The 4/1 Program enables outstanding undergraduate history majors at UF to obtain a BA and an MA after the successful completion of 150 credit hours. The program is designed for the student who is considering attending graduate school in history but requires more training before moving onto a PhD program. The program is also appropriate for the student who wishes to continue her/his education in history past the undergraduate level but who does not desire a career as a professional historian. Advanced training in history can provide students with the intellectual tools needed for success in a wide variety of careers.
Students will enter the 4/1 program at the beginning of the senior year. The BA will be awarded after the successful completion of 120 hours of university course credit as a History major. The student will enroll in two graduate level courses in her/his senior year. The student, thus, will enter the graduate program with six regular graduate course credit hours. In her/his fifth year, the student will take twelve regular graduate course credit hours in each academic semester. The quality of graduate training that the student receives will be commensurate with that of a graduate student who enters our MA program after attaining a BA at another institution. All students are assigned a faculty mentor/supervisor and two other faculty members who together constitute the student’s supervisory committee.
Students in this program will not be eligible for departmentally controlled financial aid. Since students in the 4/1 program have a graduate classification, students receiving undergraduate scholarships or Pell grants should check with the provider of the funding to make sure that they will not lose eligibility.
Admission to the program will be competitive. All students wishing to be considered for admission will apply to the Department’s Graduate Committee (email to: deardorff.max@ufl.edu) by January 15 of the Spring semester of their Junior Year. The Committee will consider the student’s performance in upper division history classes and especially the Junior Seminar (4930). The application also includes a formal letter in which the student describes her/his interests, a writing sample (no less than 8 pages, no more than 25 pages), and three letters of recommendation. After a thorough review, the Committee will extend offers to the most qualified students by April 1. In order for admitted students to continue in the program after receiving their BA, they must have earned a “B” or better in the two 5000 level courses taken in their senior year.
The Department of History no longer requires the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for admission.
The structure of the program is as follows:
Step 1: Junior Year Semester 5 – Fall Semester
Two history Courses (3000 level or above) – 6 credits (includes junior seminar)
Social & Behavioral Science (GE) – 3 credits
Physical & Biological Sciences – 3 credits
Electives – 3 credits
Total: 15 hours
Step 2: Semester 6 – Spring Semester
Two history Courses (3000 level or above) – 6 credits (includes junior seminar if not yet taken)
Electives (3000-level or above) – 9 credits
Total: 15 hours
Step 3: Student applies for entry to 4/1 Program application materials due January 15
Step 4: Senior Year: Enter 4/1 Program
Step 5: Semester 7 – Fall Semester
One History Course (5000 level. Student must earn a “B” or better) – 3 credits
Electives (3000 level or above) – 9-12 credits
Total: 12-15 hours
Step 6: Semester 8 – Spring Semester
One History Course (5000 level. Student must earn a “B” or better.) – 3 credits
Electives (3000 level or above) – 9-12 credits
Total: 12-15 hours
Step 7: Obtain BA – 120 hours
Step 8: Enter Graduate School (8 Graduate Credits From UG transfer to MA program)
Step 9: Semester 9 – Fall Semester
Two History Courses (5000 6000 level incl. one theory/methods course) – 6 credits
One elective outside Department (3000 level or above) – 3 credits
Total: 12 hours
Step 10: Semester 10 – Spring Semester
Three History Courses (5000 6000 level incl. one theory/methods course) – 12 credits
Total: 30 graduate hours and 150 total hours at UF
The student attains the required 30 course credit hours and graduates with a Non thesis MA at the end of Spring Semester of her/his fifth year. Since this is a non thesis program, the Department’s regulations regarding the degree will be applied. Thus, in order to obtain the degree the student must take 12 course credit hours in their major field, 8 hours inside of the Department but outside of their major field, 8 hours of theory and methods courses, and 4 hours from courses outside of the Department. They must pass a two hour comprehensive written examination, submit a 35-40 page original paper of publication quality, and sit a two hour oral examination conducted by the student’s supervisory committee. The written examination will cover only the materials covered in the seminars taken by the student, and the oral examination will focus on the written examination and the non thesis paper.
Questions about this program should be referred to either the Undergraduate Coordinator or the Graduate Coordinator.