The Department of History at San Francisco State University offers a Master of Arts with an emphasis in the history of Latin America. In order to meet various students' needs, the program provides training for those preparing for further graduate work, for those interested in a teaching credential, and for those planning to terminate their training at the Master's level and seek employment in areas for which they are qualified. Thus, the M.A. program in Latin American History is designed to accommodate students' varied interests and needs as they pursue a course of study under the direction of Professor Abdiel Oñate and Professor Julyana Peard. Together with the professors, students plan a program to give both breadth and depth to their understanding of the Latin American past. The faculty are familiar with and sensitive to the needs of students who must work, part-time or full-time, while pursuing their graduate program.

The student must take a minimum of thirty units of upper division and graduate coursework. Of these units, at least on-half, or fifteen units, must be graduate level work (i.e. courses numbered 700 and above). In addition to coursework, the student must satisfy a Culminating Experience Requirement (either a comprehensive examination in the major field or a master's thesis and oral defense of thesis) and the Auxiliary Skills Requirement.

Coursework

1. Courses common to all history graduate students (6 units):

HIST 700: History as a Field of Knowledge (This course should be taken in the first semester of study)

HIST 896: Directed Reading (the M.A. Comprehensive Examination) or HIST 898: Master's Thesis

2. Field and Research Requirements (24 units):

A candidate for the Master's of Arts in History must be prepared in two fields: major field (9-15 units) and a minor field (9 units). An emphasis on Latin America is available in both the major and minor fields. The candidate will be expected to demonstrate competence in the major field by passing a four-hour written comprehensive examination in that field. Under certain circumstances a student may be permitted to write a thesis and make an oral defense of the thesis in the major field of study. Note that under department rules, students may take only three units of HIST 899 (Special Study) on their Graduate Approved Program. Upon approval from the Graduate Coordinator students may substitute one required graduate seminar for another.

The Major in Latin American History (9-15 units):

Required graduate courses:

HIST 830 Seminar in Latin America (This course is to be taken twice, each time with a different topic; a second graduate seminar may be taken outside the department with the consent of the major adviser in Latin American history.)

A minimum of three upper-division courses selected from the following and upon consultation with major adviser:

HIST 510 Colonial Latin America

HIST 520 Central America and the Caribbean

HIST 524 History of Mexico

HIST 528 History of Brazil

HIST 550 Social Change in Latin America

The Minor in Latin American History (9 units):

The minor field consists of nine units, three of which must be taken through HIST 830 Seminar in Latin American History. The other six units may be selected from the above listed upper-division courses in Latin American history. Three units of work in the minor field may be taken outside of the department. For more information, please consult the Graduate Student's Manual provided by the Department of History at SFSU.

Please contact the department of history for more information.

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