the doctoral program detailed under Admission. Additionally, doctoral students must (1) demonstrate a command of good English, spoken and written; (2) demonstrate the ability to read at least two foreign languages, except in the U.S. field where only one foreign language is required, as detailed under Foreign Language Requirement; (3) demonstrate an acquaintance with general history; and (4) complete at least one continuing two- or three-quarter seminar which must include the preparation of a substantial research paper.

All students must write a dissertation prospectus (for credit under History 596 or 597) which is expected to contain (1) a full statement of the dissertation topic; (2) a historiographical discussion of the literature bearing on the topic; (3) a statement of the methodology to be employed; and (4) a survey of the sources sufficient to demonstrate the viability of the topic. The prospectus must be submitted in writing to the dissertation adviser for approval prior to the oral part of the qualifying examinations. After approval, a copy of the prospectus is given to each member of the examining committee.

The following coursework is required in specific fields: (1) U.S. history -- History 246A-246B-246C, one seminar in another field in the department, and one graduate level course in another department; (2) European history -- History 225; (3) African history -- History 275A-275B-275C (unless exempted by petition); (4) medieval history -- Latin 130 or 131, 243, and History C219A-C219B (a letter-graded History 596 course in paleography may be substituted for C219A-C219B with the permission of faculty).

Students who are admitted with subject deficiencies must complete courses in addition to those required for the degree program.

Members of doctoral committees may require that individual students complete additional courses that they deem necessary for preparation for the qualifying examinations. Courses taken to fulfill M.A. degree requirements may be used to satisfy Ph.D. degree requirements.

Teaching Experience

The department cannot provide teaching experience for all Ph.D. candidates and therefore does not require it for the degree. However, students should be able to demonstrate the ability to give instruction in their field.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations the University oral qualifying examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to University requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All Fields

In the written and oral qualifying examinations students are expected to demonstrate not only a mastery of their special subject, but also an extensive knowledge covering the wider field of historical knowledge; in addition, they must demonstrate an ability to correlate historical data and to explain their significance. Therefore these examinations are designed to test not just factual knowledge, but also power of historical analysis and synthesis, critical ability, and capacity for reflective thinking. Knowledge of the history of any area includes a solid understanding of its historiography and bibliography, its geography, and its political, cultural, economic, and other historical aspects.

In the oral examination, students are examined in four fields, one of which may be an approved field in anthropology, economics, geography, language and literature, philosophy, political science, or other allied subjects. This allied field must be comparable in size and scope to the established fields in history included under Major Fields or Subdisciplines. Students should select the fields in consultation with their adviser and must receive the department's approval of all four fields no less than one to two months before the written qualifying examination is taken. In the European field, students must choose their four fields by the quarter after they have successfully passed the doctoral written qualifying examination (i.e., normally by the seventh quarter of residency). To obtain approval, students must provide the Graduate Guidance and Curriculum Committee with the name of the faculty member who has agreed to serve as the sponsor of the doctoral work and the details of the proposed program. A full-time graduate student must begin the written qualifying examinations no later than the end of the ninth quarter of graduate work.

The written qualifying examination includes the major field only, except in the European field which requires a written examination in three fields. In U.S. and European history, each field administers a written qualifying examination as outlined below. The oral examination covers all four fields (except for the African field) and is normally held after the written examination. In most fields, the oral examination will be held shortly after the written examination or, at the discretion of the doctoral committee, as late as six months after the written examination. Both the written and oral examinations are to be considered by the committee as a whole in arriving at a judgment of the student's performance, except in the European field. The written qualifying examination is normally prepared and administered by the chair of the committee and read by the entire committee before the oral qualifying examination, except for the U. S. and European fields, for which separate procedures are outlined below. All students in the European field take the doctoral written qualifying examination during the sixth quarter in residence.

U.S. Field

Written Qualifying Examination

Students must take the written qualifying examination following 12 months in academic residence. The written qualifying examination is administered once a year at the beginning of Fall Quarter. Students who fail the examination may retake it once by petition when it is offered again at the beginning of the next Fall Quarter. Students who fail the examination a second time are not permitted to continue in the program.

The examination committee consists of three faculty members who in the previous year taught History 246A-246B-246C. If any of these faculty members are unavailable, preference is given, in replacing such members, to faculty members who have taught History 246A-246B-246C in recent years. The written examination is intended to test a comprehensive broad understanding of American history both before and after the independence of the U.S. All facets of history (political, social, diplomatic, etc.) are included. Therefore, an ability to synthesize factual information, sometimes across long chronological periods, is essential. Knowledge of the scholarly literature and of the principal historiographical controversies arising out of it are tested along with the student's interpretive capabilities. Passing of the examination implies that the student is qualified, in the judgment of the U.S. field, to teach courses in U.S. history at the college level. Questions related to the planning of such courses may appear on the examination.

Oral Qualifying Examination

Students must complete all prior degree requirements before taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination. Students who have outstanding Incomplete grades are not permitted to take this examination. The examination is normally taken during a student's third year of study. The examination committee must include four faculty members, including the student's adviser. Normally two members come from the U.S. field. One member must come from a field in the department other than the U.S. field, and one must come from another department.

During the examination students are questioned about their dissertation proposal and, in connection with the proposal and their preparation with the members of the examination committee, they also may be questioned on related fields of study. Students either pass or fail the examination.  By majority vote of the committee, students who fail the examination may retake it once. Students whose committees do not agree to a repeat of the examination and students who fail the examination a second time are not permitted to continue in the program.

European Field

Written Qualifying Examination

All students in the European field take the doctoral written qualifying examination during the sixth quarter in residence. Prior to taking the written qualifying examination, a student must have passed at least one language examination and have secured the agreement of a qualified member of the department in the European field to serve as chair of the doctoral committee. The European written examination is administered once a year in the week prior to the Spring Quarter. Students who fail the examination may petition to retake it in the following Spring Quarter. The examination may be retaken only once. Students who enter with a B.A. degree who fail the doctoral examination will be allowed to complete the M.A. program as outlined in the requirements. 

The entire European faculty who are in residence during the Spring Quarter administers the examination. The examination is divided into the following sections: Europe 1450-1600; Europe 1550-1880, Reformation to French Revolution; Europe since 1740; European Social and Economic History since 1450; European Intellectual and Cultural History since 1450; Russia since 800; Jewish History; East Central and Southeast Europe since 1450; Germany since 1450; Italy since 1450; Spain and Portugal since 1450, European History of Science since 1450; Women's history, Britain since ca. 1450, France since ca 1450, The Netherlands ca 1450. Students choose three sections in which they are examined.

The examination lasts three days. The examination is intended to test a comprehensive, broad understanding of European history, both of the modern and early modern periods. Different facets of history (political, social, intellectual, etc.) are included. An ability to synthesize factual information, sometimes across long chronological periods is, consequently, essential. Knowledge of the scholarly literature and of the principal historiographical controversies arising out of it is tested, along with interpretive capabilities. Questions relating to the planning of college-level history courses may appear on the examination.

Oral Qualifying Examination

For the University Oral Qualifying Examination, the student must submit four fields that will enhance the scope and quality of the dissertation. Following the written examination, a student may select a comparative field, or a field outside Europe or the department. The oral examination concerns the dissertation prospectus and the substantive elements of the four fields as they relate to the prospectus. The oral examination normally takes place at the end of nine quarters of residence but must be taken by the end of the twelfth quarter. The second language examination must be passed before a student takes the oral examination. Students who fail the oral examination must retake it, at a time set by the committee, within six months. Any variance from time limits must be approved by the European field before going to the Graduate Guidance and Curriculum Committee for final approval.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of Dissertation)

Not required for all students in the program. The decision as to whether a defense is required is made by the doctoral committee.

Time-to-Degree

Students who enter the program with a bachelor's degree are expected to complete the Ph.D. within 18 to 21 quarters, depending on the requirements of the specific field. Students who enter the program with a master's degree are expected to complete the degree within 12 to 15 quarters. The following is a suggested timeline:

End of three quarters: completion of six to nine courses, one foreign language examination.

End of six quarters: completion of master's coursework, additional language requirements, master's written examinations, submission of research papers.

End of nine to 12 quarters: completion of additional language requirements as specified by the field, completion of the prospectus and oral examinations.

End of 15 quarters: completion of archival research.

End of 18 to 21 quarters: completion of dissertation writing.

This timeline is a suggested model. Students are encouraged to complete the program in an even shorter time than suggested, if possible. The Graduate Guidance and Curriculum Committee reviews the student's progress on a regular basis and informs the student if the student fails to make normative time-to-degree progress.

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

A student may be recommended for termination at the end of the first year if the Graduate Guidance and Curriculum Committee determines, after consultation with the faculty in the student's field of study, that the student does not have the academic qualifications for successfully completing a degree. If a student's grade point average falls below 3.00 due to Incomplete grades that lapse to F, the student is given the opportunity to remove the F grades within one quarter before action is taken regarding a recommendation for termination.

A student who fails to proceed according to normal progress stipulations, is subject to termination except in cases in which extenuating circumstances prevent the student from meeting specified deadlines.

A doctoral candidate is expected to complete the dissertation no later than 18 quarters from the date of matriculation into the fields of U.S., England or British empire, or within 21 quarters of the date of entry into all other fields. A student may be granted a one year extension of time by petitioning the Graduate Guidance and Curriculum Committee and showing that the dissertation can be completed within one year. Further extensions are considered on an individual basis, taking into consideration the extent and type of research required, availability of source material, and other, sometimes personal, mitigating factors which may cause delays. It is the student's responsibility to inform both the doctoral chair and the graduate office of progress (or lack thereof) and estimated completion dates. A student may be recommended for termination after 21 quarters if there has been no communication with the department after the oral qualifying examination.

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Program Requirements