US History
The US History programme is open to all students whose research centres on colonial America since 1600 or the United States. It is designed or graduate students who wish to deepen their knowledge of this area of history and who wish to obtain experience and training in research.The course lasts for nine months (from October to June) and the examination results are normally published by the beginning of July.
The MSt in US History can be taken either as a free-standing degree, or as the first step towards one of the research degrees of M.Litt. or D.Phil. Students wishing to proceed to a research programme will be encouraged to develop their master’s and doctoral proposals in tandem during the first few months, so that they will be well placed to make their research applications in January. All students will be encouraged to attend some of the faculty’s many advanced research seminars. The admission of any candidate for further study at Oxford will depend on his/her overall performance in the master’s programme, together with the viability of any proposed research topic and the availability of appropriate supervision at Oxford
The examination comprises three elements:
- Two extended essays of up to 5,000 words on the United States and its precursor colonies. Teaching is usually arranged through tutorials. Subjects cover the history of the United States, and the colonies that preceded it, since 1600.
- An examination paper in historical methodology and historiography. Teaching of ‘Methods and Evidence in the History of the United States of America’ is arranged in weekly classes in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms. Assessment is through a three-hour written examination at the end of Trinity Term. The first term covers the major developments in historical writing from the professionalization of the discipline at the start of the 20th century through to the end of the century. The second term focuses on contemporary debates in historical writing.
- A dissertation of up to 15,000 words on a topic falling within the scope of the general subject area chosen by the candidate for the extended essays on the United States and its precursor colonies (see above). It is expected that students will write their submitted essays and dissertation on different themes, or covering a different sequence of events in American history. Examiners are expected to penalize any obvious overlap between submitted items. The Dissertation is written up during the Easter vacation and the first five weeks of Trinity Term, but it is essential that students begin to formulate and plan their dissertation in conjunction with their supervisors from the beginning of the course.
Programmes
- Research degrees (by thesis only)
- Master of Letters (M.Litt.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.)