Registration and course credit
- Students must be registered for courses a week before the semester begins. Adding a graduate course during the Registrar’s “add” period is not permitted.
- Students may not register for more than three graduate courses (9 credits) per semester.
- Students may count up to two courses (6 credits) outside the History Department at the discretion of the program director.
- Students may take one undergraduate course in the Rutgers-Camden History Department (with adjusted workload, with permission of the professor) as an elective course for graduate credit.
- Students may count up to six credits of transfer credit at the discretion of the program director. Transfer credits will only count towards elective courses, not core requirements.
- Three credits toward the degree may be fulfilled by an Independent Study course arranged by special permission with a member of the History Department faculty. Independent Study courses outside the History Department are not permitted.
Progress toward the degree
- Only one course grade below a B will count towards the degree.
- A second grade below a B may result in a student’s termination from the program.
- A grade of “Incomplete” (IN) in any course may be granted at the discretion of the professor. The amount of extra time allowed for a student to complete the work for a course will be determined by the professor and may not exceed one calendar year. IN grades that are not resolved within the time allowed (at the faculty member’s discretion; no more than one year) will convert to an F.
- A grade of F in any course will result in a student’s termination from the program.
- A student may withdraw from a course (with a grade of W on the transcript) during the time period allowed by the university. However, more than one “W” grade may result in a student’s termination from the program.
- All incomplete coursework must be completed and IN grades converted to a final grade at least two weeks before a student is scheduled to take their oral exam.
- A student may petition for Matriculation Continued status if they must take time away from the program. Before petitioning for Matriculation Continued status, a student must have completed at least nine credits in History Department courses in the M.A. program. Students may not register for Matriculation Continued status for more than two semesters (consecutive or not).
Oral exams
- The oral exam is the culmination of each student’s work in the M.A. program in History. The exam committee consists of three faculty members with whom the student has taken courses during their time in the program; each committee member provides the student with a short list of questions to prepare in advance.
- As part of their preparation for the exam, students meet with each faculty member on the committee at least twice to discuss their approach to responding to the questions.
- During the one-hour exam, which typically takes place in mid-April during the student’s final semester, the student demonstrates their mastery of material in these three fields of study.
- The schedule leading up to the oral exam is as follows:
- By February 1: The composition of the student’s committee is confirmed by the program director; the scheduling process begins.
- By February 10: Each committee member sends the student a list of questions to prepare.
- By February 28: The oral exam schedule is set.
- By late February: The student schedules the first of the required meetings with the faculty member; meeting #1 must take place before spring break.
- By the end of spring break: The student schedules the second of the required meetings with the faculty member; meeting #2 must take place before April 10.
- By April 10: Each member of the student’s committee must confirm that the student is ready to take the exam. (If one or more committee members determine the student is not adequately prepared by April 10, they may require a third meeting before the scheduled exam.)
- Students have the option to bring one 3×5” note card, with handwritten notes on one side, for each of the three examination fields (three note cards total).
Professional conduct and collegiality
- Students are expected to treat fellow students and faculty members with professional courtesy and respect at all times. Students are expected to respect the authority of faculty members and to accept their suggestions and critical feedback with courtesy.
- In the classroom, students are expected to adhere the professor’s policies (written and verbal) regarding use of screens. Most often, this means turning off phones and internet browsers during seminar meetings.
- Students are expected to adhere to policies in the Rutgers University Code of Student Conduct, the Graduate School’s Standards of Professional Conduct and Collegiality, and to faculty members’ classroom policies (written and verbal). Students who violate any of these policies will be notified of their violation in writing. Any repeat offense may result in a student’s termination from the program.
Academic integrity
- Students are expected to adhere to the highest academic integrity standards. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and helping or allowing others to commit these acts are examples of academic misconduct and will result in disciplinary action.
- In a situation involving suspected academic misconduct, the faculty member reserves the right to assign a failing grade on the assignment.
- Disciplinary action for an academic integrity violation may include but is not limited to failure on the assignment, failure of the course, or termination from the program.
- All cases of academic misconduct will be reported to the program director and to the associate dean of the Graduate School.
