Department of History

Ph.D. and M.A. Language Requirements

  • Ph.D. candidates in Chinese, European, and Latin American history must demonstrate competency in two foreign lanaguages.
  • Ph.D. candidates in history of science, Japanese, and United States history, as well as M.A. candidates in European and Latin American history must demonstrate competency in one foreign language.
  • Ph.D. candiates in ancient history require two modern foreign languages, as well as the relevant ancient languages.
  • Ph.D. candidates in Middle Eastern history must possess a sound foundation in reading Arabic or Turkish (Ottoman Turkish or modern Turkish) as a requirement for admission to the program. Reading competence in two languages in addition to English is required before advancement to candidacy: the regional language Arabic or Turkish above, and a modern European language (other than English) related to the major field of specialization.
Additional languages appropriate to the special field of study as well as language requirements for a candidate in fields other than those already mentioned, may be required by the Graduate Committee in consultation with the student's major field adviser.

Students may satisfy the foreign language requirement in one of the following ways:
  1. By completing, with a grade of B- or better in each term, a two year language sequence from the student's undergraduate institution. Such a sequence must have been completed within two years of the time the request is made to the Graduate Committee for certification of competency.
  2. By completing, while a graduate student, a two-year, lower-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term.
  3. By completing, while a graduate student, a one-year upper-division sequence in the language approved by the Graduate Committee, with a satisfactory (S) grade in each term.
  4. By passing a translation examination administered by the department. (This is the only option available for Chinese and Japanese.) A faculty examiner chooses a text that is approximately 3-4 paragraphs, and historical in nature. Students are given two hours to take the exam, and are permitted the use of a dictionary. The criteria for evaluation are somewhat subjective, but will focus on the grasp of meaning and concepts, rather than word for word translation. Exams will also be offered twice a year, once in the fall quarter and once in the spring quarter. Students may also petition the graduate coordinator to take them at an alternate time. At the beginning of the fall and spring quarters, the graduate coordinator will poll students about their intentions to be tested, and will schedule an exam time, usually in the sixth week of classes.
Students are urged to complete at least one foreign language examination by the end of the first year of study and must do so by the beginning of the third year of study. Failure to meet this requirement is grounds for denial of financial support. No student may take the oral qualifying examination before completing all language requirements.