Graduate Program Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ADMISSIONS FAQs (GO TOP)
(The detailed History Application Instructions can be found at http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/admissions )

1. What is the specific procedure for applying to the Berkeley History Graduate Program?
2: Should I take the general GRE or the TOEFL and by when?
3: Must I be a history major to apply for graduate studies in history?
Can someone look over my transcript to see what I should take to be competitive for admission?
4: Should I start on the foreign language requirements prior to entering the program?
5: Are there special or additional application requirements for international students?
6: On what criteria will my application be reviewed and by whom?
7. Do you have data on the average GPA and test scores of those offered admission?
8: When will decisions be made and how will I be notified?
9: If accepted can I defer enrollment for a year?
10: If admitted, when must I register my decision to accept or not?

Q1. What is the specific procedure for applying to the Berkeley History Graduate Program?
A. Visit the History Admissions webpage for step-by-step instructions on filing a graduate application and a list of frequently-asked-questions pertaining to the mechanics of applying. Carefully read and bookmark the History Admissions webpage at http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/admissions/

Q2: Should I take the general GRE or the TOEFL and by when?
A. The answer to this question is in the FAQs on the History Admissions webpage at:
http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/admissions/

Q3: Must I be a history major to apply for graduate studies in history?
Can someone look over my transcript and tell me what courses I should take?
A: Most students admitted to our history graduate program have a BA or an MA in history, but we welcome applications from able students who have an historical foundation while majoring in other disciplines. We have admitted students over the years from majors such as American studies, sociology, economics, medieval studies, East Asian studies, Latin American studies, religious studies, philosophy, history of science, various sciences (mainly for history of science), and other majors. The most qualified non-history majors are those who have taken history courses in their area of declared interest. We regret that we do not have the resources to individually advise prospective applicants about their curriculum. Rather, one can get a sense of the kinds of courses taken by a typical history major by visiting our undergraduate website at http://history.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/requirements/

Q4: Should I start on the foreign language requirements prior to entering the program?
A. Each subfield (e.g. US Late Modern, Africa, etc) sets its own guidelines for how much language an applicant should already have at time of entry into the program. For most fields there are no hard and fast rules, but it is clearly advantageous for an individual to enter with as much relevant foreign language preparation as possible, so that once in the program s/he can spend less time on language acquisition and more time on history subject matter. The foreign language requirement for graduate students in history varies from one to four languages, depending on the field of history. Our graduate students aim to fulfill one language by the end of the second year, and they must fulfill all required languages before they can take the orals and advance to PhD candidacy (by the end of the 3rd or 4th year, depending on field). Prospective applicants should keep these guideposts in mind when planning their pre-graduate language training.

Further, the reviewers do look favorably upon evidence on an academic transcript that the applicant is capable of handling foreign language courses. A couple of fields have clearly defined their language prerequisites for entry into the program. For example, applicants hoping to enter the field of medieval history should already have Latin at the intermediate-level upon entry. Applicants to ancient Greece or Rome should have ancient Greek and Latin – at least two years of one of these ancient languages and three years of the other. For more information about the language requirements go to: Language requirements and Language Fulfillment

Q5: Are there special or additional application requirements for international students?
A. The answer to this question is too long to answer in a FAQ. Please refer to Minimum Degree Requirements and Required Records of Academic Work on the
Graduate Division website. Web link: http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/admis_require.shtml#4

Q6. On what criteria will my history application be reviewed and by whom?
A. The department considers all components of an applicant file, and in general no one metric will make or break a person’s chance of admission.. Each history application is first reviewed by at least two history faculty members (usually in the stated field of interest). These “field reviewers” evaluate the applicant's academic degrees and record, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, foreign language training, test scores (general Graduate Record Examination or TOEFL), writing sample, and the fit between the applicant's goals and the program's degree offerings and faculty research interests. The reviewers select the strongest applicants and recommend names to the history admissions committee members, who make the final decision. By the end of the process, applications of those admitted will have been evaluated by around seven faculty members.

Q7. Do you have data on the average GPA and test scores of those offered admission?
A. We offer the following data only because many prospective applicants request it. Remember that these are only averages (not a range) and the averages vary from year to year. Our department receives 350 to 400 applications and selects a class of around 26 students each year. The data for a recent cohort of domestic admits were: Average GPA of 3.82 undergraduate, 3.93 graduate, and 3.83 history; Average GRE scores of 96% verbal; 71% quantitative; and 5.42 analytical writing on a scale of 1 to 6. We do not set a minimum for GRE scores. The minimum acceptable score on the TOEFL is 570 out of 677 for the paper test, and for the new IBT Internet-based test the aggregate minimum is 68 with minimum sub-scores of 18 writing, 17 speaking, 16 listening, and 17 reading. (A score of at least 26 in speaking satisfies the language proficiency requirement for student teaching positions.) The TOEFL scores of our admitted foreign-educated students usually exceed the minimum. A recent cohort of foreign admits averaged: 613 (paper test) and 109 (IBT TOEFL test) with sub-scores of 29 writing, 27 speaking 29 listening, and 24 reading.

Q8: When will decisions be made and how will I be notified?
A. We email our decision by early March. It is therefore imperative that an accurate email address be entered into your online application. The History Graduate Admissions Committee reviews applications, makes an initial recommendation to the Graduate Division to admit selected applicants, and notifies applicants of their recommendation to admit. The department's recommendation is usually approved by the Graduate Division; however, only the written notice of the Dean of the Graduate Division (also emailed) constitutes official admission. In the past, denials of recommended applicants were usually related to an applicant's inability to produce the required documentation from schools attended. Review the Graduate Division's Minimum Degree Requirements and Required Records of Academic Work, which explains what documents (and translations) must be produced as part of the completed application.

Q9: If accepted can I defer enrollment for a year?
A. No we do not defer enrollment. Apply for the year of expected enrollment.

Q10: If admitted, when must I register my decision to accept or not?
A. April 15 is the deadline for admitted students to accept or decline their offers of admission. This deadline is a national deadline for all schools that are a part of the Council of Graduate Schools.
http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/CGSResolutionJune2008.pdf

For detailed instructions on how to apply to the History Department go to: http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/admissions/

HISTORY PROGRAM OFFERINGS FAQs (GO TOP)
(See Higher Degrees Program Guide for complete details)

1: What graduate degrees do you offer in history?
2: What fields of study does Berkeley offer?
3: Can I pursue a Berkeley history graduate degree part-time, through evening courses, or through distance learning or correspondence?
4. If I am not a Berkeley student, can I take just one or two courses at Berkeley?
5: Q: Do you offer a “first field” in Legal History?

Q1: What graduate degrees do you offer in history?
A: We offer a combined MA/PhD and a PhD degree in history. We do not offer a stand-alone, or terminal master’s degree, but students who enter the program without an MA in history can file for the MA while progressing toward the doctorate after fulfilling MA requirements, and they should indicate MA/PhD as their degree goal when applying to our program. Applicants who already hold an MA in history indicate “PhD” as their degree goal.

Q2: What fields of study does Berkeley offer?
The Berkeley History Department offers 16 established fields: Africa, America since 1607, Ancient Greece/Rome, Britain since 1509, Byzantine, Early Modern Europe, East Asia China, East Asia Japan, History of Science, Jewish History, Late Modern Europe Since 1789, Latin America, Medieval Europe, Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia.

Q3: Can I pursue a Berkeley history graduate degree part-time, through evening courses, or through distance learning or correspondence?
A. No. Ours is a full-time program which requires the full-time commitment of students.

Q4: If I am not a Berkeley student, can I take just one or two courses at Berkeley?

A: During the academic year, Berkeley courses are normally not open to individuals not formally admitted to Berkeley as a four-year undergraduate or a graduate student. Individuals not enrolled at Berkeley are permitted to enroll in undergraduate history courses during the Berkeley Summer Session, which is open to the public. No graduate courses are offered during Summer Session (see http://summer.berkeley.edu). In limited cases it may be possible for a non-Berkeley individual to obtain the permission of a Berkeley faculty member, the Chair, and the Dean to take a regular Berkeley course during the academic year through University Extension's "concurrent enrollment." Be aware, however, that you are considered an Extension student, not a Berkeley student, when enrolled through Concurrent Enrollment; and that Concurrent Enrollment is not intended as a means of accumulating credit toward a Berkeley degree by a student who has not been formally admitted to Berkeley. For more information about University Extension go to: http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/ (Click on Frequently Asked Questions.)

Q5: Do you offer a “first field” in Legal History?
A: No. The History Department does not offer a first field in legal history. Students are free to construct a second examination field on a comparative legal theme as part of Option C, but in strict adherence to the requirements of that option. For more information about Option C read about PhD field information at:
http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/programguide/

HISTORY PROGRAM PRACTICES FAQs (GO TOP)
(See Higher Degrees Program Guide (updated by mid-July) for details
http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/programguide/)

1: How long does it take to complete the MA/PhD or the PhD program?
2: Can I transfer credits from my MA program taken elsewhere to the PhD program at Berkeley?

Q1: How long does it take to complete the MA/PhD or the PhD program?
A: The time by which students are expected to complete the PhD program is six or seven years depending on the field in which they entered. Fields with six year time-to-degree (3 years to the qualifying exam, 3 years in candidacy): Britain since 1509, Early Modern Europe, History of Science, Late Modern Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and United States. For fields requiring extensive language training the time-to-degree is seven years (4 years to the qualifying exam and 3 years in candidacy). Seven year fields are: Africa, Ancient Greece and Rome, Byzantine, East Asia, Jewish, Medieval, Middle East, and South Asia)..

Q2: Can I transfer credits from my MA program taken elsewhere to the PhD program at Berkeley?
A. After you complete one year of coursework toward the PhD here at Berkeley, you may petition to have typically no more than two graduate courses taken elsewhere applied to our PhD course requirements. You should be prepared to produce syllabi, exams, and papers so that equivalency can be established. If approved, the course will not appear on the Berkeley transcript but will be accepted internally toward PhD requirements.

FINANCES FAQs (GO TOP)

1: How much does a graduate education cost?
2: What kind of financial aid is available for history graduate students?
3: Do I have to file a FAFSA to be eligible for financial aid and graduate fellowships?

Q1 How much does a graduate education cost?
A. Information about the cost of graduate education can be found on our FINANCES webpage. The link is: http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/finances.html We usually update this information around July.

Q2 What financial support is available for history graduate students?
A. Information about funding opportunities can be found on our Finances webpage. The link is: http://history.berkeley.edu/graduate/finances.html Scroll down to the Financial Support section. We usually update this information around July.

Q3: Do I have to file a FAFSA to be eligible for financial aid and graduate fellowships?
A. YES. If you wish to be offered a need-based graduate loan, work-study or low-income parent grant from the University Financial Aid Office, you should file the FAFSA and have the report sent to Berkeley in March. In addition, if you accept a University or Department fellowship you must still file the FAFSA but you have until June 30 to have the FAFSA sent to Berkeley. UC Berkeley’s FAFSA school code is 001312.

END FAQS
(GO TOP)
Updated June 22, 2009 4:19 PM