General Information about the Program

Thank you for your interest in graduate studies in History at Loyola University Chicago! 

My strongest recommendation is that you carefully study our web site.  We have been working hard to renew and update it with much information about our programs and especially our faculty.  The program "blog" also  has some further details.    

The key thing in deciding on any program is whether individual faculty members are working on and teaching about things that interest and excite you personally.  Only you can be the best judge of that.  Our program is very competitive, especially in the US areas and particularly in the area of Public History, which is a significant blend of training for both academic and non-academic careers with History.  

Again, please look through the links above, and through the program site in general.  Read through the faculty pages and see if your instincts draw you toward Loyola.  Feel free to contact any of our faculty directly to express your interests and determine if they coordinate with their teaching.  

General Steps for New Students

You should have received an official notification from the Graduate School giving you basic information about how to access LOCUS in order to enroll in classes, etc.  

As is explained in the letter, your first step is to go to http://luc.edu/gpem/newadmit.shtml and look carefully at the advice and information on that page.  This will help you to access LOCUS, which is where you will take care of registration and other functions.  I recommend that you watch the Tutorial, since Locus can be a little tricky no matter how computer savvy you are.  

Go to  the link on the program website for the graduate courses offered in the coming Fall.  Look carefully at the graduate offerings , as well as the 300 level courses. You may take 300 level undergraduate courses for graduate credit TWICE  (two times in your MA program), so that might be an option as you enter.  But remember that you can only do it for two courses.   

A full time load is three courses.  But you are not required to do that, if you are working,  etc.  You will need to take History 400 in the first year, either Fall or Spring semester.

By the start of the year, you will receive access to  an Advisory form for your program (MA, PhD, etc.).  This will be your road map as you progress through the program.  We will be setting up a shared directory in "luc.box.com" where I will ask you to keep an updated version of this through your career here.  

I would start in classes that are most consistent with your main interests, allowing you to get a strong start.  All this said, you may also directly contact faculty in your area, who can give you some more detailed advice.  

5 Year BA/MA Tuition Schedule

The BA/MA Program is not unlike other 'dual career' programs in which during the student's senior year they can take up to 9 credits of graduate level work while still in the Undergraduate school.

So, for billing purposes, charges would work this way for both Dylan and Liam:

For the first 120 credit hours of 'completed' course hours the students are charged as if they were an Undergraduate student.  The mix of classes (Undergrad level VS Grad level) does not matter.)

This means that while under 120 hours, two scenarios can emerge:

If the total combined hours taken in a given term is between 12 and 21 hours, the student would  be charged the flat rate based on their Undergraduate Admit Term:

Students entering Fall 2013	$17,750.00
Students entering Fall 2012	$17,327.50
Students entering before Fall 2012	$16,960.00

If the total combined hours taken in a given term is less than 12 hours, the student would be charged the hourly undergraduate rate of $690.00

After the 120 hours of completed course hours, the student will be charged at the Graduate School per credit hour rate no matter the level of the class taken. Beginning fall 2013 that rate is $930.00 per credit hour.

Financial Options for MA Students

Regarding financial aid options.  The Department of History does not offer support for persons working on the Masters Degree.  The only forms of merit support we have are Teaching Assistantships for Ph.D. candidates.  Therefore, the general information provided by the Graduate School is the most relevant.  MA students generally put together combinations of work and loans.  

Arranging Non-Traditional Minor Fields

It is possible to construct a non-traditional, thematic minor (i.e., not Modern Europe, Medieval, etc.).  But this needs to be worked out with care.  You will need to propose the possible course work and instructors you would include (which can be outside of the History Department, if appropriate).  This should be done in consultation with your major area advisor, as well as the instructors outside of the Department (who need to verify that your work for them will satisfy graduate history requirements, etc.).  You can present the plan to the GPD before we ask for approval from the Graduate School.  

From http://www.luc.edu/history/Comp_exam.shtml

Comprehensive field examination instructions

Department of History
Field Examination Instructions 
(Revised 27 April 2012)

Introduction

The comprehensive examination covers a field of study broadly defined.  Students will be asked to demonstrate an acceptable level of understanding of the entire breadth of a historical field in terms of various subject areas and chronological coverage.  Core readings for each field will serve as the basis of student reading lists.  In general, the comprehensive examination focuses on historiography and historiographical debates.  Students in U.S. history, medieval and renaissance history, and modern European history should consult the suggested reading lists compiled by the faculty for designated chronological and thematic areas.  Students should use these suggested reading lists as the basis for putting together their own examination list.  These lists are available from the graduate programs secretary.  For students in other fields, please consult old examination reading lists (on file with the graduate programs secretary) as guides.  However, each student is ultimately responsible for developing his/her own bibliography which will serve as the basis for the examination.  The members of the student’s committee may add or delete works from the list, and ALL members of the committee MUST approve the final reading list no later than one month before the examination.

There is no magic number of books and/or articles for an exam reading list.  However, reading lists generally will run in length as follows:

MA major field examinations and Ph.D. minor fields examinations:  50-70 works.

Ph.D. major field examinations:  80-120 works.

Examination Timing

Students should complete their major field examinations as they complete the course work for their particular degree.  If not taken during the last semester of course work, the examination should be completed during the semester immediately following the completion of such course work.  Specifically, MA major field examinations should occur as students complete the 27 hours required for the degree.  MA Public History students should take their examinations as they complete the 33 hours for that degree. PhD students should take their major field examinations at the conclusion of the 57 hours of course work required for that degree and before they take the Dissertation Proposal Seminar.  Minor field exams should be taken within a semester after the course work for that portion of the degree is completed.

Major and Minor Field Examinations in U.S. History:

For the M.A. major field examination or the Ph.D. minor field examination in U.S. history, students should choose two of the three designated chronological areas.  They should also choose one thematic area for the examination.  For the Ph.D. major field examination in U.S. history, students should choose two of the three designated chronological areas.  They should also choose two thematic areas for the examination.   The three designated chronological areas are: early America (before 1800); 19^th-century U.S. history; and 20^th-century U.S. history.  Thematic areas include: urban, women/gender, sexuality, Atlantic world, Indian, cultural, African-American/race, American west, immigration and ethnicity, labor, environmental, and legal.  Other thematic fields are possible with the approval of all committee members. 

Major and Minor Field Examinations in non-U.S. History Fields:

For the M.A. major field examination and the Ph.D. major and minor field examinations in areas outside of U.S. history (such as medieval/renaissance, modern/early modern Europe and other thematic fields), students should work closely with their committee members to create reading lists with a broad chronological sweep and a set number of thematic areas.

Examination Format:

The designated take-home examination formats are as follows:

M.A. Major Field: Students must answer two examination questions (out of a possible four questions) by producing two 10-15 page essays.  Examination essays should quote when necessary from readings and use formal citations of endnotes or footnotes in accordance the University of Chicago Press’s Manual of Style(available at: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html), Kate Turabian, Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, or the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3^rd edition.  The student has one week to complete the examination.

Ph.D. Minor Field: Students must answer two examination questions (out of a possible four questions) by producing two 10-15 page essays.  Examination essays should quote when necessary from readings and use formal citations s of endnotes or footnotes in accordance the University of Chicago Press’s Manual of Style(available at: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html) or the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3^rdedition.  The student has one week to complete the examination.

Ph.D. Major Field: Students must answer three examination questions (out of a possible six questions) by producing three 10-15 page essays.  Examination essays should quote from readings when necessary and use formal citations s of endnotes or footnotes in accordance the University of Chicago Press’s Manual of Style(available at: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html ), Kate Turabian, Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, or the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3^rd edition.  The student has two weeks to complete the examination.

The take-home examination in the Ph.D. Major Field is followed by a two-hour oral examination.  The oral examination is normally scheduled within two weeks of taking and passing the take-home examination.  No oral exam is required for the M.A. Major Field or Ph.D. Minor Field.

Students must complete the examination within the designated one- or two-week period.  Failure to complete the exam on time will result in a failing grade and the student will be required to retake the examination. Only in exceptional circumstances can this rule be waived.

Public History Oral Exam: The public history oral examination for M.A. students in the public history program and for Ph.D. students in the joint public history and U.S. history program is a two hour examination.

Designated hours for comprehensive examinations under the old format (open to students who entered the program before fall 2010):

M.A. Major field                     3 hrs.                                       Ph.D. Major field                    5 hrs.

Ph.D. Minor field                    3 hrs.

Public History Oral                 2 hrs.                                       Ph.D. Oral                               2 hrs.

For all written comprehensive exams (MA major field , Ph.D. minor field, and Ph.D. major field), each professor supplies two exam questions and the student must answer ONE from each professor.  The student will thus answer two questions for the MA major field examination or the Ph.D. minor field examination.  The student will thus answer three questions for the Ph.D. major field examination. Sample questions from past examinations are available for student viewing from the graduate programs secretary.  For the public history oral examination, please see the director of the public history program for exact procedures.  For the oral examination portion of the Ph.D. major field exam, please see the head of your examination committee for exact procedures.

To ‘pass with distinction’ (the only other option outside of pass and fail), you must receive a ‘high pass’ from all members of the exam committee on all examination questions.  Please make certain you mark which questions you are answering--this will eliminate some initial guessing on the examiner’s part when grading. 

PART I.  Setting up the Field Examination Committee / Constructing the Examination Reading List /Meeting with Committee Members

Setting Up the Examination Committee

            In general, students should obtain a Field Examination Committee Form from the graduate programs secretary one year before they wish to take an examination.  Once a student has identified the faculty member he or she wishes to serve as committee chair, the student and faculty member should meet to discuss the fields and potential committee members.  Students are responsible for asking other professors to serve as members of their committee.  In general, students should work with professors with whom they have taken classes  or worked in a scholarly capacity.  The major field examination for the M.A. degree and the minor field examination for the Ph.D. consist of two examiners (one of which is the chair of the exam).  The major field examination for the Ph.D. consists of three examiners (one of which is the Chair of the exam).  A student’s advisor generally serves as the chair of the examination committee.   The public history oral examination for the M.A. and for the Ph.D. joint program consists of two examiners. 

             The chair and the committee members must sign the student’s Field Examination Committee Form, who then returns the form to the Graduate Program Director to review and place in the student’s file.  Once all paperwork and forms are completed and signed and the Graduate Program Director has signed the Field Examination Committee Form, the committee is established.

Creating the Examination Reading List

The student will confer with each prospective committee member, discuss the parameters of the fields, and determine the relevant bibliography for which he or she will be held responsible during the examination.  Again, students should consult the suggested reading lists (available from the graduate programs secretary) for assistance in creating their own examination lists.  Once a preliminary reading list is assembled, students must distribute this list to all members of the examination committee for their approval.  Please remember that committee members will usually  make revisions to the list.  A final (revised) examination reading list MUST be approved by all members of the committee at least one month before the examination date.  The student is responsible for sending a final electronic or  hardcopy of the final exam reading list to ALL members of the examination committee AND  the graduate programs secretary at least one month before the examination date.

Reading Lists:Black Chicago (Civil Rights, Great Migration, Politics, Social Conditions)
Colonial North American and British Atlantic History
History of American Sexuality
History of U.S. Immigration and Ethnicity
Medieval History
Modern Europe History
North American Indian History
North American Urban History
U.S. History, 1800-1860
U.S. History, 1861-present
U.S. History, 1900-1945
U.S. History, 1945-present
U.S. Women & Gender History

Comp Exam Schedule

Meeting with Committee Members

Students should meet with EACH individual member of their committee at least once during the exam studying process.  Students should make sure that the final examination reading list is approved and that each member has a copy of the final reading list. Meetings with each individual faculty member should occur at least one month before the examination date. 

Students may elect to meet with committee members more frequently to discuss potential topics for examination questions and/or to ask questions about particular readings.  Students are encouraged to consult sample questions from past examinations in preparation for these meetings.  The graduate programs secretary has copies of these questions on file.  It is the student’s responsibility to keep in touch with the examination committee prior to taking the exam.

PART II.  Scheduling the Examination and Taking the Examination

When a student is ready to schedule the examination, he or she fills out the Examination Request Form.  This form goes to the Graduate Program Director who performs a file check to determine that the student has fulfilled all the requirements necessary to take the examination.

Students taking the take-home comprehensive examination will use the Examination Request Form to establish a date and time to obtain a copy of the examination from the graduate programs secretary.  M.A. major field examinations and Ph.D. minor field examinations are due one week later at the same time that the examination was originally obtained.  Ph.D. major field examinations are due two weeks later at the same time that the examination was originally obtained.  A hard copy of the examination must be hand delivered or an electronic copy of the examination must be sent to the graduate programs secretary by the aforementioned time.  Students must complete the examination within the designated one- or two-week period.  Failure to complete the exam on time will result in a failing grade and the student will be required to retake the examination. Only in exceptional circumstances can this rule be waived.

Public History Internships

From Professor Ted Karamanski, Director of the Public History Program:

I have pasted below this note a list of local places our students have done internships in the last five years. Depending on student interest many of them also do internships much farther afield, in Washington, NYC, various National Parks, etc.

• Archdiocese of Chicago Archives & Records Center. The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Archives & Records Center is the official repository for the records of the Archdiocese of Chicago and gateway to its past. As the institutional archives, its purpose is to identify, preserve, and make available Archdiocesan records, which have long term value for local, national and international communities. The Center’s collection, with more than 8, 000 cubic feet of archival materials, constitutes one of the world’s largest repositories of Archdiocesan Archives. Interns’ duties will depend on students’ interests, educational backgrounds, experiences, and the Archdiocese’s needs. Projects include: Preservation and microfilming of documents and photographs; indexing collections; assisting reference staff; updating the database of the collections; and conducting tours of facilities and exhibitions.
• The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, founded in 1922 as The Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, is a leading independent, nonpartisan organization committed to influencing the discourse on global issues through contributions to opinion and policy formation, leadership dialogue, and public learning. The Chicago Council brings the world to Chicago by hosting public programs and private events featuring world leaders and experts with diverse views on a wide range of global topics. Through task forces, conferences, studies, and leadership dialogue, the Council brings Chicago’s ideas and opinions to the world. The Council offers undergraduate juniors and seniors the chance to learn about our organization and participate in a variety of duties associated with ongoing projects through internships. While intern responsibilities vary by department, tasks may include researching prospective speakers, donors, studies, and corporate members, writing communications, assisting in the development of marketing/program materials, audience and outreach development, administrative duties (filing, faxing, data entry, preparing mailings, assembling program/meeting materials), assisting at Council events, and other projects as assigned.
• Chicago History Museum. Internships at the Chicago History Museum are challenging, educational experiences designed for undergraduate and graduate students. Working alongside staff members in a tutorial arrangement, interns gain valuable skills and training in museum practice, archival administration, arts administration, and historical scholarship. While specific projects fluctuate with the institution's needs and priorities, a diverse assortment of opportunities is generally available. Examples include: Archives and manuscripts internship; Collection processing internship; Prints and photographs internship; Costumes collection internships; Conservation internship; Education internships.
• Chicago Maritime Society. The Chicago Maritime Society researches, educates, and celebrates Chicago’s maritime heritage. The society holds a collection of approximately 5,000 objects, documents and images related to Chicago’s maritime heritage and maintains historical files and records utilized by scholars, authors, and researchers. The organization is located on the 6th floor of the Helix Building, just one block from the Racine Blue Line station.
• Chicago Metro History Education Center. The Chicago Metro History Education Center (CMHEC) promotes an approach to history education based on local and community history, project and inquiry based methods of learning, and the use of primary as well as secondary sources. This approach is distinguished by student-centered initiative, cooperative learning and cross-disciplinary thinking. Through academic competitions, family and community history projects, teacher training, and educational materials, CMHEC aims to revitalize the learning and teaching of history in the Chicago metropolitan area, to encourage the development of critical thinking and core learning skills, and to foster increased civic interest and responsibility. Its main program is the History Fair, an annual academic program and competition for over 20,000 Chicago area students in grades 6-12. They seek volunteers to help coach student research at the Harold Washington or Woodson libraries on weekends in December through March; coach student work on thesis, project development, and research in classrooms on weekdays; and judge or do other support work during History Fair events with students on weekdays, evenings, and Saturdays in February through April.
• Chicago Public Schools. Interns work at local elementary or high schools (for example, Swift Elementary or Senn High School) and engage in such tasks as tutoring students in history or helping with their history fairs. Contact the internship coordinator to help you set up these internships.
• Chicago Women’s Liberation Union. The CWLU is a feminist organization that was born in Chicago in 1969. From 1969 * 1977, CWLU members dedicated themselves to developing grassroots programs for women while working towards a long term revolution in American society. They have extensive online archives and welcome undergraduate interns.
• Edgewater Historical Society. The Edgewater Historical Society was founded in January of 1988 to involve the Edgewater community in the preservation of its history. The impetus to form the Society was the 1986 celebration of the Edgewater Centennial, during which the Edgewater Community Council conducted an oral history project. From that project grew a great interest in researching and documenting neighborhood streets and structures. The Edgewater Historical Society operates the Museum located in the converted firehouse at 5358 N. Ashland Ave. and conducts Home Tours and Walking Tours throughout the year. Internships might involve researching and putting up of exhibits and displays; helping with oral history to get the recording of information for our files; projects; and storing collections information. Skills required could range from history, art, computer skills, office management, research, photographer, etc.
• The Field Museum. The Field Museum is one of the most important museums in the Chicago area. It was founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. These objects form the core of the Museum's collections which have grown through world-wide expeditions, exchange, purchase, and gifts to more than twenty million specimens. Click here for available internships.
• The First Division Museum at Cantigny. The First Division Museum at Cantigny is dedicated to American military history, specifically the history of the Big Red One, which is the famed 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army. The museum is located on the Wheaton, Illinois estate of the late Colonel Robert R. McCormick. Its 38,000 square foot facility includes 10,000 square feet of state of the art interactive and experiential exhibits. The museum has a wide variety of exhibits ranging from life-size dioramas to tanks and artillery pieces found in the military park.
• Glessner House. Built in1885, the Glessner house was a radical departure from traditional residential design. Nestled inside the fortress-like, rusticated granite exterior is an oak-paneled English Arts and Crafts interior and a charming central courtyard. The stories that live within the walls of Glessner House tell the tale of Chicago in an era that, more than any other, shaped urban America -- the family life and fashion trends, masters and servants, high culture and crass consumerism, intellectual achievements and industrial brawn. The spirit of the Gilded Age lives in Glessner House and visitors not only learn its cultural history, they experience the ambiance of this bygone world. Glessner House Museum has over 6,000 artifacts, most of which are original to the Glessner family. In addition to Aesthetic Movement and English Arts and Crafts Movement furniture, the collection includes a large number of ceramic vases and tiles, Art Nouveau glass, silver and other decorative objects. Staff works closely with the students to determine internship objectives and to set project priorities. They provide interns with knowledge and training they can take with them into their careers, placing each student into a working environment where each becomes part of the GHM team.
• History Makers. The HistoryMakers is dedicated to preserving African American history as the missing link in American history. Focused on American history, oral history and education in general and more specifically on African American history, education, music, law, the arts, science, technology, media, medicine, entertainment, fashion & beauty, business, the military, politics and sports, The History Makers is a combination archive, library, museum, stock footage collection, on-line educator and educational PBS/TV programming. Its topics include but are not limited to African American organizations and associations, slavery, reconstruction, the labor movement, the civil rights movement and black authors. Internships are available on a semester or January-term basis and can be tailored to fit the skills and interests of the student. Areas of intern activity include: conduct background research on individual HistoryMakers prior to interviews using periodicals, the Internet, monographs, and other materials; research and writing HistoryMaker biographies for The HistoryMakers website; copy edit transcripts of interviews; work in the library or archives to assist in the processing of video collection as well as to write and develop finding aids.
• Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College, the only museum in the Chicago-area that focuses exclusively on the history, culture and arts of North American native peoples. The Museum's collections range from the Paleo-Indian period through the present day. Permanent exhibitions depict the Native American cultures of the Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, Northwest Coast and Arctic. Two temporary exhibit galleries have special thematic shows that change two times a year. Interns would develop a project that would fit with the museum's needs and their own interests.
• National Public Housing Museum. The National Public Housing Museum is a museum in making to be located in Chicago. Interns work with staff at the Public Housing Museum on research related to the museum’s focus in documenting the history of public housing in Chicago and understanding the impact of public housing on residents and communities from the past through the present. Born out of the early vision of public housing residents, the National Public Housing Museum will bring to life the many stories and voices of residents, and examine public housing’s effect on the larger patterns of community and urban development in Chicago and other U.S. cities.
• National Hellenic Museum. From ancient Greek civilizations to contemporary artistic movements, the National Hellenic Museum produces original exhibitions for the public to enjoy. Exhibits offer comprehensive, historical depictions of Greek communities in the United States, the artistic and literary expressions of Greeks worldwide, and the art and history of ancient Greece. The Museum also contains a library and media archives. The Library is a non-circulating research library, primarily collecting original source and out-of-print materials. From an archival perspective, the Museum also maintains a collection of rare 16mm films, which have been digitized and are available for viewing and research. The NHM library also contains over 5,000 Greek record albums, one of the largest collections in the United States. The NHM offers unpaid credit and non-credit internships for college students throughout the year. An internship would be a great way to gain real-life experience working in a mid-size Museum during your Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters.
• Newberry Library. The Newberry Library is an independent research library concentrating in the humanities with an active educational and cultural presence in Chicago. Free and open to the public, it houses an extensive non-circulating collection of rare books, maps, and manuscripts.
• South Asian American Policy and Research Institute (SAAPRI). SAAPRI conducts research on issues of importance to South Asian Americans in response to community needs. Projects are designed to create dialogue and better understanding among various communities, and ensure the betterment of South Asian Americans. While the research enlists the help of community members and organizations as well as student interns, it adheres to the highest academic standards and rigorous scholarship.
• The National Archives and Records Administration-Great Lakes Region, Chicago. The Archives hold a large amount of primary records for Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio. The records cover a wide scope of topics including, but not limited to: Mining and Railroads; Indian Affairs; Civil Rights Movement; National Parks and Forests; Chicago and Regional History; Immigration and Naturalization; Labor History; Fugitive Slaves; World War I and II Homefronts; Maritime History of Great Lakes and Inland Waterways; Depression Era; Science and Technology; Organized Crime; Prohibition Era; Sports ; Legal History; Women's History; African American History ; Ethnic History; Environmental History; Film and Entertainment; Espionage and Sedition. The Chicago office offers college-level students and other individuals the opportunity to participate in non-paid internships at the facility. If accepted, students are required to work 160 hours within a specific time frame to successfully complete an internship. Interns at the Great Lakes Region work in a variety of program areas including: basic preservation; reference and research services; public programs; arrangement and description of historical records.
• Urban Initiatives. Urban Initiatives is a Chicago based nonprofit organization that runs a health and education soccer program in fourteen Chicago Public Schools and has grown tremendously over the years. The intern will have the opportunity to work with the senior staff in a casual, collaborative working environment in order to research and synthesize historical information about the communities we serve as they relate to out program. Overall, the intern will help Urban Initiatives to better understand the root causes of the communities’ needs so that our program can enhance our sports-based youth development program. To learn more about Urban Initiatives check outwww.urbaninitiatives.org
• The Swedish American Museum. The Museum Center is located at 5211 North Clark in Andersonville, a traditionally Swedish area of Chicago's north side. The mission of the Museum is to preserve and present the Swedish American heritage in the United States for the education and enjoyment of all ages and ethnic background. Each year more than 40,000 visitors enjoy the many programs that include special exhibits, Swedish language classes, crafts, genealogy classes, folk dancing, concerts, lectures, films, and the interactive Children's Museum of Immigration. The Children's Museum uses interns to staff the museum, lead tours, and learn to role play. Located on the third floor of the museum, the Children’s Museum of Immigration is an interactive hands-on exhibit that teaches children about Swedish immigration, culture, and history. Children travel back in time to an authentic Swedish farmhouse and experience life at the turn of the century, where they tend to farm animals, stack wood, wash the laundry, and cook by the hearth. After the work is done children pack a trunk and board an immigrant ship bound for pioneer America, where they step inside a real log cabin and learn about pioneer life. Through first-person interpretation educators teach students about Swedish immigration in the 1870’s. This includes dressing in period costume and monitoring the museum space. Interns can also be given a special project to focus on (for instance, writing descriptions of artifacts). Applicants should submit a resume and a short paragraph on why they are interested in an internship.
• Women and Leadership Archives, Loyola University Chicago. The Woman and Leadership Archives here at Loyola has a number of possible internship projects, including: Online Exhibit(s) The intern will be asked to create a medium sized exhibit (100-150 items) related to a particular theme or existing collection of material. Of course, as part of the learning experience, we will train on how to use the hardware and software. There is also some potential for the creation of a related physical exhibit in the library of Piper Hall; Outreach/Education: After surveying our existing outreach and donor relations systems, the intern will help identify places for improvement, discover potentially over looked women or women’s organizations, and specifically target some for a directed solicitation effort;Processing: Though over 80% of the WLA collections are processed and available to the public, new collections come in regularly. The intern will learn traditional processing techniques, create finding aids and catalog records, and create promotional content*such as blurbs for the website; and Monograph Collection: The intern will assess the existing collection, help to better define the collecting mission where monographs are concerned, and weed any unwanted books using a pre determined criteria.

Dual degree program at Loyola University Chicago and Dominican University in Public History and Library Information Sciences

The dual degree program is an excellent option for digital humanities, archives, and information science careers. We have several projects underway with faculty working with students on digital projects. One is engaged with studying 19th century libraries in Chicago. Another is involved with maps made by a 19th century missionary to the plains Indians in the 19th century. Dr. Kyle Roberts is our public history new media faculty member and you should feel free to contact him for more information on those type of projects.

Background - Holocaust (Films)
-Night and Fog 1

Dual Degree Program--Public History/MLS--Dominican University

Question: Upon graduation, I hope to begin working on my Master's degree and the Public History and Library Information Science Dual Degree program offered by Dominican University and Loyola University of Chicago is of much interest to me.  I have begun an online application for Loyola University Chicago and also one for Dominican University, both of which I hope to submit soon, but I do have a few questions regarding applying to the dual program before I proceed.

• Do I apply to both institutions?  If so, how is it recommended that I go about this?
• What are the application deadlines?
• Is there anything else that needs to be completed in addition to the standard materials required (transcripts, personal statement, etc.) that I need to complete?

Answer: Application to the two programs is completely separate. Follow the instructions for each institution. The Loyola program is smaller and more selective so acceptance here is often harder than Dominican's MLS program. Students generally do the history section first and after  a year and a half move over to Dominican, but you do it the other way around or do both programs at the same time being part-time in each.

 

Application evaluation at the Loyola Program puts a heavy emphasis on your writing sample so choose that carefully to show strong rhetorical skills and an ability to do good research.

Dissertation Proposal Seminars

One should not take the proposal class until one has completed the major examination.  The course is run as an independent study where you work with your advisor to produce a proposal. When it is time, the student just signs up via LOCUS.  You will, however, need a chair for your committee (your main advisor) from History.  It is fine to have an outside person, non-History faculty member, on the committee.  The other two should be from History. In general, people have most of the committee put together by the time they take the proposal seminar (at least a chair!).  You will have to fill out the forms with Lillian for the committee too. [n.b. these are now found through GSPS]   

Dissertations into databases

Graduate students at most universities are encouraged or required to include their dissertations in Proquest’s Dissertations and Theses database and more recently in local digital repositories such as Loyola’s eCommons. Inclusion of dissertations in these types of services is considered beneficial to students and degree granting institutions. Students, recent graduates and newer faculty are encountering new obstacles in academic publishing as a result of the conflict of interest between the goals of the open access movement and those of academic presses. Join representatives from The Graduate School, the Libraries, Proquest, and others for a lively discussion on these issues. Refreshments will be provided. 

Admission Selection Process

Our admissions procedure is a multiple level, "blind" process of assessment by a range of faculty members.  Therefore, it is difficult to be precise about why or why not an applicant receives the final ranking score she or he  does.  Through the process, we assess the complete package submitted, including GREs, but also GPA, letters of recommendation, and especially writing samples.  We also consider very carefully whether the specific interests of a student coincide enough with our faculty offerings to warrant the cost and effort required to come and study at Loyola.  We don't want to invite persons just in order to increase our enrollments.

So, as the manager of this process, but not the "authority" over it, I can not be too specific about any particular case.  My advice is that you consult with your professors and advisers at your present institution about every aspect of your applications,  and pay particular attention to the quality of your writing sample. We do not have a formal, or even informal, policy about multiple applications.  If you feel that your record has strengthened and might submit a stronger writing sample, etc., you have every right to do so and we will consider the new application on its own merits,  along with all others in the coming "season."

Non-US applicants

 For further information about the application process, please visit our program web page, especially the section on graduate admissions.  As a non-US student, would need to have your non-US transcripts evaluated by ECE (www.ece.org) and request the "General Evaluation with Grade Average."  If you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, she will need to also submit the TOEFL or IELTS language test. Assuming you are able to process all of these elements, we would assess your application as we would any other.  Please keep in mind, as you consider this option, that we only offer financial support in the form of Teaching Assistantships to Ph.D. students.  

MA Admission Requirements and Link

We are very glad to learn that you will be applying for the MA program in History at Loyola University Chicago.  The application information you requested is available on this link.

Here is the list of elements you must include:

   M.A. PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. A B.A. degree and a B average. Normally, students should have 18 hours of undergraduate coursework in history. You must send official transcripts of all undergraduate work as well as any graduate coursework.
2. GRE scores: General Test
3. A one- to two-page statement of your objectives in applying for the M.A. program
4. Three letters of recommendation, preferably from those familiar with work in the field of history
5. A sample of your historical writing, preferably a research paper written for a history course
6. A completed application,accompanied by a $50 non-refundable application fee (fee waived for online application)

You may apply by submitting these materials on paper via mail, or electronically.  For instructions either way, go to this link.

Ph.D Application Deadline

The deadline for all Ph.D. applications, with or without TAship consideration  is January 1 . 

Contact Graduate Program Secretary

For administrative assistance with any details, please contact or plan to meet Lillian Hardison (ljung@luc.edu). 

Tuition

Tuition is determined by the number of credit hours you take in any semester. For further information about tuition, the application process,  etc., you may contact the Program Secretary, Lillian Hardison at ljung@luc.edu. 

Admissions materials; deadline for Spring admission

For admissions, we assess the complete package submitted, including GREs, but also GPA, letters of recommendation, and especially writing sample.  There is no clear cut off for GRE scores.  

Regarding the deadline for entering as an MA Spring semesters: it would be October 1 in the fall. No Spring admissions for Ph.D. students. 

Consult Funding Page

Information about funding appears on this page.