Requirements | Application Submission | What Makes a Successful Application | Non-Degree Study | Statistics

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Requirements

As a demonstration of our commitment to excellence in historical scholarship and education, admission to our degree programs is highly competitive. It is important that each applicant clearly articulate his/her academic preparation and qualifications for graduate study at Maryland.

In order to be admitted to one of our three graduate degree programs, an applicant must have completed the bachelor's degree, or equivalent, at an accredited institution of higher learning.

Applicants are required to submit a sample of written work of historical scholarship, such as a research paper or thesis; a Statement of Goals, Experiences, & Research Interests (1000-2000 words); official transcripts of all previous academic study; three (3) letters of recommendation; and GRE scores. Additional materials may be requested.

Although there are exceptions, the minimum overall grade point average for admission to a master's degree program is 3.25 and 3.50 for admission to the doctoral program. The admissions committee would typically expect a higher grade point average in past coursework in history and related disciplines. Successful applicants usually score above the 80th percentile in the analytical writing and verbal reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. The Department does not require a GRE Subject Test.

There are no general language or special skill requirements for admission, but the command of one or more relevant languages may bear upon an applicant’s chances for admission in certain fields of study.

The admissions process is sensitive to variations in GRE scores among applicants whose primary language is not English. However, the University requires that all admitted students demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English.

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States should consult the guidelines posted by International Education Services.

Applicants to History and Library Science (HiLS) dual-degree program need to meet application requirements for both the Department of History and the College of Information Studies. For additional information on application requirements, visit the joint CLIS-History HiLS webpage.

For additional information on University admission requirements, consult the Graduate School Catalog.

Application Submission

Applications to all degree programs must be submitted through the Graduate School's Online Application Portal.

Unless specifically instructed to do so, applicants should not send application materials to the Department of History.

To the extent possible, applicants should submit all required materials, including writing samples, the resume/CV, and letters of recommendation, via the online application portal. Instructions on the electronic submission of required materials are included in the Application Supplemental Form (ASF), which is sent via email within 3-4 business days after submitting the main application. In completing the ASF, applicants should pay careful attention to supplying each recommender's complete name, professional title, institutional affiliation, and contact information, including electronic mail addresses.

Materials sent in hard copy should be directed to the University's Enrollment Services Operations (ESO), where the materials are scanned and uploaded to an electronic applicant file.

All hard-copy documents, including transcripts and letters recommendations, should be submitted together as a single package to ESO. The mailing address for ESO is:

Enrollment Services Operations
Application for Graduate Admission
Room 0130 Mitchell Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742 USA

NOTE: At the height of the main applications season, it may take two weeks or more for hard-copy materials such as letters of recommendation to be processed, scanned, and uploaded to the applicant record. Therefore, applicants are strongly urged to use the electronic submission features of the Application Supplemental Form, which greatly speed uploads to the applicant record.

What Makes a Successful Application

The admission decision is made after careful consideration of the entire application package. Each required component of the admissions package (i.e., the Statement of Goals, Experiences, & Research Interests; the writing sample; the GRE scores; the transcripts of previous academic study; and the letters of recommendation) should demonstrate the applicant's qualifications for excellence in graduate study in history. The overall package should make a strong case for the match between the applicant's interests in historical studies and the faculty, resources, and opportunities available at the University of Maryland.

All prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to make contact with the faculty in the area(s) of interest to discuss the potential opportunities and expectations for graduate study at Maryland. Faculty play an important role in the admissions decision.

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to make contact with current graduate students to learn more about their experiences. The History Graduate Student Association can facilitate communications with current students.

Non-degree Study

Students interested in graduate-level courses, but who do not intend to apply for admission to a degree program should consult the Application Guidelines for Advanced Special Student Status.

Statistics

For the 2007-08 admissions cycle, the Department received 250 applications for admission. Seventy-four applicants received an offer of admission (46 PhD; 15 MA; 13 HiLS). The Fall 2008 matriculating class will number twenty-seven.

The average GPA for students admitted for the 2007-08 admissions cycle was 3.6.

The average GRE scores, expressed as percentiles, were: Verbal: 91%; Quantitative: 53%; Analytical: 74%.