The M.A. program in comparative history has two main goals. One is to train students
to do comparative historical research — not only to study individual countries
in depth, but also to explore thematic issues in a broader transnational context.
That comparative perspective makes it possible to determine what is common, what
is unique and thereby to draw conclusions about general patterns and dynamics.
Although principally focused on Europe, the program encourages students to include
other regions and thereby broaden the global scope of their studies.
A second, major objective is to develop research and writing skills —
which are invaluable regardless of a student’s further plans and career
aspirations. To meet these goals, the M.A. program in comparative history offers
several dedicated graduate courses and lays strong emphasis on the first-year
research paper (with constructive guidance from the entire faculty, not only
the main adviser).
Apart from intellectual curiosity and gratification, there are some practical
reasons to seek the M.A. degree:
* Enhanced credentials for doctoral program: The M.A. will significantly
enhance your qualifications if you plan to pursue a full-time doctoral program;
this can be especially useful if you seek to enter graduate school in a field
outside your undergraduate major or if you earned the bachelor’s from a
less prestigious institution.
* Material benefits: Having the M.A. significantly enhances your qualifications
and pay in most public and private organizations.
* Test the water: The one-year M. A. can help you decide whether the
academic path is right for you — before you invest a great deal of time
and resources in a multiyear doctoral program.
* Transferable skills: The emphasis on research and writing will give
you skills that are critical for every career path.
It is certainly possible to earn an M.A. at many fine institutions, but there
are compelling reasons why you should consider studying at Brandeis:
* First-class training: The American History program is a highly selective
program that trains students in the broad field of American history, problems
in historiography and critical thinking, research and writing skills.
* Dedicated mentoring: Brandeis is a small research university with an
emphasis on small classes and genuine mentorship; each student has the opportunity
to work closely with a distinguished scholar.
* Scholarships: To enable qualified students to attend Brandeis, the
graduate school has a need-based scholarship fund that allows a partial reduction
in the cost of tuition and fees.
* Intellectual diversity: Brandeis has an array of graduate programs
that complement and overlap with the graduate program in American history, including
politics, Near Eastern and Judaic studies, sociology, and English and American
literature. Faculty in the African and Afro-American studies and American studies
departments play key roles in the program. The program also complements the
comparative history program in the Brandeis history department; this graduate
program provides traditional disciplinary training with a comparative perspective
that is fundamental to a broader understanding of the issues, patterns and dynamics
of change.
* Career support: The Office of Career Services helps to identify opportunities,
design an effective resume and prepare for interviews.
* Library resources: Library resources include our own Goldfarb Library,
a collection of exceptional strength in American history. In addition, the Boston
Library Consortium allows graduate students to use books in major libraries
throughout the area. Graduate students have full access to many nearby manuscript
repositories. Brandeis is within easy commuting distance of some of the very
best public and private libraries in the United States, including the Boston
Athenaeum, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Boston Public Library and
the American Antiquarian Society.
* Boston: Brandeis students partake of the rich intellectual and cultural
environment of the Boston area — from a plethora of events at area universities
to the array of museums and other institutions in metropolitan Boston. The Boston
Area Graduate History Network is a recently formed consortium of graduate history
programs. It facilitates cross-registration in courses offered by different
institutions, and publicizes seminars, talks and other events of interest to
students of history.
The M.A. Curriculum
This one-year, full-time program has the following requirements
* Foreign language: Each student must pass an examination in one foreign
language (test of reading knowledge, with use of a dictionary.
* Graduate seminars: Although the seminar offerings vary from year to
year, students normally enroll in several graduate seminars (Historical Methods,
Early Modern Europe, Modern Europe, Comparative History, Global History, Historiography).
* First-year research paper: This M.A. thesis, based on original research
in primary resources, is the product of year-long course, with ample opportunity
to consult with the entire faculty, not only the thesis supervisors.
View more details on
Brandeis University.
