Overview
Programs of Study
The Department of History, located in the College of Arts and Sciences at Seton Hall University, offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree program with four concentrations: United States, European, global, and Catholic history. The program requires successful completion of ten courses (30 credits). All students must take an introductory course called The Historian's Craft, a minimum of one Program in Directed Readings (PDR) course, four courses in the chosen area of concentration, and electives in other areas. Advanced graduate students may choose either to conduct two semesters of thesis research and writing or to complete comprehensive written and oral examinations in the final semester of study.
The master's program requires all students to pass a foreign language translation exam (proving reading knowledge) or demonstrate mastery of advanced statistical methods.
This program is particularly attractive to K-12 teachers who are interested in an advanced degree in their field, as well as librarians and other professionals desiring a second advanced degree. It also provides a solid basis for those interested in continuing in a doctoral program.
Seton Hall University undergraduates who have completed 75 credits toward their undergraduate degree in history, with at least 21 credits in history (at least seven courses) are eligible to apply to the combined B.A./M.A. program option and complete both degrees in five years.
More information about graduate study in history at Seton Hall is available at http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/ma-history/.
Research Facilities
Students have access to Seton Hall's Walsh Library as well as libraries at area colleges and the many important research facilities in New York City. The Walsh Library is a pioneer in electronic research, making numerous online databases, journals, and resources available both on and off campus.
Financial Aid
Students may apply for graduate assistantships in the Department of History. Graduate assistants work for the Department or individual professors on special projects. The assistantships offer tuition remission and a stipend. Students should contact the Department of History for information about these graduate assistantships.
Additional graduate assistantships are available through the Office of Graduate Programs. Graduate assistants work in a variety of campus positions and receive tuition benefits and a stipend. For more information, students should visit http://www.shu.edu/applying/graduate/grad-finaid.cfm.
Cost of Study
Tuition is $901 per credit; all courses are 3 credits. Fees are $305 per semester for full-time students and $185 per semester for part-time students. Students not on assistantships may, for a fee, lease an IBM laptop computer. All students have access to free computer training.
Living and Housing Costs
Housing and living costs in South Orange are comparable to most suburbs of major cities, with studio and one-bedroom apartments renting for $750 to $1200 per month.
Student Group
The M.A. program enrolls approximately 20 full-time and part-time students. Entering classes consist of 8 to 10 students per year.
Location
Seton Hall University, located in South Orange, New Jersey, is only 14 miles by train, bus, or car from New York City, offering students a unique cosmopolitan location complete with cultural, employment, and internship opportunities.
The University and The Department
Seton Hall is New Jersey's largest Catholic university. The University's diverse academic program is characterized by a strong teaching faculty and a wide range of academic choices. Students benefit from the personal attention generated by small classes and a low student-faculty ratio. At Seton Hall, students find people who are willing to listen, offer support, and help them get the most out of their education.
The Department of History's faculty is distinguished by excellent scholarship and teaching. Faculty members regularly publish books and articles and participate in local, regional, and international conferences.
Applying
Applicants, other than dual-degree candidates, must have a baccalaureate degree, preferably in history or a history-related field, such as political science, geography, or economics. Students who have majored in other fields may be asked to take up to four undergraduate courses in history. Applicants must submit the Seton Hall University Graduate Application (available through a link on the Web site of the M.A. in History program at http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/ma-history/) as well as a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).
Candidates applying for a graduate assistantship can find the online application at http://www.shu.edu/applying/graduate/grad-finaid.cfm. This application should be submitted with a statement of interest in the position and a writing sample. Students should contact the Department of History for more information on graduate assistantships.
The Graduate Faculty and Their Research
Tracey E. Billado, Ph.D., Emory. Medieval.
William J. Connell, Ph.D., Berkeley. Renaissance, Italy, Italian American.
Larry A. Greene, Ph.D., Columbia. United States, urban, African American.
Williamjames Hull Hoffer, J.D., Harvard; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins. United States, law, economy.
Nathaniel Knight, Ph.D., Columbia. Russia/Soviet Union, Eastern Europe.
Daniel J. Leab, Ph.D., Columbia. United States, labor, film.
Maxine N. Lurie, Ph.D., Wisconsin. United States, colonial and revolutionary, New Jersey.
Maxim Matusevich, Ph.D., Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Global, Africa.
James P. McCartin, Ph.D., Notre Dame. United States, Catholic, religion and culture.
Mark C. Molesky, Ph.D., Harvard. Germany, France, intellectual.
Dermot A. Quinn, D.Phil., Oxford. England, Ireland, intellectual.
Thomas F. Rzeznik, Ph.D., Notre Dame. American religious.
Kirsten Schultz, Ph.D., NYU. Immigration, Latin America.
Correspondence and Information
Seton Hall University
Dr. Dermot Quinn, Director of Graduate Studies
Department of History
College of Arts and Sciences
Fahy Hall, Room 339
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, New Jersey 07079
Telephone: 973-275-2984
Fax: 973-761-7798
Email: quinnder@shu.edu
